From spring 2015: AIOU to offer master’s degree in TV production

Programme to help working journalists, students of Mass Communication.

ISLAMABAD:

The Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) will launch a two years master’s degree programme in TV production from next year to meet the professional requirement of working journalists and to help strengthen the electronic media.

The decision for launching the programme was formally approved at a meeting held on Monday under the chairmanship of Vice-Chancellor Prof Ali Asghar Chishti, where he was told that necessary arrangements for introducing the programme have been completed.

According to a news release, it was decided that eminent resource persons of national and international repute would be involved in imparting skill-based training and technical know-how to students of electronic media.

AIOU’s faculty will be headed by Department of Mass Communication Chairman Prof Syed Abdul Siraj while the enrollment for the admission will begin in the Spring Semester, 2015. Initially, 40 students will be enrolled in the programme for which an entry test will be conducted in line with the prescribed criteria of the Higher Education Commission.

The programme will first be initiated in Islamabad and later extend to other cities in light of initial feedback. The varsity will provide necessary technical support, including practical training and internship facility, stated the press release.

An internship programme will be arranged in collaboration with national news channels and graduate-level students will be allowed into the programme. However, preference will be given to working journalists and those who have completed their master’s degree in Mass Communication.

Being a public sector university, AIOU will charge comparatively low fees for the programme, as compared to other universities.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 29^th, 2014.