Digital Communications and Mass Media

(BA, 4 Years)

Duration

4 years

Qualification Awarded

Bachelor of Arts in Digital Communications and Mass Media

Level of Qualification

Bachelor Degree (1st Cycle)

Language of Instruction

English

Mode of Study

Full-time or Part-time

Minimum ECTs Credits

240

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Digital Communications and Mass Media (BA, 4 Years)

Duration	4 years
Qualification Awarded	Bachelor of Arts in Digital Communications and Mass Media
Level of Qualification	Bachelor Degree (1st Cycle)
Language of Instruction	English
Mode of Study	Full-time and Part-time
Minimum ECTS Credits	240

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Overview

Profile of the Programme

Aims

To prepare students of the Diploma and BA and B.Sc. degrees for employment in the broad areas of communications, particularly in Radio/TV and Press Journalism, as well as in areas of Corporate Communication, like Advertising, Public Relations and Marketing.
To prepare students academically for continued MA studies in both the University of Nicosia M.A. Programme and in other English-speaking countries – USA and UK.
To provide students with a well-rounded contemporary background in the media area – academic and practical – so they can become leading professionals in the communication business.
To realise the above, the University of Nicosia aims at offering opportunities for practical applications in the University newspapers and in Cyprus radio and television channels, in commercial newspapers of the Cyprus market and in Public Relations and Corporate Communications Consultancies and Agencies.

Objectives

To provide students with the technical expertise necessary for employment in professional Radio/TV stations, or other production units, in different capacities i.e. production, editing, camera work, script writing, etc.
To give students a wide research background so they can work in different research capacities in media research being conducted in the market.
To give students a well-organised theoretical background about the history and development of the media so they can work in media positions other than production in the market, or to pursue further academic studies.

Career Prospects

Graduates of the programme can be employed as online programme directors, social media strategists or public relations officers, reporters and producers in the mass media such as newspapers and magazines, public relations and advertising agencies, and state and private radio and TV channels. This programme will also prepare students to embark on careers in political communication and research and consultancy.

Access to Further Studies

Graduates of the programme can be accepted into Second Cycle degrees (Master’s Degree).

Admission

Academic Admission

The minimum admission requirement to an undergraduate programme of study is a recognized High School Leaving Certificate (HSLC) or equivalent internationally recognized qualification(s). Students with a lower HSLC grade than 7.5/10 or 15/20 or equivalent depending on the grading system of the country issuing the HSLC are provided with extra academic guidance and monitoring during the first year of their studies.

English Language Proficiency

The list below provides the minimum English Language Requirements (ELR) for enrollment to the programme of study. Students who do not possess any of the qualifications or stipulated grades listed below and hold IELTS with 4.5 and above, are required to take UNIC’s NEPTON English Placement Test (with no charge) and will receive English Language support classes.

TOEFL – 525 and above
Computer-based TOEFL – 193 and above
Internet-based TOEFL – 80 and above
IELTS – 6 and above
Cambridge Exams [First Certificate] – B and above
Cambridge Exams [Proficiency Certificate – C and above
GCSE English Language “O” Level – C and above
Michigan Examination of Proficiency in English (CaMLA) – Pass
Pearson PTE General – Level 3 and above
KPG (The Greek Foreign Language Examinations for the State Certificate of Language Proficiency) – Level B2 and above
Anglia – Level B2 and above
IEB Advances Programme English – Pass
Examination for the Certificate of Proficiency in English (ECPE) Michigan Language Assessment by: Cambridge Assessment English & University of Michigan – 650 average score for ALL skills and above

Assessment

Course assessment usually comprises of a comprehensive final exam and continuous assessment. Continuous assessment can include amongst others, mid-terms, projects, and class participation.

Letter grades are calculated based on the weight of the final exam and the continuous assessment and the actual numerical marks obtained in these two assessment components. Based on the course grades the student’s semester grade point average (GPA) and cumulative point average (CPA) are calculated.

Graduation

The student must complete 240 ECTS and all programme requirements.

A minimum cumulative grade point average (CPA) of 2.0 is required. Thus, although a ‘D-‘ is a PASS grade, in order to achieve a CPA of 2.0 an average grade of ‘C’ is required.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of the programme the student will be able to:

Develop Skills and Competences in the practice of Journalism
Develop Skills and Competences in Radio Production
Develop Skills and Competences in Television Production
Develop Skills and Competences in advanced and new media production techniques, such as web pages, internet radio and podcasting
Have conceptual knowledge of the different theoretical perspectives relating to Communication Studies and The Media
Acquire and apply Research Skills and Competences in all the key areas of Communications Radio, TV, Printed Press and Internet
Develop abilities to analyse and synthesise
Learn the application of knowledge in practice
Acquire practical knowledge of at least one foreign language
Be able to design and manage projects relevant to Communication studies
Learn good practices pertaining to team work
Enhance the development and achievement of quality in the profession
Encourage leadership skills
Be better equipped in relation to independent and more critical media analysis skills, particularly in relation to the challenges of media literacy
Acquire a more global/European media background and perspective
Pass on creative skills in all media fields based on experience and knowledge
Be more sensitive to multiculturalism and tolerance of difference
Prepare students for all the challenges of new media technologies

Academic Path

Section A: Major Requirements
ECTS: Min. 168 Max. 168

Course ID	Course Title	ECTS Credits
COMM-116	Audio Production	6
COMM-117	Video Production	6
COMM-125	Journalism in the Digital Era	6
COMM-135A	Introduction to Communication Studies	6
COMM-190	Film	6
COMM-212	Editing and Compositing in Digital Media	6
COMM-216	Radio Production	6
COMM-220	Writing for Digital Media	6
COMM-223	Documentary Photography in the Digital Era	6
COMM-230	Voice and Diction	6
COMM-241	Communication and Media Research Methods	6
COMM-302	Creative Production and Publishing	6
COMM-321	Public Relations Principles	6
COMM-322	Public Relations Methods	6
COMM-344	Persuasion and Media Culture	6
COMM-384	Digital Media and Youth Culture	6
COMM-391	Digital Media Management	6
COMM-400	Media Literacy	6
COMM-401	Lifestyle and Fan-based Media	6
COMM-410	Internet TV	6
COMM-415	Internet Radio	6
COMM-419	Popular Music, Culture and Media	6
COMM-421	Documentary Production	6
COMM-431	Gender and Communication	6
COMM-440	Communication Law and Media Ethics	6
COMM-441	Media and Cultural Theory	6
COMM-442	Communication Internship	6
COMM-490	Senior Year Project	6

Section: B Major Electives
ECTS: Min. 18 Max. 36
Notes: Students can choose from a wide range of electives from across the Department.

Course ID	Course Title	ECTS Credits
COMM-325	Event Management	6
COMM-398	Integrated Marketing Communications	6
COMM-422	PR Campaign Development and Management	6
DES-260	Photography I	6
ENGL-102	Western World Literature and Composition	6
HIST-257	Modern Cypriot History and Politics	6
MULT-160	Introduction to Multimedia	6
SOC-101	Principles of Sociology	6

Section: C Language Expression

ECTS: Min. 12 Max. 30

Notes: Placement in the English courses is done on the basis of a Placement Test or tests such as TOEFL or GCE.

Course ID	Course Title	ECTS Credits
BADM-231	Business Communications	6
BADM-332	Technical Writing and Research	6
COMM-200	Business and Professional Communication	6
ENGL-101	English Composition	6
GREK-150	Greek Language	6
GREK-161	Advanced Greek Language	6

Section: D Humanities and Social Sciences Electives

ECTS: Min. 12 Max. 36

Notes: Or any DANC, EUS, FREN, GERM, ITAL, PSY, RUS, SOC, SPAN, TURK, GREK, HIST, MUS, PHIL courses.

Course ID	Course Title	ECTS Credits
ANTH-105	Cultural Anthropology	6
ART-110	Introduction to Visual Arts	6
ESCI-200	Society and Environment	6
EUS-103	Modern European History and Politics	6
HIST-201	World History to 1500	6
HIST-265	The US and World History Since 1945	6
PHIL-101	Introduction to Philosophy	6
PHIL-120	Ethics	6
PSCI-101	American National Government	6
PSY-110	General Psychology I	6
PSY-111	General Psychology II	6
PSY-210	Social Psychology	6

Semester Breakdown

Semester 1

Course ID	Course Title	ECTS Credits
BENG-100	College English	6
COMM-125	Journalism in the Digital Era	6
COMM-135A	Introduction to Communication Studies	6
COMP-150	Microcomputer Applications	6
DES-260	Photography I	6

Semester 2

Course ID	Course Title	ECTS Credits
COMM-116	Audio Production	6
COMP-151	Computer Fundamentals	6
ENGL-100	Basic Writing	6
ENGL-100	Basic Writing	6

Semester 3

Course ID	Course Title	ECTS Credits
COMM-117	Video Production	6
COMM-230G	Voice and Diction – in Greek	6
ENGL-101	English Composition	6
MATH-105	Intermediate Algebra	6
SOC-101	Principles of Sociology	6

Semester 4

Course ID	Course Title	ECTS Credits
ACCT-110	Accounting I	6
ANTH-105	Cultural Anthropology	6
COMM-190	Film	6
COMM-321	Public Relations Principles	6

Semester 5

Course ID	Course Title	ECTS Credits
COMM-200	Business and Professional Communication	6
COMM-216	Radio Production	6
MATH-108	Finite Maths with Applied Calculus	6

Semester 6

Course ID	Course Title	ECTS Credits
BADM-231	Business Communications	6
BADM-332	Technical Writing and Research	6
COMM-344	Persuasion and Media Culture	6
MGT-281	Introduction to Management	6

Semester 7

Course ID	Course Title	ECTS Credits
ART-110	Introduction to Visual Arts	6
COMM-218	Production and Presentation of Radio News	6
COMM-220	Writing for Digital Media	6
COMM-322	Public Relations Methods	6
COMM-405G	Contemporary Political History of Cyprus	6

Semester 8

Course ID	Course Title	ECTS Credits
COMM-221	Editing and Newspaper Production	6
COMM-431	Gender and Communication	6
COMM-440	Communication Law and Media Ethics	6

The above semester breakdown is an indicative one. A few of the courses are electives and can be substituted by others. Students may contact their academic advisor and consult their academic pathway found on this website under “Schools & Programmes”.