Journalism and Mass Communication Department

About the Department

(i) Students attending special lecture (ii) Students learning video editing in Journalism Lab

The Journalism Programme of Women’s College Calcutta is designed to give women an effective definitive voice in the world of media. We here mould the voice of future communicators to echo the development needs of all sections of a society in transition such as ours.

Introduced in the year 2008, the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication of Women’s College, Calcutta, follows a course structure which is combination of both theory and practical assignments. The course is industry-friendly to give the right exposure in the practical field. We promote critical thinking and encourage participation in group discussions, debates, workshops and seminars in college and elsewhere. We encourage creative expression developing aesthetic senses, and analytical abilities developing in-depth perspectives. The department inculcates academic depth through research based projects and dissertations, both at under-graduate and post-graduate levels.

The department has proven to be high in demand with remarkable performance over the years offering wide job opportunities both in academic and professional fields for its students. This initiated introduction of the Honours course in Journalism & Mass Communication in 2009 and Masters course in Journalism & Mass Communication in 2015, both in affiliation with University of Calcutta. The department follows the CBCS system of evaluation as per Calcutta University Regulation since 2018.

 

Programmes

(i) M. A. in Journalism and Mass Communication (affiliated to University of Calcutta)

(ii) B. A. (Honors) in Journalism and Mass Communication (affiliated to University of Calcutta)

(iii) B. A. (General) in Journalism and Mass Communication (affiliated to University of Calcutta)

Teaching and Learning

Being a professional course which is highly dynamic in its nature, the department believes in participatory student-centric learning methodology. Following the syllabus of the affiliating university, the department trains its students on print journalism, television journalism, radio journalism, online journalism, advertising, public relations, media management along with developing insights into theories of communication, culture and society, ethical perspectives on media and media laws. The department offers exclusive training on photojournalism, documentary film making, feature film making and research based dissertations. Class lectures are delivered with visual aids and computer presentations as needed; special study materials are issued; students’ group discussion are held regularly and opinion poll on the current topic are analysed; case studies are discussed in the class;  activity based learning is promoted; question and answers are discussed; regular evaluations are conducted; students are updated with latest information.

These methods applied along with wide reading references and discussions of various seminal texts in the class inducing critical thinking among the students. Theoretical depths are balanced with industry oriented practical training. Students are given hands-on training in various industry recommended software (photo editing, video editing, sound editing, page making, multimedia), along with handling various production equipments and tools. As part of course-work the students produce  tabloids , radio news bulletin, documentary, photo news story, feature film, advertisement (both for print and broadcast), multimedia blog, online news package and research based dissertations. Teaching learning method also incorporates news analysis assignments, industry visits, outdoor photo assignments, student’s presentation, anchoring, web designing, blogging, vlogging, advertisement and public relation campaigns and many more  There are also invited lectures, panel discussions and seminars on various themes and relevant issues pertaining to the syllabus and beyond.

Online Learning

Google Classroom facility for each class with each faculty

The department maintains its academic activities online through the facilities of G Suite package. The department maintains Google Classroom for each class and each individual faculty member where faculty shares learning materials along with receiving students’ assignments and interacting with them. The department also has YouTube channel for video lectures exclusively for the students of the department along with interactive online learning experiences through collaborative learning projects, online assignment submission facility, and online quizzes as part of the learning process. Furthermore, the department does many activities online as it has launched an online students’ project to spread awareness about social media on World Social Media day. The students of the department enjoy relentless connectivity with department faculty through various online communication platforms.

YouTube Video lecture exclusively for the students of the department

Capacity Building

 

> on co-curricular activities

Students' News Tabloids

Being a professional media course, Department of Journalism and Mass Communication believes in the importance of co-curricular activities in developing students’ knowledge and skill beyond the syllabus oriented learning. To inculcate industry oriented skills and knowledge the department organizes various activities throughout the year. The Events section along with other following sections below illustrate various ways skills and capacity of all students are developed throughout the years.

 

(i) Industry Interaction: Senior television journalist interacting with students  (ii) Principal, Dr. Mahua Das, presenting trophies to the winners of the annual quiz competition

Research and Projects

(i) Dissertation Projects done by UG and PG students (ii) Documentary films made by UG and PG students

Both the under-graduate and post-graduate students of the department submit research dissertations as part of the course-work. The students are encouraged to participate in national and international conferences and publish their research works. The research projects of the students that have been published and presented are as below –

(i)Ms. Sreoshi Bakshi supervised by Dr. Surhita Basu, PG student of the department presented her dissertation work in the 14th International Conference of Global Communication Association on Digital Inbound: Internet Communication and Beyond organized by Manipal University in Jaipur India in 2018. The research paper has been published as book chapter by international publisher in 2019.The students of the department are encouraged to conduct original research works developing an environment of research and academic vigor.

(ii)Ms. Tithi Bhowal supervised by Dr. Surhita Basu, UG student of the department presented her dissertation work in the National Seminar on Media & Marginality: Situating the Minority in Popular Narratives organized by Alia University, Kolkata, India in 2017.

Apart from research dissertation, the students of the department are also engaged in developing many other projects.

The department launched its annual departmental magazine, M² – The Mass Magazine on the occasion of World Press Freedom day on 3rd May, 2021.

The department organized a students' seminar on the occasion of World Social Media Day 2021 on Social Media: Researches & Debates on 26th June, 2021.

The students of the department maintain a social media awareness campaign online as a multi-media, multi-lingual interactive project site #SOCIAL(media)ism

 

Social Media Awareness Campaign: Online Project during Pandemic (Click to open)

 

Society

Students performing in social awareness skit competition based on original scripts

 

Shutterbug Spark: Annual students photo competition-cum-exhibition

 

Shutterbugs Spark: Annual students photo exhibition curated online during pandemic (click to open)

The Department of Journalism and Mass Communication supports the students in various co-curricular activities and thus have separate societies for film, photography, debate and current affairs, book and creative writing. Students themselves are active members here and organize various interactive sessions.

• Photography society organizes annual photo exhibition and photography competition titled Shutterbug Spark.
• Film society organizes annual documentary screening, short film screening along with making various short film projects.
• Debate and current affairs society organizes debates, extempore, quizzes along with making poster presentations on various social issues and current affairs.
• Books and creative writing society publishes wall magazines, develops original scripts on various social issues, organizes and performs skit competitions, makes posters with social messages, conducts impromptu reactive sessions, essay writing competitions.

All these societies contribute in the annual department’s fest Vox-Pop.

Students' Success Rate:

 

Year	Appeared	Passed	Pass %	I Class	II Class
  2011-2012	  11	  10	  90.90%	  0	  10
  2012-2013	  30	  30	  100%	  3	  27
  2013-2014	  48	  48	  100%	  5	  43
  2014-2015	  36	  36	  100%	  5	  31
  2015-2016	  43	  43	  100%	  0	  43
2016-2017	43	43	100%	4	39
2017-2018	56	56	100%	1	55
2018-2019	37	37	100%	0	37
2019-2020 (Result till 2nd year)	40	40	100%	3	37

Students' Progression

Many of the students of the department are recruited through campus placements, many of the students starts their career right after the college. However most of our students pursue higher education after finishing the UG course. Many of the students join the PG course of Journalism and Mass Communication of the college, affiliated to University of Calcutta.

Through the college Placement Cell initially students are sent to different organizations for the internship wherein they get first-hand experience of the professional field. Post completion of the internship majority of the students of Journalism & Mass Communication department gets absorbed in the organizations where they had completed the internship. More over the placement cell plays a pivotal role to arrange for placement interviews for the students in different Media houses, PR Organizations, Advertising Agencies, Private Banks, Insurance Companies etc. Many students of the department regularly gets selected for various jobs through college placement cell.

 

Events

Dr. Mahua Das, delivering inaugural address in UGC-sponsored national seminar of the department

Organized by the Department:

Year	Event	Guest/s	Participants
2009	“Journalism as a Profession� – one day seminar	Shri Kaulik Ghosh from Ananda Bazar Publication	All students of the department
2011	“Role of Media as an Agent of Social Change� – the Swapna Mukherjee Memorial Lecture of college	Mr. Abir Chattopadhyay, faculty of Department of Journalism & Mass Communication of S.A. Jaipuria College	All students and faculty of the college
2012	“Women Empowerment and Focus on Women’s Issues through Media� – a national seminar cum workshop was organized by Departments of Sociology, Journalism and Mass Communication and Philosophy	Chief Guest Dr. Sanghamitra Mahanti, Vice-chancellor of North Odissa University, Baripada along with other eminent guests	All students and faculty of the college
2017	UGC sponsored One Day Seminar on “Role of media in contemporary society� organized by the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, Women’s College Calcutta in collaboration with Satyapriya Roy College of Education	Dr. DVR Murthy, Chairman, Board of Studies, Dept. of Journalism & Mass Communication, Director, Japan Information & Study Centre, I/C Head – Foreign Languages, Director-Media Relations of Andhra University, Vishakhapatnam; Shri Snehashis Sur, President of Press Club, Kolkata, international award winning journalist and social activist Shri Shubhranshu Choudhary,  national award winning film Director Sri Atanu Ghosh,  Dr. Francis P Barclay, Dean of Faculty, School of Communication, Central University of Tamilnadu, Shri Shubhrajeet Ganguly, from Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta along with other eminent guests	All students and faculty of college
2017	Vox-Pop, Departmental Annual Fest (includes quiz, photo exhibition, essay competition, poster competition, debate, impromptu, skit competition, documentary screening, alumni meet etc)	Smt. Kamalika Sengupta, Special Correspondent, 24 Ghonta; Shri Arghya Chatterjee, Freelance Photographer; Shri Subhajoy Roy, Principal Correspondent, The Telegraph	All students of the department & all faculty of the college
2018	Seminar on Documentary Film – A Historical Evolution	Kasturi Basu from People’s Film Collective	All students and faculty of the department
2018	Vox-Pop, Departmental Annual Fest (includes quiz, photo exhibition, essay competition, poster competition, debate, impromptu, skit competition, documentary screening, alumni meet etc)	Shri Sibendu Das, Journalist, Formerly associated with The Telegraph; Shri Subham Dutta, Principal Photographer, Indian Express; Shri Sumitro Bandopadhyay, Theatre personality – Director, Sanyogsutra, Assistant Director, Theatre Workshop	All students of the department & all faculty of the college
2019	Department of Journalism and Mass Communication has also organized one-day National Seminar on Photo journalism	International award winning photographer Shri Sharbendu De, a renowned lens-based artist and academician, associated with AJK Mass Communication Research Centre, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi	All students of the department
2019	Vox-Pop, Departmental Annual Fest (includes quiz, photo exhibition, essay competition, poster competition, debate, impromptu, skit competition, documentary screening, alumni meet etc)	Shri Somak Ghosh, Radio Jockey, Radio Mirchi; Shri Abhiroop Basu, international award winning film-maker	All students of the department & all faculty of the college
2020	One-day national seminar on Documentary Film-making	Shri Brahm Prakash Chaturvedi, Assistant Professor of Department of Journalism & Mass Communication, Delhi College of Arts & Commerce, University of Delhi and Visiting Faculty of AJK Mass communication Research Centre, Jamia Millia Islamia University and Ms. Susanne Ovelius, researcher and fellow Films’ Collective, Sweden	All students and faculty of department
2020	Two-day International Webinar on Women & Media: The Changing Narratives & Identities	Keynote speakers: Dr Jilly Boyce Kay, Lecturer, Media and Communication, University of Leicester, UK; Prof. Jaishri Jethwaney, Senior ICSSR Research Fellow, ISID, India; other panelists and paper presenters	All students and faculty of the department
2021	Seminar on Online Journalism & Its Challenges	Sri Sushovan Sircar, Senior Correspondent, The Quint	All students and faculty of the department

(i)National seminar on Documentary Film-making (ii)National seminar on Photo-journalism

Participated by the Students of the Department:

Students participate in various inter-college competitions and programmes

 

NAME OF THE EVENT	VENUE	DEPARTMENT’S STUDENTS-PARTICIPANTS
Seminar and workshop by Khas Khobor	Bagbazar Reading Library	Kajal Mondal, Poulami Sen, Ankita Banerjee, Nandita Chowdhury, Sangita Purkait, Shilpa Tarafdar, Oindrila Koley, Atasi Ganguly, Piyasa Maji, Dipanwita Khara. Â
Calcutta University Competition	University Institute Hall	Atasi Ganguly (Indian classical dance 1st position, creative dance got 8th position ), Srinanda Dey (Creative Dance), Rituparna Chowdhury (Creative dance), Tiyasa mukherjee (essay competition) Â
Prachyo Sangeet, Badyojontro o Nrityo Protijigita	University Institute Hall	Srinanda Dey (western dance)
Sweden Nobel Prize Quiz Competition	Calcutta Medical College	Piyasa Maji, Ankita Banerjee, Sudeshna Mallick, Poulami Banik. Â
Sri Sri University of Cuttack, Odissa. Subject – Journalism Proficiency Test.	Asutosh College	Archa Banerjee (1st position), Sudeshna Ghosh (2nd position), Ahana Ghosh, Kajal Mondal, AnkitaBanerjee, Poulami Sen, Piyasa Maji, Sumita Mallick, Priyanka Banerjee, Sukriteeka Das, Satabdi Das, Soumili Biswas, Raima Majumdar, Chandrani Saha. Â
XAV-COMM	St Xavier’s University (Newtown Campus)	Debolina Biswas (Writing Competition), Sumita Mallick (Writing Competition), Sukanya Adhikari (Design), Sneha Roy (Design), SudeshnaGhosh (Quiz), Chandrani Saha (Quiz), Poulami Banik (Quiz), Sukanya Saha (Radio Team 1), Debjani Ghosh (Radio Team 1), Sudeshna Ghosh (Radio Team 1), Chandrani Saha (Radio Team 1), Ahana Ghosh (Radio Team 2), Ankita Banerjee (Radio Team 2), Saheli Ghosh (Radio Team 2), Priyanka Banerjee (Radio Team 2).
New Alipore College Seminar on Film Review Speaker Sudeshna Roy, Film-maker	New Alipore College	Sukanya Saha, Chandrani Saha, Soumili Biswas, Tiyasha Mukherjee, Debjani Ghosh, Diotima Mukherjee Â
International Seminar on Digital Media	Surendranath College	Tannishtha Ganguly, Eshita Dey, Srijoni Dey, Nabanita Chandra, Koushiki Mukherjee, Rupsha Ghosh, Ankita Khan Â
Debate Competition	Action Aid Academy of Fine Arts	Soumashree Mukherjee and Srijita Gupta received the Best Speaker Award. Â
Managedia	Great Eastern Hotel	Tannishtha Ganguly (1st Runners Up), Sijoni Dey (1st Runners Up), Nabanita Chandra, Eshita Dey, Archa Banerjee, Saamadrita Banerjee. Â
9th Asia Pacific Regional Scout Youth Forum	Tagaytay City of Philippines Â	Debanwita Halder performed as a representative
Workshop on television reporting and p2c with Tamal Saha (Special Correspondent, Bureau in Charge, Kolkata Bureau, Times Now)  and Dr. Amartya Saha	Amos Institute of Television Production	Arani Ghosh, Ankita Paul, Moubi Mukherjee, Dipanwita Khara, Shreya Mondal, Shreya Ganguly, Saheli Ghosh.
Workshop on voice modulation with RJ Deep (Deepanjan Ghosh, Radio Mirchi) and Dr. Amartya Saha	Amos Institute of Television Production	Arani Ghosh, Ankita Paul, Snighdha Ghosh, Saheli Roy, Mrittika Bhattacharya, Piyasa Saha, Sriparna Goswami, Sukanya Adhikary, Prajna Mukhopadhay, Saheli Ghosh, Sandha Ghosh.
75th inter-college music and 40th inter-college dance competition	Â	Chandrani Saha Â
Workshop organized by Prayasam family and joined the #withMalala challenge	Â	All students
Summit on Media Design and Communication	PARK hotel	All students

Students with RJ-Somak, Radio Mirchi, after industry interaction session

 

Illustrious Alumni:

1. Avisha Chatterjee, Sub-editor, Uttarbanga Sambad Newspaper

2. Saptadwipa Ghosal, Creative Associate & Researcher, Non-fiction Division, Zee Bangla

3. Subinita Paul, Assistant Professor, Kalyani University

4. Rimi Roy, Sunday Times Digital Desk

5. Sudipa Dasgupta. Entrepreneur, Boutique

6 Biyas Acooli, Digital Marketer and PRO, A1 Future Technology

7. Srijoni Dey, Content Writer, ABP Education

8. Soumashree Mukherjee, Web Content Writer, Subhropot

9. Shreema Bhattacharya, Well-Known Actor in Bengali television industry

10. Srinchiny Podder, Shothik Barta News-Portal

11. Sudeshna Roy. Social Media Content Writer, Eskay Movies Production

12. Ishita Dey, Graphics Designer, Arohi News

13. Ahana Chowdhury, Associate Content Writer, Netscibes India Pvt Ltd

14. Sayantika Ghosh, State Aided College Teacher, Gobandanga Hindu College

 

Faculty