How to choose a college for Mass Communication

Choosing a mass comm college

By: Mansi Aneja

With the number of TV Channels, publications and websites increasing, the need for qualified media professionals is also on the rise.

Till a few years back there were not many colleges to train students on subjects related to mass media. But the situation is reversed completely with many media colleges mushrooming everywhere.

Employers also look for candidates who have studied in good institutions and can add value to the profile from day one. There are many new technologies and different kinds of equipment in the market.

The institute that you study in is, hence, very important as it will provide you the training and exposure to all the new trends.

While your choice of college is defined by many factors, few pointers are crucial to be kept in mind. Here's what you should take care of while deciding on a college to study mass communication:

Faculty:

Although it's true that most skills in media are learnt on the job, but a bent of mind to perceive events correctly comes from the studying about it. A good faculty will build upon your inclination to work in the media industry. It will be a good idea to check if the faculty has worked long enough to give you the practical perspective and train you with real life scenario. For example, an editor of the newspaper can polish your language with tips and tricks in the real newspaper scenario. They would also be able to tell you the real factors like audience profile, tone of language, philosophy of the publication etc. Similarly, an experienced model or modelling coordinator can take you through study in a more practical way. While most colleges have guest faculty, you should check the profile of the professors. You can also try to talk to them before you actually pay up for the course.

Lab and other infrastructure:

Like we mentioned the technologies are changing fast. You have to have the hands on experience on the all kinds of equipment. The college should have cameras, rigs, jimmy jibs, lights, etc.

Placements:

Placement for any institution depends on the alumni. They portray the essence of the institution. Thus, selecting an institution with a rich history will be the most apt in terms of placements (and more).

Media, being an industry which evolves constantly and urges you to be creative, requires an environment with minimal restrictions. More the freedom, the better it is.

Questions to ask before you join the college:

• The projects assigned by the institution must be analysed. This not only throws light on the quality of faculty, but also how well the students will be prepared to face the industry when they enter.
• One must go through the contents of the course uncompromisingly. While the basic content remains the same, there can be a few subjects that can interest individuals, so make sure you know what that 'different' subjects are all about, will it help in the future or not.
• Which are the companies recruiting from this college?
• Do they have tie ups with international media organisations for exposing students to real life publications, movie making etc.?

With inputs from Shrey Mathur. He has studied Bachelors in Journalism and Mass Communication from Amity School of Communications and post graduation from Xavier Institute of Communication.