Master in Mass Communications

42 credit hours, divided into 3 semesters (one year and half).

Master in Mass Communications Study Plan (Click to download).

• • The applicant must have a bachelor’s degree in the same academic specialization or equivalent from a university recognized by the Higher Education Council in The Kingdom of Bahrain and a specialty qualifying for study in the program, with a CGPA not less than (2.67) out of (4.0) according to points system or the equivalent of other assessment systems (3.34 of 5.0, or 77%).
  • The applicant who admits from outside the academic specialization must have at least three years of experience in the media and mass communication field (A certificate must be obtained from the employer confirming this).
  • The applicant who admits from outside the media specialization must study three preparatory courses with nine credit hours to increase the understanding level of media discipline; those hours will not be counted within the credit hours to graduate students from the program.
  • The applicant who admits from outside the media academic specialization, and doesn’t have experience in the media and mass communication field, must study five preparatory courses with 15 credit hours to increase the level of scientific specialization; and Professional experience in all kinds of media production. Those hours will not be counted in the total program hours.
  • The student must complete the study of the preparatory courses no later than the end of the second semester of joining the program; otherwise, the student will receive dismissal from the program.
  • Students can’t start to study the specialized courses of the program without completing the Preparatory courses.
  • In case of failure to pass one of the preparatory courses, the student must re-test one time only.
  • The applicant must have a certificate of English language examination to a specific degree according to the TOEFL “Paper-Based Test” (PBT) 525 and “International English Language Testing System” (IELTS) 6.0 (with a minimum of 6.0 in writing, and 5.5 in all other sub-skills), or first “Cambridge English” (FCE) 60%.
  • The applicant must conduct a personal interview with a committee formed of three members from the media specialization, which measures planning, leadership, and critical thinking skills.
  • The committee reviews the applicant’s papers and recommends one of the following options (approved admission to the program – conditional approval with preparatory courses study – rejection with giving the applicant an opportunity for a year to develop his/ her professional skills – complete rejection of admission because of the inadequate specialization).
  • After the applicant is accepted and registered at the university, the student gets a number in higher education based on his registration.

The Programme is offered over a period of 3 semesters as follows:

First semester

This semester contains five compulsory courses which will introduce you to in-depth knowledge about the latest trends in mass communication discipline and research, with a special focus on applied and statistical analytical skills and ethics. You will also learn about Big Data and its applications in media analytics. In addition, you will learn about the transformations that pushed the media to be cost effective industry governed by the principles of micro and macroeconomics. The program aims to prepare you to be a leader in media industry, you will learn about media strategies and their relation to planning and leadership. Focus will be given to develop understanding of the nature of the interactivity of the audience and its latent Power.

Second semester

In the second semester, you will enrol into 2 core courses and 3 elective courses. For the 2 core courses, you will learn more about entrepreneurship and freelancing in the media field while focusing on restructuring the ways of thinking and dealing with challenges. Furthermore, as digital media becomes an essential part of our daily life, you will learn more about its role in the diverse and convergence of cultures. During this semester, you will be introduced to three tracks of this master programme which are: Public Relations and marketing, audio/ video production, and Online Journalism. Out of 3 electives to be enrolled, you will choose two courses from one track and one course from another track.

Third semester

This semester is exclusively only for contemplating the master’s Thesis in an area of your research interest. It will be under the supervision of one of the faculty specializing in the research field chosen by you. The main objective of this thesis is to improve your professional skills and contributing to the media industry and community.

• • The number of program hours is 42 hours (140 BHD per credit).
  • Total amount after discount is BHD 5,880.

• Photography Studio
• Mobile Journalism (MoJo) studio
• Radio Studio: equipped with the latest broadcast production technology
• TV Studio: equipped with the latest TV production technology
• Digital and Web Lab
• Graphic, and Multimedia Lab
• Journalism and Public Relation Lab
• General Lab (Lab 204)
• Master Lab
• Classrooms equipped with the latest display facilities
• Library and scientific journals and electronic paper

Career Opportunities of the Master of Mass Communication Graduates include:

1. 1. Academic member in the media fields.
   2. Researcher in the various media fields.
   3. Communications Consultant in both governmental and private institutions.
   4. Leader in managerial positions in various media organizations.

• The department recommends the supervisor and approval of the thesis title after the student succeeds in all the required courses in the program, provided that it is at most one semester after completing the courses. The recommendation is sent to the College Council and the University Council for approval.
• The title of the thesis can be modified if the research conditions so require, and the modification is done in the same way that was approved.
• After the student completes the thesis, the supervisor submits a report to the department council, along with the proposal of the final arbitration committee, provided that one of the committee members is from within the program and the external examiner is from outside the university.
• The department recommends the formation of the committee to the College Council and then the University Council to approve the final composition of the viva committee.
• If the examinee requests to amend the thesis, the supervisor must ask the student to make the necessary modifications.
• If one of the examiners refuses to discuss the thesis, the department head presents another alternative examinee with the same conditions as the first examinee. If he also refuses, the thesis is rejected entirely. In that case, the student is marked as a failure in the thesis in his academic record. The student is given an opportunity for one semester to re-discuss it again; if the student fails on the second attempt, he will face dismissal from the university.
• If the internal and external examiners agree on the validity of the thesis, the general discussion procedures will be completed, provided that the chairmanship of the commission is of the highest academic rank.
• The supervisor and the internal examiner ensure that the student has made the required modifications in the committee and approves the report.
• The department council submits the recommendation for the student’s graduation based on the decision of the discussion committee to the Deanship of the College in preparation for the approval of the University Council.

• Academic member in the media fields.
• Researcher in various media fields.
• Communications Consultant in both governmental and private institutions.
• Leader in managerial positions in various media organizations.

Q1: What is the total number of the program courses?

A1: The following table shows the total number of the program courses.  

Q2: What is the duration of study in the program?

A2: The minimum duration for the master’s program is 3 semesters, and the maximum is three academic years “The semester in which the student studies preparatory courses is not counted within the maximum period for graduation”.

On-site:

IT Support Office
1^st Floor
08:00 AM – 04:00 PM

Online:

Email: helpdesk@gulfuniversity.edu.bh
Phone: +973 1762 0092 – Extensions 111 – 112 – 113
WhatsApp: +973 3563 3610