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 hold a bachelor’s degree or equivalent from another accredited university from HEC in Bahrain.

The bachelor’s degree must be in the same major as the master’s.

The grade must be at least “Very Good” (3.0 out of 4.0 according to the points system) or the equivalent in other grading systems. The University shall retain proof of the equivalence in the case that the grading system at the institution that issued the qualification differs from that at GU.

The applicant with a grade less than “Very Good” (3.00 out of 4.00 according to the grade points system) or the equivalent in other grading systems shall be given conditional admission (if he/she meets other admission criteria) in the following cases:

• • With Work Experience: must provide proof that he/she has a minimum of one year of work experience related to the program. The proof must be formally endorsed and stamped by the relevant organization/ institution where the work experience was gained.
  • Without Work Experience: The student shall enrol in a preparatory program that includes a certain number of preparatory courses determined by the department, as follows.
  • COMM801: New Media Theories
  • COMM802: New Trends in Digital Media.

The applicant shall have a certificate of English language proficiency with a specific score according to (TOEFL 550) or (IELTS 6.5) programs. Otherwise, the applicant shall appear in an English language placement test conducted by the university; if he/she scores less than 60%, the applicant shall enrol in an English language preparatory course (ENGL801 Advanced English Communication).

The following cases are excluded from the placement test:

• • An applicant with a bachelor’s degree from a recognized university and studying in the English language.
  • An applicant with (A) grade in English language courses at the undergraduate level even if studying the other courses in another language.

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”.

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