The SMa Diploma in Mass Communication is designed in collaboration with Singapore Media Academy (SMA), a wholly owned subsidiary of MediaCorp Group to provide students with a solid foundation in mass communication and business concepts, practices and skills. It further provides a introductory view of the world of media, by immersing students into TV, Radio and Print media production environments and introducing them to today's leading-edge media creation skills. Students are also imparted with critical thinking skills to analyse articles, and strong writing and journalistic skills to produce their own articles for public consumption. Students will be trained in the basics of public relations, so as to manage corporate communications for their organisations. Finally, they can choose to culminate their learning experiences in a major mass communication project, exhibiting their new found skills and knowledge by addressing a mass communications issue of their choice.

For each subject, a variety of delivery methods are used. This includes interactive lectures, group discussions, role playing, writing exercises and critique sessions, as well as practical media training sessions at Singapore Media Academy. Students are assessed formally through class quizzes, writing tests, group and individual projects, presentations, skills evaluation and finally formal exams.

The SMa Diploma in Mass Communication consists of 8 subjects:

1. Foundations of Mass Communication
2. Principles of Public Relations
3. Introduction to Journalism
4. Media Technology & Developments
5. Principles of Management
6. Principles of Marketing
7. Critical Thinking & Analyses (incorporating Media Creation)
8. Mass Communication Project (incorporating Media Production)

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This course is offered on both part-time and full-time basis.
The part-time programme is offered on a weekly basis in the evenings. Each subject consists of 30 contact hours over 10 weeks of lessons, followed by a final assessment in the 11th week. Lessions are conducted on:

Mondays - Fridays: 7pm - 10pm
Saturday: 2pm - 5pm

The full-time programme is offered on a daily basis, during office hours. Each subject consists of 60 contact hours over 10 weeks of lessons, followed by a final assessment in the 11th week. Lessions are conducted on:

Mondays - Fridays: 9am to 12pm or 2pm to 5pm

Applicants should possess one of the following:

• GCE 'A' Levels, International Baccalaureate or Year 12
• NTC / ITC holders
• Certificates from recognised institutions of higher learning
• Matured candidates - 21 years and above with two years working experience and minimum three 'O' Levels credits.

Upon completion of this programme, students will be awarded the SMa Diploma in Mass Communication. Students will also receive a Certificates of Attendance for each subject completed at Singapore Media Academy.

Students will then be able to articulate into the Bachelor of Mass Communication programme by Murdoch University with exemptions from Year 1.

Graduates will be well-equipped for a career in communications & media related industries. This includes opportunities in:

• Public Relations (PR agency, corporate communications)
• Journalism (news writing, reporting & editing)
• Marketing Communications (advertising, media planning, copy-writing)
• Media (TV, Radio or print production & content creation)

Foundations of Mass Communication

Educational Aims:
This course studies forms of mass communication, as elements of cultural and social processes. It offers strategies for understanding mass communication and its relationship to cultural products and to the institutions and social practices that sustain and propagate those products. The course focuses on still image content in mass media and provides a sound foundation for students interested in a career in one or more of the "knowledge industries" of Journalism, Radio, Television, Film, Advertising, Multimedia, Public Relations, Teaching, Consulting, Librarianship, Professional Communication and the Public Service.

Principles of Public Relations

Educational Aims:
This Unit introduces the theories and processes of public relations. This introduction is set in historical, economic, social, ethical and legal contexts. It will also discuss the theoretical basis of public relations in terms of how it helps in managing populations in an age of rapid social change. Finally, the unit will look at some of the skills and actual processes involved in public relations that are crucial to the work of all public practitioners.

Introduction to Journalism

Educational Aims:
This course is designed to introduce students to the news media and their practices. Emphasis will be placed on the need for students to think objectively about the main news events of the day, and the ways the print media have reported them. Students will be encouraged to achieve accuracy and objectivity within the constraints regularly imposed on print practitioners. Students will be introduced to news values, journalism research, interview skills and the elements that make up news stories. They will be given considerable practice in writing effective introductory paragraphs and handling direct and indirect quotations.

Media Technology & Development

Educational Aims:
This module traces the development, surveys the literature, and explores the impact of new technologies on the contemporary media landscape. The module examines conceptual and practical aspects of life in an information society and provides students with critical skills, knowledge and expertise for work in a media industry that is characterized by rapid change, digital convergence and technological innovation. Students completing this module are expected to acquire sharp communication skills, critical research abilities and up-to-date knowledge about technology and policy trends in a complex and powerful industry.

Principles of Marketing

Educational Aims:
This module is designed to equip students with the foundations of marketing as it relates to modern business practices. This is done by studying key theories and their applications. It also focuses on the marketing concept, marketing environment, marketing information, customer behaviour, product, price, channels of distribution and promotion. In addition, this module aims to provide students with insights towards the current and future marketing functions in the business world with emphasis on global integration and local responsiveness. Upon the completion of this module, Mass Communication students are expected to acquire broader knowledge on how marketing can be applied in the broader media industries.

Principles of Management

Educational Aims:
This course is designed to expose the students to the foundations, realities and challenges of management as well as the route to becoming a manager. As such, it focuses on the four core activities of a manager of planning, leading, organising and controlling. Other topics, include, but are not limited to, the organisational culture, the various environments in which organisations function, ethics, change and innovation. These topics will be explored in this module to better understand how managers, live, work and thrive in contemporary organizations and workplaces.

Critical Thinking & Analyses (incorporating Media Creation)

Critical thinking, along with analytical and problem solving skills are twenty-first century attributes students should acquire in their courses of studies. This module is aimed directly at fostering those skills in an applied manner. This is done by examining various topics from a range of perspectives. The techniques of critical thinking, analyses and problem solving are identified and explicitly taught in this module. In addition, the issues of bias and other types of cognitive limitations that produce both effective and erroneous solutions are also examined.

Media Creation Skills Programme
Gives students basic skill sets of creating and presenting media content in various platforms, including TV Presenting skills at Mediacorp TV, radio presentation training at the Radio Academy, and News reporting / News script writing with TODAY newspaper.

Mass Communication Graduation Project (incorporating Media Production)

Educational Aims:
Students undertaking this module will complete a supervised project which relates to an aspect of mass communication. This project incorporates the application of theory to actually solving a professional, community, mass communication or cultural issue. The role of theory as a problem-solving tool will be monitored progressively in the form of periodic reports and lecturer-student consultations. With appropriate supervision and approvals, students may undertake this project as work placements within the media or creative industries.

Media Production programme
Students are given overviews of 3 main areas of media production, including TV, Radio and Print media. Exposure to these production processes will give students a more practical view in tackling media challenges.

• TV: Introduction to various kinds of production and production crew, Lighting, Sound, Cinematography, Introduction to post production
• Radio: Introduction to various kinds of production and production crew, Operation of mixing desk, Visual radio production, Podcasting, Scheduling
• Print: Introduction to print, Reporting, Editing, Set typing, Printing process