M.J.

The expansion and increasing competition among media players in the industry have created considerable scope for journalism as a career in India. Students can choose to pursue a course in journalism both at graduation or post-graduation level. Master of Journalism (MJ) is a post-graduation level course of two years duration offered by different institutes and universities in India. The course focuses on different aspects of journalism such as writing, reporting and editing. The course also lays emphasis on the study of modern media. With an MJ degree in hand, students can work at different places such as news channels, magazines, and newspapers. They can choose to work as correspondents, writers, reporters, editors, etc.

Given below is everything you need to know about the Master of Journalism course in terms of its eligibility criteria, required skillset, course curriculum, top entrance exams, and a lot more.

Candidates aspiring to pursue a career in the field of journalism should have a nose for news along with an ability to write news and articles in an accurate and appealing style. Know the complete skillset that candidates should possess to pursue Master of Journalism course below:

The basic eligibility criteria that candidates need to fulfil in order to secure admission in MJ course offered at different colleges and universities is mentioned below:

• Candidates should complete their graduation, preferably in journalism.
• Candidates should score a minimum of 50 – 60% in graduation. Note: Minimum marks required to be eligible for the course might change depending on the institute/ university in which a candidate is applying.
• Candidates should complete graduation from a recognised college or university.   

A Master of Journalism course is of two years duration, typically divided into four semesters. The MJ course curriculum usually varies depending on the specialisation a candidate has chosen. MJ course can be done in various specialisations such as print, new media, television, and radio.

Major subjects taught in an MJ course at a broad level are mentioned below:

It may be noted that other than the theoretical topics mentioned above candidates are also given practical experience in the form of various workshops, project works, internships, etc. However, similar to theory, practical experience of a candidate also depends on the specialisation in which s/he is pursuing a Master of Journalism course.     

The media industry is mainly divided into three categories – print, electronic and online with ample job opportunities available in all the three categories. Candidates can choose to work in different verticals such as newspapers, news agencies, news bureaus, magazines, journals, etc.  

Some of the top recruiters in the industry include:

Job profiles that candidates can get into after pursuing a Master of Journalism course are:

• Desk Writer: A desk writer has the responsibility of writing stories on the major happenings in the world. The job profile is applicable for both print as well as broadcast journalism students.
• Reporter: As a reporter of a newspaper, magazine, TV or radio channel a candidate needs to report the news with accuracy, speed and clarity. A candidate can be asked to report news of different beats such as politics, law, sports, entertainment, education, lifestyle, etc.
• Correspondent: The job profile of a correspondent is similar to that of a reporter. However, the major underlying difference is that a correspondent is a specialist of the field in which s/he reports. Also, a correspondent is usually based out of the city or country to report major news events.
• Columnist: The job role of a columnist is to write a particular segment in a newspaper or magazine. However, writing a column is different from writing a news report. A column always highlights a columnist viewpoint concerning any topic like fashion, politics, films and the likes.
• Feature Writer: A feature writer is a person who writes well researched and in-depth stories about different topics. A feature writer also provides his/ her observations and viewpoints on various topics.
• Sub-Editor: A sub-editor has the responsibility of ensuring that the story is presented in an objective and accurate manner. Apart from this, a sub-editor also needs to ensure that the grammar, as well as presentation of the story, is apt.
• Editor: One of the major job responsibilities of an editor is to plan the content of a newspaper, magazine, TV/ radio news bulletin, etc. Apart from this, an editor also prepares, edits and rewrites stories to improve the quality and readability. An editor is a person who has a final say on the content as well as the presentation of a story.
• Photo Journalist: A photojournalist has the responsibility of telling stories through photographs. A person working in this profile needs to click photographs, edit them and thereafter present them in a way that the story of a recent happening is communicated to viewers in a clear manner. 
• Video Journalist: Similar to a photojournalist, a video journalist has the responsibility of telling stories through videos. A video journalist is expected to provide the channel with the latest footage/ videos of a recent happening. Videos are important to make viewers understand the ground reality of a happening. It may be noted that in the age of new media, a video journalist is slowly being made to handle all different jobs related to a video like producing a complete news story.

Admission to the MJ course is usually through entrance exams conducted at the institute/ university level. Some institutes also conduct a personal interview round for students who qualify for the written test.