Diploma in Journalism and Communication Studies
Ishara JAYAWARDANE
The Diploma in Journalism and Communication Studies is a
comprehensive top class diploma course offered by the Sri Lanka Press
Council.
This syllabus is based on UNESCO series on Journalism Education
titled as ‘Model Curricula for Journalism Education for Developing
countries and emerging democracies’ UNESCO 2007.
Even though there are different types of courses offered on the
subject of Mass Communications, there is still a need for a systematic
diploma course for print media.
 The Press Council has recognized this as a national need and this
diploma course has been designed with the objective of producing
professional journalists well equipped with different types of skills
and capacities.
The syllabus has been drafted by the course coordinator Professor
Sunanda Mahendra and it is based on the training program for journalists
introduced by UNESCO. He took part in an UNESCO workshop held Hyderabad
in India. At this workshop discussions were held on how to train and
improve the knowledge of newspaper journalists.
The course objectives are:
* To assist Professional Journalists by enhancing their skills and
knowledge;
* To provide an educational background to those who are not yet
journalists but aspire to be journalists in the future.
* To promote better media culture and professional integrity.
* To widen the horizons of media education and to focus attention on
the use of theory and practice.
* To provide a comparative perspective on media other than print
media.
“Our aim is to cultivate a healthy press culture by way of enhancing
knowledge, understanding and skills of journalists. We will develop and
continue this diploma course in a more systematic way,” said Sri Lanka
Press Council Assistant Commissioner Niroshana Thambawita.
The Sri Lanka Press Council was inactive for seven years and was
reactivated last year in May under the Chairmanship of W Dayaratne.
The diploma course which is one year comprises two sessions every
Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The first session is in the morning and the second session in the
afternoon.
In order to get the diploma, you need attendance and a pass rate in
all four exam papers. A presentation of a thesis is also necessary.
Contact the Sri Lanka Press Council at No 56/10, Horton Place,
Colombo 7, tel/fax 0112693274/71. |
