BJ course or Bachelor of Journalism is an undergraduate level degree in the field of journalism and mass communication. This course can be followed by candidates right after completing their Class 12th. BJ is a three-year course, and aspirants are taught about different elements of the media industry in this course, such as analysis, reporting, compiling, writing, editing, and information presentation.
Applicants will enter various mass media-related fields such as TV news outlets, newspapers, radio stations etc. after completing a BJ course.
The area of journalism is generally divided into two large categories:
- Print and
- Electronic Media Television, radio or internet/ digital media firms may enter candidates who wish to work in the Electronic Media, while aspirants interested in print media can join newspapers, magazines, news agencies and digests.
Course Details
| Course name | Bachelor of Journalism |
| Short name | BJ course |
| Course Level | Undergraduate |
| Course Type | Journalism/Mass Media |
| Course Duration | 3 Years |
| Mode | Regular |
| Average Fees | ₹ 30,000 to ₹ 2 lakh per year |
Eligibility Criteria
Candidates interested in BJ course need following eligibility requirements
- Must have completed their Class 12 from a recognised board and organisation
- Have a minimum of 50% aggregate marks at their 10+2 level.
- Students from any field i.e. Arts/Commerce/Science can choose to take the BJ course.
Admission Process
Admissions are either merit-based or entrance-based to the various journalism courses, including BJ, offered by the various prestigious Colleges and Universities in the country. Applicants are required to submit the requisite documentation, and to appear for separate admission and selection processes carried out by the institution.
Entrance Based Admission
- After appearing for the entrance exam, the results of the test will be announced by the university or college and candidates are shortlisted on the basis of the scores obtained during the entrance test.
- A personal interview and/or group discussion, depending on the college/university admission guidelines, is then conducted.
- Based on their cumulative results in the entrance exam, personal interview and/or community debate, candidates will be shortlisted for admission, along with previous academic records.
Merit-Based Admission
Candidates are required to submit their documents to the College/University after which they will be called for a Personal Interview and the rest of the process is the same.
Syllabus
- Journalism Introduction
- Press Laws and Ethics
- English
- Political Science
- Economics
- Creative Writing in Journalism
- Indian Journalism
- Production
- Feature Writing and Reporting
- Broadcast Journalism
- Introduction to Electronic Media
- Economy of India
- Global Media
- Writing for the New Age
- Editing
- Photojournalism
- Communication Research
- History of Press
- International Politics
- News Media Management
- Niche Journalism and Magazine
- Regional Journalism
- Special Paper
- (A) Parliamentary News
- (B) Crime & Court Reporting
- (C) Entertainment, Art& Culture Journalism (D) Sports Journalism
Courses after BJ course
Aspirants can pursue higher education after completing their BJ course, such as MA in Mass Communication and Journalism, MA in Journalism, MA in Mass Communication, PG Diploma in Journalism etc. or in any other field.
Career and Salary
Right after completing a BJ course, applicants can also seek a job. There are a number of career opportunities that you should consider. You will learn a lot from journalism. In various fields of employment and work profiles, there are enormous possibilities for a journalist to follow a successful career path. The world of journalism is challenging for someone who passionately wants to pursue a profession.
Freshers earn around ₹ 2 lakh to ₹ 3 lakh per annum in this sector. However, after 3 to 4 years of experience in the field of journalism, you can get decent wages.
Here are few job profiles related to BJ course along with average annual salary-
Job Profiles Salary
| Job Profiles | Salary |
|---|---|
| Journalist | ₹ 3.4 LPA |
| Media Consultant | ₹ 6.6 LPA |
| Public Relation Officer | ₹ 5.4 LPA |
| Photojournalist | ₹ 3.7 LPA |
| Reporter | ₹ 2 LPA |
| TV Correspondent | ₹ 3.8 LPA |
| Radio Jockey | ₹ 3 LPA |
| Feature Writer | ₹ 2.4 LPA |
TOP Colleges for BJ Course
Given below are the names of some of the famous Journalism Institutes where applicants can apply for BJ course-
- International Institute of Mass Media, New Delhi
- Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Government Arts and Commerce College, Indore
- National Institute of Mass Communication and Journalism, Ahmedabad
- Rourkela Institute of Management Studies, Rourkela
- Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gorakhpur University, Gorakhpur
FAQ’s
BJMC (3-years) is the first to include all the subjects of news, mass media and communication, while BM is a Bachelor of Multimedia (1-year) that does not include journalism and BJ stands for a Bachelor of Journalism (3-years) that only deals with journalism and not with mass communication. So, you’re going to get more from BJMC than BJ and BM alone, which makes BJMC an ideal Journalism course.
Journalism has recently become a prestigious career choice for many students in India. Journalism is a demanding area and plays a key role in the nation’s development. Journalists have to deal with deadlines, working conditions that are busy, insane schedules and lots of travelling, but offers a good salary package. Rest depends on your interest in the field.
