The National Universities Commission (NUC) had said it has not abolished the study of Mass Communication in Nigerian universities, contrary to earlier reports.
Many online platforms reported Thursday that NUC has phased out Mass Communication Degree in Nigeria institutions.
They were quoting NUC’s Executive Secretary, Prof. Abubakar Rasheed, to have said so during a chat with newsmen in Abuja.
Prof. Rasheed reportedly said NUC has unbundled Mass Communication into seven separate degree programmes to meet present demand and this takes effect from 2020 admissions into Nigerian universities.
The seven new Programmes/Departments, to be domiciled in a Faculty/ School/College of Communication and Media Studies are Journalism & Media Studies, Public Relations, Advertising, Broadcasting, Film & Multi-Media Studies, Development Communication Studies, Information & Media Studies.
But Mr Ibrahim Yakasai, the NUC Director of Corporate Affairs said the reports were not correct.
He disclosed on Friday in Abuja while clarifying the commission’s position on some online reports claiming that the NUC had phased out Mass Communication.
Yakasai urged universities wishing to run the new programmes to seek permission from the commission before running them.
He also said that universities across the country have authority of the commission to begin the programmes as soon as they met the necessary requirements.
According to him, the NUC has only unbundled Mass Communication due to increasing demands from students.
Yakasai explainhed: “Any university who wants to begin the new programmes must first write officially to the commission to carry out accreditation.
“Mass communication is still very much available as a degree programme.
“What we just did was to unbundle the programme into seven other degree courses to provide more opportunities for students to study beyond mass communication.
“The demands of those who go for mass communication are high and NUC had to look into them.
“The universities now have to maintain their mass communication programme as a course and as well begin other courses in advertising, broadcasting, cinematography, Development Communication Studies, information and Media Studies, film and Multimedia Studies.
“It is therefore necessary for universities that are ready to begin the programmes to apply to NUC who will now check on the resources available to begin the programmes.”
.NAN