Prof. Jaidka delivers a lecture

Manju Jaidka, Professor of English, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India, delivered a lecture on “Narratology across Culture” on October 26, 2010 in C V Raman Auditorium. Prof. Jaidka is a leading Indian academic, best known for her contribution to American Studies in India.

Speaking in the programme, Prof. Jaidka demonstrated how motifs in stories across cultures resemble. She also urged and inspired the audience; mainly first and second year media studies students, to read the classics both for finding the motifs and using them for their creative work. The lecture was followed by reading from her upcoming novel.

Organized by the Department of Languages and Mass Communication, the lecture was also attended by the Head and the faculties in the department.

Kafle Discusses on Modes of Appeal

1 Oct. 2010

As a part of the weekly Lecture Series being held at the Department of Languages and Mass Communication, Mr. Hem Raj Kafle, Assistant Professor of English, presented on “Ethos, Logos and Pathos: Real Life Implications.” The presentation was followed by discussion among the teachers and students.

Ethos, logos and pathos are the fundamental modes of appeal that persuasive communication requires according to the western classical system of rhetoric developed by Aristotle. They refer to communicator’s character, communicated text, and audience psychology respectively. The contemporary relevance of these appeals lies in all modes of communication and artifacts intended to influence people.

The Lecture Series will be continued after the Dashain Festival/vacation.

Adhikary’s presentation on Sahridayata

Friday

17 Sep. 2010

The Department continued the Friday Lecture Series with the presentation of Mr. Nirmala Mani Adhikary, Assistant Professor of Media Studies. Mr. Adhikary presented on “Sahridayata in Communication: From Concept to the Construct and Beyond.” The programme was attended by the faculties from DoLMC and other Departments and the students of Bachelor in Media Studies.

Mr. Adhikary discussed the basic tenets of  Sahridayata emphasizing its significance in the Sadharanikaran Model of Communication, a theory he has been actively working on since 2002. The discussion following the presentation revealed that Mr. Adhikary’s concept of sahridayata has a potential to extend to and draw from the researches in such areas as education, psychology, sociolinguistics, anthropology and behavioural science among others.

Friday Lecture Series at DoLMC

The Department has started Friday Lecture Series from 10 September 2010. The main objective of this initiation is to promote intellectual, academic and professional sharing among the faculties of DoLMC and other Departments in the Central Campus. The topics of presentation/discussion will range from communication, media, research, pedagogy, literature, and various branches of social sciences to personal reflections, book reviews, and current affairs.

Mr. Kashiraj Pandey, Assistant Professor of English at the Department, initiated the Series on different dimensions of teaching and teachering. Mr. Pandey’s presentation was followed by a short discussion session, where other faculties from the Department shared the best and worst moments of their professional lives.

Mr. Hem Raj Kafle, Assistant Professor of English, shed lights on the background and nature of the programme, and emphasized the need of collective commitment for long-term continuation of the Series.

Mr. Nirmala Mani Adhikary, Assistant Professor of Media Studies, is scheduled to present on 17 September 2010 on “The Concept of Sahridayata.”

DoLMC invites interested faculties and staffs to the programme every Friday at 12:00.

Research Guidelines for BMS Fourth Year

Dear Fourth Year Students,

This is a preliminary guideline for your ongoing research project [MEDS 450]. It follows the general notice for research proposal given to you earlier. So, you are suggested to refer to the notice for general options and requirements about the proposal.

Literally, you may have the impression that MEDS 450 should go like MEDS 440 [Independent Project] completed last semester, where some of you had worked on mini productions. Well, that was a 2-credit course intended to allow you to define the area of your interest and ability. Above all, you had also been advised to identify the subject area(s) that would direct your study concentration on a particular media form.

MEDS 450 is an intensive research project demanding your efforts worth of 6 credits.  It is meant to help substantiate your research capabilities as required in a four-year Undergraduate program.  You will complete it under constant guidance of a supervisor who will work along with you to ensure your competence in research and academic writing to the standard of qualifying you for the Bachelor’s degree.

Keep in mind: you can produce programs elsewhere, as a freelancer, out of interest whenever you choose to do it. You have this opportunity in your internship also. But formal academic research and writing are rare opportunities, and  have long-term positive impact on your career.  Moreover, MEDS 450 builds research foundation for your graduate and post-graduate studies. The structure of the Media Studies program, therefore, makes research mandatory.

Supervision (by one of the following):

1. A faculty from the Department of Languages and Mass Communication assigned on the basis of subject relevance;
2. A regular visiting faculty appointed by the Department in consideration of expertise in relevant subject areas, research credentials, and nature of affiliation with the Media Studies program;
3. An expert other than a visiting faculty appointed (in specific cases only) by the Department in consideration of subject specialization, research credentials, and eligibility of faculty status in Kathmandu University system.

Evaluation

When you complete the work (a thesis/report in standard format and content) and your supervisor agrees to let you go to the final examination, you will submit 3 copies of your research report to the Department in loose (spiral) binding. One external examiner will be appointed to study your work. Then you will be called to defend your work in the presence of the external examiner, the supervisor, Head and faculties of the Department and your classmates. You will present your report to this audience before the examiners put questions to you. They are likely to suggest corrections, which you shall do immediately. The external examiner will endorse your work, when finalized, after checking the corrections. Then, you will submit three hard-bound copies to the Department. One copy will go to the Examination Section, one to the Library and one will remain in the Department.

The final grading will be based on the standards of your report, presentation and defense.

Documentation system: APA, double-spaced in 12pt. Times New Roman

You will be provided a handbook of APA style, and of overall formatting. The Department may conduct a workshop on documentation if the supervisors propose to give a joint orientation.

 Download and keep the APA GUIDELINES.

Minimum length: 60 pages (Body- text and references), apart from the front and back matters as shown in the table below.

Organization of Final Report [for general overview]

Front	Cover: golden printTitle pageCertificate page Dedication (optional) Abstract Acknowledgements Table of Contents List of Illustrations
Body	Chapter I:     Introduction (background, research design and chapter highlights)Chapter II:    Review of LiteratureChapter III:  Discussion on the theory/paradigm (for those who are applying Theories) Chapter IV:  Overview/description of findings Chapter V:   Analysis Chapter VI: Conclusion References	Minimum  60 pages
Back	Appendix

Note: The number of chapters may vary depending on the subject, and the discretion of the supervisors.

Online classes an alternative to bandas

KATHMANDU, NOV 18

With the rapid development of media outlets in Nepal, many of the Valley’s higher education institutions have adopted media courses into their syllabus. Taking this innovation further is Kathmandu University (KU), which conducted the country’s first educational chat conference as part of its Bachelor’s in Media Studies (BMS) curriculum.

A total of 12 students from the 8th semester of the four year programme participated in an online class for the course titled ‘Online Media’ on Wednesday. The class was conducted by course director Laxman Datt Pant. The students participated from cyber cafés as well as their homes and offices from as far as Banepa and Chitwan, and from inside the Valley such as Basundhara and New Baneshwor.

“It is the first time that I am attending such a conference for academic purposes,” said Rubina Mahato, who was attending the class from Basundhara. Others wrote similar notes from their respective computers.

At the beginning of the class, Pant shared the discussion topic–’Online media trends and precision journalism practices in Nepali media’–with the students from his office in Dillibazaar.

“Precision journalism is the use of social and behavioural science- research methodology to gather and analyse data, bringing a level of rigour to journalistic work beyond anecdotal evidence,” Deepak Tolange replied via the computer from Banepa.

Kishor Rimal, from his computer in Koteshwor, commented, “Precision journalism is not applicable at all times, for example, in editorials.”

After the one-hour class was over, Pant said it was an interactive session with the students participating actively. Highlight the significance of a teaching session through the online medium, Pant added that the internet was an appropriate medium to conduct classes during strikes and demonstrations.

Source: http://www.ekantipur.com/the-kathmandu-post/2009/11/18/Metro/Online-classes-an-alternative-to-bandas/2169/

Acharya attends International Workshop in Israel

Mr. Khagendra Acharya, Lecturer at the Department of Languages and Mass Communication, attended the International Workshop on Media Strategies for Social Change held in Haifa, Israel from 19-30 October, 2009.

Mr. Acharya, who was selected a group leader of the team that comprised Jo from China, Luis from El Salvador,Grace from Nigeria and Rosan from Philipines, presented a power point presentation on  “Global Crisis: Who Suffers?”

Source: http://www.ku.edu.np

Notice for Research Proposals

Notice
28 Oct. 2009
The students of Bachelor in Media Studies (Eighth Semester) are informed to submit research proposals for their final Thesis [MEDS 450]. Please take note of the following:
1. The proposal should be 6-10 pages long (standard format; APA documentation style).
2. Students can choose issues from any of the mass media forms – print, radio, TV, online and films– and such areas as cultural studies and communication theories.
3. Students are advised to consult faculties from the Department in the process of developing the proposal
4. Submit the proposal before 15 November 2009. The Department will provide orientation after all proposals are collected.

Submit the proposals to the office of the Head, Department of Languages and Mass Communication, at the earliest before the deadline. Approval of topics and appointment of supervisors will be done through the decision of a formal body of faculties in the Department.

………………

KU in Pictures

History of a Hillock

Hem Kafle’s Podcasts

Bachelor in Media Studies 2009

KATHMANDU UNIVERSITY

Bachelor in Media Studies

August 2007

Kathmandu University (KU)

Kathmandu University is an autonomous, non- for-profit, non- government public institute of higher learning.  It was established in November 1991 by an Act of parliament. The university’s main campus is located at Dhulikhel, Kavre.

KU is open to all disciplines of learning and research. With an aim to producing qualified work force and promoting education and research up to the advanced levels in various branches of learning, the university has launched several programs successfully in the undergraduate and postgraduate levels in its different Schools.

School of Arts

The School of Arts is one of the six schools at KU established to impart education in humanities and social sciences. The Dean of the School is Dr. Mahesh Banskota.

The School offers Diploma and Bachelor level programs in Music and Fine Arts, a Bachelor program in Buddhist Studies, and two-year Master programs in Human and Natural Resource Studies and Development Studies. Two Bachelor level programs in Social Work and Development Studies are running at the affiliated colleges in Kathmandu.

The program in Media Studies was launched in February 2006 under the Department of Languages and Mass Communication.

Bachelor in Media Studies

The Bachelor in Media Studies is an intensive four-year program. Besides consolidating knowledge in the discipline area, the students will get opportunities to broaden their understanding of the uses of information technology, appreciate the relevance of other allied subjects as useful for a media graduate, have an overview of subjects as diverse as statistics and philosophy, develop a strong base of communication skills, media literacy and an ability to carry out project works independently.

The program primarily aims to produce media professionals to fulfill the increasing demands of skilled and trained human resources in media organizations and media support services, and also to meet the requirements of educational institutions, development agencies and other service sectors.

What is Media Studies?

Media Studies focuses primarily on theories and practices in media of communication and media-related issues in view of the media’s primary role in cultural domain of contemporary human society. Students of Media Studies are exposed to various mass communication theories with interdisciplinary perspectives. In addition, they get opportunity to develop theoretical and professional knowledge on diverse media support services including advertising and public relations.

The Media Studies curriculum at KU, in addition, places emphasis on learning by doing, on the learning of the kinds of communication that are mediated by technology with concentration on the New Media.

Why Study Media?

Because mass communication media have a central place in social, cultural, political, economic and global upliftment of contemporary human life especially for those countries which have entered, or are seeking to enter, the age of information society, mass media provide vast career opportunities.

Since the traditional media of communication are today complemented by new technologies, a new generation of media professionals is required to work in this converging atmosphere. We want to prepare people who have the skills and knowledge to thrive in the ever-changing competitive environment.

Who Is Eligible?

Very truly, anyone who is young and serious in pursuing a career in several media sectors is the eligible person. But, admission to the program requires 10+2 or equivalent level in any discipline from a recognized institution with at least second division marks.

How Do Teachers of Media Studies Regard Their Students?

The teachers consider their students prospective leaders to transform the traditional society into the information society as per the nation’s need to cope with global changes. They will be determined to understand and cultivate individual talents of the students, and to facilitate their commitment towards professional and/or academic achievements in the field of mass media and media support services.

The nature of some of the subjects makes the learning atmosphere informal, though students cannot afford not to be serious at most times. The teachers will give prime importance to the development of independent and collective work habit.

What Do the Students Study?

Students have to study a wide range of areas from core media disciplines to social sciences, languages, computer technology and statistics. They don’t just attend lectures and try to reproduce them in assignments and exams. For instance, they don’t just learn grammar and its rules, but learn the language to use it appropriately to express their ideas, feelings, etc. They don’t just learn statistics as another subject that uses some numbers, but to apply its knowledge to prove a point through analysis

They will learn to work with peers and teachers. They will learn to work in a varied and complicated atmosphere. Above all, they will learn to respond to challenges appropriately.

Where Will the Students Work?

In classrooms, audio/visual lab, computer lab, photography lab, seminar halls, and any other assigned fields. And, in fact, in all the areas where a future media professional is expected to reach- a radio/TV station, a publication house, and any “happening place”.

The Courses

In order to be awarded a Bachelor Degree, the students must complete 136  credits hours from the categories listed below:

S.N.	Description of the Courses	Credits
	Language (Nepali & English)	20
	Allied (Computer)	5
	Allied (Nepal Studies, Sociology, Anthropology, Psychology, Economics, Philosophy, Statistics)	23
	Discipline [Taught]	61
	Discipline [Practicum] (Group Activities, Workshops, Projects, Summer Training)	10
	Independent Study	3
	Internship	3
	Dissertation	6
TOTAL		131

COURSE LIST FOR BATCH 2009

FIRST YEAR

Semester I			Semester II
Code	Course Title	Cr	Code	Course Title	Credit
NEPL 151	प्रयोजनपरक नेपाली	3	NEPL  152	नेपाली साहित्यको आस्वादन	3
ENGL 151	English I	3	ENGL  152	English II	3
NEPS 151	Nepal Studies	2	SOCL  152	Social Science II	3
SOCL 151	Social Science I	3	MEDS 102	State and Role of Media in Nepal	3
COMP 101	Computer Foundation	2	STAT  116	Statistics and Probability	3
MEDS 101	Intro. Communication Theories	3	MEDS 111	Group Activity 2	1
MEDS 110	Group Activity 1	1
Total Credits		17	Total Credits		16

SECOND YEAR

Semester I			Semester II
Code	Course Title	Credit	Code	Course Title	Cr
NEPL  201	प्रयोगिक साहित्य सिद्दान्त र नेपाली समालोचना	2	PSYC 251	Introduction to Psychology	3
ENGL 201	Functional English	2	COMP 251	Internet Technology*	2+1
ECON 251	Economics	3	MEDS 203	Journalism  I	3
PHIL   201	Philosophy	3	MEDS 205	Advertising	3
MEDS 201	Global Media	3	MEDS 206	Public Relations	3
MEDS 202	Media, Culture & Society	3	MEDS 211	Media Project	2
MEDS 210	Media Workshop	2
Total Credits		18	Total Credits		17

*The code is subject to change.

THIRD YEAR

Semester I			Semester II
Code	Course Title	Credit	Code	Course Title	Credit
NEPL 301	नेपाली सिर्जनात्मक लेखन	2	ENGL 301	English Creative Writing	2
MEDS 301	Research Methodology	3	MEDS 305	Media Ethics and Law	3
MEDS 302	Text and Audience	2	MEDS 306	Visual Media	3
MEDS 303	Journalism II	3	MEDS 307	Broadcasting & New Media	3
MEDS 304	Media Mgmt. & Marketing	3	MEDS 308	Multimedia Applications	3
MEDS 351	Human Rights &Conflict MGMT	3	MEDS 311	Summer Training (2 weeks)	1
MEDS 310	Media Workshop	2
Total Credits		18	Total Credits		15

FOURTH YEAR

Semester I			Semester II
Code	Course Title	Credit	Code	Course Title	Credit
MEDS 401	Media Entrepreneurship	3	MEDS 405	Online Media	3
MEDS 402	Print Media	3	MEDS 406	Television	3
MEDS 403	Radio	3	MEDS 450	Thesis	6
MEDS 404	Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC)	3	MEDS 441	INTERNSHIP (12 weeks)	3
MEDS 440	Independent Project	3
Total Credits		15	Total Credits		15

Total credits earned: 131

The courses in the first two years (four semesters), in particular, will provide students exposure to the diverse fields of humanities and social sciences along with a foundation on computing skills and statistics. The course will introduce the basics of the field. Additionally, students will have adequate time to practice English and Nepali so as to acquire linguistic competence needed to a media professional.

Group Activities and Project Works provide students the opportunity to work with peers, teachers, and media professionals within and out of the campus. Students will work in classrooms, laboratories, studios and happening places. The objective of these courses is to introduce the idea of teamwork as functional in professional media environment and to familiarize students with the ways of information gathering, arrangement and presentation so that they realize their own potential roles for future.

Apart from the regular credited lectures and practical works, the Department of Languages and Mass Communication has provisions to organize non-credit/guest lectures and interaction programs by renowned personalities of both discipline and allied fields. The focus areas of these programs are workshops and seminars on Creative Writing, Media Criticism, and Contemporary issues on language, literature, sociology, politics, etc.

Students are expected to work in diverse settings depending on the fields of specialization they choose in the final year. The university encourages them to get acquainted with contemporary media industries through occasional scheduled visits and outdoor training packages. In the final year, they will go for an intensive phase of internship in a media institution before they finally qualify for a degree.

Admission Procedure

In order to be admitted for the program, the students are required to pass a written entrance test and participate in a group discussion. The final selection will be done after a personal interview by the concerned faculties and subject experts.

Cost of the Program

The total expense for the entire 4-year program is Nrs. 237000.

For Contact:

Department of Languages and Mass Communication

School Of Arts

Kathmandu University

Dhulikhel, Kavre

P. O. Box: 6250, Kathmandu, Nepal

Phone: +977-11- 661399

Fax: +977-11-661443

Email: media@ku.edu.np;  dolmc@ku.edu.np

URL: www.ku.edu.np

Hem Speaks on Stars and Fireflies

Stars and Fireflies, an anthology of poems by emerging poet Prakash Subedi, was discussed on 23 March  at Aarohan Gurukul, Old Baneshwor. Unlike other book discussions where readers put across their views and remarks, this time around there were professors, teachers and colleagues of Prakash who were invited to discuss the book.

Among the noted invitees were Prof. Abhi Subedi, Hem Raj Kafle, Sarita Bhattarai, Mohan Lohani, D.P. Bhandari and Ratna Shamsher Thapa. Before putting forth her views regarding the poems Bhattarai joked, “It seems like I’m the only woman to be invited everywhere.”

Full story in the original link

Book Launch of Prof. Chauhan

6th Jun 2009, Celebration of 210th Birth Anniversary of Puskin in Kathmandu

Russian Center of Science and Culture Kathmandu organized a commemoration programme to mark the 210th birth anniversary of the Great Russian poet Alexander Pushkin on 6th June.

The chief guests of the programme were Ambassador of Russia to Nepal A.L. Trofimov, Vice-Chancelor of Kathmandu University and Tribhuvan University Prof. Suresh Raj Sharma and Prof. Madhav Sharma and President of the Nepal-Russia Literary Association Tejeshwor B. Gongah. Other attendees were Nepalese famous poets, writers, literary critics, representatives from different NGOs, Russian compatriots in Nepal and the public.

More..

Multiple wrong names

Ours is the most repeatedly mispronounced department in KU.  People call it by so many names, and interestingly, all happen to be false. Just check the most common errors:

1.  Media department

2. English and Nepali department

3. English department

4. Mass and Communication Department !!!

5. Mass and Media Department

6. Language and Media Department

7. Media and Communication Department

8. Mass Communication Department

9. Language Department

Why do people mistake it thus? One reason is the length. It takes some breath to utter the full name. Second is the existence of at least three disciplines within it. As it came out of English and Nepali departments, people older than five years in KU take a shorter root with English and Nepali, or Language Department. The hotchpotch  of  mass, media and communication is a sheer ignorance about the meaning and interrelationship between these terms.

However, it is now time the department did something to help people know its name correctly. Or is there a possibility of shortening the name? Like Department of Media Studies — roughly allocating language and literature a space in media studies. Something to think over.

कविता वाचन कार्यक्रम सम्पन्न

कवि मन प्रसाद सुब्बा

काठमाण्डौ विश्वविद्यालयको मिनीअडिटोरियममा आयोजना गरिएको कविता वाचन कार्यक्रममा दार्जिलिङ्गे कवि मन प्रसाद सुब्बाले आफ्ना मन छुने कविता वाचन गरेर उपस्थित सबै विद्यार्थी, शिक्षक तथा कर्मचारीलाई चकित पारेका छन् । ‘यो मोडसम्म पुगेको, आदिम बासी, खडेरी’ जस्ता मिठा कविता वाचन गर्दा सबै श्रोताहरुको ध्यान कवि सुब्बाको वाचन शैलीमा टास्सीएको थियो ।

Overview of Independent Study

Follow the given link to see a short description of the Independent Project (MEDS 440) to be carried out by BMS IV in partial fulfillment of the Seventh Semester courses.

Overview

Notice: Soundslides Competition

All the students of Bachelor in Media Studies (II and IV) are invited to participate in a Soundslides competition to be held during the first week of April 2009 (Date to be fixed.)

Please note the following:

1. Maximum length of the project  is 3-5 minutes.

2. Choose any (unique) story/issue.

3. Individuals (not teams) are encouraged to work on a project.

4. Submit a soft copy of the project.

5. Use Audacity for audio recording and editing, and Soundslides, Moviemaker or Ulead for slides.

6. The candidate must use his or her own photos and audio (narration, interview, ambiance, noise). Duplication or second-person assistance for photo and audio will not be entertained.

Final date of submission is April 2, 2009 (An opportunity to cover the April Fools!).

Submit to

Hem Raj Kafle

Assistant Professor, Department of Languages and Mass Communication.

ryatri@yahoo.com

Some Sample Topics for Independent Study

BMS IV can consider working on any of the following subjects.

1. Advertising Citizenship: Performative power of Consumer culture

2. Interplay between media and audience discourses in politics

3. Nepali cultural industries in the digital age

4. Cosmetics and the female body: representation of females in Nepali commercials

5. The changing meaning of live television

6. A case study on the effects of piracy on Nepali music industry

7. Electronic democracy and the new citizenship

8. Creating immigrant identity in the cyberspace: (a case study of a Nepali website)

9. The role of independent media in political changes of Nepal

10. Internet radio: A case study on medium specificity

11. Mobile technoculture and its cultural implications

12. Language style and lifestyle: the case of Nepali women’s magazines

13. Feasibility study of the sale and use of interactive television in Nepal

14. Mass media and the concept of interactivity: An exploratory study of Nepali online forums and reader emails

15. Media and social change: the modernizing influence of community radios in Nepal

16. Scope and Application of E-science in Nepal

17. Nationalizing the global: media images, cultural politics and the middle class in Nepal

18. Regional press and promotion of Nepali literature

19. Popular journalism versus professional ideology

20. Radio, reception and discourses of disability

21. Source strategies and the communication of environmental affairs

22. TV discourse and the issues of risks (nuclear energy, global warming, etc.)

Note: For any curiosity or confusion contact  dolmc@ku.edu.np or media@ku.edu.np