Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Journalism + Public relations (PR)

Bachelor's Degree by Annapurna International School of Film and Media (AISFM) Hyderabad View Contact

Starting from: INR 8,12,500 Per Course (Taxes As Applicable) Request Info

School Overview

The AISFM school of Journalism and PR offers aspiring journalists and public relations professionals the opportunity to learn the art, craft and science of communication. We teach you to think critically and to use the latest research and communication tools to create and distribute powerful content for print, TV and digital channels.

Admission Details:

Apply for Degree Courses

Admissions are now open for our revolutionary degree, masters and MBA programs in media, with specialized courses in film, animation, journalism, advertising, photography, graphic design and media management.

For the first time in India students finishing their 10+2 or graduation have the option of a bachelor’s/graduation or master’s program that combines a broad liberal arts education with intensive training in media production, with options such as film, acting, animation, mass communication or photography.

We believe that in order to be a great filmmaker or media professional, technical skills alone are insufficient. Students should have a fundamental grounding in varying aspects of culture and society, including religion, psychology, philosophy, literature, math and economics.

Lessons in all these areas enrich the student’s life, both professionally and personally, and help the student fulfill their potential no matter what track in media their life takes them.

Our degree programs are fully government accredited and feature exciting exchange opportunities with universities around the world.

Admissions Procedure

1. Call our admissions office on 040 4914 1234 or email to request the application form.

2. Complete the application form and attach your Statement of Purpose and other required documents.

3. Courier the package to AISFM.

4. If your application is shortlisted, you will be called for a personal interview at the school. Students are encouraged to bring family members with them on the interview day.

5. Some courses will have additional tests on the interview day.

6. If you are selected as a student, you will be notified by phone. Your offer letter will be couriered to you, as per the admissions calendar below.

If you have any questions on the application procedure, please contact the school.

Admissions Deadlines – 2014 Intakes

All BFA / MA / MBA Courses

• Early round admissions: November 2013 to January 2014

• Early round offer letters issued: January 2014

• Main round admissions: February 2014 to April 2014

• Main round offer letters issued: April 2014

• Late round admissions: May to July 2014 (Late round will close once all all seats have been offered)

• All intakes commence in July / August 2014

Course Overview

AISFM Transforms Journalism and PR education in India!

Let’s face it – the way most Indian schools teach journalism and PR is hopelessly outdated. The curriculum and teaching methods were created decades ago. The schools offer minimal (or zero) production facilities for TV and web video. And most faculty have limited exposure to digital research and communication tools.

What’s more, most ‘mass-comm’ programs lack international academic partnerships that allow students to build networks with other journalism students around the world. For an increasingly global and interconnected industry, this is a huge oversight.

Considering the speed of change in the journalism and PR industries today, the only way to develop a world-class curriculum for India was to start from scratch.

So that is what we did.

We looked at the changes sweeping India and the world, we talked to international journalists and journalism schools and we sat down with the media industry here in India.

The result is India’s most up-to-date, exciting and dynamic curriculum in the field of journalism and PR.

We split the curriculum for our four-year bachelor’s program into nine areas of study.

Communication and Journalism

It is essential that students begin by understanding a context for journalism. Where did it come from? How has the field changed over time? What laws and regulations govern the field? What is the role of ethics in mass communication? What are the changes sweeping the global media industry?

AISFM Core Liberal Arts

Students master written and verbal communication, learn to argue with reason and logic and develop the ability to think strategically. We also cover classical fields of study such as philosophy, psychology and literature, all of which will make students stronger communicators. Our Core Liberal Arts subjects are common for students from multiple courses, so these classes allow you to build friendships across the school – friendships that will later be essential once students reach their major projects.

Core Research and Writing Skills

These subjects are the heart of investigative journalism. We start by teaching students to create and test hypotheses using the latest digital research tools, enabling students to efficiently and effectively conduct in-depth research.

We then take students through a series of subjects that teach them to write professionally for different media, including print, the web and TV.

Television Reporting and Production

These are subjects that no mass-comm course can offer. Our journalism and PR students study alongside our film specialization students, giving them an opportunity to develop the skills to plan and produce content and news for television. Students will explore both sides of the camera – in front of it as the reporter and behind it as a manager or editor. AISFM offers industry-standard equipment and amazing production faculty. After all, these classes are conducted inside a real, 22-acre film studio!

Production Skills – Video, Sound and Digital

Not only does the internet provide thousands of online news portals, but it also offers digital versions of newspapers, complete with video and audio news. Around the world, we are increasingly seeing a convergence of print, image and sound in journalism.

We equip our students with multimedia production tools so that they can shoot and edit video, design and build websites and use images and sound to tell powerful stories.

Photojournalism

The ability to capture unique images that complement or extend a written story is an essential skill for many journalists. Where would travel writers, investigative journalists, freelancers and, of course, photojournalists, be without their cameras?

These subjects take students from basic to advanced photography and teach the software tools to manage and edit images.

Public Relations

Wow, this is the odd subject out, right? Shouldn’t PR be part of advertising?

Not in India. In this country, the activities of PR professionals are far closer to that of journalists than advertisers. Public Relations staff need to understand the inner workings of media and how to interact with journalists to convey important issues or manage crises.

So how do we approach PR?

PR – Management and Integrated Marketing

We start with the study of management and marketing theory, including the development of integrated marketing communications and the history of PR. Students learn how successful companies across the world have used PR to build their brands.

PR – Strategic Communication

Next, we explore ‘core’ PR activities. Students learn how to conduct market research, how to draw meaningful conclusions from the data and how to plan long- and short-term strategic PR campaigns. Students also develop professional skills for both written and verbal communication, including how to create press releases and how to brief media, for day-to-day communication as well as crisis management.

PR – New Media

For PR, new media and social media are such significant topics that we address them in specific classes. Unlike mass media, which has restricted access, social media is available to anyone with an internet connection. When any person or company can create websites, post blogs, build facebook pages and spread news on twitter – how can PR professionals ensure that these tools are used appropriately, as part of a strategic campaign? How do you ensure that your messages rise above the online noise?

PR – Event Management

We also teach event management within our PR subjects. Overseeing press conferences and media events is a regular task for in-house, agency and freelance PR staff, so we ensure our students know how to plan and execute such events.

PR – Corporate Communications

More and more companies are discovering the importance of an internal corporate communication strategy, and we ensure our students have the skills to work in this exciting area. Students learn to craft, execute and measure the results of internal communication tactics.

Career Skills for Journalists and PR professionals
With more and more journalists and PR professionals working as freelancers, career management and entrepreneurial skills become critical for graduates in this field. In these subjects, we equip our students with personal management skills to help build their careers. Classes include how to pitch stories, formatting for multiple media, managing your own budgets and timelines and more!
PR Students can also undertake skill-based training on account management. These classes teach the day-to-day client servicing work of a PR agency, allowing graduates to quickly integrate into a corporate workflow in their internship or after graduation.

Full Subject List

Projects and Internships

AISFM believes in learning by doing, and this is certainly evident in the major projects that students undertake. While some of these are individual efforts, others require coordination with students from other courses at AISFM, or even with other students from around the world as part of our international projects.

Students get hands on experience creating real content, under real-world conditions. Is there any better way to prepare one’s self for the industry?

Bachelor’s students also have the opportunity to undertake internships in print or TV journalism or in public relations. Students are selected for internships on the basis of multiple criteria, including academic performance. Internships allow students to get their foot in the door and to start building their personal networks with real employers.

Internships are not guaranteed – you need to work hard to secure one!

Why study this course?

Student Profile:

• Just completed 10+2 OR currently enrolled in a different bachelor’s degree and wish to change

• Strong communication skills

• Passionate about media and communication

• Looking for both theoretical and practical training in journalism and PR

• Interested in international opportunities – projects and possibly exchange experiences

• Wants to learn ‘convergent media’ – using multiple online and offline tools to tell stories.

Students are typically interested in a career in one of these fields:

• Journalist for print, web or TV

• Editor for print, web or TV

• Content producer for TV or online news

• Documentary maker

• TV Anchor

• Photojournalist

• PR Professional – either in-house or with a PR agency

Fee Details

Scholarships of up to 50% of tuition charges are available on the basis of financial need. Please complete the form below for more information.

Additional charges

Security deposit of Rs.1,00,000. This is payable at the time of admission and will be refunded at course completion, subject to any deductions.

Software costs. Each course has certain compulsory requirements for software purchase. These can be purchased through selected vendors at educational discounts.

Laptop. Each Student must own a laptop from the beginning of the second year. The required specifications will be provided to students at the end of the first year. Students can bring their own laptop or purchase one through our selected vendors at educational discounts. We strongly advise students not to purchase laptops until the specifications are provided, as a particular brand/configuration may be mandatory.

Camera. Each Student must own a DSLR camera. The required specifications will be given in the offer letter. Students can bring their own camera or purchase one through our selected vendors at educational discounts.

Elective Course Charges. Some optional subjects carry additional course fees to cover the costs of specialised materials or technology. Students will be made aware of these charges at the time of selecting their optional subjects.

*All fee details are subject to change.

Annapurna International School of Film and Media (AISFM)

The Annapurna International School of Film and Media is India’s first private, non-profit and completely student-focused media school.

AISFM’s goal is to be one of the finest film-institutes in India, and one of the finest in the world. To achieve this, the generous Akkineni family (the school’s primary backers) and management have built the school on the grounds of a major film studio in the heart of Hyderabad, set-up a film fund to produce commercial films using the school’s own students and faculty as cast and crew and drawn some of the biggest names in cinema as teachers and academic advisors. Come join us. Come grow with us. Come start your career with AISFM.

We believe now, today, AISFM offers the best acting school in India, the best directing school, and the best courses in cinematography, editing, writing and producing.

What separates AISFM from other film schools in India?

Yes, the film fund, the location inside a studio and the industry heavyweights that are tied to the school. But mostly, it’s our total devotion to students. This means intense faculty training, to ensure classes are incredibly productive and fun. This means working non-stop to land our students great positions in the industry. This means building a reputation as one of the finest film-institutes in India, so that when our students go out into the world, the world knows they attended the finest acting institute in India, or the finest directing institute, or took the best mass media courses available.

Come join us. Bring your talents to the best acting institute in India, or the best cinematography school in Indian to any of our courses. With your talent, and our training, you can build a career in media and be proud to know you attended one of the premier film schools in India.