Syllabus for
BA (Media, Psychology/Honours/Honours with Research)
Academic Year  (2023)

The Department of English and Cultural Studies, in consonance with its mission statement, is committed to promoting an intellectual climate through artistic creation, critical mediation and innovative ideation. The department encourages students to engage critically with literary aesthetics, historic and socio-cultural debates and develop a unique perspective in liberal arts.  Located at Delhi-NCR, the Department of English & Cultural Studies offers courses in core areas of literary and cultural studies along with hands-on modules in multimedia production. Our dual focus on literary studies and communication enable our students to pursue diverse careers in academia and industry. The department also has a range of extra-curricular activities through department association and clubs which enable a well-rounded development of our students. The Value-Added Courses offered by the department are designed to enhance the potential for employability of our graduates.

Towards a critical reading of the Self, the Society and the Imagined.

 Mission

The Department of English aspires to promote an intellectual climate through artistic creation, critical mediation and innovative ideation in a culture of reciprocal transformation.

The National Capital Region (NCR) - Delhi being one of Asia’s best places to pursue studies in journalism, media, and psychology - attracts thousands of students every year not only from India, also from other parts of the world. The proximity to India’s political capital, where the legislative, executive, and judicial headquarters situate will help the students to get access and exposure to high-level political and public policy processes. As most of the regional, national, and international media houses have either headquarters or bureaus in Delhi, students of BA in Media and Psychology at CHRIST (Deemed to be University) NCR Campus will have unparalleled career and internship opportunities.

Our multi-cultural and quality driven academic environment, well-conceptualized industry-institution interface, special lectures by experts in the domains of media and public policy, collaborations with public policy think tanks and intensive hands-on training to impart research and media skills will give a competitive advantage to the graduates of this path breaking academic programme. 

Programme Outcome/Programme Learning Goals/Programme Learning Outcome:

PO2: Demonstrate critical thinking, scientific inquiry, argumentation and sensitivity to diversity while applying disciplinary concepts to everyday life and real-world situations.

PO3: Design, conduct, and communicate basic research following fundamental methods and ethical standards in social sciences and humanities

PO4: Use the knowledge of Media Studies, and Psychology to enhance self-awareness, well-being, interpersonal relationships, career-decision making, and social responsibility in personal and professional domains.

Programme Specific Outcome:

PSO2: Use the knowledge of Media Studies, and Psychology to enhance self-awareness, well-being, interpersonal relationships, career-decision making, and social responsibility in personal and professional domains.

Programme Educational Objective:

PEO2: Develop an analytical and conceptual framework for the student to professionally study and understand human social realities

PEO3: Help the student to develop a foundational understanding of research and career options in Psychology and Media

PEO4: Equip the student to understand the nuances of human existence in societies

Continuous Internal Assessments and Submissions are course specific. 

The success of organizations are predominantly determined by the effectiveness of it people resources. To succeed in this global competition, it is imperative for the organizations to build hig performing teams. The core of building high performing teams is to understand team dynamics and build collaboration within teams, between teams and work as a team of teams. The course will enable the students to understand the nuances of team dynamics, experience the power of synergy working as a team and collaborate effectively for the benefit of personal, organizational and societal growth.

The course aims: 

●        To facilitate better understanding of group and phases of group development

●        To provide a deeper understanding of team dynamics and qualities of being a good team player

●        Resolve team conflicts and build synergy

●        Build trust, offer constructive feedback, coach and mentor others

To inculcate the spirit of working as a team

Human Resource is considered as a valuable resource in every organization. The world class companies compete among themselves to attract the best talent across the globe.  They view talent as competitive differentiator and one where the acquisition, engagement, development and retention of talent is considered as a strategic priority of business.  This course exposes the students to methods and practices to acquire, engage and develop talent, focus on development of strategic leaders within an organization and also deals with how talent and knowledge can be managed effectively for the development of the organization

The course aims at enhancing their financial skills as well as training the students to be financial educators with family and friends. There is a need for students to effectively plan and monitor their spending. The course aims at effectively training students and equipping them with the knowledge and tools to manage their finances and also teach others the same.

• To expose learners to a variety of texts to interact with
• To help learners classify ideologies and be able to express the same
• To expose learners to visual texts and its reading formulas
• To help learners develop a taste to appreciate works of literature through the organization of language
• To help develop critical thinking
• To help learners appreciate literature and the language nuances that enhances its literary values

• To help learners understand the relationship between the world around them and the text/literature
• To help learners negotiate with content and infer meaning contextually
• To help learners understand logical sequencing of content and process information

·         To help improve their communication skills for larger academic purposes and vocational purposes

·         To enable learners to learn the contextual use of words and the generic meaning

·         To enable learners to listen to audio content and infer contextual meaning

·         To enable learners to be able to speak for various purposes and occasions using context specific language and expressions

·         To enable learners to develop the ability to write for various purposes using suitable and precise language.

This is an introductory course to understanding the emergence and development of crime fiction as a literary genre. Once considered as popular literature insignificant to the canon, crime fiction exists as a genre that is relevant to the current times, especially to understand the society in which we live in today. This course will engage discussions on the concepts of crime and justice, and enable students to identify how crime impacts individuals and communities. Certain discourses will include socio-cultural understanding of crime and punishment, role of detectives and police officers and their interactions with civilians, and how gender, race, class, religion play a role in these narratives. Through this course, students will critically analyse textual works in the form of short stories, chapters, essays, novels, along with visual sources such as documentaries, films, television and web series and animated works.

Course Objectives

The objective of this course is to:

●      Sensitise students to the real-world scenario of conflict and violence and its consequence thereof.

●      Introduce crime fiction and its sub-genres

●      Study the impact of crime on literature and society.

●      Explore different forms of crime fiction from across the globe.

●      Identify works of crime fiction that are yet unexplored such as regional works with linguistic variabilities.

The present decline in environmental quality calls for a stricter enforcement of laws relating to protection of environment. The objective of this course is to give an insight into various legislations that has been enacted in our country for protection of environment and also to create awareness among the citizens of the country about the duties cast on them under various legislations in relation to protection of environment.

Course Objectives:

• To impart an in-depth knowledge of environmental legislations to students from diverse backgrounds.
• To interpret, analyse and make a critique of the legislations and Case laws relating to environment
• To provide a brief understanding of various developments that has taken place at international level to check various environmental harms.

This course, thus, has been specifically designed for the non-law people. It aims to address the linkages between the corporate and the human rights in the form of CSR. It critically analyses one significant question – whether the issues of human rights should be addressed by the corporate sector mandatorily or voluntarily, in different social contexts? The strengths and weaknesses of the CSR initiatives in India and other countries are analysed. Also, the international commitments, with special reference to the role of United Nations are seen.

Course Objectives: Corporate Social Responsibility or CSR, as it is popularly referred to, is a combination of ethical, philanthropic, legal and economic responsibilities of a corporate organization towards the social transformation by addressing the social issues in collaboration with Government and NGOs. The corporate entities are more into profit making business and in this race, they often forget that their activities are causing harm to and not protecting the environment as well as human rights of the people.

This course – Introduction to Media and Communication – is designed to help students to critically survey, examine and analyze the communication and media landscape. It will introduce the students to basic concepts in communication and the media processes, origin and history of media, selected theories and models of communication, and paradigms of media effects. The course also explores some pertinent themes - media and society, democracy, and public sphere along with the recent trends and media related issues in the modern political economy.

This course explores the intricate relationship between media and social movements, examining how media platforms and technologies have shaped the formation, mobilization, and impact of contemporary social movements. Through an interdisciplinary lens, students will analyze the role of media in fostering collective action, amplifying marginalized voices, and challenging power structures. They will critically examine various forms of media, including traditional news outlets, social media platforms, and alternative media, and investigate their influence on activism, protest, and social change. Drawing on case studies from around the world, students will gain insights into the complexities of media representation, framing, and manipulation, as well as strategies employed by social movements to harness media for their causes. By the end of the course, students will develop a nuanced understanding of the dynamic interplay between media and social movements in the contemporary global context.

This course - Writing for Newspapers - is designed to teach basic writing skills for newspapers. It primarily covers news writing techniques for print. The course also introduces students to other aspects of writing for media like - feature stories, press releases, and reviews (books, films etc.). Students will enhance their writing skills as they take advanced courses of Reporting and Editing, Radio and Television Production and Digital Storytelling Techniques in the coming semesters.

This course – Design and Layout – will help students to acquire graphic design and layout skills, a key requisite for a successful career in media.  The course is designed to meet the requirement of those students who wants to master in multiple aspects of graphic design. The first part of the course introduces the students to computer and software fundamentals as well as tools and techniques in digital illustration. The second part details image editing and layout techniques including working with colours, typography, and various design elements.

Popularly known as ‘Father of the Nation,’ Mahatma Gandhi was the leading figure of

India’s freedom movement. It was his mass-based mobilization and campaign marked by the

method of non-violence and Satyagraha which changed the course of the movement. His

guiding method and principles continue to fascinate and inspire many both in India and

around the world. Gandhi elevated pacifism to an empowering political force, which inspired

world leaders like Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, Walesa, etc. His views – although

developed in the context of a struggle in South Africa and India many years ago – Gandhi's

ideology has influenced myriad spheres of human experience: politics, economics, education,

nation-building etc. The course seeks to introduce to the students the ideas and thought of

Gandhi and why the interest on him has only increased.

Course Objectives

 The course is designed to acquaint the students with the life and works of Mahatma

Gandhi and also to make them understand how M.K. Gandhi transformed from a

lawyer to a Mahatma?

 To introduce the political thought of Mahatma Gandhi and his non-violent protest.

 The significance and Relevance of Gandhian values in the contemporary world.

This course has been conceptualized in order to introduce the students to the study of international relations. It introduces students to major theoretical approaches to understand international politics and diplomacy.

 To introduce the students to:

●       The nature, scope and importance of International Relations/Politics

●       The basic concepts of International Relations such as Sovereignty, Security, balance of Power etc.

●       The contemporary global issues

This first-semester course introduces undergraduate psychology majors to the scientific study of human nature. The student would be able to understand how psychologists ask questions from several different perspectives. Students will learn about the various scientific methods psychologists use to study behaviour and become acquainted with many of psychology's important findings and theoretical approaches. Further, students will be able to appreciate the shape that contemporary psychology has taken. The aim is to build a familiarity with psychology’s intellectual origins and to foster an awareness of its many false steps, dead-ends, and alternative pathways to appreciating the social, cultural, and psychological influences on theorising in psychology. The course will equip the student with knowledge and scope for careers in psychology and develop an understanding of the professional skills required for such a career. Students will have learned to think critically about psychological evidence through journal clubs and class discussions embedded in the course.

This course will develop an understanding of how advertising affects the human mind by giving unique and valuable insight from the industry. The course will help in studying the relationship between advertising and human mind and also apply this learning to advertising strategy, positioning, brand, and marketing communications that prepare students for the competitive world of advertising and marketing.

Course objectives

This course aims to

• Introduce psychological perspectives of advertisements in real life situations. 
• Orient students towards the various functions and roles of cognitive, affective and behavioral responses in the field of advertisement.
• Help students to identify and apply the various theories and principles of advertisement psychology in the field of marketing.

This course is designed to address the changing ideas of the conceptualisation of youth in contemporary times in relation to popular culture. It explores the question of the formation of youth identity in popular culture and the debates challenging the dominant idea of youth identity in popular culture through the lens of gender, caste, class and minorities. The course takes up the case study of social media as the particular site mediating popular culture to explore these questions of youth identity formation as usage of social media by young people is increasing, especially in countries like India which has one of the highest populations of youth in the world. Popular culture and media are intertwined and social media has emerged as a phenomenon of popular culture which shapes youth identity either by mobilising youth in a powerful way in favour of dominant socio-political norms or social movements which challenge the dominant socio-political trends. In recent times, the participation of youth in electoral politics through social media has multiplied phenomenally in India shaping the nature of engagement of youth with popular culture. The conceptualisation of youth as a democratic dividend has implications for defining the relationship between youth and social media in relation to popular culture. Similarly, conceptualisation of youth as a subculture is constitutive of the relationship between youth and media. Thus, the case study of social media will be linking the theoretical conceptualisations with the empirical phenomena.

This course is designed to introduce students to urban transformations mediated through digital technology. The paper specifically explores the urban transformations in the economic and cultural sphere. In the economic sphere, the paper addresses the changing forms of work and labour, thereby the political economy of the digital technology mediated urban transformations will be explored. In the cultural sphere, the paper will introduce students to the changing nature of social relations induced by the technological advancements in cities. 

The course aims at imparting knowledge on Marketing Management from the perspective of Marketing Communications.Great marketing strategies can be powerful. Every year companies spend approximately $200 billion promoting their products and services – and that’s just in the United States alone! Explore how marketing campaigns, ads, and commercials are brought to life which will lead the exploration of various aspects of Advertising and sales promotion techniques which includes its objectives, classification, creative aspect and functions. This course introduces students to the concepts and processes of marketing and takes them deeper into the world of marketing.

Course Objectives: This course intends

●        Describe the history of the advertising industry and its relation to today’s marketplace.
●        List the roles and responsibilities of various advertising, marketing, and promotions professionals.
       Develop students’ understanding and skill in development of communication strategy of a firm, particularly with advertising and sales promotions.

Course Description

This course examines the investment and financial issues arising from personal wealth management activities. The course commences with an introduction to the financial planning industry and the regulatory framework. It then covers various topics required for constructing a comprehensive financial plan, including identifying client financial status and goals, asset allocation, securities trading, managed funds, superannuation, estate planning, and social security. This course focuses on understanding the nature, usage, and regulations of the advice of various financial products and legal instruments for developing personal wealth management plans.

Course Description: The course covers topics such as income, expenditure, savings & investment avenues, borrowing, managing risk, budgeting, etc. Participants would also learn about various financial institutions and in what ways they can benefit from these institutions. The course helps participants to become aware of different products through which they can meet their financial needs and learn about the benefits of prudent financial behavior.

Course Objectives: Through the course, the instructor aims to

1. To provide the foundations for financial decision-making.

2. To list out various saving and investment alternatives available for a common man.

3. To give a detailed overview of stock markets and stock selection.

4. To orient the learners about mutual funds and the criteria for selection.

The course provides an overview of Income-tax Law. The course intends to provide a basic understanding of various concepts under the taxation system in India. It familiarises students with the multiple heads of income, deductions under each head, deductions from gross total income and computation of Gross Total Income. The course provides basic knowledge on the calculation of the income of individuals and also gives an insight into the tax planning that arises to reduce tax liability.

This course focuses on the importance of data visualization for business intelligence and decision making. The course provides a practical approach to assess and enhance the impact of visuals for the database/dataset and use  data visuals to convey distributions and relationships.To make students understand, how to compare and contrast performance measurement data using effective data visuals and also use construct effective data visuals to solve workplace problems.

• To expose learners to a variety of texts to interact with
• To help learners classify ideologies and be able to express the same
• To expose learners to visual texts and its reading formulas
• To help learners develop a taste to appreciate works of literature through the organization of language
• To help develop critical thinking
• To help learners appreciate literature and the language nuances that enhances its literary values

• To help learners understand the relationship between the world around them and the text/literature
• To help learners negotiate with content and infer meaning contextually
• To help learners understand logical sequencing of content and process information

·         To help improve their communication skills for larger academic purposes and vocational purposes

·         To enable learners to learn the contextual use of words and the generic meaning

·         To enable learners to listen to audio content and infer contextual meaning

·         To enable learners to be able to speak for various purposes and occasions using context specific language and expressions

·         To enable learners to develop the ability to write for various purposes using suitable and precise language.

 It is a solitary principle of industrial relations that a happy and content labourer is an indispensable asset for any employer. However, labourers have not received their due on account of historical wrongs, and in this era of a market economy, labourers do not seem to get the minimum standards of social security. As a result, industrial peace and harmony have remained a distant dream.

Hence, constant efforts are being made by the governments to ameliorate the working conditions of labour in order to ensure minimum welfare for the workers.

IPR have assumed increased significance in global trade. Over the last two decades IPR protection has expanded in an unprecedented pace resulting in economic growth. Understating IPR legal regime is vital for protecting innovation and creation. This course aims at providing basic working knowledge in the area of intellectual property and examines, analyzes and studies the remarkable subject of International Intellectual Property Law and how to enforce trademarks, patents and copyrights beyond national boundaries. Special emphasis will be placed on international standards for intellectual property and its implementation, application and practices in national jurisdictions. In addition the course covers the differences and similarities between the diverse national intellectual property systems.

This course - Reporting and Editing - is designed to teach basic reporting, writing, and editing skills required in any news organization. Knowledge and skills that students acquire from the Skill Enhancement Course – Writing for Media – in the previous semester will enhance the scope of this course. The course covers topics like ethical and professional standards in reporting, functioning of newsrooms, techniques of newsgathering and writing, beat reporting, and editing techniques.

This course provides a comprehensive exploration of the intricate relationship between media and political structures in the context of India. Students will delve into the dynamic interplay between media institutions, government bodies, and political actors, analyzing the impact on democracy, governance, and public opinion formation. Through a multidisciplinary approach, the course examines the historical, social, and cultural factors that have shaped India's media landscape and political structures. Case studies, critical analysis, and discussions will enable students to develop a nuanced understanding of the complex dynamics that shape the intersection of media and politics in the Indian context.

Course Description

This hands-on course introduces students to the fundamentals of digital media production, providing them with the skills and knowledge needed to create compelling content in various digital formats. Through practical exercises and projects, students will learn the essentials of pre-production, production, and post-production processes in the digital media landscape. They will explore techniques for capturing and editing audio and video, designing graphics, and creating engaging multimedia content. The course will also examine the influence of digital media on society, including its impact on culture, communication, and storytelling. By the end of the course, students will be proficient in producing professional-quality digital media projects and will have a critical understanding of the broader implications of digital media production.

Course Objectives:
1. Design impactful stories using effective structures, engaging visuals, and multimedia elements, tailored to specific platforms and audiences.
2. Get hands-on experience with audio/video recording and editing software, graphic design principles, and popular digital media platforms to produce effective storytelling projects.
3. Evaluate digital storytelling projects, identify effective techniques, and analyze the broader impact of digital media on communication and society.
4. Utilize various storytelling methods, collaborate effectively in teams, and communicate creative vision through presentations and project critiques.
5. Apply digital media skills to various platforms and emerging technologies, adapting your approach to diverse audiences and storytelling goals.

This course – on African Politics and Key Ideologies aims to educate students with the broader theoretical and practical framework in African politics, rise of African nationalism and independence and development of African Political System. The course introduces the students to the philosophical perspectives of African political figures and intellectuals, formation of political processes and structures in Africa. 

Course Description:

Dr B R Ambedkar is one of the great intellectuals who has contributed to nation-building as an anti-caste leader, ardent philosopher of social justice, political economist, and principal architect of the Indian constitution. An organic intellectual, Dr Ambedkar developed his political philosophy by critically examining his personal experiences and encompassing them with a rigorous analysis of India’s social structure and history. This course will facilitate students to broaden their understanding of the social, economic and political thoughts of Dr Ambedkar. Further, this course will engage with the critical ideas of ‘Liberty, Equality and Fraternity’ to enable young minds to examine the socio-political realities in the Indian context.

Course Objectives:

To engage with the intellectual legacy of Dr B R Ambedkar.

To foster a critical approach to examine the social, political, and economic inequalities with Ambedkar’s political philosophy.

The course will introduce the students to how UN public policy has evolved in achieving its core mandate to maintain international peace and security through establishing cooperation among countries to address the issues without borders, towards achieving sustainable development Under the Sustainable Development Agenda with its economic, social and environmental dimensions the UN has gone beyond its earlier objective of preventing war and is ensuring human security.

Course Objectives

The course aims to help students:

 To understand the working of United Nations Organization.

 To identify the sustainable development goals and their necessity in the world

 To understand the various ways in which citizens can promote the SDGs

This multidisciplinary course examines the concept of leadership and the psychological and social processes that characterize leadership. We will explore the qualities of effective leadership and the role of situational factors that make some forms of leadership more effective than others. We will explore paradox and complexity in discussions of leadership and will explore the dynamics of identity and power in the unfolding of leadership. In this course, students will not only learn about leadership in traditional ways, such as readings and discussion, but will explore their personal leadership style and plan their goals for personal leadership growth.

The course helps students to understand and explore views on personality and individual differences. The course poses an opportunity for students to help understand the various theoretical approaches to the concepts of personality, intelligence and learning. The students will learn the strengths and weaknesses of major theories as well as how to assess and apply these theories. With the support of psychometric tools and lab-based activities, students would be able to identify the various tools to investigate personality and intelligence and be able to better understand themselves and others.

This second-semester course provides an undergraduate psychology major student with a general understanding of the biological mechanisms by which the brain, nervous system, and endocrine system mediate behaviour and mental processes. The students will be able to appreciate the role of the brain and nervous system in human behaviour and mental processes by studying normal brain functions and biological processes, including neurons and neuronal function, basic brain anatomy, and the sensory systems, as well as potential problems caused by abnormal brain functioning and processes. The course will cover a range of selected behaviours and processes that are critically related to the function of the nervous system. A special emphasis will be placed on research findings that have shed light on the intricacies of the brain-behaviour relationship

This course is designed to help students understand the relationship between artificial intelligence and society and what are the various social concerns regarding this relationship. The course will introduce students to the historical development of artificial intelligence and what are various social, economic and ethical concerns raised by the increasing use of artificial intelligence. Different sociological explanations of the relationship between artificial intelligence and society will be explored in the course.

This course is designed to build the logical thinking ability and to provide hands-on experience in solving statistical models using MS Excel with Problem based learning. To explore and visualize data using excel formulas and data analysis tool pack.