COURSE TITLE: Development Communication

Course Code: JM 224 Credit Value: 3 Credits

Contact Hours

• Lectures: 2 hours/week

• Practical / Fieldwork and Workshops: 2 hours/week

Duration: 15 Weeks (One Semester) Prerequisite: JM 113 – Introduction to Mass Communication

1. Course Description

This course examines the role of communication in promoting sustainable social, economic, political, cultural, and environmental development. Students explore theories, models, and practices of development communication, emphasising the use of journalism, media, and communication to facilitate public participation, social change, policy advocacy, and community empowerment.

The course covers communication for development (C4D), development journalism, participatory communication, behaviour change communication, health communication, agricultural communication, environmental communication, humanitarian communication, peace communication, governance communication, and communication for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Students also examine the use of traditional, mass, digital, and community media in addressing development challenges.

Practical fieldwork and workshops provide opportunities to design, implement, and evaluate communication initiatives addressing real-world development issues through collaboration with communities, public institutions, civil society organisations, and development partners.

The course prepares students for careers in development communication, public information, community media, humanitarian communication, government communication, advocacy, international development, and non-governmental organisations.

2. Course Objectives

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

1. Explain the concepts, theories, and principles of development communication.

2. Analyse the role of communication in sustainable development and social change.

3. Apply participatory communication approaches in community development.

4. Design communication strategies addressing development challenges.

5. Evaluate communication interventions using appropriate monitoring and evaluation methods.

6. Produce development-oriented media content for diverse audiences.

7. Apply ethical and professional standards in development communication practice.

8. Demonstrate effective collaboration with communities and development stakeholders.

3. Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will be able to:

• Explain major theories and models of development communication.

• Analyse communication challenges affecting development initiatives.

• Design participatory communication strategies for development programmes.

• Produce development journalism stories and multimedia communication materials.

• Apply behaviour change communication principles to development campaigns.

• Evaluate communication interventions using appropriate indicators and evidence.

• Demonstrate ethical, culturally sensitive, and inclusive communication practices.

• Present a comprehensive development communication project.