New Master’s Program at IBSU – “Digital Media and Communication”

The new Master’s program in Digital Media and Communication of the International Black Sea University has received a full four-year accreditation.

This innovative graduate program “Digital Media & Communication” is developed through the Media Educational Program” sponsored by the U.S. Embassy in Georgia and the module Digital Media is developed based in the analogous program of the Loyola University (Chicago, Illinois). Prof. Richelle Rogers, Program Director for the Master’s in Digital Media and Storytelling, was actively involved in the development process.

The Master’s program in Digital Media and Communication of the International Black Sea University is a unique one within the Georgian educational sphere. This is the first attempt to teach digital media and digital communications at the master’s level. Its competencies are relevant not only for the local but also for the international markets.

The aim of the program is to prepare qualified specialists relevant to the modern media industry in a rapidly changing digital environment who, in addition to theoretical knowledge, will possess practical skills – forms of visual reporting; skill of preparing different platforms and create multimedia materials; planning PR campaigns on social media; conducting research and social media analytics; processing data and visualizing etc.

The master’s program is designed for people of any specialty who want to study the field of digital media and communication in depth. Suitable for those who are studying journalism / mass communication at the undergraduate level, as well as for those who decide to change the specialty at the master’s level of education and start a new profession.

Graduates will be able to get employed in both, online and conventional media organizations (television, newspaper, magazine, news agency); in public relations services of public, private or non-governmental organizations as multimedia journalists, producers, social media managers, etc.

The program will already accept freshmen in September. The tuition fee is 3750 GEL. For more information on the program and admission procedures, please, see link here.

The new master’s program in “Digital Media and Communication” is also being evaluated by foreign experts. It has 6 received feedbacks from leading specialists of the field of American and European universities.

There are some quotes form their evaluations:

Prof. Dr. Thomas Hanitzsch, Munich Ludwig Maximilaine University, Germany: „The program conforms with international standards of graduate programs. It is well rganized and tailored to the needs of prospective alumni in terms of intellectual capacities and professional skills. The program’s design is based on a similar program at Loyola University (USA) and was developed with help of the Loyola University’s corresponding program director. Professor Osepashvili, the program director, is an internationally experienced teacher and scholar. Teaching staff for the program appears to have experience in the required areas. Program students can choose between an impressive diversity of elective courses. The program’s strong English-language component lends itself to international exchange activities…” 

  Prof. Dr. Aswin Punathambeckar, University of Virginia, USA: ‘…The program is incredibly timely and addresses he most important skills required for students and early career professionals who are interested in working in the media and communications sectors. Digital technologies are central to virtually any job in these sectors, and a Master’s program that offers both theoretical and practical education in the area of digital media and   communication will certainly be sought after…The program also looks very well-designed. Dr. Dali Osepashvili, the program director, brings a superb combination of experience and skills as a teacher, scholar, and practitioner. Furthermore, the connections to Loyola University in Chicago, USA is an excellent decision…”

 Prof. Dr. Deimantas  Jastramskis, University of Vilnius: „It’s very important and valuable program.. In a rapidly changing media environment, in the process of transitioning from traditional to digital platforms, it is very important to prepare journalists for the modern labor market who possess the relevant skills. This is the goal of this program, to develop the graduate both practical skills, as well as to give in-depth knowledge in mass communications...” 

 Prof. Dr. Georgeta Drula, University of Bucharest: “As a program director and an initiator of the master program ‘Multimedia Production and Audio-Video Production’ at the University of Bucharest for 12 years, I can appreciate the quality of the program…  I could remark the novelty and the actual topics in the curricula such as Python programming and also very useful courses such as Web programming and Multimedia Journalism.…The whole structure of the program is well-designed and following the practical competencies and skills needed in the labour market…”

Prof. Dr. Gyorgyi Retfalvi, Budapest Metropolitan University: “As professor of New Media I have found this program proposal forward-looking, well designed and useful for the future students too. The subjects offered by the program plan are up-to-date and comprehensively summarses the phenomena we call digital media both from the theoretical and the practical sides… I also would like to highlight that the program contains a heavy percentage of programming which I think is crucial for the new generations…”

Prof. Dr. Gene Allen, Ryerson University, Toronto: “…The program appears to be both timely and well-designed. Dr. Osepashvili, the program director, is a highly experienced and well-regarded teacher and scholar. The program’s connection with Loyola University of Chicago provides a strong foundation in terms both of up-to-date professional practice and scholarly depth. The curriculum is well adapted to the purpose of providing education for digital media professionals in Georgia, and the consultations that have been carried out with Georgian media industry practitioners indicate that there is a demand for graduates with the kinds of skills that the program offers.”