WEE KIM WEE SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION
Overview
Vision
To be the premier school of communication and information in Asia with international eminence.
Mission
To educate and nurture communication and information professionals and academics, to advance knowledge, and to serve society.
Background
The Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information (WKWSCI) was founded in 1992 and has already acquired the status as one of Asia's premier communication schools. It is well-recognized for its strengths in teaching and research, its close ties with the media industry and information industries, and for its success rate in placing students in communication professions upon graduation.
WKWSCI has five divisions offering a wide range of communication courses both at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The divisions are: Journalism and Publishing, Electronic and Broadcast Media, Public and Promotional Communication, Information Studies, and Communication Research.
Students in WKW SCI receive a balance of theoretical knowledge and practical training in their broad-based curriculum. The School has invested in comparable industry equipment and technology for all its courses, especially in Information Technology, such as web-design, multimedia, desktop publishing, audio and video production. The School also has one of the most modern equipment for training in journalism in Asia.
Objectives
The School's four graduate degree programmes by coursework are collectively multi-disciplinary in nature and aimed to provide graduates with relevant work experience with advanced professional education in the areas of information studies, knowledge management, information systems and mass communication. In addition, the School offers research degrees in form of Doctor of Philosophy, Master of Communication Studies and Master of Applied Science.
Unique Features of the School
1. Multidisciplinary curriculum featuring five academic concentrations - Journalism; Broadcast and Cinema Studies; Communication Policy and Research; Advertising; and Public Relations. There is also an inter-disciplinary concentration that allows students to tailor the curriculum of their choice to meet their own specific needs. At the same time, the curriculum encourages students to take general education modules, work on real-life and lab-based practicum, portfolio seminars, workshops, and many more.
2. Students can take up academic minors in all schools. Some popular options are Arts, Design & Media; Drama & Performance; English Literature; History; Chinese Language & Culture; Business; Education Studies; Music; Environmental Management; Sociology; Psychology; Economics; among others.
3. Students are encouraged to apply for the Overseas Exchange Programme. Successful students can spend up to six months at leading overseas universities in top communication schools in America, Australia, China and India.
4. A required professional internship of 24 weeks where students gain first-hand industry training and experience under the supervision of professors and industry practitioners.
5. WKWSCI prepares students for comprehensive hands-on learning in Nanyang Spectrum - a 30 minute weekly TV news magazine
Radio Fusion - simulated radio broadcast weekly on Internet
Nanyang Chronicle - student produced campus newspaper
Going Overseas for Advanced Reporting (GO-FAR)
Multimedia Production; Photojournalism; and Desktop Publishing
ConnexSCIons - student produced alumni newsletter
What You Can Become (Careers Available to You)
The media industry offers a host of viable career opportunities. In Singapore, we have an increasingly vibrant media scene. Media production companies are sprouting not only locally but globally. All across the world, there is a growing demand for entertainment and news. All of which are part of the mass media.
Your education at WKWSCI will give you a taste of what a genuine media environment demands. Upon graduation, you will be conferred the Bachelor of Communications Studies (Honours) degree. This qualification will put you in good stead to take on the real world. Our curriculum is designed to equip you with the necessary skills for a full range of careers in media. The job possibilities are many and examples include the following:
Journalism - What you can be:
Reporter, Columnist, Editor, Photojournalist, International Correspondent, Publisher, News Analyst, Broadcast Journalist
Prepares students for careers in the print media industry and its associated online media. Within the Concentration, students can specialise in News, Magazine Publishing or Photojournalism. They must take both "front-end" (writing) and "back-end" (editing and design) subjects. As part of their total intellectual development, students must also develop a substantive knowledge base in chosen "beat" areas such as business or the arts, and will be strongly encouraged to take Minors in these areas.
Broadcast and Cinema Studies - What you can be:
Producer, Director, Broadcast Reporter, Interactive Media Coordinator in media, business, industry and government, audio-video producer
Provides the conceptual skills and intellectual training for a multi-skilled television or film producer who can keep pace with rapid changes in media industries. Subjects cover a range of genres, styles, audiences and technologies. Students will be trained in the professional skills necessary for content production and distribution, and gain exposure to various theoretical approaches and disciplines that inform the creation of original content for television and cinema.
Advertising - What you can be:
Media Planner, Advertising Account Executive, Creative Director, Consultant, Copywriter, Marketing Specialist
Prepares students for careers in advertising, media and marketing, and corporate communications. The curriculum introduces students to the theoretical and practical applications of advertising and marketing. Subjects include integrated marketing communication, creative writing skills, copywriting, graphic communication, campaign planning, media planning and marketing, issues and ethics in advertising, and a faculty guided advertising portfolio.
Public Relations - What you can be:
Public Relations Executive, Public Affairs Manager, Corporate Communication Director; Consultant, Events Specialist
Prepares students for careers in corporate and public communication, issues and events management, as well as promotional communication and investor relations. Subjects include public relations writing, campaign development, crisis communication, issues and ethics in public relations, as well as a faculty-guided portfolio practicum.
Communication Policy and Research - What you can be:
Media Consultant, Public Opinion and Market Researcher, Media Audience Analyst, Research Manager in public and private sector
Develops competency in the analysis and interpretation of communication and media. Students will be prepared for management and policy-making positions in public, private and non-profit organisations. Students will also receive the grounding to pursue advanced degrees. Subjects engage the multidisciplinary perspectives of the social sciences, liberal arts, and law and policy, and promote systematic inquiry through empirical, interpretive, and critical methods.
Inter-Disciplinary Concentration
Allows students to tailor the curriculum of their choice to meet their specific needs. Students can select subjects from all available Concentrations to build up a distinctive broad-based profile for their future. This Concentration is particularly suited for sponsored students where their employers may have specific needs, skills and competencies that they wish the students acquire from the Programme.
Divisions
(1) Division of Journalism and Publishing
The Division offers modules in print and broadcast journalism, newswriting and reporting, editing, specialized writing, news writing in Chinese, feature writing, and specialized writing in various news areas.
(2) Division of Electronic and Broadcast Media
The Division offers modules in television, digital/video and radio/audio production, editing, scriptwriting, multimedia techniques, broadcast journalism, film studies, media and culture analyses, and visual communication.
(3) Division of Communication Research
The Division offers modules in research methods, qualitative and quantitative analysis, public opinion, audience research, information society, and psychology of communication.
(4) Division of Public and Promotional Communication
The Division offers modules in advertising copywriting and creativity, public relations writing, media and marketing, communication campaigns, and integrated marketing communications.
(5) Division of Information Studies
The Division offers graduate modules in digital data mining, systems analysis and design, knowledge management, information storage, archival informatics, information systems, and electronic commerce.
Faculty
Chair's Office
Prof FOO Shou Boon, Schubert, Associate Dean, HASS
Division of Information Studies
PhD, MBA, BSc (U of Strathclyde)
Assoc Prof Benjamin Hill DETENBER, Chair
PhD, BA (Stanford U)
Prof HAO Xiaoming, Associate Chair (Academic)
PhD, MA (U of Missouri), MA (Chinese Academy of Social Sciences), BA (Capital Normal U)
Assoc Prof THENG Yin Leng, Associate Chair (Research)
PhD (Middlesex U), MSc (U of Manchester Institute of Science & Technology), BSc (NUS)
Assoc Prof LEE Chun Wah, Assistant Chair
PhD (Ohio U), MA (U of Colorado), BSc (U of Portland), AMIPRS (Singapore)
Division of Journalism & Publishing
Assistant Prof Cherian GEORGE, Acting Head of Division
PhD (Stanford U), MSc (Columbia U), BA (Hons) (U of Cambridge)
Prof ANG Peng Hwa
PhD (Michigan State U), MA (U of Southern California), LLB (NUS)
Assoc Prof Indrajit BANERJEE
Secretary-General, Asian Media Information & Communication Centre (AMIC)
PhD (U of Sorbonne), MA (Jawaharlal Nehru U), BA (Sri Aurobindo International Centre of Education, Pondicherry, India)
Senior Fellow
Mr Javed NAZIR
Assistant Prof Stella C. CHIA
PhD, MA (U of Wisconsin), BA (National Chengchi U, Taiwan)
Assistant Prof Shyamsundar TEKWANI
MFA (Baltimore U), BA (Hons) (U of Santiniketan)
Assistant Prof XU Xiaoge
PhD (NTU), MS (Kansas State U), BA (China School of Journalism), BA (Zhejiang U)
Lecturer
Mr Andrew DUFFY
MA (Oxon U)
Division of Electronic & Broadcast Media
Assistant Prof FOO Tee Tuan, Acting Head of Division
PhD (Ohio U), MA (Ohio State U), BA (Fu Jen Catholic U)
Prof HAO Xiaoming, Associate Chair (Academic)
PhD, MA (U of Missouri), MA (Chinese Academy of Social Sciences), BA (Capital Normal U)
Assistant Prof Bradley FREEMAN
PhD (Syracuse U), MA (Syracuse U), BA (U of Pittsburgh)
Lecturers
Nikki DRAPER
MA (Stanford U), BA (Hons) (Hollins College)
KWEK Eng Tai Ivan
M Mass Comm (NTU), BA (NUS)
Division of Public & Promotional Communication
Assoc Prof May O. LWIN, Head of Division
PhD (NUS), MBA (NUS), BA (Hons) (Bryn Mawr College)
Assoc Prof LEE Chun Wah, Assistant Chair
PhD (Ohio U), MA (U of Colorado), BSc (U of Portland), AMIPRS (Singapore)
Assistant Prof Arul Indrasen CHIB
PhD (U of Southern California), MS (Syracuse U), MBA (Indian Inst of Mgmt), BA (St Stephen's Coll)
Assistant Prof Kavita KARAN
PhD (London School of Economics), MPhil, MCJ, BCJ (Osmania U, India)
Assistant Prof MAK Ka Ying, Angela
PhD (U of Oregon), MA, BA (HK Baptist U)
Assistant Prof Augustine PANG
PhD (U of Missouri), MA (Macquaire U), BA (NUS)
Assistant Prof YEOH Kok Cheow
PhD, (Texas Tech U), MAIA (San Francisco State U), BFA (Academy of Art U)
Division of Communication Research
Assoc Prof Benjamin DETENBER, Head of Division
PhD, BA (Stanford U)
Professorial Fellow
Prof Eddie C. Y. KUO
PhD (U of Minnesota), MA (U of Hawaii), BA (National Chengchi U, Taiwan)
Assoc Prof CHOI Siu-Kay, Alfred
PhD, MA, BA (U of York)
Assistant Prof Mark CENITE
PhD (U of Minnesota), JD (Stanford U), BA (U of Wisconsin)
Assistant Prof CHAN Kin-Ying Brenda
PhD (NTU), MA (U of Warwick), B Soc Sc (Hons) (NUS)
Assistant Prof CHEN Hsueh-Hua, Vivian
PhD (Arizona State U); MA, MS (Syracuse U); BA (National Chengchi U, Taiwan)
Assistant Prof Marko SKORIC
PhD (U of Michigan), BSc (University College London)
Assistant Prof FU Wei-Jen Wayne
PhD, MA (Northwestern U), BS (National Central U, Taiwan)
Senior Tutor
Ms Shirley Ho
Division of Information Studies
Assoc Prof KHOO Soo Guan, Christopher, Head of Division
PhD (Syracuse U), MSc (U of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign), BA (Harvard U)
Prof FOO Shou Boon, Schubert, Associate Dean, HASS
PhD, MBA, BSc (U of Strathclyde)
Assoc Prof Abdus Sattar CHAUDHRY, Head of Division
PhD (U of Illinois), MS (U of Hawaii), MA, BA (U of Punjab)
Assoc Prof GOH Hoe Lian, Dion
PhD (Texas A&M U), MSc (Florida State U), BA (NUS)
Assoc Prof M. Shaheen MAJID
PhD (City U), MLIS (U of Western Ontario), MSc, BSc (U of Punjab)
Assoc Prof Margaret TAN
PhD (U of Queensland), MBA (U of Adelaide), B Com (U of Newcastle), CPA (Australian Society of Accountants)
Assoc Prof THENG Yin Leng, Associate Chair (Research)
PhD (Middlesex U), MSc (U of Manchester Institute of Science & Technology), BSc (NUS)
Assoc Prof Ravi S. SHARMA
PhD (U of Waterloo), MSc (Regina U), BSc (Brandon U)
Senior Fellow
Paul WU Horng Jyh
PhD, MSE (U of Michigan), BSEE (National Taiwan U)
Assistant
Prof CHANG Yun-Ke
PhD, MS (U of North Texas), BSc
(National Taiwan U)
Assistant Prof CHUA Yeow Kuan, Alton
DBA (Southern Cross U), Med (U of Sheffield), BSc (NUS)
Assistant Prof LEE Chei Sian
PhD (U of Illinois-Chicago), MSc (NUS), BSc (NUS)
Assistant Prof Brendan LUYT
PhD (U of Western Ontario), MLIS (U of Western Ontario), MA (Queen's U)
Assistant Prof NA Jin Cheon
PhD (Texas A&M U), MS (Oklahoma State U), BS (Hanyang U)
Lecturer
LEE Chu Keong
MSc (NTU), B.Eng. (NUS)
Asst Prof (Adjunct)
KAN Siew Ning
MSc, BSc (NUS)
Degree programmes and requirements