Mailing address
University of Tampere
Department of Journalism and Mass Communication
FI-33014 University of Tampere

Visiting address
Kalevantie 4, Main Building, Room C208

Departmental Adviser
Ms Anna Vähämäki, Planning Officer (ISSS)
Tel. +358-3-3551 7638
Fax +358-3-3551 7287
e-mail isss@uta.fi
http://www.uta.fi/laitokset/tiedotus/

The roots of the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication go back to 1925 when an undergraduate course in journalism was introduced as one of the first programmes offered by the Civic College. A professorship
in “newspaper studies” was established in 1947, the first of its kind in Scandinavia.

The Department aims to provide all students majoring in Journalism and Mass Communication with the basic knowledge and professional skills – in theory and practice – in print, electronic and new media. As a part of the facilities for practical training the Department has run a non-commercial local radio station since autumn 1989. The students also practise during their training in newspapers, magazines, in the Finnish Broadcasting Company and in private radio stations. The master’s degree course of Electronic Photojournalism has been organised together with University of Network for Communication Sciences.

The main research areas have traditionally been communication theory, journalism, and international communication. In recent years the scope of research has widened towards cultural studies, visual culture and new and electronic media. Some of the recent projects have dealt with topics such as normative theories and ethics of the media, and journalism in time of war and crisis. Research has also been conducted in the fields of mass media and the environmental issues, the concentration of the Finnish press, the development of Finnish television programmes, mass communication in the Soviet Union / Russia, digital television, public journalism and media and gender issues.

The Department is active in the international programmes of the Faculty. Journalism and Mass Communication is also offered as a minor subject in the Bachelor’s programme of the International School of Social Sciences
(ISSS).

The Department cooperates with several other schools and enterprises. Partners include the Tampere School of Art and Communication, the University of Art and Design (Helsinki) and the Finnish Broadcasting Company. There is extensive co-operation with universities abroad, notably Estonia (Tartu), Russia (Moscow, Petrozavodsk), Sweden (Stockholm, Gothenburg), The Netherlands (Amsterdam), United Kingdom (Westminster, Stirling) and the United States (Illinois, Texas, California).The Department also hosts a national branch of the Nordic Documentation and Information Service Network NORDICOM.

In 2006, there were 544 undergraduate and graduate students majoring in Journalism and Mass Communication, and 74 postgraduates for the doctoral degree in the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication.

Degree Programmes
The Department of Journalism and Mass Communication offers the following degree programmes:
• Bachelor of Social Sciences
• Master of Social Sciences
• Licentiate in Social Sciences
• Doctor of Social Sciences