The Senate of the Federal University Lokoja has approved the application of the Department of Mass Communication to commence postgraduate programmes.
The approval was granted during the Senate’s 101st statutory meeting, following a review of the department’s proposal and accreditation report.The programmes are expected to strengthen advanced training in journalism, media, communication, and public relations.
Speaking on the development, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Gbenga Ibileye, described the move as a major milestone for the institution and a response to the increasing demand for specialised communication professionals in Nigeria.
According to him, the approval reflects the university’s commitment to expanding access to quality postgraduate education and aligning its academic programmes with national and global industry demands.
Prof. Ibileye noted that the Department of Mass Communication had demonstrated adequate preparedness in terms of manpower, infrastructure and curriculum development to successfully run the programmes.
Also Speaking, Provost of the School of Postgraduate Studies, Prof. Olarotimi Mathew Ajayi, said the new PG programmes would include Postgraduate Diploma, Master’s, and Ph.D. degrees in key areas of communication studies. He added that the university had recruited additional staff, upgraded the mass communication studios, and improved research facilities in preparation for the rollout.
The University stated that the postgraduate programmes are expected to commence immediately with the 2025/2026 academic session.
Established in 2019 under the Faculty of Social Sciences, the Department of Mass Communication now operates under the Faculty of Communication and Media Studies, with a focus on training graduates in journalism, broadcasting, advertising, public relations, and strategic communication.
