Overview
The Facutly of Communication and Media at King Abdulaziz University is one of the leading institutions in the Kingdom in the field of media and communication education. Its academic journey began in 1976 as a scientific department, making it one of the earliest media departments in the Arab world, before evolving into a full Facutly that reflects the growth and transformation of the media sector.
Partnerships and Agreements
The Faculty of Communication and Media at King Abdulaziz University adopts an approach based on strategic partnerships with leading entities in the media and cultural sectors. This aims to enhance the quality of applied education, link academic programs to market needs, expand training and professional qualification opportunities for students, and develop international research cooperation.
The faculty has signed a number of agreements with specialized national institutions, most notably:
- SPA Academy for News Training: For cooperation in media training, professional qualification, and joint programs.
- MBC Academy: In the fields of practical training, media skills development, and participation in specialized initiatives and events.
- Matarat Holding Company: For cooperation in media monitoring projects during the Hajj and Umrah seasons, providing students with applied experience in real media environments.
- Jarir Company: In the fields of translation, student training, and contribution to equipping educational laboratories.
- Dar Al-Fikr Al-Jadeed: In the field of donating teaching packages and supporting educational content.
- Media Rating Company (MRC): For cooperation in audience studies, media analytics, and applied research projects.
- Film Commission: In developing film production programs and supporting student cinematic initiatives.
- Jeddah Society for Culture and Arts: In the fields of student training and joint cultural and artistic programs.
The faculty is also connected to a wide network of more than 115 entities in the public and private sectors that receive faculty students in cooperative training programs, providing them with real field experience and enhancing their professional readiness.
At the research and international levels, the faculty maintains scientific cooperation with Shanghai University in China and the Gulf Center for Strategic Studies and Research, in addition to partnerships with a number of British and Irish universities in doctoral studies through the joint supervision program. This contributes to strengthening scientific output, exchanging research expertise, and raising the faculty’s international presence.
According to the indicators of the strategic plan, 164 Arab and international universities, 122 local experts, and 20 international experts participated in the faculty’s initiatives and major events. The events also achieved digital reach exceeding 960 million, reflecting the faculty’s position as a national platform that brings together academia and industry and contributes to building an integrated media and creative ecosystem.
164
Arab and International Universities122
Local Experts20
International Experts960M+
Digital ReachThese indicators reflect the faculty’s position as a national platform that brings together academia and industry and contributes to building an integrated media and creative ecosystem.
Department of Journalism and Digital Media
The Department of Journalism and Digital Media is one of the main academic departments at the Faculty of Communication and Media at King Abdulaziz University. Its roots go back to 1976, when the journalism track was established as a division within the Department of Media at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, one of the first media departments in the Kingdom and the Arab world. In 2012, the track became the Department of Journalism under a specialized faculty of communication and media. In 2018, the department’s name was developed to become the Department of Journalism and Digital Media, with the adoption of a modern study plan based on international programs and aligned with labor market needs.
The department aims to prepare media professionals capable of working in the ever-evolving digital media environment by combining traditional journalistic skills with new media tools and enhancing students’ capabilities in content creation, media monitoring and analysis, and communication planning.
The academic program focuses on journalistic writing and editing, data journalism, digital content production, photography and editing, digital design, investigative journalism, and digital identity, enabling students to acquire integrated skills in multi-platform media work.
The department relies on an applied learning environment that includes field training, media projects, and the use of modern digital technologies, enhancing graduates’ readiness to work in digital journalism, content creation, media data analysis, media monitoring, and digital production.
- Diploma in Digital Media
- Bachelor’s Degree in Digital Media (fully accredited by the Education and Training Evaluation Commission – National Center for Academic Accreditation and Assessment, NCAAA)
- Executive Master’s Degree in Digital Media
- Academic Master’s Degree in Communication and Media with a thesis focus on journalism or digital media (conditionally accredited by the Education and Training Evaluation Commission – NCAAA)
- PhD in Communication and Media with tracks in Journalism and Digital Media
Department of Public Relations
The Department of Public Relations is one of the core academic departments at the Faculty of Communication and Media at King Abdulaziz University. Its academic roots go back to 1976, when the public relations track was established as a division within the Department of Media, one of the first media departments in the Kingdom and the Arab world, before the track was converted into a department under a specialized faculty in 2012. Its study plan was then developed to keep pace with international programs and labor market needs.
The department aims to prepare professional specialists in public relations and corporate communication who possess theoretical knowledge and applied skills capable of managing communication with various audiences, building mental images, planning media campaigns, managing crises, and organizing events.
The department offers an academic program focused on corporate communication, media planning, event and protocol management, digital public relations, content creation, and communication campaigns, enabling students to acquire effective communication skills, media monitoring and analysis, and corporate reputation management.
The department relies on an applied educational environment that includes field training and practical projects, enhancing graduates’ readiness to work in public relations, corporate communication management, official spokesperson roles, conference and event organization, social communication, and diplomatic and media work across various sectors.
- Diploma in Public Relations Practice
- Bachelor’s Degree in Public Relations (conditionally accredited by the Education and Training Evaluation Commission – NCAAA)
- Professional Master’s Degree in Public Relations
- Academic Master’s Degree in Communication and Media with a thesis focus on public relations (conditionally accredited by the Education and Training Evaluation Commission – NCAAA)
- PhD in Communication and Media with a specialized track in Public Relations
Department of Marketing Communication
The Department of Marketing Communication is one of the main academic departments at the Faculty of Communication and Media at King Abdulaziz University. Its roots go back to 1976, when the advertising track was established as a division within the Department of Media at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, one of the first media departments in the Kingdom and the Arab world. In 2012, the track became a department under a specialized faculty, with study plans developed to keep pace with international programs and meet labor market needs.
The department aims to prepare professional specialists in marketing communication and advertising who combine theoretical knowledge with applied skills and are capable of planning communication campaigns, managing marketing content, building brands, and understanding consumer behavior, in line with digital transformations in marketing and communication environments.
The academic program focuses on marketing content creation, consumer behavior, marketing research, advertising message design, and integrated communication campaign management, enabling students to acquire planning, implementation, and analysis skills in modern marketing communication environments.
The department relies on an applied educational environment that includes field training, practical projects, and the use of digital tools and modern technologies, enhancing graduates’ readiness to work in brand management, advertising campaigns, content creation, market research, and digital marketing.
- Intermediate General Diploma in Marketing Communication and Advertising
- Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing Communication (fully accredited by the Education and Training Evaluation Commission – NCAAA)
- Executive Master’s Degree in Marketing Communication and Advertising
- Academic Master’s Degree in Communication and Media (Focus: Marketing Communication) (conditional accreditation – NCAAA)
- PhD in Communication and Media with a specialized track in Marketing Communication
Department of Audio-Visual Production
The Department of Audio-Visual Production is one of the main academic departments at the Faculty of Communication and Media at King Abdulaziz University. Its academic roots go back to 1976, when the radio and television track was established as a division within the Department of Media at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, one of the first media departments in the Kingdom and the Arab world. In 2012, the track became the Department of Directing and Design within a specialized faculty. In 2018, the department’s name was developed to become the Department of Audio-Visual Production, with the adoption of a modern study plan based on international programs and aligned with labor market needs.
The department aims to prepare specialists in the fields of visual and audio production who combine theoretical knowledge with applied skills in film and audiovisual content production, in line with technological transformations and the development of digital display platforms.
The academic program focuses on screenwriting, cinematography and lighting, television and radio program directing, editing, animation production, documentary and drama production, graphic design, and effects, enabling students to acquire integrated skills across the various stages of production.
The department relies on an applied educational environment that includes specialized studios and laboratories, field training, and production projects, enhancing graduates’ readiness to work in directing, cinematography, editing, screenwriting, program presenting, and visual content production for different platforms.
- Intermediate General Diploma in Film Production
- Bachelor’s Degree in Audio-Visual Production (fully accredited by the Education and Training Evaluation Commission – NCAAA)
- Bachelor’s Degree in Audio-Visual Production
- Bachelor’s Degree in Film Production (under development)
- Executive Master’s Degree in Audio-Visual Production (conditionally accredited by the Education and Training Evaluation Commission – NCAAA)
- Academic Master’s Degree in Communication and Media with a thesis focus on Audio-Visual Production (conditionally accredited by the Education and Training Evaluation Commission – NCAAA)
- PhD in Communication and Media with a specialized track in Audio-Visual Production
The Faculty of Communication and Media at King Abdulaziz University pays special attention to student activities as an essential part of the educational experience. These activities contribute to developing students’ professional and personal skills, enhancing initiative, creativity, and teamwork, and preparing them to integrate into the media labor market.
The Media Club serves as a student platform “from student to student,” where students themselves lead the club’s activities and programs. It includes a student team with representatives from each academic department in the faculty, working to organize events, cover activities, and produce media content, thereby enhancing leadership, teamwork, and early professional experience.
The faculty also implements the Stars of Presentation initiative as a specialized program aimed at qualifying outstanding students in radio and television presenting and public speaking skills through practical training and applied experiences, enhancing their professional presence and giving them real experience in professional environments.
The faculty adopts the Media Skills Document as an applied framework for developing essential media skills. It focuses on training students in media writing, speaking and presenting, dialogue, media planning, photography and editing, design, monitoring and analysis, content management, and event management through progressive training tracks that combine learning with practical application within faculty and university activities.
Student projects receive special attention, as graduation projects are presented within the Media Projects initiative accompanying the Digital Communication Conference, on a platform that brings students together with experts and professional entities. All student films that meet competition criteria are also showcased at the Student Film Festival, giving students the opportunity to present their work before specialized judging panels and a wide professional audience.
This integrated system of activities and initiatives embodies the faculty’s vision of building an applied educational experience that prepares a generation of media professionals capable of creativity and impact in society and the industry.
The Faculty of Communication and Media at King Abdulaziz University pays special attention to training programs as a key pillar in building students’ professional experience and linking academic outcomes to the needs of the media and creative labor market. The faculty is based on an applied educational model that integrates theoretical study with field experience, enhancing graduates’ readiness to work across various sectors.
The faculty offers an integrated system of training programs that includes cooperative training in governmental and private entities, skills-based training programs, applied workshops, boot camps, and intensive programs, in cooperation with the faculty’s partners in the media and cultural sectors.
The faculty is connected to a network of more than 115 training entities that annually receive faculty students within cooperative training programs, providing them with real opportunities to gain professional experience, become familiar with actual work environments, and build early professional relationships.
The faculty also offers specialized training programs in cooperation with its partners, covering areas such as media monitoring and analysis, film production, audio-visual production, corporate communication, digital marketing, and content creation, in addition to specialized training programs during national events and seasons, such as media monitoring projects during the Hajj and Umrah seasons.
The Student Media Center is one of the most prominent applied training platforms, where students participate in managing and operating the center accompanying the Digital Communication Conference and the Student Film Festival. They undertake tasks related to media coverage, content production, digital platform management, and the implementation of digital media campaigns for the events, providing them with an integrated practical experience that simulates professional media work environments.
These programs and training platforms contribute to enabling students to apply their academic knowledge in real professional environments, acquire practical skills, and build their professional profiles, enhancing their employment opportunities after graduation and achieving the faculty’s goals of preparing graduates capable of competing in the labor market.
The Faculty of Communication and Media at King Abdulaziz University adopts an integrated approach to career guidance aimed at helping students discover their interests and abilities and make informed decisions about their academic and professional paths. The faculty’s approach is based on an educational philosophy that emphasizes gradual specialization and building foundational skills before moving into precise tracks.
Students spend their first two years studying shared foundational courses within the Communication and Media Freshman Program. These courses focus on essential media skills and general communication knowledge, allowing students to experience multiple fields within the specialization and discover their interests and strengths before choosing a specific track.
The Communication and Media Freshman courses include a number of foundational courses, most notably:
Introduction to Communication and Media, Communication Theories and Concepts, Media Writing, Digital Media, Presentation and Public Speaking Skills, Public Opinion, International Communication, Research Methods in Communication Studies, Media Ethics and Legislation, Corporate Communication, Social Media Management, Event Management, Digital Content Writing, Fundamentals of Media Photography, Fundamentals of Design, Artificial Intelligence Applications in Communication and Media, Media Monitoring and Analysis, Narrative Writing in Production, Labor Market Skills in Communication and Media, Entrepreneurship, Persuasion and Influence, and Professional Media Ethics.
This academic path integrates with the student activities system adopted by the faculty, such as the Media Club, skills training initiatives, applied events, and media projects, giving students practical opportunities to experience different fields in real environments and strengthening their ability to make informed professional decisions.
This integrated system of academic guidance and applied activities contributes to building a conscious professional personality capable of choosing the appropriate specialization track and preparing early for labor market requirements in the various fields of media and communication.
The Faculty of Communication and Media at King Abdulaziz University gives special attention to alumni affairs, considering alumni an extension of its academic mission and partners in creating professional and community impact. Through its alumni affairs programs, the faculty aims to build a sustainable relationship with its graduates, strengthen their connection to the faculty, and support their professional paths after graduation.
The faculty works to establish effective communication channels with alumni, update their databases, and organize professional meetings and skills development workshops. This contributes to exchanging experiences, enhancing employment opportunities, and connecting alumni with training and work opportunities in media institutions and related companies.
Faculty alumni also participate in training their fellow students through applied workshops and professional initiatives, sharing their real experiences in the labor market. The faculty is keen to ensure continued alumni engagement with the academic environment, as graduates continue to have opportunities to participate in faculty activities and initiatives after graduation.
The faculty gives its alumni the opportunity to compete in the Student Film Festival for up to three years after graduation, supporting the continuity of their creative production and enhancing their presence in the professional field.
The faculty also regularly hosts its alumni as speakers and inspirational guests in meetings and events to present their professional experiences and the challenges they faced in the labor market, offering realistic and motivating models for students and contributing to building a cohesive professional community between alumni and the faculty.