Bachelor of Communication and Information Studies (B.C.I.S.)

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

American University

Program Overview

The Bachelor of Communication and Information Studies (B.C.I.S.) is a four-year, 125-credit program for students who want to build careers in journalism, television, film, digital media and professional storytelling, with a strong focus on the regional media industry alongside international media practices. Students choose between Journalism and Digital Production and Storytelling, combining communication theory, ethics and research with hands-on writing, reporting, filmmaking and multimedia production before completing a capstone project and professional internship.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1 – Media and Communication Foundations

Students begin by understanding the role of media in contemporary society through COMM 101 – Introduction to Global Media and COMM 103 – Media, Culture and Society. Journalism students are introduced to factual television storytelling through COMM 104 – Introduction to Non-Fiction TV Formats, while Digital Production and Storytelling students explore COMM 105 – Introduction to Scripted and Non-Scripted TV Formats and COMM 106 – The Language of Film, establishing an early foundation in both media analysis and storytelling.

Year 2 – Writing, Production and Multimedia Skills

In the Journalism pathway, students move into practical content creation through COMM 221 – Media Writing Skills, COMM 243 – Introduction to Production for Journalism and COMM 222 – Multiplatform Storytelling, learning how stories are researched, written and adapted for different platforms. Digital Production and Storytelling students develop creative and technical production skills through COMM 223 – Screenwriting Fundamentals, COMM 230 – Video Editing and Sound Design and COMM 232 – Cinematography, while both pathways examine professional responsibility through COMM 202 – Ethical and Legal Responsibilities in the Mass Media.

Year 3 – Professional Specialisation

Journalism students develop advanced newsroom capabilities through JOUR 301 – Visualizing News, JOUR 321 – Reporting and JOUR 324 – Broadcast Journalism, before progressing into Advanced Reporting and Newsroom Management. Digital Production and Storytelling students focus on higher-level creative production through DPST 340 – Intermediate Production, DPST 361 – Online Communities and DPST 323 – Screenwriting and Producing TV Series, strengthening their ability to develop content for television, film and digital audiences.

Year 4 – Capstone, Documentary and Professional Experience

The final year brings students into advanced professional work: Journalism students study JOUR 441 – The Documentary and JOUR 461 – Media and Politics in the Middle East before completing JOUR 462 – Capstone Project and JOUR 463 – Internship. Digital Production and Storytelling students complete DPST 422 – Capstone Storytelling, DPST 441 – The Documentary, DPST 444 – Capstone Production and DPST 461 – Internship, giving them the opportunity to graduate with substantial creative work and practical industry experience.

Focus Areas

Learning Outcomes

Understand the theoretical and historical development of media | Conduct appropriate media research | Evaluate and reference diverse media work | Apply professional and ethical principles | Create original content for diverse audiences across multiple platforms | Critically assess information and source credibility | Develop technical production skills | Work collaboratively on film, television and emerging-media projects | Communicate effectively within changing regional and global media environments.

Professional Alignment – Accreditation

The B.C.I.S., including both Digital Production and Storytelling and Journalism, is professionally accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC). AUD is also accredited in the United States by SACSCOC, while the B.C.I.S. is accredited in the UAE by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, giving students both program-specific professional accreditation and wider institutional recognition.

Reputation – Employability & Rankings

In the QS World University Rankings 2026 cycle, AUD ranked #1 in Dubai for Employer Reputation and Employment Outcomes, with the university reporting that nearly 92% of graduates secured employment shortly after completing their studies. AUD also ranked within the top 5% globally for international students and international faculty, supporting the international character of its Dubai-based learning environment.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Experiential learning is central to the B.C.I.S., with students using professional production environments rather than learning media solely through theory. MBRSC provides dedicated television, filming, editing and screening facilities, and students work with professional production technology while completing reporting, cinematography, editing, documentary and capstone projects. The school also brings students into contact with working journalists, actors, screenwriters, editors and producers through workshops, presentations and screenings, before students complete an internship with a media organisation in the UAE.

Specific practical opportunities and facilities include:

Professional TV Studio & Control Room: MBRSC has a fully equipped, soundproof studio with three cameras, professional lighting, a teleprompter, cyclorama, blue and green screens, alongside a control room containing vision and audio mixers, a lighting console and multi-viewer screen.
Professional Camera Kits: Students can book complete production kits containing HD cameras, lighting and sound equipment for film, television and audiovisual assignments.
Mac Computer Labs & Editing Suites: Students have access to 36 Mac workstations and individual editing suites, supporting professional post-production work.
Industry Software: Editing facilities use Avid editing software and Adobe Premiere, giving students direct experience with tools used in professional video-production workflows.
Global Classroom: MBRSC's technology-enabled global classroom allows international media academics and professionals to deliver lectures and interact with students remotely.
Screening Room: A dedicated 36-seat screening room with a high-definition projector and surround-sound system supports film viewing, analysis, screenings and production review.
Collaborative Production Projects: Courses such as Introduction to Production, Intermediate Production, The Documentary, Capstone Storytelling and Capstone Production require students to apply creative and collaborative production skills, including taking on crew responsibilities in larger productions.
Journalism Projects: Students practise professional writing, reporting, broadcast journalism, visual news presentation and newsroom decision-making through modules including Media Writing Skills, Reporting, Visualizing News and Broadcast Journalism.
Mandatory Internship: Both majors conclude with an internship—JOUR 463 for Journalism and DPST 461 for Digital Production and Storytelling—and AUD states that these placements take place with reputable media firms in the UAE.
Industry Mentors: MBRSC works with experienced media professionals who provide specialised guidance to students completing major projects, connecting academic work with current industry expectations.
Industry Connections: AUD's current BCIS materials list connections with organisations including Dubai Press Club, Dubai Media Incorporated, MBC Group, du, Cisco and LBC Group. The school also has an active partnership with the Dubai Media Council, including its 2026–27 Mohammed bin Rashid Scholarship initiative for developing future media professionals.
AUD Library: Students can use AUD Library's journals, newspapers, magazines, trade publications and research databases, as well as research consultation and document-delivery services, supporting investigative journalism and academic media research.

Progression & Future Opportunities

BCIS graduates are prepared for careers across television, digital media, journalism, film and content production, with the two majors allowing students to build either a stronger news/reporting profile or a creative production portfolio. Typical career paths include Journalist/Reporter, News Presenter, Editor and Film/Television or Digital Content Producer, with opportunities extending into documentary, online media, broadcasting and other creative-media roles.

AUD supports the transition into the media industry through:

Career Services: AUD's Office of Outreach and Career Development provides career support, résumé guidance, interview preparation, job-search assistance, internship support and access to employers. Its employer network also supports workshops, speaker sessions, competitions and recruitment activities alongside internship and graduate opportunities.
Program-Specific Employment Outcome: In the latest BCIS-specific alumni survey currently published by AUD, conducted in Fall 2022, 90.28% of the 271 contacted and eligible BCIS alumni surveyed were working full time, while 6.14% were not working. This is a historical program-specific result rather than a 2026 graduate-employment figure.
University-Wide Employment Outcome: AUD reports a 92.43% employability rate for 2023–24 graduates based on Career Services data, while the QS 2026 cycle placed AUD first in Dubai for Employment Outcomes.
Industry Partnerships: MBRSC maintains relationships with media professionals and organisations, while current collaboration with the Dubai Media Council focuses specifically on developing future media talent. The school's published partner network also includes organisations such as MBC Group, Dubai Media Incorporated and Dubai Press Club.
Graduate Destinations: AUD highlights BCIS alumni working in significant media positions, including Dana Abu-Laban, a Journalism graduate who became a Senior Journalist and TV Anchor with MBC, and Ahmad Raslan, a Digital Production and Storytelling graduate who became Head of Content & Production at Havas Middle East.
Accreditation Value: ACEJMC accreditation provides specialist external recognition of the communication degree, while SACSCOC accreditation and UAE Ministry accreditation support broader recognition of the AUD qualification in both U.S.-style and UAE higher-education contexts.
Salary Information: AUD does not currently publish a verified BCIS-specific average graduate salary on its official program or employment-outcomes pages, so attaching a salary figure to this degree would not be supported by the university's published data.

Further Academic Progression:
After completing the B.C.I.S., graduates who want to move into media leadership, strategy, innovation or management can progress to AUD's Master of Arts in Leadership and Innovation in Contemporary Media (MALICM). The 30-credit, two-year master's explores contemporary media technologies, leadership, digital marketing, branding, innovation, media-business models and changing audience behaviour, making it a natural progression for BCIS graduates who want to move beyond content creation into leadership or strategic roles within the creative industries; AUD notes that applicants should preferably have two years of relevant experience.