MS. SHADAB ZAVERI
Co-coordinator
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Email-ID- shadab.zaveri@sophiacollege.edu.in
Areas of expertise: English Literature and Language, Culture Studies, Popular Culture, Literary Theory, and Digital Humanities.
Research interests: Digital Humanities, Re-reading Canons, Culture Studies, Digital Platforms, etc.
Research projects:
- A Theorization of Sartian Existentialism (M.A. in English Literature at Department of English at S.N.D.T. Women’s University, Mumbai in 2020.
- “A theoretical inquiry into the binary of good and evil in Rajagopalachari’s Ramayana.” Presented as a Resource Person at the International Conference on “Mythology in Indian Culture, Literature, and Art” at Sophia College (Autonomous), Mumbai. (January 2020)
MS. AALIYA SAYED
Co-Coordinator & Lecturer
Department of Strategic Communication & Journalism
Email ID: aaliya.sayed@sophiacollege.edu.in
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AREA OF EXPERTISE: English Literature & Language | Post Colonial & Postmodernist
Theory | Popular Culture & Cultural Studies | Intersectional Feminism | Contemporary Theory &
Literature | Middle-Eastern Feminism
RESEARCH WORK:
1. “A Critical Study of The Literary Discourse Produced on The Effects of The Pandemic on The Marginalised Community In India”. Co-investigated the KSRC Teacher’s Research Project in May 2023.
2. “Sufiana Kalam and Women in the Contemporary Popular Culture”. Presented at the National Seminar on Bhaktikaal in September 2023. (under publication)
3. “Resistance In Ambivalence: Reading Nafisi And Moaveni Beyond the Political Rhetoric Of Iran Versus America”. Presented at an International graduate writing workshop organized by the Department of Comparative Literature, Hong Kong University in October 2021. (under publication)
GUEST LECTURES & WORKSHOPS:
1. Guest lecture on “The Art of Storytelling” at the NSS Special Camp at Saphale organized by the NSS Unit of MNWC in January 2023.
2. Workshop on Digital Poster Making in December 2023 for the NSS Special Camp organised by the NSS Unit of MNWC.
3. Guest Lecture on “Soft Skills: Work Ethics & Etiquettes” for the Department of Economics of MNWC in April 2024.
FACULTY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME:
1. FDP on E-Content Development organized by GAD MMTTC in October 2023.
2. International Certification in AI Tools for E-Content Development by NPTC UK in collaboration with GAD MMTTC in April 2024.
CERTIFICATES & AWARDS:
1. Certificate of Honour for being an Active Counsellor of YRC for 2 consecutive years 2022-2023 and 2023-24 by the Youth Red Cross Maharashtra.
Ms. Sonia Khudanpur (Full time lecturer 2020-2022)
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Areas of expertise: Journalism, Education
Research interests: Philosophy of education
Social science education and media literacy
Language teaching-learning
Research projects: Preliminary Research in Media Literacy during MA in Education
Lavanya Varadrajan (Full time lecturer 2018-2022)
Areas of expertise: Applied Art, Literature, Mass Media
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Research projects:
“In Search of Kasturba: An Auto/Biographical Reading of the Mahatma and His Wife” – Monograph published by the Gandhian Studies Centre, Dr. Bhanubhen Mahendra Nanavati College of Home Science, 2017
“A Nation Refigured: Sexuality and the Body in Nuruddin Farah’s Blood in the Sun Trilogy” – MPhil Dissertation, 2010
Dr. Tina Chakravarty (Full time lecturer 2018-2020)
MA MPhil PHD Mass Communication
Research:
Research is an integral part of the department whereby the students are trained to conduct research in their second year in the paper Research Methods- I in semester III and Research Methods- II in semester IV. They go on to use this research in multiple TY papers including Research in Advertising and Research in Journalism. Some of the samples of research conducted by the students are uploaded below:
INTERNSHIPS, CAREER OPTIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR FURTHER STUDIES
A degree in mass media opens up diverse career options for the students. They can pursue a career in Journalism: Print, Digital and Broadcast, Advertising and Brand Communications, Public Relations, Digital Marketing, Event Management, Photography, Filmmaking, Radio and Television Production, Podcasting and Content Creation for multiple media platforms. The BASCJ students are encouraged to take up internships during their vacations in order to bolster their in-class learning with on-site industry experience. Our students have interned, and also found employment, at the following organisations:
Print: The Times of India, Hindustan Times, Dainik Bhaskar, DNA, The Indian Express, Malayala Manorama, Cosmopolitan, Verve, Hello!
Broadcast: NDTV 24X7, Zoom, Times Now, Star Plus, IBN Lokmat, Network 18, 93.7 Red FM, Disney UTV, Sahara Samay
Advertising: Mudra Group, Lowe-Lintas, JWT, Ogilvy & Mather
Public Relations: Percept Communications, Perfect Relations, Coffee Communications, Genesis Burson Marsteller PR
Digital Media: Inonit, Experience Commerce, Youth Incorporated, Font & Pixel Media, Linteractive
Many of our students have chosen to pursue Master’s degrees in different disciplines from prestigious institutions like London School of Economics and Politics (LSE), the School of Oriental and Asian Studies (SOAS), Oxford University, Cambridge University, Warwick University, and City College London in the UK; Stanford University, Carnegie Mellon University, and New York Film Academy in the US.
DEPARTMENTAL ACTIVITIES
We run a number of skill development and enhancement programs for the students. This is aimed at increasing the employability of the students and to increase their width and depth of knowledge related to the media profession.
The Advanced Computer Skills Programme comprises eight sessions of training in key desktop software like Corel Draw, Adobe InDesign and Adobe Photoshop, conducted by the department in collaboration with Indikore, a media consultancy, for our final year Mass Media students. The purpose behind the Programme is to make third year BMM students proficient in software that they need in order to complete projects in a professional manner.
The Filmmaking programme culminates in the production of Film Shorts, following an intensive pre and post-production schedule. The students work in groups to ideate, script, storyboard, produce, shoot, record sound, direct, edit and subtitle the films in a genre of their choice - documentary or fiction. The students get familiar with and learn to use professional equipment. They additionally benefit from the exposure to industry professionals: experienced cinematographers, editors, sound recordists and editors -- who take the participants through specifically designed modules and practical exercises.
The Advanced Film Appreciation program over the course of eight weeks, enables the students to learn how to read cinematic themes and narratives, the use of camera and lighting, dialogue, editing and sound to better engage with storytelling in an audio-visual medium. They are able to critically analyse the aesthetic and technical aspects of filmmaking, enhancing their cinematic vocabulary.
The Media Literacy program Through the programme, students work on short tasks as well as a project that reflects the use of core media literacy skills. Students develop a better understanding of media messages, learn to critically analyse media content, and create content using tools and techniques that will be invaluable to them as future professionals.
The Video Games in Contemporary Society Course introduces video games to aspiring mass media enthusiasts as a lucrative segment to pursue The Video Games in Contemporary Society Course introduces video games to aspiring mass
media enthusiasts as a lucrative segment to pursue as a specialization upon graduation,facilitating a deep dive of the medium and a thorough understanding of its role, scale, and scope in mass media. Each session is designed to provide participating students with a unique hands- on experience, followed by an interaction to drive comprehensive learning outcomes, facilitated
by industry professionals and enthusiasts.
The Web Design Course aims to arm students with an advanced understanding of how websites work. In this hands-on program wherein each student works closely on designing their own portfolio website, they discover how to translate skills they have honed such as writing,designing and marketing and apply them to a web design context. By the end of the program, the aim is to ensure the students understand how a website operates, what goes into a website design project, and how they could design and manage one over time – including the technical and marketing components.