3 Things Development Communication Is NOT

“What’s your course?”

“BS Development Communication”

This is how a normal conversation usually goes for students who take up BS Development Communication, a.k.a. DevCom, whenever the million-dollar question pops up!

Since people are often more familiar with other fields in communication, DevCom people are so used to the blank faces that if you ask some of them, chances are, they’ve pretty much prepped a way to answer you like a beauty queen going for the crown. #notkidding

Let me offer then a clear definition by no less than the mother of DevCom herself, Dr. Nora C. Quebral:

“Development Communication is the science of human communication linked to the transitioning of communities from poverty in all its forms to a dynamic overall growth that fosters equity and the larger unfolding of individual potential.”

However, before you can better understand what DevCom is, here are some misconceptions that should be #cancelledt in your mind ASAP:

1. DevCom is just another communication course

Sure, it’s a communication course! But like any other field of study, DevCom has its own niche in the academe that’s simply worth mentioning– for starters, marrying art and science together to communicate development. Not to mention its roots tracing back to as early as the 1960s and the impact it has made in the communication sciences ever since. Talk about trendsetter!

So… no, DevCom is NOT Comm Arts or Mass Comm. Just to be clear, that is.

 

2. DevCom is irrelevant

As long as there’s a need for development, DevCom will always be relevant. The rigorous training students receive under the curriculum empowers them to slay development issues, through communication, in a way that addresses the problem at its root– thanks to the meaningful partnership and engagement of the stakeholders themselves. For DevCom students, #goals take on a whole new meaning!

Did we mention it’s a good pre-med or pre-law course, too?

 

3. DevCom is boring

DevCom is soooo much more than well-articulated articles, fancy slide presentations and posh layouts– as often expected of a communications student. If your idea of fun does not include going places to meet people from all walks of life, and getting the feels of being a journalist, a radio anchor and a tv show host (and so much more!!!!) then you might as well call DevCom b o r i n g. But where expectations are set, you can count on DevCom to be anything but basic.

 

Amidst these misconceptions, Development Communication is, at its heart, a social science which puts people first in every initiative.

By acknowledging that development isn’t always about high-rise buildings and fast-paced technology, it becomes a great platform that amplifies the voice of communities where real people with real problems are just waiting to be heard.

 

Ready to pursue your career in Development Communication? Visit Edukasyon.ph and browse through thousands of schools, courses, and scholarships that might be the right one for you!