Journalism in step with the times, three new disciplines at FJSC: totalitarianism, AI and war correspondence

The Faculty of Journalism and Communication Sciences (FJSC) at the University of Bucharest is adding, starting with the 2025-2026 academic year, three topical disciplines that reflect the complexity and rapid transformations of the media landscape: Totalitarianism, press, censorship, AI for journalism: tools, practices, ethical use and The War Correspondent. The announcement comes in the context in which FJSC registered a record number of candidates for the July 2025 admission session, both for bachelor's and master's programs, marking a significant return in interest in a post-pandemic journalism career.

• Totalitarianism and the Press: A Lesson on the Power and Weakness of the Word

The new subject "Totalitarianism, Press, Censorship” will become mandatory in the third year of studies. The course aims to provide future journalists with critical tools for understanding and analyzing authoritarian regimes, through the prism of propaganda, censorship, social control and repression mechanisms. In an era when press freedom is being tested in more and more corners of the world, such a subject becomes not only useful, but essential for the formation of a professional conscience.

• Artificial Intelligence and Journalism: Friend or Foe?

The second new course, "AI for Journalism: Tools, Practices, Ethical Use”, will be optional for second year students. This subject addresses one of the hottest topics of the moment: the impact of artificial intelligence on the press. From AI-powered news writing to fake news detection and automated content generation, the course addresses both technical skills and an ethical understanding of the use of these technologies. Students will be prepared for the newsrooms of the future, where journalists will have to collaborate with algorithms, but also oversee their decisions.

• War Correspondent: Journalism Under Fire

The third course - "War Correspondent” - will be optional in the third year. The course is aimed at students who want to understand what it means to be a journalist in the midst of a conflict, with a focus on personal safety, risk management, reporting ethics and objectivity in a hostile and tense environment. In an international context increasingly marked by armed conflicts, radicalization and humanitarian crises, the role of the war correspondent remains essential for maintaining accurate information for the public.

Lecturer dr. Bogdan Oprea, director of the Journalism Department of the FJSC, emphasizes that 9 out of 10 active teaching staff in the department currently practice journalism. Thus, the courses offered to students are not only theoretical, but anchored in the current reality of the profession. "FJSC consolidates its leading position in journalism education. Courses on totalitarianism, AI, conflict journalism, but also on freelancing, donations, media entrepreneurship or European funding are intended to provide the necessary skills for a profession in constant change and adaptation,” said Bogdan Oprea.

In a world where journalists must be ethical, informed, adaptable and well-prepared, university education becomes a strategic platform for shaping a new generation.