Mass Communication and the Academic Crisis: Pedagogical Failures and Institutional Consequences in Bangladesh

This research critically examines the academic crisis engulfing Mass Communication and Journalism (MCJ) education in Bangladesh, focusing on pedagogical failures and their institutional consequences especially at DoMCJRU. Through a hybrid-method approach combining qualitative interviews, syllabi analysis, classroom observations, and student surveys, the study investigates how outdated curricula, faculty under-qualification, political patron-client dynamics, and repetitive assessment systems contribute to educational bankruptcy. Drawing from critical pedagogy and Bourdieu’s theory of habitus and field, the research reveals a deteriorating academic culture where meritocracy is overshadowed by politicized governance, pedagogical stagnation, and a systemic disconnection between industry demands and academic output. Findings highlight how entrenched practices—such as the reproduction of obsolete knowledge, the recycling of examination questions, and the marginalization of student agency—have eroded educational integrity and graduate employability. The study further analyzes the role of institutional inertia, lack of accountability, and student-faculty patronage networks in reproducing mediocrity. By situating these issues within the broader context of higher education reform in Bangladesh, the paper offers recommendations for restoring academic integrity, fostering pedagogical innovation, and aligning mass communication education with contemporary global standards. The findings contribute to the discourse on education policy, academic governance, and the sociopolitical economy of knowledge production in the Global South.