Diploma in Chinese Media & Communication (N88)

Why CMC?

  • The only bilingual media course that prepares you to become next-gen content producers for a globalised world as well as the regional Chinese-speaking markets  
  • Broad-based curriculum equips you with digital media skills that can be applied across a wide range of platforms, widening career options
  • Collaborative projects with leading industry partners such as Our Grandfather Story, Mediacorp and SPH offer real-world learning opportunities 

About CMC

Ever dreamt of entering the booming Chinese media industry in the region? With the rise of China, there is a growing interest and demand for Chinese media content from global companies as well as popular local Chinese-language media outlets. If bilingualism is your forte, put your skills to good use with the Diploma in Chinese Media & Communication (CMC), where you will be trained to become a versatile media professional capable of producing engaging content for a wide range of digital media platforms. 

Learn storytelling and presentation skills in both Chinese and English, as well as the fundamentals of the Chinese media business and Chinese language & culture. Plus, you will get to hone your skills in news writing, advertising, marketing and publicity, as well as radio and video production. 

To prepare you for a career in the fast-evolving media landscape where authentic and compelling stories are in demand, you will learn user experience and user interface (UX/UI) design to create engaging and meaningful content.

Through our strong industry partnerships, you will also get opportunities to work on collaborative projects and gain insights into how organisations share impactful brand stories.

In your final year, you will spend a semester working on a final-year project in your area of interest and another semester interning at top local media companies such as Singapore Press Holdings, Mediacorp, Wawa Pictures, August Pictures, and Our Grandfather Story.

Singapore Press Holdings (SPH)
Mediacorp
Wawa Pictures
Our Grandfather Story

Overview of Your CMC Journey


Inspiring Portfolio

Groupshot of students, Making Learning Fun

Making Learning Fun

CMC students Angel Han, Alyssa Tan, Lee Yi Xuan, Ng Qian Ying and Edmund Su, started a project to encourage random acts of kindness. This group of warm-hearted students even inspired their juniors and industry partners like Redman by Phoon Huat to support them in their journey to spread kindness via Instagram (@simple_dimples), as well as through podcasts and activities in the CBD! 

Groupshot of students, The Monthly Affair

Innovative Social Media Campaign

To raise awareness of a topic that is sensitive to many, final-year CMC students Ng Ke Li, Ang Wei Yu, Alice Lee and Ong Meng Waye conceptualised a social media campaign that highlighted the importance of menstrual hygiene. Through Instagram (@themonthlyaffair), TikTok and RED 小红书, they destigmatised the topic using memes and short videos. Their project was featured in zbCOMMA, and they also partnered with the Chinese Development Assistance Council to conduct a sharing session for upper primary school students. 

Groupshot of students, Rooting Roots

Rooting Roots

Passionate about promoting environmental awareness, a group of final-year CMC students Chua Zhan Fei, Janet Foo, Lee Xinen, Sheryl Goh and Ng Shi Kai worked with NParks and Mediacorp to create a documentary on how Singapore has evolved from a Garden City to a City in Nature. The students organised a treasure hunt in the Botanic Gardens, and set up an Instagram account to raise awareness and appreciation for the different tree and flower species in Singapore.

Further Studies

You may enjoy up to one semester’s worth of exemption for relevant degree programmes at Nanyang Technological University and National University of Singapore. You can also get two years’ credit exemption at Australia's Griffith’s University for its Bachelor of Communication and Journalism.

CMC graduates have been admitted to the following degree programmes at local and overseas universities:

Singapore

  • Nanyang Technological University
  • National University of Singapore
  • Singapore Management University
  • Singapore University of Social Sciences
  • Lasalle College of the Arts

Australia

  • Queensland University of Technology
    • Bachelor of Media & Communication
  • University of Melbourne
    • Bachelor of Arts
  • University of New South Wales
    • Bachelor of Media in Screen and Sound
  • University of Queensland
    • Bachelor of Arts

Hong Kong

  • City University of Hong Kong
    • Bachelor of Arts in Creative Media
  • Hong Kong Baptist University
    • Bachelor of Communication Studies

Taiwan

  • Shih Hsin University
    • Bachelor of Arts (Radio, TV & Film)
  • National Chengchi University
    • Bachelor of Communication

    Headshot of Ng Hui Yee

    Ng Hui Yee
    Chinese Media & Communication graduate, Class of 2020

    Hui Yi is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Chinese at NTU.  

    Headshot of Chow Kah Meng

    Chow Kah Meng

    Chinese Media & Communication graduate, Class of 2021

     

    Kah Meng is studying film management in the Beijing Film Academy.

    Headshot of Ng Ke Li

    Ng Ke Li
    Chinese Media & Communication graduate, Class of 2022

    Ke Li is pursuing a Communication Studies degree at NTU’s Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information. 

    Careers

    As a CMC graduate, you are a bilingual media practitioner who is ahead of the crowd. You can look forward to job roles such as:

    • Assistant Producer
    • Content Producer
    • Junior Designer
    • Marketing Communications Executive
    • Radio Presenter
    • Radio Producer
    • Reporter
    • Video Editor
    • Video Journalist
    • TV Producer
    Headshot of Leo Ching Ling

    Leo Ching Ling
    Chinese Media & Communication graduate, Class of 2021

    Ching Ling is a partner at Envisage Pictures where she channels her creativity and energy into producing content for advertising, short films, documentaries and other video projects. 

    Headshot of Rebecca Metteo

    Rebecca Metteo
    Chinese Media & Communication graduate, Class of 2017

    Rebecca is a journalist at Channel NewsAsia, where she continues to build on the knowledge she gained at CMC to hone her journalism skills.

    Portrait of Yeow Jia Yi

    Yeow Jia Yi
    Chinese Media & Communication graduate, Class of 2015

    Jia Yi is a senior video producer at ZULA. She was a graduate from the Media Planning and Innovation Programme at National Chengchi University.  

    Entry Requirements

    AGGREGATE TYPE ELR2B2-A

    To be eligible for consideration, candidates must have the following GCE ‘O’ Level examination (or equivalent) results.

    Subject'O' Level Grade
    English Language1-6
    Mathematics (Elementary/Additional)1-7
    Higher Chinese or
    Chinese
    1-4
    1-3
    Any two other subjects1-6

    You must also have sat for one subject listed in the 1st group of relevant subjects and another different subject listed in the 2nd group of relevant subjects for the ELR2B2-A Aggregate Type listed here ( 33KB). Both subjects will be used for ELR2B2-A aggregate computation.

    For students with other qualifications, please refer to the NP website for the entry requirements and admissions exercise period.

    What You Will Learn

    Academic Writing & Presentation (4 Credit Units)

    This module focuses on critical thinking, academic writing as well as presentation and listening skills. The module aims to equip students with the skills for academic writing and presentation. Finding and evaluating academic sources, reading, note-taking, essay planning and writing, and presentation skills will be developed in this module.

    Career & Professional Preparation 1 (1 Credit Unit)

    This module gives students a foundational introduction to their three-year diploma course curriculum and how it prepares them for industry. It will help them to embark on their course with the end in mind, through guided reflection of their personal characteristics and producing an overall game plan for their future education and career goals. The module aims to deepen students’ commitment to the sector that the course prepares them for.

    Introduction to Mass Communication (4 Credit Units)

    This module provides an introduction to the basic theories and concepts of mass communication. Besides exploring the historical development, organisation and functions of the media, students will also examine the production processes of the media industries, as well as a broad range of issues such as globalisation, identities and representation.

    Publication Design & Production (4 Credit Units)

    This module introduces students to typography and page composition, including grid layout, and the principles of alignment, contrast, proximity and repetition. Through lectures, hands-on projects and classroom critiques, students learn the process of designing magazines, brochures, periodicals, books and collateral pieces. This module also covers writing design specifications, copy-fitting, copy-editing and newspaper production layout.

    Visual Communication (4 Credit Units)

    This module focuses on the use of images in the media and examines the theories and concepts of visual literacy. It provides an introduction to communicating visually through conceptual thinking with the use of digital photography and imaging software. Students will also think critically about the issues of visual images in communication and learn the basic principles of visual design.

    Writing for Chinese Media (4 Credit Units)

    This module aims to foster a love of writing in Chinese and build a strong foundation in the Chinese language. It teaches students how to write effectively, and covers creative writing, storytelling and other forms of writing. Students will also learn different elements of style, construction and syntax in essay writing.

    Audience Research (4 Credit Units)

    This module introduces different types of mass media research methodologies, with a focus on survey research and focus group study. Students will learn how to conduct the two types of studies to understand the needs of the audience. They will also learn how to analyse the data and present the findings in both oral and written formats. The module is conducted in English.

    Professional Communication 1 (3 Credit Units)

    This module prepares students to communicate effectively in business settings. Students will learn both oral and written communication skills that demonstrate concepts of business communication principles, interpersonal skills and intercultural skills. Topics such as business proposal and report writing, elevator pitch and professional presentation will be covered. The module is conducted in English.

    Speech Communication in Chinese (4 Credit Units)

    This module teaches students the basics of Chinese phonetics as well as speech communication styles in different social settings. It trains students to be effective, articulate, confident, composed and credible Mandarin speakers in a variety of professional situations. The module also explores how communication affects human behaviour and social developments.

    UI & UX Design (4 Credit Units)

    This module introduces the process of user interface (UI) design, digital content development and new media skills. Students will also gain understanding in the usability and usefulness of a digital product in the area of user experience (UX). The module is conducted in Chinese.

    Video Production (4 Credit Units)

    This module provides a theoretical and practical introduction to video production and post-production techniques. It covers single and multi-camera operation, and basic concepts of television broadcast and programming.

    Health & Wellness^ (1 Credit Unit)

    Marketing & Publicity (4 Credit Units)

    This module equips students with the necessary strategic skills, as well as tools and techniques to organise and implement marketing and publicity activities. Students are involved in planning, coordinating, staging and managing events. They will also learn to write persuasively for various audiences, with a focus on the Chinese- language audience. The module is conducted in Chinese.

    Radio Production (4 Credit Units)

    This module teaches students audio production skills and on-air presentation skills for professional radio broadcasting. The hands-on training covers industry-standard digital editing software, as well as research and script writing techniques for radio commercials and other types of radio content. The module also aims to develop students’ understanding of the radio industry and the job of a radio presenter.

    News Reporting & Feature Writing (4 Credit Units)

    This module equips the students with the basic skills in writing news and feature stories for the print and online media. Students will learn to gather information from different sources and to critically assess the information they obtain. They will also examine the social responsibility and ethical framework of print journalists, and learn to write with accuracy, clarity and credibility.

    Fundamentals of Translation (3 Credit Units)

    This module introduces students to fundamental strategies and techniques of English-Chinese (EC) and Chinese- English (CE) translation. Students will learn the basic principles of written translation and apply these principles to the translation of a variety of text genres. Students will also understand and experience how a translator makes decisions in actual translation practices by considering a host of factors, including the author’s intention, the desired function of the translated text as well as the needs of target language readers.

    Chinese History & Culture (3 Credit Units)

    This module provides an introduction to Chinese history and culture. Students will be taught to think critically about social, cultural, economic and political issues in Chinese societies.

    Professional Communication 2 (2 Credit Units)

    This module prepares students to write effective cover letters and resumes. Preparation and enhancement of portfolio to meet professional standards as well as development of presentation skills, and improvement of job- seeking techniques will also be covered in the module.

    Digital Advertising (4 Credit Units)

    This module provides an introduction to the creative process of advertising. Through basic principles of copywriting, students will learn to write and edit advertising and commercial copy for different media platforms. They will also learn about media planning and get to produce advertising materials and develop advertising campaigns in both languages. The module is conducted in Chinese.

    Feature Production (4 Credit Units)

    This module equips students with practical skills to produce video news stories, feature stories and mini documentaries. Students will learn about the video production process, from research and filming to funding and distribution. The module is conducted in Chinese.

    Introduction to Chinese Literature (3 Credit Units)

    This module surveys the development of classical Chinese literature from ancient times to contemporary period. It introduces students to representative literary works of each period, ranging from legends to modern and contemporary literature. The module explores the historical background of literary works, the lives and experiences of major writers, as well as the structural and formal characteristics of different literary genres.

    Media Ethics & Regulation (4 Credit Units)

    This module examines the legal, regulatory and ethical issues that media practitioners face in the course of their work, with emphasis placed on Singapore. Students will learn the fundamental concepts and doctrines in law and explore the different theoretical approaches to media ethics. Using real-life and hypothetical case studies, they will develop analytical skills to make ethical judgments in complex situations. Areas of interests include contract, censorship, defamation and intellectual property. The module is conducted in English.

    Project Development (4 Credit Units)

    This module guides the students in the creative process of generating, developing, and communicating new ideas. It provides an introduction to different techniques, approaches to idea generation, equips students with the basic knowledge and skills of proposal writing, pitching and project management. Upon completion of this bilingual module, students will enhance their problem-solving skills, and develop creative and feasible proposals for their final-year projects.

    World Issues: A Singapore Perspective^ (2 Credit Units)

    ^ Interdisciplinary Studies (IS) modules account for 10 credit units of the diploma curriculum. They include modules in communication, innovation and world issues, as well as an interdisciplinary project. By bringing students from diverse diplomas together, the interdisciplinary project fosters collaboration to explore and propose solutions for real-world problems. IS aims to develop students to be agile and self-directed learners, ready for the future workplace.

    Final Year Project (12 Credit Units)

    This module requires students to work on a capstone project that allows them to integrate and apply what they have learnt in their three years of study. In small teams, they will undertake an industry-related project. The module will also include seminars, workshops and industry visits.

    Professional Communication 3 (2 Credit Units)

    The module equips students with the knowledge and skills in professional etiquette in a variety of workplace settings. Personal branding and the use of social media (LinkedIn) and the Internet in job-seeking will also be covered in the module. Students will also learn to curate and develop a digital portfolio that highlights their accomplishments, past works, projects and skills.

    Project ID: Connecting the Dots^ (4 Credit Units)

    6-Month Internship (20 Credit Units)

    This module provides the opportunity for students to be assigned to industry attachments at reputable organisations. The attachment, which will be for the entire internship semester, will match students’ abilities and interests to relevant organisations.

    Video Showcase