Extension Education aims at empowering people by enabling them to utilize the available technology and resources. Extension Education has a crucial role in national development. Extension being the major thrust area of the department, the faculty and students actively participates in community development projects. With the commitment to the cause of women’s empowerment through access to education, particularly higher education, through relevant courses in the formal and non-formal streams University Department Of Extension & Communication focuses on process first policy.

The Department Extension Education came into existence under the HOME SCIENCE faculty in the year 1982 in order to extend outreach for other specializations of Home Science (food science and nutrition, child/human development, textile science and apparel design, family resource management) to community at large. The aim of extension education is to empower people by enabling them to utilize the available technology and resources in best possible manner. Extension has a crucial role in national development. Extension being the major thrust area of the Department, the faculty and students actively participates in capacity building and Community Development projects.

Since 1982, the Department so far has 250+ research dissertations to its credit apart from print, audio and audio-visual productions. So far senior academics from sociology, education, Home Science, communication has provided leadership to UDEE. The Department lays emphasis on fieldwork in urban slum communities and exposure to rural communities. The Master’s programme prepares students for professional services in educational institutions as well as extension/community projects. The Diploma programme equips students to work in varied media organizations. During 2005 to 2011 the department undertook urban extension in Ramesh Nagar, Andheri under the leadership of Dr. Ratna Tewari.

In 1994, post graduate Diploma in Communication and Media was started embarking the journey into media and communication education which is otherwise a crucial link for extension work. In the year 2015, MA programme in Media and Communication was initiated under than existing Faculty of Communication and Media Studies. Apart from teaching and research, the Department also organizes skill training programmes in collaboration with partners or on its own. Past sessions have been organized on film analysis, personal energy management, research writing, data analysis, presentations skills and many such aspects for students, teachers and individuals interested in those skills.

The Department was renamed as “Department of Extension & Communication” after approvals from statutory bodies in July 2020. The Department offers programmes under two faculties- Faculty of Science & Technology (MSc Extension & Communication) as well as Faculty of Interdisciplinary studies (MA in Media & Communication)

Infrastructure:
The Department has cameras and basic IT infrastructure for the students. Necessary media services are outsourced from the professional setups like Ajivasan Sound, Dee Dee Edit and so on.

Learning resources:
Department has a Resource Centre with Conference publications, books, monographs, and few films. Research dissertations form an integral part of resource at the Department.

Best practices:
Learning by doing, Field-based training, Academia-industry linkage through flagship event Media Mantra, Peer assessment-seminars-research-internship as core component of curriculum.