150 Point Master of Journalism (MC-JOURN_INFSPC_2)

You’re currently viewing the 2018 version of this component

Overview

The program is designed for students who are interested in pursuing careers in journalism and journalism-related fields, and for journalists and other professional practitioners working in the contemporary media industry who wish to develop additional advanced skills and knowledge.

The program teaches the full range of journalism skills and critically engages with the professional conventions of journalism, with ethical and legal issues that impact on journalism, and with contemporary questions such as how new media technologies influence journalism practices. Students will:

learn real-world skills from leading industry practitioners;
engage with important and challenging issues facing the Australian and global media industries;
gain a theoretical and practical grounding in issues such as civics, governance, citizenship, and leadership;
investigate key concepts that frame recent developments in fields such as media law, management theory, globalisation, health policy, and climate change; and
undertake an internship with an external organisation, and gain valuable practical experience and extend your professional networks.

Intended learning outcomes

Students who complete the Master of Journalism should be able to:

gain the skills required to become journalists, or build on existing skills and knowledge if mid-career;
reflect on professional issues and develop innovative forms of practice;
link theory and practice in a way that has not been achieved in graduate programs at other universities;
develop the knowledge and skills they need to shape the profession at a time of great change;
take a real-world profession-based approach to delivery, through the use of case-based teaching and the production of high quality journalism by students; and
use flexible delivery modes including intensives and after-hours contact so as to ensure that the course is accessible to working students.

Last updated: 4 March 2025

Structure

150 point program

Duration: 1.5 years full-time / up to 3 years part-time

core subjects (minimum of 62.5 points)
elective subjects (maximum of 87.5 points)

Please note:

The thesis option requires two consecutive semesters of enrolment
The Journalism project option requires three consecutive semesters of enrolment

Capstone Requirement:

All students are required to complete the Capstone Requirement for the program (at least 25 points). Students must complete one capstone option:

Capstone Stream 1: JOUR90015 Journalism Thesis Part 1 and JOUR90016 Journalism Thesis Part 2 (37.5 points total)

Purpose: An opportunity to integrate knowledge and research skills to address a specific Journalism research by planning and executing a substantial research-based project.

Capstone Stream 2: JOUR90017 Journalism Project Part 1, JOUR90018 Journalism Project Part 2 and JOUR90019 Journalism Project Part 3 (37.5 points total)

Purpose: An opportunity to complete a substantial professionally focussed project under industry standard supervision. This might be a book, portfolio of articles or other substantial journalistic project.

Capstone Stream 3: JOUR90010 Newsroom-Applied Professional Practice (12.5 points) and JOUR90003 Journalism Internship (12.5 points)

Purpose: An opportunity to complete a professionally focussed project under industry standard supervision, aimed at publication in The Citizen, and participating in the newsroom experience and also completing a 20 day placement in the industry.

For policies that govern this degree, see Academic Services Policy in the University Melbourne Policy Framework.

Subject Options

Core Subjects

minimum 62.5 points

Code	Name	Study period	Credit Points
JOUR90001	Researching/Writing Stories	Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)	25
JOUR90003	Journalism Internship	Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
JOUR90004	New Media: Businesses Forms Distribution	Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
JOUR90005	Audio Journalism	Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
JOUR90006	Dilemmas in Journalism: Law and Ethics	June (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
JOUR90008	Video Journalism	Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
JOUR90009	Advanced Non Fiction Writing	Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
JOUR90010	Newsroom-Applied Professional Practice	Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
JOUR90015	Journalism Thesis Part 1	Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)	18.75
JOUR90016	Journalism Thesis Part 2	Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)	18.75
JOUR90017	Journalism Project Part 1	Summer Term (On Campus - Parkville) Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
JOUR90018	Journalism Project Part 2	Summer Term (On Campus - Parkville) Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
JOUR90019	Journalism Project Part 3	Summer Term (On Campus - Parkville) Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
MECM90019	Social Media and Change	July (Off Campus)	12.5
JOUR90021	International Traditions in Journalism	Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
JOUR90022	Photojournalism	Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
JOUR90023	International Business Journalism	Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5

Elective Subjects

maximum 87.5 points

Please note:

The elective subjects are listed below, grouped by topic
There is no restriction on the number of electives you can take from a particular group
Languages: Students may enrol in up to 25 points of language study in the following areas: Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Hebrew, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Russian and Spanish

Media/Journalism

Code	Name	Study period	Credit Points
JOUR90007	Special Study in Journalism	Not available in 2018	12.5
JOUR90011	Data Journalism	Summer Term (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
JOUR90013	Investigative Journalism	Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
MECM40003	Researching Audiences and Reception	Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
MECM40007	Change in Journalism	Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
MECM90009	Global Crisis Reporting	Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
MECM90037	Online Community Management	Not available in 2018	12.5

Code	Name	Study period	Credit Points
PUBL90003	The Contemporary Publishing Industry	Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
PUBL90005	Technical Writing and Editing	Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
PUBL90009	Advanced Editing for Digital Media	Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
PUBL90010	Print Production and Design	Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
PUBL90013	Writing and Editing for Magazines	Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)	25
PUBL90014	Legal Issues in Media and Publishing	Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
PUBL90019	Print Markets: Structures and Strategies	Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5

Understanding Australia and the World

Code	Name	Study period	Credit Points
ASIA90001	Human Rights in Southeast Asia	Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
CRIM90015	Terror, Law and War	Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
CRIM90017	Violence, Trauma and Reconciliation	May (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
DEVT90009	Development Theories	Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
DEVT90039	Civil Society, NGOs and the State	Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
DEVT90042	Fieldwork in Complex and Hostile Places	March (On Campus - Parkville) August (On Campus - Parkville)	25
HPSC90012	Trust, Communication and Expertise	Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
INTS90007	Rising China in the Globalised World	July (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
ISLM90007	Contemporary Middle East & Central Asia	Summer Term (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
ISLM90008	Islam and Politics	July (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
MULT90059	Social Enterprise Incubator	Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
POLS40002	Australian Politics:Democracy & Justice	No longer available

Code	Name	Study period	Credit Points
POLS90012	Trade Policy Politics & Governance	February (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
POLS90017	Europe and Asia: Competing Hegemons?	Not available in 2018	12.5
POLS90058	Asia-Pacific: Zone of Conflict or Peace?	Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5

The environment and climate change

Code	Name	Study period	Credit Points
ENST90004	Climate Change Politics and Policy	Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
ENST90005	Environmental Policy	Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
EVSC90001	Global Environment and Sustainability	Not available in 2018	12.5
HPSC90010	Environment and Knowledge	Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5

Health

Code	Name	Study period	Credit Points
POPH90206	Health Policy	March (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5

Business and Economics

Code	Name	Study period	Credit Points
MGMT90011	Managing Stakeholders	Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
MGMT90015	Managing People	Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
MGMT90025	People and Change	Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
MKTG90003	Public Relations Management	Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5
MKTG90004	Marketing Management	Summer Term (On Campus - Parkville) Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)	12.5

Links

http://arts.unimelb.edu.au/culture-communication