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Journalism Today (UNIB30011)
Undergraduate level 3Points: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
Overview
Availability | Semester 2 |
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Fees | Look up fees |
Journalism is an area of key social importance in the contemporary world, and a practical knowledge of journalistic processes is important not only to media practitioners, but in a range of fields where the quality of public communication is of vital significance. This University Breadth subject provides a practice-oriented engagement with journalism and its social implications, focusing on key areas such as business, financial, science and legal reporting. Students gain an understanding of key journalistic principles of newsworthiness, identifying stories, investigation and verification, and newswriting. The subject also encourages students to critically examine the role and importance of journalism, focusing on a range of case studies that highlight the critical role it plays in contributing to public knowledge and social phenomena by influencing public perceptions, the vital importance of accuracy and responsibility, and the risks that arise when the public is misinformed. It highlights the importance for journalists of developing critical expertise in areas of reporting specialism, and draws on cross-faculty expertise to provide demonstrations of this. Finally, the subject encourages students to consider the implications of social, political, economic and technological changes for journalism, and the risks and opportunities facing journalism today and in the future.
Intended learning outcomes
On completion of this subject, students should:
- Be able to demonstrate a practically oriented understanding of key journalistic principles, practices and formats
- Develop a grounded, analytically informed understanding of the significance of reporting in areas of key societal importance
- Demonstrate understanding of how processes of change are affecting journalism, and critically engage with the potential challenges and consequences of change
- Develop relevant practical and critical skills in investigation, analysis and writing
Last updated: 15 February 2024
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 15 February 2024
Assessment
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Final Essay (2000 words) | During the examination period | 40% |
Story writing exercise (500 words) | Week 5 | 20% |
Case study analysis (1500 words) | Week 8 | 40% |
Last updated: 15 February 2024
Dates & times
- Semester 2
Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours 3 hours per week – 1 x 1 hour lecture + 1 x 2 hour seminar throughout semester Total time commitment 170 hours Teaching period 23 July 2018 to 21 October 2018 Last self-enrol date 3 August 2018 Census date 31 August 2018 Last date to withdraw without fail 21 September 2018 Assessment period ends 16 November 2018
Last updated: 15 February 2024
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
There are no specifically prescribed or recommended texts for this subject.
- Breadth options
This subject is available as breadth in the following courses:
- Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
Last updated: 15 February 2024