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Newsroom-Applied Professional Practice (JOUR90010)

Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)

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Overview

Availability
Semester 1 - On Campus
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This subject offers students the opportunity to initiate, research and write industry -standard news and features stories in various styles, which will be considered for publication on The Citizen, the flagship publication of Centre Advancing Journalism. They will engage and reflect closely on the unfolding news media agenda and performance, including questions of ethics and fairness and the challenges and opportunities of emerging technologies. Students will be required to bring story ideas and reflections on the unfolding news media agenda to seminars, which incorporate/ simulate industry newsroom news conferences where editors/lecturers and students discuss, debate, refine and game plan stories. Students, operating as reporters, will be expected to liaise closely with the lecturer/editors of The Citizen as they refine their ideas and settle on specific reporting assignments. There will be opportunities for workshopping stories and for collaboration with fellow students, as well as instruction on how best to present their material. The goal will be to produce a Portfolio of 3 stories (equivalent 4000 words) striving to publishable standard. 

Intended learning outcomes

On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:

  • Identify and evaluate potential news stories on their merits and frame them as a compelling pitch to an editor.
  • Conduct resourceful, rigorous and ethical reporting practice.
  • Critically analyse the quality of information and sources.
  • Synthesise, prioritise and select materials for publication/broadcast by applying principles of fairness, accuracy, public interest and news judgement.
  • Produce news stories and features to professional industry standards that are clear, concise and engaging, adapting content appropriately for different publications, platforms and audiences.
  • Operate efficiently within a newsroom, whether working independently or within a team.
  • Reflect on and adapt journalistic practice in a rapidly changing social, political and technological environment.

Generic skills

At the completion of this subject, students should gain the following generic skills:

  • High level ability to analyse writing techniques and affects
  • High level ability to express thoughts, ideas and observations in accessible written English.

Last updated: 6 March 2026