Related Course/s:

A unit of study in the Journalism Major.

Aims & Objectives:

Teaching Methods:

Students will consult with academic staff at the beginning of this unit in order to select and devise their project, and will meet with staff as necessary to bring the project to completion.

Assessment:

Journalism Project (70%)
Reflective essay (30%)

Generic Skills Outcomes:

Students will be provided with feedback during the assessment for this unit of study on their progress in attaining the following generic skills:

§         analysis skills,

§         problem solving skills,

§         communications skills,

§         ability to tackle unfamiliar problems

Content:

Students (individually or in groups) are expected to undertake a journalism project chosen from a selection of available projects or negotiated with academic staff. The project may be in any medium, or multi-media. It may be investigative, literary or a portfolio of shorter news reportage. This finished piece or collection of pieces may be targeted at one of Swinburne University’s internally produced publications, such as Inside Story and Australian Policy Online (in consultation with the editor), or it may be intended for publication in an outside media outlet or internet site. The potential will also exist for selected students to work alongside freelance journalists associated with the Foundation for Public Interest Journalism. Students will work with the support of academic staff to devise the project, establish research and interview priorities, draft the finished piece and submit it for publication. Students must submit their work for publication in order to successfully complete this unit. At the conclusion of the unit, students should have a completed a significant piece of journalism that demonstrates their abilities to potential future employers.

Reading Materials:

Reading material, including case studies and example exercises, will be distributed as appropriate in class.