APG5653 · International journalism field school

Overview

Change and innovation are sweeping through newsrooms around the globe. In this unit, you will travel to the heart of the world’s media industry to observe how industrial crisis and creative responses are transforming news organisations, journalists and audiences in the international context. The program begins online, where you will delve into the history, structure, culture and products of leading and cutting-edge international media outlets. To follow, you'll attend an intensive workshop to develop skills in research design, methods, analysis and project management. You will travel to a key journalism city to learn first hand how newsrooms are adapting to change, and to experience journalism internationally. How have outlets responded to the pressures of changing consumption patterns, delivery platforms and business models? What is it like to be a media practitioner in the contemporary era? How are news values shifting to capture contemporary audiences? And are the foundations of journalism in a liberal democracy - notions of independence, objectivity and fairness - changing too? You will draw from scholarly and popular literature as well as their immersive experience to formulate individual research projects, adopting a case-study approach to their chosen topic.

Areas of study: Communications and media studies Journalism

Offerings

Assessment

The Handbook does not list a final examination among the assessment items. That is not a guarantee there is none.

Within semester assessment: 100%

Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.

Requisites

The Handbook lists no prerequisite, corequisite or prohibition for this unit.

Learning outcomes

1. discuss the organisation, culture and publications of international media outlets operating in the location/city/region to be visited;
2. analyse the complex 'ecology' of major media industries in an era of global journalism;
3. utilise skills in research design, methods, analysis and project management, in direct observation of international media outlets and news publications, and in conjunction with scholarly literature;
4. collaborate constructively with fellow students in learning and discussion processes, including online forums;
5. produce written work and oral presentations to deadline, making effective use of the conventions of scholarly presentation, including citations and bibliography where required;
6. engage confidently with individuals and organisations at the cutting edge of journalism, communications, and news media industries.

Workload

Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 288 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.

Student experience, not official rules. Nothing here changes what the Handbook says.