Continuing study in the Journalism, Media Communications major
Once you have completed the compulsory 25 percent in first year Journalism, Media and Communications you are qualified to go on to further studies at 200/300 level. This page lists units you may select in 2008 and provides some information about units that may be available in later years, as well as guidance on how to structure your major to achieve your goals.
Most JMC units rotate, which means that units such as Journalism: The People's Witness, Media Cultures and Television Journalism will not be available in 2008 but may be offered the following year.
The following 200/300 level units will be offered in 2008:
Semester 1
Semester 2
Unit descriptions Semester 1
HEJ201/301 Feature Writing
Considers contemporary and historical feature writing, and examines the roles of narrative, ethics, opinion and audience in the production of this style of journalism. The unit focuses on profiles, literary journalism and news features. For assessment, students will research, write and workshop feature stories, as well as analyse classic examples.
HEJ213/313 Radio Journalism
Students will build upon news skills and journalistic techniques learned in earlier units, while developing a distinctly different way of writing and presenting news and current affairs. Students will learn skills in recording voice and other sound and editing these into professional radio news and current affairs packages, as well as producing a broadcast-quality radio documentary. There are tutorial exercises in news writing, sound gathering, interviewing, voice production and audio editing.
HEJ219/319 Online Journalism
Students will explore how new communications technology presents different ways of practising journalism. The unit features two main themes: research and analysis using the World Wide Web; and provision of online journalistic content, and some basic webpage design, for a real website. Students will use the first range of skills to bolster activities in the second. Tutorial activity involves newsroom teams of managing editors, sub-editors, pictorial editors and reporters. These roles rotate throughout semester to expose students to a variety of activities. While some technical skills, such as digital photography and use of Dreamweaver software, are taught at a basic level, the main emphasis is on a conceptual framework for journalists operating in the online environment.
HEJ229/329 Youth Media
This unit introduces students to a range of approaches from media and cultural studies to examine the relationship between youth and the media. The unit is structured around three modules. The first examines theoretical approaches to youth and media. The second focuses on the representation of youth in news media and popular culture. The third module examines current issues such as the take-up of new media by youth.
Practical journalistic exercises also give students a critical understanding of the forces operating within these three areas and the impact of youth on a range of media forms and industries including, news, soap opera, popular music, film, reality TV, blogs, mobile phones, video gaming, and the Internet.
Unit descriptions Semester 2
HEJ205/305 Public Relations
Introduces students to the principles, practices and theories of public relations and places the profession into its societal and media contexts. Students become familiar with public relations writing and develop skills in seeking, organising and presenting information. The dual emphasis on practical matters and their underpinning theory and ethics help students develop an appreciation of how public relations practitioners interact with the media and the wider community, and how public relations has become a significant factor in shaping world events. Public relations has an important and growing political and social role and these matters are canvassed to provide students with a broad context.
HEJ209/309 Ethics in Journalism
Students examine the basic conflicts of principle and practice confronting journalists such as the competing claims of privacy and the public's right-to-know, the justification of censorship against the demands of freedom of expression, the reporting of minorities, commercial pressures, confidentiality of sources and bias v. balance. At a time when the role and the responsibilities of the media is an increasing focus of public debate, students will also evaluate the competitive commercial environment in the media which encourages breaches of ethics.
HEJ224/324 Television Theory
This unit explores television in its wider cultural and social context by focusing on the theories and history of the medium. Through close textual analysis students will analyse the relationship between television and its audience. They will consider questions of gender and genre and develop an understanding of television's vital role in the public sphere. An introduction to how television works, how televisual research can be conducted and an appreciation of the relationship between conceptual theory and industrial practice, through examples from speakers in the industry, will also be provided.
HEJ318 Professional Placement
(NB. Only available to qualified third year students.)
Students are assigned to a placement in the media industry either in a government or private institution approved by the University. Students learn the practical skills necessary for the media practitioner. Placement gives students the opportunity to better understand how journalistic theory operates in practice. Students will improve their ability to meet news writing, public relations and production deadlines. Students will, where opportunity allows, contribute to the gathering of news, the presentation or publication of news or contribute to the production of press releases or similar material while working under the supervision of a qualified professional.
Note that the availability of placements varies from year to year. Applicants will be notified if their enrolment has been approved one week before commencement of semester.
Looking ahead: units that may be scheduled in 2009*
- Shaping the Word
- Journalism: the People's Witness
- Imaging News
- Television Journalism
- Documentary Journalism
- Advanced Media Writing
- Media and Crime
- Media Representations
- Media Convergence
*Subject to approval
There are various other subjects that are cross-listed to JMC, so you may choose to count them towards your major. See the online handbook for further information.
“Streaming” your units
There are various options available to you to tailor your JMC major at 200/300 level to fit your needs. Here are some suggested study plans. Note that these lists are indicative only – you may vary them as you require.
If you are interested in a media industry career, we strongly recommend you complete the level 200/300 units, HEJ209/309 Ethics in Journalism and LAW602 Foundations of Media and IT Law, as part of your major.
1. Print Journalism
Feature Writing, Imaging News, Journalism: The People’s Witness, Writing About Science, Professional Placement, Media and Environment.
2. Electronic Media
Television Theory, Television Journalism, Radio Journalism, Online Journalism, Imaging News, Documentary: Journalist as Filmmaker, Professional Placement, New Media.
3. Public Relations
Public Relations, Online Journalism, Imaging News, Professional Placement.
4. Media Studies
Television Theory, New Media, Media Cultures, Media and the Environment, Imaging News.
Honours in JMC
Students seeking to qualify for Honours will need to complete a major in JMC and achieve a grade point average of 6.0 or above.
Postgraduate study in JMC
The JMC program offers postgraduate study by research and coursework.
Full details of units, majors, courses and degrees are available online at http://www.utas.edu.au/courses
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