Monash University Handbook 2010 Postgraduate - Course

This course provides a comprehensive introduction to Australian society and culture and an entry-level qualification for a professional journalism career, or a mid-career course for working journalists seeking to extend their expertise and refresh the intellectual basis of their practice. It is has a national and international orientation designed to optimise the contribution graduates will make to their profession using a full range of media technologies.

Graduates of the program will:

• have a strong introductory understanding of Australian society and culture in its historical and geographical context
• have strong professional research and reporting skills in a range of media technologies and formats
• be equipped with the necessary skills and attributes either to enter professional practice in the news media or, for qualified journalists, to extend their existing skills and intellectual understanding of journalistic practices
• understand and be able to contribute to the important role of professional and ethical journalism in the service of the public right to know and democratic processes
• have an effective understanding of the role of journalism and the media in local, national, regional and global contexts.

The course involves extensive research and reporting in the field.

This course consists of 60 points at level four and 36 points at level five. Students who achieve a distinction average in their level four units have the option of undertaking a 24-point research dissertation at level five. All level four units are worth 6 points except where indicated; all level five units are worth 12 points except where indicated.

Level four

Core units

Students complete six core units:

• AUS4010 Exploring Australia: Diverse people, diverse lives (12 points)
• AUS4220 Australian landscapes (12 points)
• JRM4901 Research and reporting
• JRM4902 Reporting with sound and image
• JRM4903 Journalism and the law
• JRM4904 Journalism studies

Elective units

Students complete two elective units from the following:

• JRM4907 Journalism and society
• JRM4908 Print features
• JRM4910 Editing and publishing
• JRM4911 Online research and reporting
• JRM4912 Radio reporting
• JRM4913 Video journalism
• JRM4914 Reporting the environment
• JRM4915 Investigative reporting
• JRM4916 Specialist reporting

Level five

Students complete one of the following options:

Option one

Core units

Students complete:

• JRM5930 Journalism studies project (6 points)
• JRM5940 Journalism professional project (6 points)
• 24 points of Australian studies and elective units from the list below.

Option two

Students complete:

• JRM5950 Journalism and Australian studies research project (24 points)*
• 12 points of Australian studies and elective units from the list below.

* Part-time students will enroll in JRM5950(A) and JRM5950(B) worth 12 points each.

Australian studies and elective units

• ATM5140 Cultural tourism and special events
• COM5001 Researching and writing Australia
• COM5002 Communications and media history
• COM5006 New communications media
• COM5008 Media ethics and practice
• COM5009 Issues in international communications
• COM5010 Communications, convergence and public policy
• COM5303 International field trip
• ENM5370 Contemporary Australian poetry and fiction
• HYM5320 Citizens: Histories of Australian citizenship
• JRM5907 Journalism and society (6 points)*
• JRM5914 Reporting the environment (6 points)*
• JRM5915 Investigative reporting (6 points)*
• JRM5916 Specialist reporting (6 points)*
• PLM5370 Citizenship and democracy in Australian politics
• PLM5800 Australian national government
• PUB5001 Publishing history, culture and commerce
• PUB5002 Authorship, editing and text
• PUB5006 The publishing firm (6 points) and PUB5008 The professional editor (6 points)
• PUB5010 Selling the book and publication rights
• RLM5100 Religion in Australian society

* The units selected must not previously have been completed at level four.

Students who undertake the 24 point research project option and achieve at least a distinction are eligible to apply for a higher degree by research.

Students may apply to exit after successful completion of studies in either Australian studies or journalism to the value of:

• 24 points with a related graduate certificate.
• 48 points with a related graduate diploma.

Master of Australian Studies

Master of Journalism