Monash University Handbook 2010 Postgraduate - Course

The Master of Journalism and Master of Environment and Sustainability provides a comprehensive introduction to issues of sustainability and related policy and planning processes, an entry-level qualification for a professional journalism career, and a mid-career course for working journalists seeking to extend their expertise and refresh the intellectual basis of their practice. It has a national and international orientation designed to optimise the contribution graduates will make to their profession using a full range of media technologies and insights into approaches to sustainability.

Graduates of the program will:

• have an understanding of issues of social and environmental sustainability, be able to critically analyse them and propose realistic solutions
• 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, and
• 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.

Students complete six core and four elective units at level four, and one of the options outlined 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.

Level four

Students complete 60 points as outlined below.

Core units

Students complete the following six units (36 points):

• ENV4020 Perspectives on environment and sustainability
• ENV4040 Frontiers in sustainability and environment
• JRM4901 Research and reporting
• JRM4902 Reporting with sound and image
• JRM4903 Journalism and the law
• JRM4904 Journalism studies

Electives

Students complete 12 points from the following:

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

plus 12 points of level four elective units from one or more of the following Master of Environment and Sustainability elective streams:*

• working in the corporate and public sectors
• tourism
• communities and development
• environmental thinking and philosophies
• environmental law
• geographic information systems.

Level five

Students complete one of the following options (36 points). The units selected must not previously have been completed at level four.

Option 1

Students complete the following four units (24 points):

• JRM5930 Journalism studies project
• JRM5940 Journalism professional project
• ENV5030 Environmental analysis
• ENV5050 Environmental governance and citizenship

plus 12 points of level five elective units from (12 points):

• ENV533E Environmental internship
• GYM5480 Research project
• JRM5907 Journalism and society
• JRM5914 Reporting the environment
• JRM5915 Investigative reporting
• JRM5916 Specialist Reporting
• level five elective units from one or more of the Master of Environment and Sustainability elective streams not already completed at level four*

* For details refer to the list of elective units in the Master of Environment and Sustainability at http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks/courses/3783.html.

Option 2

Students complete the following (36 points):

• ENV5030 Environmental analysis
• ENV5050 Environmental governance and citizenship
• JRM5970 Journalism and sustainability research project (24pts)

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 who have completed studies in either environment and sustainability or journalism to the value of:

• 24 points may apply to exit with a related graduate certificate
• 48 points may apply to exit with a related graduate diploma.

Master of Environment and Sustainability

Master of Journalism