Monash University Handbook 2010 Postgraduate - Course

The Master of Journalism and Master of International Development and Environmental Analysis provides a comprehensive introduction to international development and environmental change, and 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 is has an international orientation designed to optimize the contribution graduates will make to their profession using a full range of media technologies.

Graduates of the program will:

• have a strong basic understanding of the theory and practice of international development
• have a basic understanding of the socio-political causes and effects of environmental degradation and change
• 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 core and elective units 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.

Core and elective units

Students complete 60 points as outlined below.

Students complete the following six units (36 points):

• IDA4230 Research in political ecology
• IDA4140 Urbanisation and regional development in the Indo-Pacific Rim or IDA4320 Doctrines of development
• JRM4901 Research and reporting
• JRM4902 Reporting with sound and image
• JRM4903 Journalism and the law
• JRM4904 Journalism studies

plus two of the following (12 points):

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

plus 12 credit points of level three or four elective units chosen from the following international development and environmental analysis 'areas of concentration' (12 points):*

• democracy, governance and civil society
• development and environmental economics
• gender, culture and society in the Asia-pacific
• public policy and management
• sustainable development and natural resource management
• urban and regional sustainability.

Level five

Students complete one of the following options (36 points).

Note: Units can not be undertaken that have been competed at level four.

Option 1

Students complete the following units (12 points):

• JRM5930 Journalism studies project
• JRM5940 Journalism professional project

plus the following units (12 points):

• IDA5130 Environmental revolutions
• IDA5220 Art and business of international development

plus either IDA5310 Final project in IDEA (Client-based internship) or GYM5480 Research project or 12 points of level five electives chosen from the following (12 points):

• JRM5907 Journalism and society
• JRM5914 Reporting the environment
• JRM5915 Investigative reporting
• JRM5916 Specialist reporting
• level five elective units chosen from the Master of International Development and Environmental Analysis 'areas of concentration'*

* A list of suggested elective units can be found under 'Electives' in the course entry for the Master of International Development and Environmental Analysis at http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks/courses/3086.html or by contacting the course coordinator)

Option 2

Students complete the following units (36 points):

• IDA5130 Environmental revolutions
• IDA5220 Art and business of international development
• JRM5990 Journalism development and environmental research project (24 points)*

* Part-time students will enrol in JRM5990A Journalism development and environment research project part 1 and JRM5990B Journalism development and environment research project part 2, worth 12 points each. Full-time students may also elect to enrol in both these 12-point units over the course of two semesters, instead of taking JRM5990.

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 international development and environmental analysis 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 International Development and Environmental Analysis

Master of Journalism