Monash University Handbook 2011 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:

• APG4391 Exploring Australia: Diverse people, diverse lives (12 points)
• APG4712 Australian landscape (12 points)
• APG4773 Research and reporting
• APG4774 Reporting with sound and image
• APG4775 Journalism and the law
• APG4776 Journalism studies

Elective units

Students complete two elective units from the following:

• APG4640 Journalism and society
• APG4641 Reporting the environment
• APG4642 Investigative reporting
• APG4777 Print features
• APG4778 Editing and publishing
• APG4779 Online journalism
• APG4780 Radio journalism
• APG4781 Video journalism
• APG4782 Specialist reporting

Level five

Students complete one of the following options:

Option one

Core units

Students complete:

• APG5813 Journalism studies project (6 points)
• APG5814 Journalism professional project (6 points)
• 24 points of Australian studies and elective units from the list below.

Option two

Students complete:

• APG5815 Journalism and Australian studies research project (24 points), or APG5816 Journalism and Australian studies research project (12 points) and APG5817 Journalism and Australian studies research project (12 points)*
• 12 points of Australian studies and elective units from the list below

Australian studies and elective units

• APG5273 Contemporary Australian poetry and fiction
• APG5333 Australian national government
• APG5343 Religion and ceremony in Australian society
• APG5396 Researching and writing Australia
• APG5397 The first media age
• APG5398 New communications media
• APG5399 Media ethics and practice
• APG5400 Issues in international communications
• APG5401 Communications, convergence and public policy
• APG5640 Journalism and society (6 points)*
• APG5641 Reporting the environment (6 points)*
• APG5642 Investigative reporting (6 points)*
• APG5670 Authorship, editing and text
• APG5674 Selling the book and publication rights
• APG5720 Cultural tourism
• APG5752 International field trip in media and communications
• APG5809 Specialist reporting (6 points)*
• APG5862 History of publishing and the impact of the book
• APG5865 The publishing firm (6 points) and APG5673 The professional editor (6 points)

* 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