Undergraduate - UnitATS1902 - News media and social theory

This unit entry is for students who completed this unit in 2014 only. For students planning to study the unit, please refer to the unit indexes in the the current edition of the Handbook. If you have any queries contact the managing faculty for your course or area of study.

print version

6 points, SCA Band 1, 0.125 EFTSL

Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered, or view unit timetables.

Level	Undergraduate
Faculty	Faculty of Arts
Organisational Unit	Journalism
Offered	Caulfield First semester 2014 (Day) Caulfield First semester 2014 (Off-campus) Caulfield Second semester 2014 (Day) Caulfield Second semester 2014 (Off-campus)
Coordinator(s)	Ms Monica Jackson

Synopsis

This subject examines the study of news and the different approaches to journalism. It explores debates and issues relating to journalism and other interdisciplinary theory including the circulation of information, the Fourth Estate, the culture of the newsroom, ethics, sources, interviewing and memory, gender theory, advocacy journalism and orientalism. Using these central theoretical approaches, students will engage with, and interrogate the different genres of journalism and reporting. The unit examines examples from investigative journalism, television coverage, long-form journalism, 'faction', 'gonzo' reporting, 'new journalism', broadcasting, sports journalism and photojournalism. Drawing on seminal case studies, students will discuss works by journalists and writers.

Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit students should be able to:

demonstrate a satisfactory knowledge of the unit subject matter;
demonstrate a capacity to make effective usage in written and oral presentation of the relevant academic literature;
demonstrate an ability to research, discuss and analyse issues in a clear, concise and rigorous way;
collaborate constructively with fellow students in learning and discussion processes, including online forums;
produce their written work to deadline making effective use of the conventions of scholarly presentation (references, bibliography, etc);
work independently and in groups to achieve their learning outcomes;
demonstrate a critical awareness of the strengths, limitations and socio-professional implications of scholarly practice in journalism studies.