ATS1089 - Fundamentals of journalism - 2018

The unit relates the practice of journalism to the study of journalism and how it operates in contemporary Australian society. Students gain a foundational understanding of the changing media landscape, the seismic shifts in technology, the culture of the newsroom, sources and verification, different genres of journalism, objectivity and interviewing. Drawing on scholarship as well as media case studies and a range of practical research techniques, students will examine investigative journalism, literary essays, long-form journalism, 'new journalism', documentaries, television, photojournalism and social media. In addition, the unit locates the Australian experience in its historical and international context.

On successful completion of the unit, students should be able to:

1. develop a capacity to make effective use of the relevant academic literature and interdisciplinary research related to written, visual, documentary and broadcast journalism;
2. demonstrate an ability to research, discuss and analyse issues in a clear, concise and rigorous way;
3. collaborate constructively with fellow students in learning and discussion processes, including group work, tutorial participation and tutorial debates;
4. produce their written work to deadline making effective use of the conventions of scholarly presentation and journalism(references, bibliography, etc.);
5. work independently and in groups to achieve their learning outcomes;
6. engage with different forms of journalism.

Within semester assessment: 100%

Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. A unit requires on average three/four hours of scheduled activities per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.

See also Unit timetable information

Journalism