Master of Journalism

The program is designed for students who are interested in pursuing careers in journalism and journalism-related fields, and for journalists and other professional practitioners working in the contemporary media industry who wish to develop additional advanced skills and knowledge.

The program teaches the full range of journalism skills and critically engages with the professional conventions of journalism, with ethical and legal issues that impact on journalism, and with contemporary questions such as how new media technologies influence journalism practices.

• Learn real-world skills from leading industry practitioners.
• Engage with important and challenging issues facing the Australian and global media industries.
• Gain a theoretical and practical grounding in issues such as civics, governance, citizenship, and leadership.
• Investigate key concepts that frame recent developments in fields such as media law, management theory, globalisation, health policy, and climate change.
• Undertake an internship with an external organisation, and gain valuable practical experience and extend your professional networks.

This course will:

·place its primary emphasis on training mid-career journalists who want to build on their existing skills and knowledge;

·reflect on professional issues they face, and develop new and innovative forms of practice;

·link theory and practice in a way that has not been achieved in graduate programs at other universities;

·explore the issues that will shape the world of the 21 st Century and to equip students with the knowledge and skills to be successful in that world;

·take a real-world profession-based approach to delivery, through the use of case-based teaching and the production of high quality journalism by students;

·use flexible delivery modes including intensives and after-hours contact so as to ensure that the course is accessible to working students.

200 point program

4 compulsory subjects – 62.5 points

11 elective subjects - 137.5 points

Total 200 points

150 point program

4 compulsory subjects – 62.5 points

7 elective subjects - 87.5 points

Total 150 points

100 point program

3 compulsory subjects – 50 points

4 elective subjects – 50 points

Total 100 points

Compulsory subjects:

The following subjects are compulsory in the 200 pt and 150 pt programs -

JOUR90001 Researching and writing stories, semester 1, 25.00
JOUR90005 Journalism futures: Being a journalist in the 21st century, winter intensive, 12.50
JOUR90006 Dilemmas in journalism: law and ethics, winter intensive, 12.50
JOUR90004 Journalism entrepreneurship, semester 2, 12.50

The following subjects are compulsory in the 100 pt program -

JOUR90001 Researching and writing stories, semester 1, 25.00
JOUR90006 Dilemmas in journalism: law and ethics, winter intensive, 12.50
JOUR90004 Journalism entrepreneurship, semester 2, 12.50

200 Point Program

Compulsory Subjects

4 compulsory subjects - 62.5 points

Elective Subjects

11 elective subjects - 137.5 points

Please note JOUR90002 Minor Thesis subject requires two consecutive semesters of enrolment

Languages
Students may enrol in up to 25 points of language study in the following areas:
Arabic
Chinese
French
German
Hebrew
Indonesian
Italian
Japanese
Russian
Spanish

Please refer to the lists of elective subjects listed below

150 Point Program

Compulsory Subjects

4 compulsory subjects - 62.5 points

Elective Subjects

7 elective subjects - 87.5 points

Please note JOUR90002 Minor Thesis subject requires two consecutive semesters of enrolment

Languages
Students may enrol in up to 25 points of language study in the following areas:
Arabic
Chinese
French
German
Hebrew
Indonesian
Italian
Japanese
Russian
Spanish

Please refer to the lists of elective subjects listed below

100 Point Program

Compulsory Subjects

3 compulsory subjects - 50 points

Elective Subjects

4 elective subjects - 50 points

Please note JOUR90002 Minor Thesis subject requires two consecutive semesters of enrolment

Please refer to the lists of elective subjects listed below

List of all Elective Subjects

The list of elective subjects can be found below. The elective subjects have been grouped into the following -

• Media/Journalism
• Understanding Australia and the world
• The environment and climate change
• Health
• Science
• Business and economics
• Internship/Research project

Please note there is no restriction on the number of electives you can take from a particular group as long as the number of electives completed is -

• 200 point program - 11 electives
• 150 point program - 7 electives
• 100 point program - 4 electives

List of Elective Subjects - Media/Journalism

List of Elective Subjects - Understanding Australia and the World

List of Elective Subjects - The environment and climate change

List of Elective Subjects - Health

List of Elective Subjects - Science

List of Elective Subjects - Business and Economics

List of Elective Subjects - Internship/Research Project

Please note JOUR90002 Minor Thesis subject requires two consecutive semesters of enrolment

The Selection Committee will evaluate the applicant’s ability to pursue successfully the

course using the following criteria:

For the 200 point program:

A three-year undergraduate degree with at least H2B (70%) average.

For the 150 point program:

a three-year undergraduate degree in a cognate discipline with at least H2B (70%) average;

or

A three-year undergraduate degree with at least H2B (70%) average and a Graduate Certificate in a cognate discipline.

For the 100 point program:

an honours degree or equivalent in a cognate discipline;

or

a three-year undergraduate degree in a cognate discipline with at least H2B (70%) average, and at least 2 years of documented, relevant work experience.

The Selection Committee may conduct interviews or tests and may call for referee reports and employer references to elucidate any of the matters referred to above.

For the purposes of considering requests for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this course are articulated in the Course Description, Course Objectives and Generic Skills of this entry.
The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

Students who successfully complete the minor thesis with an overall grade point average of 75% or greater in their degree may be eligible to enrol in a higher research degree.

Academically excellent:

• The program will be taught by leading industry practitioners;

• It will introduce students to key concepts in journalism in the context of the most recent scholarship in the field;

• Students will gain a deep understanding of the changing contexts in which the profession operates, such as globalisation, changing business models, and the impact of new technologies on business models and professional practice;

Knowledgeable across disciplines:

• Journalism is by nature an interdisciplinary profession requiring deep knowledge across a variety of specialised fields and the course is designed to reflect this;

• Through the diverse curriculum of the course students will have the opportunity to gain an understanding of major ideas and recent developments in fields such as media law, management theory, globalisation, development studies, international relations, Islamic culture, health policy, climate change, and the environment;

Leaders in Communities:

• As journalism is by nature a public-facing profession concerned with questions of civil society and leadership, students will gain a theoretical and practical grounding in issues such as civics, governance, citizenship and leadership;

Attuned to cultural diversity:

• The course places a major emphasis on issues of cultural diversity in its content, with its emphasis on issues of global development and cultural difference, and is at the same time expected to attract a diverse local and international cohort;

Active global citizens:

• Journalism is by nature a profession oriented around notions of active citizenship, both on the parts of its practitioners and consumers, and is demonstrated by the blurring of lines between the two;

• Students will, above all, acquire the skills to report on and engage in public debate, and to foster active citizenry in others.