200 Point 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. Students will:

• 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; and
• undertake an internship with an external organisation, and gain valuable practical experience and extend your professional networks.

Students who complete the Master of Journalism should be able to:

• meet the needs of those wishing to become journalists, as well as mid career journalists building on their skills and knowledge;
• assist journalists to reflect on professional issues and develop me and innovative forms of practice;
• link theory and practice in a way that has not been achieved in graduate programs at other universities;
• equip students with the knowledge and skills they need to shape the profession at a time of great change;
• 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; and
• 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

Duration: 2 years full-time / 4 years part-time

Coursework Only Option:

• five compulsory subjects (75 points)
• elective subjects (125 points)

or

Minor Thesis Option:

• five compulsory subjects (75 points)
• JOUR90002 Journalism Thesis (37.5 points)
• elective subjects (87.5 points)

Capstone Requirement:

All students are required to complete the Capstone Requirement for the program (at least 25 points). Students must complete one capstone option:

Capstone Stream 1: JOUR90002 Journalism Thesis (37.5 points)

Purpose: An opportunity to integrate knowledge and research skills to address a specific Journalism research by planning and executing a substantial research-based project.

Capstone Stream 2: JOUR90012 Journalism Project (37.5 points)

Purpose: An opportunity to complete a substantial professionally focussed project under industry standard supervision. This might be a book, portfolio of articles or other substantial journalistic project.

Capstone Stream 3: JOUR90010 Newsroom-Applied Professional Practice (12.5 points) and JOUR90003 Journalism Internship (12.5 points)

Purpose: An opportunity to complete a professionally focussed project under industry standard supervision, aimed at publication in The Citizen, and participating in the newsroom experience and also completing a 20 day placement in the industry.

For policies that govern this degree, see Academic Services Policy in the University Melbourne Policy Framework.

Compulsory Subjects

5 compulsory subjects (75 Points)

Minor Thesis Option

JOUR90002 Journalism Thesis (37.5 points)

Please note: JOUR90002 Journalism Thesis requires two consecutive semesters of enrolment.

Elective Subjects

Coursework Only Option:

elective subjects (125 points)

or

Minor Thesis Option:

elective subjects (87.5 points)

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 and Spanish

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

List of Elective Subjects - Media/Journalism

Please note: JOUR90012 Journalism Project requires three consecutive semesters of enrolment, including summer

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 - Business and Economics

List of Elective Subjects - Internship