2018 Undergraduate Courses
  • Students are to follow the requirements of the Handbook for the year they commenced the course.

    However, the subject links below do not contain the subject information for the current year. You can view current subject information through the new Course Handbook.

Bachelor of Journalism  | 2018

Testamur Title of Degree:

Bachelor of Journalism

Abbreviation:

BJrnl

UOW Course Code:

852

CRICOS Code:

058983K

Total Credit Points:

144

Duration:

3 years full-time or part-time equivalent

Home Faculty:

Faculty of Law, Humanities and the Arts

Intake Session(s):

Autumn

Delivery Mode:

On campus (Face-to-face)

Delivery Campus / UAC Codes:

Wollongong / 754700

Overview

Journalism and reporting is an evolving industry that encompasses a multitude of media including print, television, radio, web, and social media to inform, engage and entertain. Journalists have highly honed research, investigation and writing skills and are able to convey a compelling story gathered from various sources.

The Bachelor of Journalism provides in-depth hands-on training in journalism, converging media (radio, TV, web, phone, tablet), digital communication and multimedia storytelling. It has a strong professional focus, with an emphasis on practical learning with studio-based studies in multimedia content production. Students will learn to research, produce and present entertaining and timely stories through video, audio, print and digital technologies including podcasting and webcasting, working both independently and collaboratively.

Students will be part of the UOWTV Multimedia student newsroom, radio program, YouTube channel and weekly web magazine 'The Current'. Students will have real deadlines and will need to engage with community and industry.

Entry Requirements & Credit Arrangements

Information on academic and English language requirements, as well as eligibility for credit for prior learning, is available from the Course Finder.

Course Learning Outcomes

Course Learning Outcomes are statements of learning achievement that are expressed in terms of what the learner is expected to know, understand and be able to do upon completion of a course. Students graduating from this course will be able to demonstrate:

CLO Description
1 Evaluate key issues in contemporary journalism theory and practice.
2 Resourcefully employ a range of journalism professional practices both independently and collaboratively.
3 Evaluate production ideas and processes critically and reflectively
4 Research and produce informative, entertaining and timely media stories and products in response to project demands.
5 Communicate ideas and stories in mediums suited to a range of audiences.
6 Engage a range of sources and communities in the production of media stories.
7 Apply ethical and culturally informed principles to journalism practice.

Course Structure

To qualify for award of this degree, students must complete a minimum of 144 credit points comprised of the following:

  1. 96 credit points of core Bachelor of Journalism subjects outlined in the schedule below;
  2. 48 credit points of general schedule electives to bring the total number of credit points completed to 144.

Note: No more than 48 credit points at 100 level can be counted towards the Bachelor of Journalism degree. No more than 24 credit points of elective subjects may be taken at 100 level, and there must be at least 6 credit points at 300 level. Students must achieve a clear pass in the core 300-level subjects to be eligible to graduate with a Bachelor of Journalism.

Subject Code Subject Name Credit Points
BCM 110 Introduction to Communication and Media Studies 6
BCM 113 Media Ethics and Law 6
JRNL101 Media Reporting and Storytelling 1 6
JRNL102 Convergent Media Reporting and Production 6
JRNL202 Media Editing and Production Practice 6
JRNL203 Audio Journalism Production 1 6
JRNL204 Video Journalism Production 1 6
JRNL212 Magazine and Lifestyle Journalism 6
JRNL250 Professional Writing 1 6
JRNL301 Data Journalism Research and Investigation 6
JRNL302 Narrative Portfolio 6
JRNL303 Journalism Newsroom 6
JRNL304 Journalism Internship 6
JRNL313 Podcasting and Audio Journalism Production 2 6
JRNL314 Video Journalism Production 2 6
JRNL315 Journalism Project 6

Timetables

Click on subject codes in the above course structure for information on sessions of offer for each subject.

To find out specific information on timetables, tutorials, and classes, visit the Timetable page.

Majors

Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Journalism may utilise their 48 credit points of general electives to complete a major or two minors.

Information on the majors available within LHA can be found on the Bachelor of Arts handbook page.

Note that students completing this degree cannot complete a major in Journalism.

Minors

Students can also take a minor study as part of their degree program provided they meet the requirements set. Minor studies consist of a minimum of 24 credit points, of which at least 12 credit points are completed at 200 level or higher.

Information regarding minors, including which subjects to take to complete a minor, are available on the 2018 General Schedule of Minors page.

Minors appear on the transcript (academic record), but do not appear on the testamur. To have a minor study recorded, students must submit an Application to Declare or Change Intended Major/Minor.

Note that students enrolled in the Bachelor of Journalism cannot complete a minor in Journalism.

Compulsory Work Placement / Online Component

This course contains a minimum of 70 hours of compulsory work-based placements. This course may also contain compulsory components to be completed online.

Students in the Bachelor of Journalism will complete this placement in the Journalism Internship subject, JRNL304, in their final year. This subject provides students with the opportunity to apply the skills acquired during their university subjects as an internship with a professional media organisation. Students will be required to work in the newsroom (or other suitable work environment). Students who obtain a position in a newsroom will be required to work under the direction of a chief of staff, news director or other nominated person. They will be expected to research, write and, where necessary, produce audio and video stories to deadline. This may be daily, weekly or monthly, depending on the publication/broadcast deadlines of the publication/program they are working for. Students who obtain work experience in a cognate field will be required to produce content (speeches, information packs, media releases, or other documents). Again, they will work under the direction of a nominated employee. 

This course may also contain compulsory components to be completed online.

Other Information

The Faculty may impose quotas on subjects to ensure optimal class sizes.

Further information is available via email: lha-enquiries@uow.edu.au

Last reviewed: 23 February, 2018