JRNL 515C Integrated Journalism
Course overview
Integrated Journalism is a core journalism course which will provide you with hands-on experience to learn how to think and operate like a professional journalist in a multimedia environment. The course is based on a core journalistic skill set of research methods, editing, interviewing, reporting and writing. We use the most current technical tools to enable students to conceptualize, plan and tell stories through a variety of media. You will be given training in key content areas, such as the city, diversity and public policy, and how to integrate research and complex context into news stories and media content.
A key component of Integrated Journalism is contributing to TheThunderbird.ca, the School’s award-winning online news service. This publication is produced by individual students and is led by a team of editors who will rotate four times throughout the year. Students will have an opportunity to learn and experience a number of editorial or supervisory roles. Students are encouraged to use a range of storytelling methods in order to present strong multimedia journalism. Each edition will have a subject focus and will allow students to publish their work, while addressing major civic and global issues.
Course type
JRNL 555 International Reporting/Global Reporting
Special Note
Course overview
This course addresses the need for student journalists to gain experience in the field of international reporting while honing their research, organizational and technical skills. Students will develop video and multimedia projects, and enhance their critical analyses of current global issues as well as their aptitude in digital technologies. The class will be structured around a specific issue. Past projects have focused on development pressures in Brazil, global illegal logging and the role of young environmentalists in
China, exploration of the supply chains in the global fishmeal industry, and journeys of migrants throughout Turkey’s two-tiered immigration process.
These topics are selected in preparation for a field reporting trip to a collaboratively chosen global destination. A major objective of the course is to prepare students for reporting through both skill development and studies of best practices. Students are selected through an application process in their second year of studies. For more information about the International Reporting Program/Global Reporting, their past fellows and to learn more about their award-winning investigative projects, please visit the GRP website. A call out for applications will be circulated in late June.
JRNL 520I Advanced Audio
Special Note
Course overview
This course is designed to allow you to immerse yourself in all things audio. We will focus on core skills like focus, story development, Interviewing and sound gathering. We will discuss the technical aspects of audio storytelling and the factors that turn good stories in to great ones. We will work on ways to develop your own voice in audio storytelling. This is a craft course. You will be challenged to create audio stories that allow you to practice both technical skills and learn techniques to use your own voice.
In this course you will be encouraged to think about stories and sound and silence. We will discuss interviewing techniques; audio design and power dynamics.
This course will offer students the opportunity to listen and critique audio stories and to participate in the performance, interviewing and the production process.
JRNL 520H Data Journalism
Special Note
Course overview
This is a second-year graduate level course for students interested in understanding the role of numerical data in journalism research and reporting.
This course is an introduction to data journalism. You do not need any prior skills or experience in statistics, graphic design, computer programming or specific software. It presumes no prior background in statistical methods or graphic design. To be a good data journalist you need to have a curious mind, attention to detail and critical thinking. Together, we will learn how to use various free data tools you can use in newsrooms around the world.
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- produce a story driven by data.
- Find, pitch and tell data-driven stories.
- Understand the ethical implications of data journalism.
- Recognize what makes a good data visualization.
- Find data through open data portals, public data sets and FOIs.
- Interrogate, clean and fact-check data sets.
- Create simple graphs, maps and charts to help drive storytelling.
- Understand data visualizations and be able to recognize errors and deception.