Your views: teaching journalism at degree level
April 3, 2008
Q. What do you think are the benefits for new magazine journalists of a specific, skills-based vocational degree in journalism? (Add your comment below)
Having worked as a magazine journalist since 1994, both in print and online, and having now taught since 2005, I am passionate about making sure that our students get the best industry-relevant degree available. When I did my degree, I was fortunate enough to study supported by a full grant. But since the introduction of tuition fees, I know my students and today’s graduates are looking for return on their investment, and that means the skills to set them on their way to a career.
What is this about?
There has been a credibility gap between academia and industry regarding the teaching of journalism. This is something that as a journalist, editor, managing editor and now academic, I want to do my best to address.
So, what am I after?
In September 2008 we are launching two new degree programmes aimed at training the next generation of magazine journalists. The two new degrees are a Bachelors Level and Masters Level degrees in Magazine Journalism. Both are, importantly, accredited by the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ). Less than 10% of journalism degrees are accredited in this way. And ours will be two of just a handful of courses specialising in magazine journalism.
We will be teaching features writing, interviews, profiles, production, online writing and production, blogging, as well as project management, administration, business planning and the influence of advertising, to provide a fully rounded education over the degree period.
So I want to know what your views are on teaching a degree in magazine journalism: What do you think are the benefits for new magazine journalists of a specific, skills-based vocational degree in journalism? (E.g. do you agree with it, do you think it’s relevant, do you hire graduates with journalism degrees?) Of course I believe it is a good thing, or I wouldn’t be here. But I want to hear any response, even those vehemently opposed. All feedback is useful.
Your feedback will be invaluable in helping ensure our students get the best possible degree. Thanks.
Take a look at the programme information for the undergraduate programme for more info, or get in touch, alex[dot]lockwood[at]sunderland.ac.uk
Comments
I have been trained in journalism, though not a full-scale degree. Even the limited training I got has helped me a lot in my work over the years as a writer/reporter and editor, be it in print, TV or online. In this digital communication era, it’s easy for everyone to become a writer and reporter (and even editor), which has its virtues. But when it comes to journalism that’s credible, reliable and readable/watchable, not much of it exists today, and one of the (many) reasons is the reluctance of the media groups and journalists themselves to go through the training and learning. Would you trust a doctor, a lawyer or a pilot who has not undergone professional training? Why should it be different for journalists? Journalism is today a highly developed profession - with new technologies demanding a high level of technical knowledge and skills - and requires thorough training to be regarded as a respectable profession…. My personal experience with trainees and interns has been that those with prior training have performed much better - for obvious reasons - than those without. It’s resources well spent by the media to get journalists trained and save on the time and effort their senior staff spend teaching the basics.
Would like to hear what others think.