Journalism and citizenship: a practical introduction

3 ECTS credits
90 h study time

Offer 1 with catalog number 1021050BNR for all students in the 2nd semester at a (B) Bachelor - advanced level.

Semester

2nd semester

Enrollment based on exam contract

Impossible

Grading method

Grading (scale from 0 to 20)

Can retake in second session

Yes

Taught in

Dutch

Faculty

Faculty of Languages & Humanities

Department

Linguistics and Literary Studies

Educational team

Martina Temmerman (course titular)
Wilfried Mostinckx

Activities and contact hours

13 contact hours Lecture
13 contact hours Seminar, Exercises or Practicals
13 contact hours Independent or External Form of Study

Course Content

This course provides an introduction to a number of genres in journalism, in radio and TV as well as the printed and online media. A theoretical introduction to news reports, features and reportage is followed by the discussion of examples.

For radio and TV, radio and TV news broadcasts are studied and analysed. Types of reportage are also discussed.After guided exercises students learn to create their own radio news report.

The part on printed and online media is supported by Univer.City. The students get acquainted with a number of societal organisations (in Brussels) and their media production (e.g. BRUZZ, Flemish Community Centres) and they reflect on the role and importance of local journalism for active citizenship. In collaboration and exchange with the partners, they create journalistic productions which are eligible for publication.

Course material

Digital course material (Required) : Documenten op de elektronische leeromgeving, Canvas

Additional info

Support by arrangement.

Learning Outcomes

Eindcompetenties

The course aims to teach students to write journalistic stories of some depth and complexity and to learn the basics of producing radio and
TV reports. A range of reportage genres are analysed.

For the subpart on printed and online media:

The students can describe the activities and the media production of a number of organizations in Brussels.
The students can autonomously conduct short interviews and carry out all steps in the interviewing process successfully at a starter’s level (prepare the questions, approach people, align the questions with the interviewee, write out the interview and illustrate it with photos).
The students can estimate which journalistic topics are relevant for the Brussels target group or community, gather data about them autonomously and work out a reportage or feature story about them at a starter’s level.
The students can efficiently work together (in pairs) in order to deliver a quality journalistic product.
The students can deliver journalistic products in immaculate Dutch, also taking into account the quality parameters of the Brussels organizations involved.
The students can formulate a nuanced and well substantiated standpoint on the importance of (hyper)local journalism for a community.
The students can express the evolution of their own viewpoint on the interaction between journalism and a community.

Eindcompetenties

Grading

The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Written Exam determines 100% of the final mark.

Within the Written Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

werkstukken en test with a relative weight of 50 which comprises 100% of the final mark.

Note: Werkstukken voor tweede zittijd

Additional info regarding evaluation

Permanent evaluation: 50% radio and tv-journalism 50% printed and online media

Evaluation second exam period: written tasks

Students can only succeed for this course if they have accomplished both subparts. A pass mark for a subpart can be transferred to the next examination period/academic year.

In order to take this course, students have to be aware the following costs might occur, supplementary to the invoice they have received from the Student Administration Centre: for visit to an exhibition / excursion: a minimum amount of 8 euros and a maximum of 15 euros should be expected. The cost is to be paid by the student and can by no means be recouped from fellow students, the titular nor the faculty. The cost is an approximation, made as accurately as possible. If students would experience difficulties in the payment of this cost, they can consult the Sociale Dienst Studenten via sociale.dienst.studenten@vub.ac.be of +32 2 629 23 15. More information on https://my.vub.ac.be/studiefinanciering.

Allowed unsatisfactory mark

The supplementary Teaching and Examination Regulations of your faculty stipulate whether an allowed unsatisfactory mark for this programme unit is permitted.

Academic context