Syllabus for Media and Communication Studies B: Journalism Studies

Decisions and guidelines

This course is part of the Bachelor program in Media and Communication and Journalism studies. The course may be given in English or Swedish.

Learning outcomes

After the course the student should be able to:

Knowledge and understanding

• understand the main theories and academic debates in the field of Journalism Studies,
• understand the societal roles of journalism and the main challenges for journalism in the contemporary media environment.

Competence and skills

• reflect on the main theoretical debates in the field of Journalism Studies,
• reflect on the professional, ideological and ethical challenges, as well as the broader social context, of journalism,
• present and analyse, in oral and text-based forms, theoretically driven accounts of the above debates, challenges and phenomena, in the field of Journalism Studies.

Judgement and approach

• demonstrate an understanding of the importance of the ethical and legal implications of journalistic practice,
• demonstrate insight into the importance of investigative journalism, for societies, at their many levels.

Content

This course provides the foundations for understanding the main theories, discourses and academic debates within Journalism Studies. The course also elaborates on the roles and challenges for journalism in a globalized and changing media environment. Normative theories and sociology of journalism, but also, critical theory and cultural studies, will be used to present and discuss a number of phenomena and debates, structured around four thematic areas: i. news production (professional identity and newsroom culture, news values and news selection, journalists and their sources), ii. news content (agenda setting, news framing, ideology in the news, news narratives), iii. journalism and society (social, cultural, political, economic and regulatory environment of media and journalism, journalism and democracy, news audiences), iv. contemporary trends in news media (global media, digital media, social media, convergence, participatory and alternative media). This general and broad study of journalism will be complemented by two smaller modules focused on the ethical and legal dimension of journalism and on investigative journalism.

Instruction

Lectures, seminars and workshops are combined with individual and group work activities and assignments.

Assessment

The course is examined through active participation in compulsory activities, in individual and group-work assignments, and in oral and/or written exam.