Graduate Diploma of Journalism
2021 Deakin University Handbook
| Year | 2021 course information |
|---|---|
| Award granted | Graduate Diploma of Journalism |
| Course Map | This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 1 2021. This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 2 2021. |
| Campus | Offered at Burwood (Melbourne) |
| Cloud Campus | Yes |
| Duration | 1 year full-time or part-time equivalent |
| CRICOS course code | 046736B Burwood (Melbourne) |
| Deakin course code | A649 |
| Approval status | This course is approved by the University under the Higher Education Standards Framework. |
| Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition | The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 8. |
Course sub-headings
- Course overview
- Career opportunities
- Participation requirements
- Mandatory student checks
- Alternative exits
- Fees and charges
- Course Learning Outcomes
- Course rules
- Course structure
- Work experience
Course overview
Build specialised and multidisciplinary skills to thrive in an evolving industry with the Graduate Diploma of Journalism. Hone your craft in professional standard newsrooms, connect with leading journalists from day one and graduate with an impressive portfolio of work.
Want to be a multi-skilled communicator and content creator, capable of reporting stories with impact across multiple platforms?
Journalism is in a state of change. Emerging media platforms, the rise of fake news and a dynamic 24/7 news landscape have increased the demand for accurate, versatile and adaptable journalists. A changing industry creates opportunities for those with future-focused skills in critical thinking and analysis, research and investigation, interviewing, writing and reporting and the ability to innovate and connect with diverse audiences across a range of media. Deakin’s Graduate Diploma of Journalism trains you in these very skills, preparing you for success no matter where your career takes you.
The course’s focus on cross-platform content creation ensures you graduate as a multi-skilled communicator. Develop skills in:
- multimedia journalism
- investigative journalism
- feature writing
- news practice and analysis, and more.
By building experience across different platforms and styles of journalism, you can confidently navigate the diverse challenges of your future career and move seamlessly between different roles as your interests change. Elective units add another layer of flexibility to your degree and give you the chance to study units from any other postgraduate course in Deakin’s School of Communication and Creative Arts. Enhance your repertoire by studying complementary units in digital media, design, creative writing, public relations or television production.
On top of technical skills, you’ll learn about the ethical demands of the modern journalist, and discover what it takes to report accurately and with integrity in an age of misinformation.
You’ll get hands-on, early and often, with access to industry-standard facilities like our professional television studio with green screens and live streaming capabilities, editing suites, media resource centre and state-of-the-art newsroom, streaming news from around the world. In addition, you can pitch and produce stories for our very own student publication, DScribe, and secure an industry placement, giving you the chance to produce content alongside established professionals, work to deadlines and build valuable industry connections.
While there are many exciting career pathways for graduates, there are also opportunities for further study upon successful completion of the course. If you’re interested in deepening your journalism expertise and building even more industry experience, you might like to articulate into Deakin’s Master of Communication.
Career opportunities
The Graduate Diploma of Journalism is designed for people looking to break into journalism and the media and communications industries, as well as current journalists who want to upskill, network and progress to more advanced or diversified roles.
The course recognises that media professionals of the future require versatile skills that allow them to adapt to the changing needs of the industry. Whether you want to work in newspapers, digital media, radio, television, specialist publishing or corporate communications, the course provides you with the multidisciplinary skills and knowledge needed to develop engaging stories and content across all platforms, including traditional and emerging media.
Graduates are prepared to pursue work across a wide range of industry sectors, including:
- multimedia businesses
- sports media
- government departments and not-for-profit organisations
You'll also have the freedom to work as an employee or as a freelancer. You can explore roles as a:
- news reporter
- mobile journalist
- producer
- editor or sub-editor
- blogger
- copywriter
- corporate communicator or media advisor.
Participation requirements
Reasonable adjustments to participation and other course requirements will be made for students with a disability. Click here for more information.
Mandatory student checks
Any unit which contains work integrated learning, a community placement or interaction with the community may require a police check, Working with Children Check or other check.
Alternative exits
| Graduate Certificate of Communication (A539) |
Fees and charges
Fees and charges vary depending on your course, the type of fee place you hold, your commencement year and your study load. To find out about the fees and charges that apply to you, visit the Current students fees website or our handy Fee estimator to help estimate your tuition fees.
Course Learning Outcomes
| Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes | Course Learning Outcomes |
| Discipline specific knowledge and capabilities | Demonstrate a specialised, developed knowledge of how to identify, research, plan and produce newsworthy stories suitable for print, broadcast and online media and advanced skills for analysing theoretical issues raised by news stories and the social role of journalism, both nationally and internationally. |
| Communication | Demonstrate advanced communication skills, including the specialised, developed ability to interview, write, produce and present stories for print, broadcast and online media in a style appropriate for the specific publication and audience and to write and present material for both professional and scholarly contexts. |
| Digital literacy | A specialised, developed knowledge of how to conduct academic and news related research and critically analyse, synthesise and disseminate this information using a range of technologies, including social media, for a variety of local and global audiences. |
| Critical thinking | Demonstrate advanced understanding of how to select, critically analyse and evaluate information relating to scholarly contexts, as well as the construction of news stories. Demonstrate a specialised, developed awareness of different publication styles and media audiences in Australia and internationally. |
| Problem solving | An advanced knowledge of how to critically analyse unpredictable and sometimes complex problems and situations and generate pragmatic and creative solutions in professional and scholarly contexts. |
| Self-management | Demonstrate initiative and resourcefulness when sourcing and following-up news stories. Demonstrate autonomy, responsibility and accountability under time pressure and an ongoing commitment to reflective learning about journalism and journalistic practice. |
| Teamwork | Demonstrate a developed knowledge of how to work collaboratively with journalistic colleagues, other professionals and community members and build personal contacts and networks. |
| Global citizenship | Demonstrate specialised legal, ethical and cultural knowledge when engaging in journalistic practice in a range of diverse cultural, social and political environments. |
| Approved by Faculty Board November 2017 | |
Course rules
To qualify for the award of Graduate Diploma of Journalism, students must successfully complete:
- 6 credit points in Journalism from the units listed below, plus
- 2 credit points of electives, plus
- AAI018 Academic Integrity (0-credit-point compulsory unit)
Course structure
Core Units
| ACC717 | Law, Media and Communication |
| ALJ710 | Multimedia Journalism |
| ALJ712 | Broadcast Journalism |
| ALJ721 | International News |
| ALJ722 | Investigative and Narrative Journalism |
| ALJ728 | Feature Writing |
| ALJ729 | Newsroom Practice |
| ACC700 | Communication and Creative Arts Internship |
Electives
Electives may be chosen from the remaining units above or from any other postgraduate course in the School of Communication and Creative Arts. Students who intend to move from the Graduate Diploma into the Master of Communication are strongly advised to take ACX701 Communication Concepts for their two elective credit points.
Work experience
Elective units may provide the opportunity for Work Integrated Learning experiences.
Other course information
Course duration - additional information
Course duration may be affected by delays in completing course requirements, such as accessing or completing work placements.
Further information
Student Central can help you with course planning, choosing the right units and explaining course rules and requirements.
- Contact Student Central