This post summarizes my observations of the “fully integrated” multimedia journalism programs on my popular map of “multimedia journalism degree programs in U.S. and Canada.”
I have been categorizing the programs based on the way multimedia journalism is integrated into each program’s curriculum. While the category and definitions prove instrumental in understanding the nature of a new, multimedia journalism program, they also have their limitations.
How I came up with the category structure and definition
The map was started in March as a simple list for me to collect a few sample “new” journalism programs in preparation for a new course for fall 2012. However, I quickly ran into troubles with just a few “new” programs I located – how to define a new or multimedia journalism program?
There are huge differences in the way multimedia journalism is being taught at different universities and colleges. Some journalism programs have one or two elective courses in multimedia reporting, whereas some others have a completely revamped curriculum with several such courses required of all students. It does not make sense to put them all under one category without any differentiation.
With the help of Mindy McAdams, I developed a category to describe the different programs. Depending on how multimedia journalism is integrated into the curriculum, a journalism program may be “fully integrated,” “partly integrated,” “silo,” or “electives only.”
- Fully integrated: All students must take dedicated courses in multimedia or digital reporting, production and/or dissemination, along with reporting and production courses for traditional print and broadcast platforms.
- Partly integrated: All students must take dedicated courses in multimedia or digital reporting, production and/or dissemination, and choose a concentration or multiple courses that focus on a specific print or broadcast platform.
- Silo: Students choose a concentration or track focused on multimedia or digital reporting, production and/or dissemination. Separate tracks exist for other platforms such as broadcast or print.
- Electives only: Students may choose dedicated courses in multimedia or digital reporting, production and/or dissemination, but they are not required.
Observations from categorizing the programs: What is a “fully integrated” multimedia journalism program?
The “fully integrated” definition focuses on the program’s core courses and/or required courses. The rationale is that a multimedia journalism program should train a student on all fronts of journalism: print, audio/video and multimedia; so a “fully integrated” program should have in its core or required courses both traditional and new courses.
The “fully integrated” multimedia journalism programs seem to have something in common: (a) they no longer require students to select a traditional journalism concentrations such as print, magazine, broadcast and photojournalism; (b) the mandatory core or required courses include both basic print and broadcast courses; and (c) they all have a few required courses that have a clear focus on multimedia or digital journalism, the courses may come with different titles though.
Check out the following programs and pay attention to the core courses and required skills courses.
- University of Texas at Austin (new curriculum for fall 2012)
- Washington State University (new curriculum for fall 2012)
- Emerson College (new curriculum in fall 2011)
- University of Florida (new curriculum in fall 2011)
- University of Texas at El Paso (new curriculum in fall 2009)
- University of Denver
- Arizona State University
Beyond the core and required courses, “fully integrated” programs offer advanced skills courses in traditional platforms. A program may have clusters in print, audio/video, photojournalism, or multimedia, and require students to choose one or two courses from each cluster (platform). For instance, Emerson College requires students to take at least one course for each of three platforms: broadcast, writing, and multimedia. Arizona State University requires that students take three or four courses in advanced text, video, multimedia courses and other conventional journalism areas.
Limitations of this category and the definitions
The four-category definition has its limitations in describing a digital or multimedia journalism program. For one thing, this category cannot describe the depth or scope with which a program integrates multimedia journalism – a program with just one dedicated multimedia journalism course may be categorized as “fully integrated;” so is a program with more than a few such courses.
Per my definition, the journalism program at Temple University should be defined as “partly integrated” – all students are required to take core courses such as Audio/Visual Newsgathering; Writing for Journalism; Multimedia Storytelling. Students are then required to choose from about a dozen areas of specialization such as broadcast journalism, photojournalism, magazine journalism, etc.
However, “partly integrated” seems to be an underestimation of the scope and depth of the multimedia journalism training Temple University journalism program offers.
Another issue is with programs that build multimedia journalism into existing courses – without dedicated courses in multimedia journalism. Take for instance the journalism program at Boston University, where students in radio courses learn to produce audio slideshows, pairing sound and still photography; and photojournalism students create web sites to showcase their work.
Undoubtedly, multimedia journalism is being “fully integrated” into such courses and programs. A new category may be needed to account for such programs with built-in multimedia journalism components.
However, without carefully reading through individual syllabus, it is very difficult to identify such courses and programs just by reading the course title and/or the brief catalog description. That said, at least for marketing purposes, such programs should make their multimedia journalism components more salient in course descriptions, degree requirements, or program descriptions.
