6 ECTS credits
166 h study time

Offer 1 with catalog number 4019912FNR for all students in the 1st semester at a (F) Master - specialised level.

Semester
1st semester
Enrollment based on exam contract
Impossible
Grading method
Grading (scale from 0 to 20)
Can retake in second session
Yes
Taught in
English
Faculty
Faculty of Social Sciences & SolvayBusinessSchool
Department
Communication Sciences
Educational team
Ike Picone (course titular)
Activities and contact hours
8 contact hours Lecture
18 contact hours Seminar, Exercises or Practicals
140 contact hours Independent or External Form of Study
Course Content

Scope: 

  • critically reflect on current evolutions in the field of media and journalism in Europe, with a specific focus on digital disruption 
  • bridge theoretical knowledge and journalism practice by applying theoretical concepts to understand, critically assess and formulate prospective insights on specific case studies in Europe

The course starts with an overview of the key disruptions engendered by digital technologies in media and journalism, critically framed by means of academic theories, concepts and empirical studies in the field of journalism and media studies. Journalism is approached as a business, a professional practice and a public institution.

Subsequently, key case studies are identified and analysed during class. The students are asked to prepare critical reflections – based on academic literature, additional information they have gathered and concrete cases – t o be discussed in group and plenary sessions during class. The discussions are aimed at applying theoretical concepts and background information to analyse and assess the journalistic implications of specific trends and technologies. The case studies selected will subsequently focus on 

  • industrial shifts in journalism, focusing on the disintegration of the news media value chain: changing news ecosystem in Europe, the rise of entrepreneurial journalism and the importance of journalistic innovation, the role of citizen journalism, etc. 
  • social shifts in journalism, focusing on the extension of the active media user: the role of new users in directing (viral) news and shaping editorial agenda’s, the collaboration between journalist and participatory news users, the advent of niche journalism focusing on small communities, etc.
  • technological shifts in journalism, focusing on the ‘rise of the robots’: the pervasiveness of audience metrics in newsrooms, computational journalism, journalistic collaboration through digital means, etc.

The goal of the discussions is to prepare the student to draft a white paper aimed at helping journalists and media professionals understand an issue, solve a problem or make a decision related to a trend or technology and its implications for journalism as a business, practice and institution. Students will take the role of a policy officer or business analyst, identify a case study in the field of journalism (product, process, company, policy, etc.) and elaborate on it.

Course material
Digital course material (Required) : Texts and Powerpoint Slides, Canvas
Additional info

Teaching Methods

  • Lecture: collective contact-dependent moments during which the lecturer engages with learning materials
  • Seminar, Exercises or Practicals (Practical): collective or individual contact-dependent moments during which the students are guided to actively engage with learning materials
  • Independent or External Form of Study (Self): independent study

This description of the teaching methods is indicative, in order to assess the expected study load.

Lecture: 6 hours (3 x 2 hours)

Practicals: 18 hours

  • class discussions and critical reflection: 9 x 2 hours

Self: 136 hours

  • individual preparation of class discussion by going through the supplied literature: 36 hours (9 x 4 hours)
  • collect extra information on the cases and prepare a critical reflection for class discussion: 36 hours (9 x 4 hours)
  • desk research in preparation of the white paper: 32 hours (4 days of 8 hours)
  • writing of the white paper based on the supplied literature and desk research: 32 hours (4 days of 8 hours)
Learning Outcomes

Algemene competenties

After having followed the course, students

  • can position themselves as critical-reflective professionals in the field of media and journalism in Europe
  • are able to engage critically, intensively, interactively and collectively with a topic relating to journalism and media, in the context of current developments,
  • can apply scientific insights to the study of professional practices,
  • can bridge academic insights and societal needs of journalistic stakeholders
  • to integrate insights from literature and related sources to form a grounded argumentation as the basis for their reflection
  • can tackle specific current journalistic cases such as new formats, new value chains, new roles, etc. in an open and constructive way and in dialogue with their peers as well as academics, journalists, media workers and other relevant stakeholders
  • can translate theoretical insights and assessments into concrete scenario’s, policy advise and guidelines, strategic plans, and are able to communicate this

Grading

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

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

  • White Paper with a relative weight of 75 which comprises 75% of the final mark.
  • Weekly discussions with a relative weight of 25 which comprises 25% of the final mark.

Additional info regarding evaluation

The final grade is composed based on the following categories: 

  • Individual written assignment: White Paper (75% of the final mark). 

Students will have to write a White Paper, in which they will apply the course material, class discussions and case studies to elaborate on a specific trend or technology within journalism.

  • Individual weekly preparation of class discussions (25% of the final mark).

Students will have to submit individual weekly preparations of class discussion, in which the students prepare the next class discussion by writing and submitting a 2 pager according to a template provided. Students are scored on the timeliness and completeness of weekly submitting the preparations. Feedback is given during the class discussions. 

The final exam result consist of the sum of the weighted partial result, but only when the student was awarded a minimum of 37,5/75 for the White Paper. If this condition is not met, the partial result of the White Paper will count as the final exam result.

Failing to submit the White Paper will result in an absence for the whole course. Failing to participate in the weekly discussions will result in a score of 0/20 for this part of the exam. 

 

Second session

In second session the final grade is composed in the same way.

The weekly preparations cannot be retaken in second session. The result for this part of the exam will be transferred to second session. 

 

Partial results are not transferable to the next academic year. If the student does not pass for the whole course, al exam parts need to be retaken. Concretely, the student will need to hand in weekly preparation for the classes in the next academic year.

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

This offer is part of the following study plans:
Master of Communication Studies: Media, Journalism and Politics (only offered in Dutch)
Master of Communication Studies: Journalism and Media in Europe