Global Utilities

La Trobe University
University Handbook 2013

Bachelor of Journalism

Course code/s: ABJ Melbourne

The Bachelor of Journalism is a vocationally oriented degree consisting of 360 credit points that can be completed in three years of full-time study. Part-time enrolment is also available. First year consists of 60 credit points of core subjects, 30 credit points of Humanities and Social Sciences and 30 credit points of elective subjects. Second and third years consist of 60 credit points of core subjects and 60 credit points of elective subjects

Course structure

First year (120 credit points)

In their first year students study

  • 4 first year core/compulsory subjects, listed below (60 credit points)
  • 2 first year Humanities and Social Sciences elective subjects, normally from the one discipline (30 credit points)
  • 2 first year electives which can be selected from within the faculty, or from anywhere in the university, pre-requisite requirements permitting (30 credit points)
Second year (120 credit points)

In their second year students study

  • 4 second year core/compulsory subjects, listed below (60 credit points)
  • 4 second year elective subjects, either from the Faculty or from anywhere in the university, pre-requisite requirements permitting (60 credit points)
Third year (120 credit points)

In their third year students study

  • 4 third year core/compulsory subjects, listed below (60 credit points)
  • 4 third year elective subjects, either from the Faculty or from anywhere in the university, pre-requisite requirements permitting (60 credit points)
Teaching period Requirements
First year structure
TE-SEM-1 JRN1TEJ MST1MTN Elective Elective
TE-SEM-2 HUS1TIN JRN1WFM Elective Elective
Second year structure
TE-SEM-1 JRN2PAS JRN2CAJ Elective  Elective
TE-SEM-2 JRN2DIJ JRN2JPW Elective  Elective
Third year structure
TE-SEM-1 JRN3MMJ JRN3BEJ Elective  Elective
TE-SEM-2 JRN3AJP JRN3AJD Elective  Elective
Core/compulsory subjects
Teaching period Subject name Subject code
First year (15 credit points each)
TE-SEM-1 Making the News MST1MTN
TE-SEM-1 The Emerging Journalist JRN1TEJ
TE-SEM-2 The Interview HUS1TIN
TE-SEM-2 Writing for the Media JRN1WFM
Second year (15 credit points each)
TE-SEM-1 Journalism Research JRN2CAJ
TE-SEM-1 Press and Society JRN2PAS
TE-SEM-2 Dilemmas in Journalism JRN2DIJ
TE-SEM-2 Online Journalism Production JRN2JPW
Third year (15 credit points each)
TE-SEM-1 Broadcast Journalism JRN3BEJ
TE-SEM-1 Multimedia Journalism JRN3MMJ
TE-SEM-2 Advanced Journalism and Design JRN3AJD
TE-SEM-2 Advanced Journalism Practice JRN3AJP

Elective subjects

First-year electives

Students choose four first-year elective subjects. Students can choose their elective subjects from any discipline offered by the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences however, as knowledge of the Australian political system will be assumed in some journalism subjects, Bachelor of Journalism students are strongly advised to enrol in Australian Politics: government and society (POL1AUP) as one of their electives in the first semester of first year. It is also possible, with permission, for two electives to be chosen from subjects offered by other Faculties of the University.

Second and Third-year electives

Students choose four elective subjects at both second and third-year. Students may choose to continue with the disciplines they have undertaken at first-year level or may choose to take additional media studies subjects.

For further information please contact the Program Office, Humanities 2 Room 224, Phone: 03 9479 2499 Email: journalism@latrobe.edu.au