Help! Journalism!

emerjane08

is there any aspect of sports journalism and/or investigative journalism and reporting in the journalism course in DCU?

thanks

SebBerkovich

Unless it's changed significantly in the last 3 years. The Journalism course is really broad and remains that way from year to year. you do Broadsheet and Tabloid stuff as well as radio and new media journalism. there generally isn't much of what you might call specialization.

(I didn't do the course myself but have a few friends that did)

emerjane08

Would you say the broadness of the course is a good thing? or am I better off doing a course with specified modules etc?

SebBerkovich

Getting a job in the industry, in any capacity is hard, it's far better to leave knowing a bit of everything than to specialize. people i know have gone from that degree into a a vast array of different careers.

But if you do want to specialize you can always do a masters.

emerjane08

SebBerkovich wrote: »

Getting a job in the industry, in any capacity is hard, it's far better to leave knowing a bit of everything than to specialize. people i know have gone from that degree into a a vast array of different careers.

But if you do want to specialize you can always do a masters.

Okay thanks a million:) really excited for this course!

PanicStations

Hello emerjane08,

Just a thought, if you want to find out what path would be the best way to get into journalism, then it could be good to speak to working journalists rather than students, as people who have graduated in the past few years would have a better idea of what editors are looking for when commissioning work and employing journalists.

With this in mind, take a look at the Dublin Freelance Forum, I know they organise training days in April and October. Maybe if you went along to one of these it would be useful as you would meet people working in the areas you are interested in and find out how they did it?

Here's the link:

http://dublinfreelance.org/discussions/freelance-forum-request-for-feedback/

emerjane08

PanicStations wrote: »

Hello emerjane08,

Just a thought, if you want to find out what path would be the best way to get into journalism, then it could be good to speak to working journalists rather than students, as people who have graduated in the past few years would have a better idea of what editors are looking for when commissioning work and employing journalists.

With this in mind, take a look at the Dublin Freelance Forum, I know they organise training days in April and October. Maybe if you went along to one of these it would be useful as you would meet people working in the areas you are interested in and find out how they did it?

Here's the link:

http://dublinfreelance.org/discussions/freelance-forum-request-for-feedback/

thanks

Mirror Image

Hi,
To save opening a new thread I want to post here. I am interested in the DCU Journalism course but I am not completely clear of the career options available after the course. I am interested in the radio side of the course and I was wondering if I would be restricted to reporter/newsteam or if it would prepare me for presenting on air. If anyone has any advice or knowledge on the topic, it would be greatly appreciated.

SebBerkovich

Mirror Image wrote: »

Hi,
To save opening a new thread I want to post here. I am interested in the DCU Journalism course but I am not completely clear of the career options available after the course. I am interested in the radio side of the course and I was wondering if I would be restricted to reporter/newsteam or if it would prepare me for presenting on air. If anyone has any advice or knowledge on the topic, it would be greatly appreciated.

I know at least 4 people who went on to work in Newstalk after doing a Journalism degree in DCU, but it's not easy, when you start off you're generally just contracted to help do research and pre-interview stuff. It don't really have much in terms of reliability.
People do end up working full time there of course but you've gotta do your time as a free lancer.

blueboy123

Mirror Image wrote: »

Hi,
To save opening a new thread I want to post here. I am interested in the DCU Journalism course but I am not completely clear of the career options available after the course. I am interested in the radio side of the course and I was wondering if I would be restricted to reporter/newsteam or if it would prepare me for presenting on air. If anyone has any advice or knowledge on the topic, it would be greatly appreciated.

I don't think it would restrict you necessarily. You learn how to use the radio studios alright and all that, but you dont do anything about radio presenting, you do more about news reporting. Using the bits in the course that you've learned with DCUfm would be the best thing. They teach you everything there too and give you the opportunity to get experience in presenting and being part of a radio show, nothing beats experience.

Mirror Image

Thanks for the reassuring input.

Caledonia

Would you not consider doing an Arts degree, have seen again and again it is preferred to a degree in journalism when working. You will have a background in a proper subject and can do work experience during college for training.

Mirror Image

Caledonia wrote: »

Would you not consider doing an Arts degree, have seen again and again it is preferred to a degree in journalism when working. You will have a background in a proper subject and can do work experience during college for training.

Can you expand on that a bit more, I don't completely understand what you mean.

Caledonia

You can train to be a journalist without a degree in journalism.
Do a degree in a subject you are really interested in, get work experience on the side and you will be better poised for a career in journalism.
There is often more respect for a degree in English/History than for one in pure journalism among journalists.
Another advantage is you will have expert knowledge on a subject you can then write on, eg. Science.
Dearbhail McDonald, the legal reporter editor with the Indo, for example has a law degree from Trinity before doing the MA in Journalism from DCU. It really shows.
Many who have done the primary degree in journalism regret not doing subjects they were really interested in and good at, as they realise they could have learned on the job a lot of what they covered in college.