Refunds for NUI journalism course

Snickers Man · 30-07-2018 2:44pm #1

Irish Times is reporting that "dozens of students" on a journalism degree course in NUI Galway are having their fees refunded because of "concerns over the quality of the course" and problems with "gaining access to work placement".

It is not clear what exactly is meant by "access to work placement" in this case, whether this was a problem in getting suitable employers to take on students as interns for a few weeks as part of the course requirements or whether it refers to the lack of success of newly graduated students in achieving gainful employment on titles worthy of their expensively honed talents.

Either problem could be caused by the same situation: the lack of opportunities on newspapers/periodicals around the country caused by the decline in the traditional industry as "social media" "blogging" and "online collateral" take over traditional journalists' roles.

Should we really be subsidising journalism courses at third level to serve a shrinking industry?

I note to my horror, in the same piece, that NUI Galway plans to offer an "MA in Sports Journalism" from 2019. WTF? You need a master's degree to be able to write about boxing, football and/or hurling? Gimme a break!!!

This seems to me to be nothing more than a job creation scheme for academics at the expense of selling the "dream" of being a media star to unsuspecting students and their parents who, let's face it, will have to shell out for all this guff.

There are so few professional sports in this country and now we want to encumber newly graduated students with the cost and time spent acquiring a MASTER'S DEGREE so they can pretend they are better at sports writing than people who actually know what they're talking about? They would be better off learning soccer's offside rule, rugby's tackle laws and the intricacies of the GAA's arcane qualification process, not to mention its highly confusing "disciplinary cards" regime. None of which requires, or should require, a feckin' MA.

IRE60 · 31-07-2018 5:03pm

They have just appointed a new head of journalism to the programme - Tom Felle, He was in the media dep in Limerick Uni and then London School of Economics - pal of Roy Greenslade. Ex Indo as well.

IRE60 · 31-07-2018 7:15pm

'MA in Sports Journalism" from 2019. WTF? You need a master's degree to be able to write about boxing, football and/or hurling? Gimme a break!!!'

Like Hunter Thompson had an MA to report on Boxing or Con had one to report on GAA - twats - Money grabbing twats

IRE60 · 31-07-2018 7:15pm

'MA in Sports Journalism" from 2019. WTF? You need a master's degree to be able to write about boxing, football and/or hurling? Gimme a break!!!'

Like Hunter Thompson had an MA to report on Boxing or Con had one to report on GAA - twats - Money grabbing twats

Snickers Man · 02-08-2018 6:19pm

IRE60 wrote: »

'MA in Sports Journalism" from 2019. WTF? You need a master's degree to be able to write about boxing, football and/or hurling? Gimme a break!!!'

Like Hunter Thompson had an MA to report on Boxing or Con had one to report on GAA - twats - Money grabbing twats

The utter cynic in me inclines me to think that this is just another "barrier to entry" to ensure that only those and such as those who are acceptable to the powers that be in the sporting world will be suitably "qualified" to be sports journalists.

You see how arsey the GAA, to name but one organisation, have become about dealing with the press: media blackouts, boycotts of certain journalists, whinges from management that they were "very disappointed" about the tone of their coverage. Soon they will have a cast iron getout that "We only talk to suitably qualified professional people, you know, like we are!"

Methinks that the real challenge to be overcome when gaining a Masters in Sports Journalism will be actually getting on the course in the first place. Definitely a case of "Who you know, not what you know".

Of course I could be wrong. Or just paranoid.

Snickers Man · 03-04-2020 4:38pm

Snickers Man wrote: »

I note to my horror, in the same piece, that NUI Galway plans to offer an "MA in Sports Journalism" from 2019. WTF? You need a master's degree to be able to write about boxing, football and/or hurling? Gimme a break!!!

This seems to me to be nothing more than a job creation scheme for academics at the expense of selling the "dream" of being a media star to unsuspecting students and their parents who, let's face it, will have to shell out for all this guff.

There are so few professional sports in this country and now we want to encumber newly graduated students with the cost and time spent acquiring a MASTER'S DEGREE so they can pretend they are better at sports writing than people who actually know what they're talking about? They would be better off learning soccer's offside rule, rugby's tackle laws and the intricacies of the GAA's arcane qualification process, not to mention its highly confusing "disciplinary cards" regime. None of which requires, or should require, a feckin' MA.

BUMP!!!

Just wondering if this course ever came to pass. And how many "lucky" candidates got accepted to do it?
Anyone?

Refunds for NUI journalism course

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