This Department of Journalism provides the tools of investigative writing and reporting in a variety of fields, from global journalism to local topics such as travel writing and culture journalism. Diverse genres and industry-specific approaches to journalistic writing are offered, as well as multimedia forms of communicating news.
3 semester credits. Journalism is presented in this course as a communicator of the arts and culture. Students will explore the diverse media outlets that have evolved around the coverage of the arts, fashion, food, and wine, as well as literature, music, dance, theater, and cinema. Coverage of individuals, movements, events, exhibitions, and happenings will be considered for critical reviewing, popular diffusion, and sociological and philosophical questioning. The course will also study strategies of how cultural and creative journalism is presented to the public from a visual and aesthetic point of view, drawing from examples found in printed and online media. Course projects and activities will interact with the journalism activities of Blending, the magazine and newsletter of AUF’s campus press Ingorda.
3 semester credits. This course teaches students the basic writing skills necessary for news reporting. Students will perform several in-class writing assignments based on news leads. Topics will progress from short news items to longer stories with more complex issues and topics. Students will learn to gather facts through skillful interviewing techniques, practiced during role-playing exercises in class. Other topics include how to write under pressure for a deadline, develop and verify sources, and structure news stories to capture and retain the attention of the reader. Some exercises such as interviewing and fact gathering will be carried out in the field. Course projects and activities will contribute with the journalism activities of Blending, the magazine of AUF’s campus press Ingorda.
3 semester credits. This course looks at a variety of writing practices required of digital journalists and web writers, both in style and in subject matter. Students will gain experience writing diverse types of stories: investigative, news, feature, editorial, sports, entertainment, etc. They will learn how to write effectively for a targeted audience on a variety of digital platforms (such as websites including online versions of established media and wikis, blogs, applications and social media, multi-user communities and spaces, and smart device communication), document sources in a professional way, evaluate and critique their own publications, and about how online writing affects publication and interacts with social and civic participation. This course will also give students a further understanding of the principles, ethics, and practice of journalism in increasingly digitalized formats. This class includes experiential learning with CEMI. Prerequisites: Foundational writing skills are not covered. Students are expected to apply a strong command of syntax, structure, and style according to the course topic.
3 semester credits. This course examines the context in which the Italian fashion system was born. Topics begin from the evolution of fashion from the post-WWII period to the present and address the role and influence of media and culture on factors such as economic and social status, the arts, and other issues that influenced fashion. Students explore fashion's connection to identity, body, politics, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, class, and how fashion and media are interrelated with these aspects of culture. Course projects and activities will contribute with the journalism activities of Blending, the magazine of AUF’s campus press Ingorda.
3 semester credits. This special project course is offered to highly motivated students who want to enter and practice firsthand the world of magazine editing and proofreading. The student will be in charge, under the supervision of professionals, develop feature writing through the steps of checking for accuracy and suitability, digital and traditional printing, and design. Knowledge and experience in magazine and newspaper production is always extremely helpful for higher editorial positions. EL hours may be distributed from Monday through Friday. The placement may require weekend hours or ongoing research-based and editorial production activities for remote placements. This special project course features experiential learning hours with our Community Engagement Member Institutions (CEMI). CEMI are dynamic learning environments created to foster learning through a structured interaction with the community. Remote option students will gain international community exposure through a virtual setting. Students will be involved in learning by doing through real projects and integration with the local population and territory in order to remove cultural and learning barriers as well as to develop a strong likelihood for success in life. The experiential learning hours are fully supervised by instructors who track students step by step during their learning experience, monitor and advise according to student needs, and support student initiative. This unique learning model allows students to benefit from an all-encompassing educational experience based on theory and practice in real enterprises, learning of comprehensive operational processes, problem-solving, leadership, and management. Main tasks: Editorial research, editorial development, content review and revision, final portfolio. Additional materials/Dress code: Business casual attire for dress code. Not applicable to remote option. Prerequisites: Cover letter, CV, and material pertinent to the chosen area, interview.