Course overview
The aim of this course is to provide students with a critical understanding of the theory and practice of visual journalism, as a distinct and developing form and in combination with other journalistic forms, as it fosters students' development as critical thinkers and ethically aware practitioners. Students will learn about the history and rapid contemporary changes in visual journalism and explore the possibilities and practices of combining words and images to convey news and other journalistic narratives in forms including photojournalism, virtual reality, augmented and mixed realities, games, cartoons, comics and illustration, data visualisation and design. Students will gain the skills to plan and produce industry standard, ethical and legally sound visual journalism projects, and to gain an understanding of the broader context and complexities associated with the creation and production of visual journalism in the 21st Century.
Course learning outcomes
- interpret the contexts, roles and opportunities associated with different aspects of visual journalism practice and storytelling
- create visual journalism through an understanding and application of the journalistic practices of researching, reporting, editing and designing, using visual forms and platforms
- explain the key issues related to visual journalism and journalism broadly in the contemporary field
- identify and practice in accordance with the ethical and legal obligations associated with professional journalism
- plan, utilise and apply a variety of visual forms, including still and moving images to journalism projects