COMS331-25S1 (C) Semester One 2025

Researching and Reporting News

30 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 17 February 2025
End Date: Sunday, 22 June 2025
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Sunday, 2 March 2025
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Sunday, 11 May 2025

Description

This course provides an introduction to the foundational skills and knowledge required for communicating news and information to various publics. You’ll learn how to develop writing and multimedia skills to produce engaging digital content. You’ll also gain knowledge of your ethical responsibilities and learn to critically reflect on your own and others' media practice. The course combines analytical skills with practical experience, including fieldwork and work placement opportunities, to help consolidate the links between theory and practice and develop independence in professional work. Please note, the course’s strongly practical focus requires active in-class engagement. It is not a distance course. Note: This course is restricted to students enrolled in the Bachelor of Communication (Journalism) or Graduate Diploma in Journalism.

Learning Outcomes

Learning objectives
By the end of this course, you’ll have been introduced to the research, writing, reporting and multimedia skills needed to succeed in a rapidly changing media world. You’ll be expected to use a range of tools and techniques, including audio-visual and data skills, to report news and information accurately across different media platforms, and to critically reflect on your practice.

We expect you to develop:
1. organisational and time management skills, including an ability to meet deadlines;
2. an ability to produce journalism independently across a range of platforms, including audio- visual media;
3. an ability to conduct interviews;
4. an ability to reflect critically on your own and others’ media practice;
5. an ability to apply analytical and critical reasoning to media production;
6. a critical knowledge of news and current affairs;
7. an understanding of the role of journalism in society in general and in contemporary New
       Zealand in particular;
8. research and investigative skills, including the retrieval and critical analysis of information
       from a range of sources using a range of tools;
9. an ability to communicate with and work collaboratively with others;
10. a high standard of ethical behaviour.

University Graduate Attributes

This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attributes specified below:

Critically competent in a core academic discipline of their award

Students know and can critically evaluate and, where applicable, apply this knowledge to topics/issues within their majoring subject.

Employable, innovative and enterprising

Students will develop key skills and attributes sought by employers that can be used in a range of applications.

Biculturally competent and confident

Students will be aware of and understand the nature of biculturalism in Aotearoa New Zealand, and its relevance to their area of study and/or their degree.

Engaged with the community

Students will have observed and understood a culture within a community by reflecting on their own performance and experiences within that community.

Globally aware

Students will comprehend the influence of global conditions on their discipline and will be competent in engaging with global and multi-cultural contexts.

Prerequisites

Limited Entry. (i) COMS231, COMS232, COMS233. (ii) Permission from the Head of Department.

Timetable 2025

Students must attend one activity from each section.

Lecture A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Monday 13:00 - 15:00 Elsie Locke 401
17 Feb - 6 Apr
28 Apr - 11 May
26 May - 1 Jun
Lecture B
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Wednesday 10:00 - 12:00 Elsie Locke 401 (19/2-26/2, 12/3-19/3, 2/4, 30/4-7/5, 28/5)
Recording Available (26/3)
17 Feb - 2 Mar
10 Mar - 6 Apr
28 Apr - 11 May
26 May - 1 Jun
Field Trip C
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01-P1 Monday 08:30 - 12:30 - 12 May - 18 May
01-P2 Tuesday 08:30 - 12:30 - 12 May - 18 May
01-P3 Wednesday 08:30 - 12:30 - 12 May - 18 May
01-P4 Thursday 08:30 - 12:30 - 12 May - 18 May
01-P5 Friday 08:30 - 12:30 - 12 May - 18 May
Field Trip D
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01-P1 Monday 08:30 - 17:00 - 19 May - 25 May
01-P2 Tuesday 08:30 - 17:00 - 19 May - 25 May
01-P3 Wednesday 08:30 - 17:00 - 19 May - 25 May
01-P4 Thursday 08:30 - 17:00 - 19 May - 25 May
01-P5 Friday 08:30 - 17:00 - 19 May - 25 May
Placement A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01-P1 Monday 09:00 - 17:00 - 9 Jun - 15 Jun
01-P2 Tuesday 09:00 - 17:00 - 9 Jun - 15 Jun
01-P3 Wednesday 09:00 - 17:00 - 9 Jun - 15 Jun
01-P4 Thursday 09:00 - 17:00 - 9 Jun - 15 Jun
01-P5 Friday 09:00 - 17:00 - 9 Jun - 15 Jun
Workshop A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Tuesday 10:00 - 16:00 Elsie Locke 401
17 Feb - 6 Apr
28 Apr - 1 Jun

Course Coordinator

Conan Young

Assessment

Assessment Due Date Percentage  Description
Participation in lectures, live exercises and workshops 10% Attendance & participation 70% Leading an assigned newsroom workshop 30%
5 x News Stories 45% 5 x news stories filed to brief & deadline 15% Overall portfolio 50% • 15% OIA requests • 10% story pitches Work experience practical assessment 10%
Audio 20% • 10 radio writs • 15% edited radio interview • 30% Radio package for News story 5 • 45% RDU practical assessment
Reflective Practice 25% • 10% goal setting assignment (simple pass/fail) • 20% self-assessment on 2 news stories, including key learning from a classmate assessment on one story (simple pass/fail) • 10% peer assessment on a classmate’s story (simple pass/fail) • 60% final portfolio reflection/critique

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $2,123.00

International fee $8,535.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

Limited Entry Course

Maximum enrolment is 25

For further information see Language, Social and Political Sciences .

All COMS331 Occurrences

  • COMS331-25S1 (C) Semester One 2025