JMSC to HKU Undergraduates: space getting tight on journalism courses – sign up now or miss out

Undergraduates from all departments of the university are eligible to take Bachelor of Journalism credit-bearing classes this semester.

It’s the add-drop period so you can sign up for one of the classes that still has space and learn a wide variety of practical and highly transferable skills. The syllabus is available here and classes with spaces are listed below.

If you’re looking for an introduction to journalism, try Principles of Journalism and the News Media taught by the head of the JMSC Yuen-Ying Chan (JMSC0101). If you want to find out more about the link between the media and local and international politics there’s The Press, Politics and Government taught by John Young (JMSC0027).

For an overarching look at visual communication processes from desktop publishing, photography, layout, design and web information products try Visual Journalism taught by Matthew Leung (JMSC0038).

Two television courses have space left for budding news anchors, reporters, producers, cameramen and editors:

Introduction to Television (JMSC0046) surveys the TV industry in Asia, America and Europe with an emphasis on analysing the nature of television news and its impact. You’ll benefit from the vast experience of TV correspondent Jim Laurie.

Television News Production (JMSC0052) is taught by Asia-based video journalist Rob McBride and provides an intensive introduction to video shooting and editing. During the course you’ll shoot, edit and produce your own news stories.

BBC Radio producer and reporter Angharad Law teaches Radio News Production (JMSC0053). By the end of the semester you’ll have recorded, scripted, edited and read your own five-minute news bulletin using digital software package Adobe Audition 3.

To hone your research skills – useful for more than just journalism – there is Quantitative Research Methods for Media Studies (JMSC0062).

Journalist and research expert Fu King-Wa introduces students to quantitative research on media content, communication and processes. You will learn to formulate research questions and hypotheses and conduct basic research designs, data collection, sampling, measurement, and data analysis.