Advanced Diploma In Journalism VWR003

Become a successful journalist! Being paid to write is a dream shared by many! Journalism is an exciting profession. We advise some experience before embarking on this career as there will certainly be challenges, such as writing well under pressure and writing for your employers requirements. This course will teach you the skills you need to achieve your potential! Before embarking on a substantial course of study with us or anyone else; be sure you fully understand what is involved. Some people simply don't succeed perhaps because the dream is not the same as the reality; or maybe they are simply not the right personality. This job is not just about writing well: it also requires you to be able to write fast, work under pressure. You also need to be prepared to write what an employer wants, which is not always the same as what you want. This is the reality of journalism. If you can get past these considerations, and with a bit of luck, you may be able to forge a serious career.

Journalists are primarily writers who are writing for periodicals (ie. things published at regular intervals). Some journalists work on staff for a publisher (full time or part time),from the publishers office; while others may work freelance or contract, from home, submitting articles which have been commissioned, or on spec (ie. in the hope they will be accepted).
Freelance journalists often start slow, only getting occasional articles published early in their career; but with persistence and good luck, they can develop a reputation and network of publishers who accept their work (so much so that they can earn a comfortable living from their writing).

Some in house journalists will find themselves being used to perform a range of other jobs in the office where they work. Pasrticularly in smaller publishing houses, they may need to help with editing, layout -preparing publications for printing, web site development, marketing copy writing, conducting interviews, answering the phone, research for articles, photography, etc.

Some freelance journalists supplement their income by indertaking other work as well, such as contract editing for publishers, writing advertizing copy or web site development, taking and selling photos, etc.

COURSE CONTENT
This Diploma is designed to not only develop your capacity to write commercially viable copy, but also understand the publishing industry, and develop a variety of skills which will be useful to employers or yourself when pursuing a career in journalism.

To obtain this Diploma you must complete all assignments and pass an exam in eighteen modules, and provide written proof of having for a period of 300 hours either:
A. Attended industry meetings (eg. Trade shows, seminars, committee meetings) relevant to event management, or
B. Undertaken 300 hours of work experience in a publishers office, in a situation which can be shown to be an effective learning experience

Compulsory (Core) ModulesAll of the following must be completed and passed:
Freelance Writing
Creative Writing
Advanced Freelance Writing
Editing I
Editing II
Publishing I
Publishing II
Introduction to Photography
Photoshop
Research Project I

Elective Modules
Eight further modules must be chosen from the following:
Publishing III
Photographic Practice
Children\'s Writing
Technical Writing
Research Project II
Research Project III
Research Project IV
Computer Studies II
Computer Servicing I
Business Studies I
Advertizing and Promotions
E Commerce
HTML (Writing a Web Site)
Statistics

Note: Your choice of modules from those listed above should be determined according to deficiencies in your past studies or experience. Your choice of electives can (and should) be made, after completing the compulsory modules.

More details on each of these modules can be found within our web site; or by emailing us requesting details.
Being paid to write things is a dream shared by many. It can be an exciting profession, but before embarking on a substantial course of study whit us or anyone else; be sure you fully understand what is involved. Some people simply don\'t succeed perhaps because the dream is not the same as the reality; or maybe they are simply not the right personality. This job is not just about writing well: it also requires you to be able to write fast, work under pressure. You also need to be prepared to write what an employer wants, which is not always the same as what you want. This is the reality of journalism. If you can get past these considerations, and with a bit of luck, you may be able to forge a serious career.