Course coordinator
Class is the best time to ask questions and get advice on assessments. If you need to meet outside of class, please make an appointment via email.
Students undertake an individual project. This is a Level 3 course. Therefore, it is assumed that students will have either successfully completed the Level 1 and Level 2 courses in the Bachelor of Arts Journalism and Mass Communication Major or the Bachelor of Journalism, or be able to demonstrate equivalent background.
This course is based on supervised self-directed learning. It provides an opportunity to undertake a project in an area of special interest, and to explore issues related to journalism and communication, drawing on the theoretical and practical experiences gained while studying these fields. Through this course students will have the opportunity to think, discuss, analyse and undertake a project on issues relating to journalism.
This capstone journalism course encourages students to apply the practical and theoretical knowledge developed throughout their program to an extended journalism project. Throughout the semester, students will pitch, research and produce an in-depth piece of journalism in a form of their choice. They will then position and discuss their work in the context of contemporary practice. The course is based on supervised, self-directed learning. Students are expected to work independently and consistently on their project throughout the semester and seek ongoing and regular guidance from staff.
It is assumed students enrolled in this course are nearing the end of their journalism study at The University of Queensland. Therefore, they possess the skills and imagination to create a piece of journalism that displays thought and innovation. They must also be able to reflect on the process of creating such a piece in academic terms.
You'll need to complete the following courses before enrolling in this one:
JOUR1112, COMU2160
Class is the best time to ask questions and get advice on assessments. If you need to meet outside of class, please make an appointment via email.
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Lectures: Pre-recorded lectures will be available via Blackboard on the Thursday of the scheduled week along with readings.
Seminars: These are timetabled and will run weekly in-person. Seminars will not be recorded. A summary of seminar activities will be posted to Blackboard along with any resources. If you miss a seminar, please work through the activities and seek support at the next seminar.ᅠ
Tutorials: This is a weekly drop-in session for students to be used for individual consultations and to facilitate meeting the hurdle requirement of the course. The hurdle requirement is that you will have to have had and pass two consultations sessions with your tutor for the whole semester. You do not need to attend all tutorials nor do you need to stay for the entire duration of the tutorial. These will be run on an appointment basis which you can sign up for during seminars. More details will be available on Blackboard.
Whilst every effort is made to place students in their preferred activity, it is not always possible for a student to be enrolled in their tutorial of choice. If you require assistance, please ensure that you email timetabling.commarts@enquire.uq.edu.au from your UQ student email with:
Teaching staff do not have access to change tutorials or help with timetables; all timetabling changes must be processed through the Timetabling Team.
This course is designed to enable students to explore contemporary issues that inform the debate about journalism and communication practice in Australia and overseas and conduct research.
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Conceptualise, research, and produce an in-depth piece of journalism.
LO2.
Make professional and creative judgements.
LO3.
Critically explain and evaluate journalistic practice using relevant theory.
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Participation/ Student contribution |
Hurdle Requirement
|
Pass / Fail |
Week 3 Mon - Week 11 Fri |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Project | Journalism Project Plan & Pitch | 40% |
2/04/2026 4:00 pm |
| Essay/ Critique, Participation/ Student contribution, Project |
Journalism Project
|
60% |
28/05/2026 4:00 pm |
A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied in order to receive a specific grade for the course. Check the assessment details for more information about hurdle requirements.
Week 3 Mon - Week 11 Fri
This course has a hurdle requirement tied to Journalism Project assessment. You will not pass said assessment without meeting the hurdle requirement.
In person during tutorials or unless otherwise arranged.
You cannot defer or apply for an extension for this assessment.
Students should contact their tutor if they are unable to meet the two consultation sessions across the semester to meet the hurdle requirement.
2/04/2026 4:00 pm
For the Journalism Project Plan & Pitch assessment you are creating a plan and recording a video where you will pitch your plan for your final Journalism Project assessment.
Journalism Project Plan (300 words)
Your Journalism Project Plan component of this assessment should detail the newsworthy angle and issue you will pursue for the Journalism Project assessment. Provide details on the viability of the issue and people around the story. The plan should show how the story you will pursue is newsworthy, true and supported by facts. It should reveal something we do not know or offer a fresh perspective on a situation.
The Journalism Project Plan should be supported by initial research and investigation that includes what people have said about the issue and what is revealed in documents. This can include speaking to key primary sources, reading relevant documents, observing or attending locations and events and including an analysis of these in your plan.
This is an outline of how you plan to develop your stories for the Journalism Project assessment.
• Pitch a potentially viable hard news story angle for the Hard News Story component of your Journalism Project. Show how this can fulfill the criteria of being a hard news story using elements of news (timeliness, proximity, etc) and what primary and secondary sources could be used.
• Give details of the treatment for the In-Depth Journalistic Story component of your Journalism Project. Think about how you will tell this longer feature format story. Identify people to interview, documents to access, observations to complete, etc.
• Identify medium and examples of published journalism that demonstrates practices you will try to emulate. Give examples of relevant outstanding reporting that you are inspired by.
• Include a statement on safety and ethical risks associated with your project, ie: state that your plans fall within the scope of the School’s generic risk assessment guidelines, if it does, and that the project adheres to the MEAA Code of Ethics, while identifying any other potential risks.
Journalism Project Pitch (1 to 2 minutes recorded video)
For the Journalism Project Pitch portion of this assessment you are going to create a video where you will pitch your plan for your final Journalism Project assessment.
You have flexibility in how you want your pitch video to be shot and edited, including the use of any graphical elements and video styles. Aim to create a compelling and creative pitch video that will showcase the newsworthy nature of your Journalism Project. You are required to appear in the video and use your own voice for narration.
Your pitch video should cover the following elements.
· Attention: Start with a compelling fact, quote, or question to grab attention.
· Need: Explain why your story matters.
· Satisfaction: Present your story as the solution.
· Visualization: Help your audience see the benefits.
· Action: Tell your potential pitch audience what you want them to do.
· Your origin statement, which should explain who you are, why you’re interested in this story, and why you’re the right person to tell it.
Include a slide with text at the end of the video to which you can add additional notes and an APA reference list for any references made within the video. Also include the same information in the slide in the Journalism Project Plan document under the heading Pitch Video References and Notes.
Risk
Your plans must fall within the scope of the School’s generic risk assessment guidelines. Students must not pursue projects that carry political, social or health risks. This will be discussed in class
This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. Whilst students may use AI and/or MT technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance. Whilst Generative AI and/or MT can be powerful news gathering tools and primary sources, it also has the capacity to undermine audience trust in news and information, and the use of Generative AI and MT must be considered and transparent. Should you wish to use AI/MT in your assessment, you must: consult with your tutor to make an AI/MT integration plan; reference the use of an AI/MT-generated text, audio, video or imagery in the assessment coversheet; and clearly communicate the nature, use and rationale for using AI/MT-generated material within your story (e.g. through voiceover, supers etc; best-practice models will be distributed in class).
A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their submission independent of AI and MT tools.
Upload a written document and video via Blackboard.
Refer to the Assignment Brief for further guidance, tips, and grading criteria.
EchoVideo Submission
This assignment will be submitted electronically via Blackboard and using EchoVideo. Before submitting any assignments for this course, you must ensure you have completed UQ's compulsory online Academic Integrity Tutorial.
When you successfully submit your assessment to EchoVideo, you will see text confirming your submission is complete. You will also receive an email confirmation message.
Students are responsible for retaining evidence of submission by the due date for all assessment items, in the required form (e.g. screenshot, email, photo, and an unaltered copy of submitted work).
If the submission was not successful:
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
28/05/2026 4:00 pm
This assessment has a hurdle requirement, which is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied to receive a specific grade.
Task description
For your Journalism Project assessment you are required to:
1. Complete hurdle requirement (Pass two consultation sessions on your Journalism Project assessment with your tutor).
2. Produce A Hard News Story – 300 words (10%).
3. Produce an In-depth journalistic story - 1,500 words or equivalent (40%).
4. Write an Exegesis - 1,000 words (10%).
1. Hurdle Requirement
This assessment is tied to a hurdle requirement. You will not pass this assessment without meeting the hurdle requirement.
The hurdle is that you must have passed at least 2 consultation sessions on your Journalism Project Assessment during the semester with your tutor during tutorials by the end of Week 11.
Alternative arrangements can be made for those unable to attend tutorials based on evidence and documentation provided.
Time will be allocated in tutorials for consultation sessions. The order in which consultations will happen in tutorials will be determined by the tutor with a view that all students get a chance to have two consultations in the semester to meet this hurdle.
During consultation sessions, you will need to discuss your Journalism Project ideas with your tutor and evidence the work you are doing for your assessment.
Consultations will generally run for around ten minutes or until the tutor is satisfied that the hurdle requirement is met or not.
Students will know whether they have met the hurdle requirement at the end of the consultation session.
Progress of meeting the hurdle requirement will also be available to view on Blackboard under Assessments which will be updated weekly.
More information on this hurdle requirement is on Blackboard and will also be discussed in seminars.
2. Hard News Story
Write the news story you proposed for the Journalism Project Plan assessment. Any changes must be discussed with the tutor in class and approved.
The story should be newsworthy and based on facts. It should reveal something we do not know or offer a fresh perspective on a situation. It should not simply tell us what is already in the public domain.
The story should be fully sourced and should demonstrate primary sourcing and should ideally include original sources, original reporting, interviews and observations and original analysis.
The story should be written in an inverted pyramid style and read like a news report for a print or online publication.
The story must be original. Do not rework a story that has been submitted in another course or in any other forum, e.g: internship, ABC Pitch.
The story should be written as a piece of publishable journalism. It should use journalistic attribution, style and form.
3. In-depth journalistic story
Produce an original, in-depth piece of journalism in a medium and style of your choice. The story should be the one you proposed previously for the Journalism Project Plan assessment. Any changes must be discussed with the tutor in class and approved.
We are looking for a strong story in terms of research, narrative, and treatment. We want to see that you can produce work of a professional standard and defend your decisions.
Options include, but are not limited to:
1. Written feature story or series of linked, shorter stories with images;
2. Photographic essay with extended captions and introduction [15 images];
3. Mini audio documentary (10 – 15 minutes)
4. Mini video documentary (7 - 10 minutes).
Originality: Students are expected to produce original material, based on original research. Stories should be properly and originally sourced. Using the work of others may be considered a form of plagiarism. Include an appendix that lists all sources, primary and secondary, used in both stories. Please see the Assignment Brief for guidance on what should be included.
Attribution: Follow the ABC Style Guide regarding sourcing. Use journalistic attribution, which is different from academic in text referencing, for the main body of the story.
Include a list of primary sources as contact lists and notes, and secondary sources as a reference list in APA format at the end of this component of this assessment.
Please refer to the Assignment Brief on Blackboard for more guidance.
Risk: Your project must fall within the scope of the School’s generic risk assessment guidelines. Any activities outside of these parameters must be approved via the University’s Risk Assessment process. Students must not pursue projects that carry political, social or health risks. This will be discussed in class.
4. Exegesis
An exegesis is an essay that critically discusses a creative work in light of contemporary or emerging practice. It should draw on both theory and practice, both your own and that of others. We recommend you maintain a journal throughout the course.
We suggest the following structure:
1. Introduction: a brief outline of the work you are writing about, why it is important, and what aspects you will concentrate on.
2. Context: outline the relevant journalistic context: practical, methodological, or theoretical. What are the established and emerging ways of approaching this type of narrative or medium? This section should draw on theory and examples of practice.
3. Form, content and function: how have you approached the task? Explain what you hoped to achieve how and why.
4. Discussion: Critique your work in light of the methods, theory, and practices outlined earlier. Focus on specific aspects of your work to illustrate how you worked through issues through practice.
5. Conclude: briefly round off the discussion by highlighting what you have learned about journalism.
*Your exegesis should be referenced using APA style.
This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. Whilst students may use AI and/or MT technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance. Whilst Generative AI and/or MT can be powerful news gathering tools and primary sources, it also has the capacity to undermine audience trust in news and information, and the use of Generative AI and MT must be considered and transparent. Should you wish to use AI/MT in your assessment, you must: consult with your tutor to make an AI/MT integration plan; reference the use of an AI/MT-generated text, audio, video or imagery in the assessment coversheet; and clearly communicate the nature, use and rationale for using AI/MT-generated material within your story (e.g. through voiceover, supers etc; best-practice models will be distributed in class).
A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their submission independent of AI and MT tools.
Submit via Blackboard.
Exegesis should be in Word or PDF format. The journalism component should be in an appropriate format, eg: PDF, MP3 or MP4, and will be submitted electronically via Blackboard and using EchoVideo. Before submitting any assignments for this course, you must ensure you have completed UQ's compulsory online Academic Integrity Tutorial.
Please visit this webpage for further advice on how to submit your EchoVideo.
When you successfully submit your assessment to EchoVideo, you will see text confirming your submission is complete. You will also receive an email confirmation message.
Students are responsible for retaining evidence of submission by the due date for all assessment items, in the required form (e.g. screenshot, email, photo, and an unaltered copy of submitted work).
If the submission was not successful:
· Note the error message (preferably take a screenshot).
· Go to your assignment page and see if it is possible to submit again.
· If you cannot submit again email your course coordinator immediately with the assignment attached.
A URL may be provided for if the story has been produced using an online platform such as Adobe Spark or Shorthand. Screenshots of all URL related external content should be included in a document and uploaded to Blackboard at the time of submission. The URL and any passwords should be provided in the Notes section of the submission or within the document being uploaded. Ensure that all external content is viewable by the tutor.
Please refer to the Assignment Brief on Blackboard for more guidance.
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Please note that extensions are only available for the work being submitted via Blackboard. If students cannot attend their consultation sessions to meet their hurdle requirement tied to this final assessment, they must contact their tutor/course coordinator as soon as possible to discuss options.
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 0 - 24 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 2 (Fail) | 25 - 44 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 45 - 49 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources are available on the UQ Library website.
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Week 1 (23 Feb - 01 Mar) |
Lecture |
Week 1 Lecture (Pre-Recorded): Welcome to Journalism Project Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Seminar |
Week 1: NO SEMINAR |
|
Tutorial |
Week 1: NO TUTORIAL |
|
Week 2 (02 Mar - 08 Mar) |
Lecture |
Week 2 Lecture (Pre-Recorded): Nose for News Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Seminar |
Week 2 Seminar: News Story Categories Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
|
Tutorial |
Week 2: NO TUTORIAL |
|
Week 3 (09 Mar - 15 Mar) |
Lecture |
Week 3 Lecture (Pre-Recorded): Ideas & Pitching Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Seminar |
Week 3 Seminar: News Briefs & Story Angles Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
|
Tutorial |
Week 3 Tutorial: Hurdle Consultations Drop-in tutorial session by appointment. Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
|
Week 4 (16 Mar - 22 Mar) |
Lecture |
Week 4 Lecture (Pre-Recorded): Research and Sourcing Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Seminar |
Week 4 Seminar: Pitching & Planning Stories Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
|
Tutorial |
Week 4 Tutorial: Hurdle Consultations Drop-in tutorial session. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
|
Week 5 (23 Mar - 29 Mar) |
Lecture |
Week 5 Lecture (Pre-Recorded): Interviewing Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Seminar |
Week 5 Seminar: Sourcing & Attribution Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
|
Tutorial |
Week 5 Tutorial: Hurdle Consultations Drop-in tutorial session by appointment. Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
|
Week 6 (30 Mar - 05 Apr) |
Lecture |
Week 6 Lecture (Pre-Recorded): Story Structure Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Seminar |
Week 6 Seminar: Interviewing Techniques Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
|
Tutorial |
Week 6 Tutorial: Hurdle Consultations Drop-in tutorial session by appointment. Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
|
Mid-sem break (06 Apr - 12 Apr) |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
MID-SEMESTER BREAK |
Week 7 (13 Apr - 19 Apr) |
Lecture |
Week 7 Lecture (Pre-Recorded): Broadcast Story Structures Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Seminar |
Week 7 Seminar: Story Structure Cases Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
|
Tutorial |
Week 7 Tutorial: Hurdle Consultations Drop-in tutorial session by appointment. Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
|
Week 8 (20 Apr - 26 Apr) |
Lecture |
Week 8 Lecture (Pre-Recorded): Visual & Multimedia stories Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Seminar |
Week 8 Seminar: Interrogating Practice and Cases Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
|
Tutorial |
Week 8 Tutorial: Hurdle Consultations Drop-in tutorial session by appointment. Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
|
Week 9 (27 Apr - 03 May) |
Lecture |
Week 9 Lecture (Pre-Recorded): Exegesis Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Seminar |
Week 9 Seminar: Analysing Long Form Journalism Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
|
Tutorial |
Week 9 Tutorial: Hurdle Consultations Drop-in tutorial session by appointment. Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
|
Week 10 (04 May - 10 May) |
Lecture |
Week 10 Lecture (Pre-Recorded): The Art & Responsibility of Journalism Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Seminar |
Week 10 Seminar: Writing the Exegesis Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
|
Tutorial |
Week 10 Tutorial: Hurdle Consultations Drop-in tutorial session by appointment. Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
|
Week 11 (11 May - 17 May) |
Lecture |
Week 11: NO LECTURE |
Seminar |
Week 11 Seminar: Finalising Project Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
|
Tutorial |
Week 11 Tutorial: Hurdle Consultations Drop-in tutorial session by appointment. Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
|
Week 12 (18 May - 24 May) |
Lecture |
Week 12: NO LECTURE |
Seminar |
Week 12: NO SEMINAR |
|
Tutorial |
Week 12 Tutorial: Hurdle Consultations Drop-in tutorial session by appointment. Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.
Communication Expectations
While you are a student at UQ, all communication must be conducted according to the UQ Student Code of Conduct. The UQ Library has a helpful Communicate and collaborate online module.