You are a student with an interest in international arts and culture, societal developments and media innovation. You would like to be part of an intercultural classroom and make original and creative stories on culture and identity. Training in journalism storytelling and design thinking are part of the programme. You are eager to share your own skills and knowledge with other students and contribute to an interdisciplinary team.
You are a curious and critical thinker and a team player, ready to expand your horizon as a global professional. Study and reporting trips in Europe are part of your programme.
If you are looking for an extra challenge: this programme offers elective options on honours level, rewarded with a HU star certificate for excellence.
Admission
This programme runs in an intercultural classroom with students from study programmes in the Netherlands and from international exchange. It therefore has an intake procedure.
All applicants need to fill out an entry form and supply information on study background, level of English and personal motivation. This also helps us to organize interdisciplinary and intercultural learning, journalism skills training and groups assignments. Please use this link and send your documents to the email-address included. NOTE: registration in HU-minors is not enough, you will not be admitted to this programme without an intake! Make sure you have this covered before the deadline.
The Examination Board determines which minors do not have a higher professional education level and/or have an unacceptable overlap with the compulsory curriculum of your own study programme. Check at the page Not allowed minor courses under your institute which minors are not allowed. This page will be updated from 25 February 2023 for the 2023-2024 minor offer.
Content
Cultural Journalism is a challenging international programme at HU in Utrecht. Students from study programmes in the Netherlands will have the opportunity to join students from countries all over the world in our intercultural classroom. All courses are interlinked and part of the same integrated programme, they cannot be taken as stand-alone courses.
In the programme you will encounter topics such as:
- arts and culture;
- lifestyle and identity;
- globalization and creative cities;
- international cultural journalism;
- innovations in cultural journalism and media;
- excursions and field trips in Europe.
Prior experience in journalism or communication is an advantage, but not a requirement. In our newsroom we will teach the basics of reporting and with the help of co-students with more reporting experience, you will even be able to make short audiovisual-productions.
Cultural Journalism is offered on bachelor level with honours level, through more complex assignments and personal achievements. Honours level is rewarded with 1-2 HU-honours stars.
Learning objectives
1. News gathering and research
Selecting topics and contextualising journalistic topics on international and/or European level, based on your own journalism research, including the use and analyses of data (qualitative and quantitative).
2. Journalism Production
Producing a complex, cross media production.
3. Accountability and the public
Building relationships with the public and/or diverse target groups. Accounting for journalism conduct in the public and professional sphere.
4. Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Developing a journalism concept on the basis of practice based and design oriented research. Devising a business plan for the production and sale of a journalism production/story.
5. Practice based research and Reflection
Conducting a research into a media/journalism related issue or trend by means of practice based research.
Note: These competences follow the Tartu Qualification Profile 2020 published by the European Journalism Training Association (www.ejta.eu).
Competences for honours level follow the profiles of the Excellent Professional as defined by the HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht, applied for Journalism and Media Studies: Reflective practitioner, Global professional, Inspiring leader, Entrepreneur, and Digital creative.
Honours level is defined by a higher level of complexity, a broader scope (multidisciplinary) and autonomous professional conduct, in line with the Dublin Descriptors, level 6+ (bachelor with honours). Students can choose their competencies to work on within the framework of the profiles.
Courses
1. Content courses on European Arts, Culture and Identity, Creative Cities and Globalization (5EC)
2. Research skills through story-based inquiry methods (5EC)
3. Journalism Skills and Workshops providing training in storytelling for diverse media (5EC)
4. Cross–media production of your own story and publication on the School of Journalism platform (5EC)
5. Media and design thinking, including media theory and skills training (5EC)
6. Innovation project in which a team designs an innovative solution for a business opportunity in cultural media (5EC)
NOTE: this is an integrated programme training you to become an international reporter in the field of cultural journalism, it is therefore not possible to take only some courses and skip others. Active participation in all classes is required, attendance of group work and excursions are mandatory.
Assessment
Assessment differs in the different courses. The Content course and Media and design thinking have written tests, in combination with smaller assignments and presentations. Portfolio assignments are specifically part of the Research and Journalism Skills courses. Cross–media production and Innovation project are assessed in integrated assignments with productions, reviews and reflection.
Literature
- Will Gompertz, What are you looking at? 150 Years of Modern Art in the Blink of an Eye; Penguin Books, 2016.
- Stuart Hall, Representation, Cultural representations and Signifying practices, 2nd edition, Sage, 2013.
Schedule
Students that are admitted into the programme will receive the study guide before Christmas. The final time table will be ready by mid-January. This is a full time programme with 3-4 days on-campus education. Active participation is required.
With the exception of the first teaching period of the academic year (starting September), the lesson and test schedules are always posted on Mijn Rooster four weeks before the start of each teaching period. The schedule for the first teaching period of the academic year can be found on the site three weeks before the start. The most up-to-date schedule is always visible on Mijn Rooster.
At HU, full-time education may be scheduled between 08:30 and 19:00.
Additional costs
A 4-day fieldtrip to Berlin is part of the programme and will cost approximately:
- Hostel: 35 euro per night, excluding breakfast (3-4 nights)
- Travel: depending on train or plane to Berlin approximately 75-200 euros
- Meals: own choice
You will not need a visa for Germany, as Germany is a Schengen-country, but you have to bring your passport or ID-card. You will have to submit passport information to the coordinator in order to book visits/excursions.
The cost for your cross-media production (reporting trip) depends on your country of destination. You always have the option to pick a topic in the Netherlands with few additional costs.
This minor course is marked by the Green Office as a sustainable minor. This means that by participating in this minor course, you can contribute to one or more of the Sustainable Development Goals from the UN.