SPRING PREP: Info & application for Covering Religion
Please see information sheet and application link below.
INFORMATION SHEET AND APPLICATION FOR
COVERING RELIGION
SPRING 2010
PROFESSOR ARI L. GOLDMAN
GRADUATE SCHOOL SCHOL OF JOURNALISM
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY
Information meeting with Prof. Goldman and Dean Huff on Thursday, 10/29, 5:30 p.m., Stabile Student Center.
Whether you cover politics, health care or a foreign capital, it is essential to have a working knowledge of religion. “Covering Religion” prepares students to understand religion in society and write it about it with sensitivity, clarity and sophistication. While many who have taken this course have become religion writers, most go on to other beats and find the knowledge of religion to be invaluable. In the Spring 2010 semester the class will focus on the diversity of religious faiths found in Israel. Thanks to a generous grant from the Scripps Howard Foundation, the course will include a 10-day study-tour of Israel during spring break at no cost to students.
The first seven weeks of the course will be spent reporting on religion in the New York area. Each student is assigned a faith or a sect of a faith in which to specialize. These will include the traditional Jewish, Muslim and Christian communities as well as the Druze, the Baha’i and other religious groups. In addition to writing assignments, each student will make an oral presentation in class about his or her assigned faith.
In past years, the class visited Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Jordan, India and Ireland. In each of these places, the group met with religious leaders and visited synagogues, mosques, churches, temples and shrines.
During the Israel trip, the class will maintain a Website that includes daily updates from our travels. Each day one student is responsible for reporting on that day’s activities and posting the story on the Web. In addition, two students serve as Webmasters and another coordinates photography projects. Upon return from the study-tour students put additional stories and digital media and broadcast projects on the Web. (The Websites from previous years can be found at www.coveringreligion.org.)
Here are a few additional points —
- Class size: the class is limited to 16 students.
- Dates for the trip: The trip roughly takes place over spring break, making use of the weekends before and after for travel time.
- Requirements: Full-time students accepted to the class must submit the final draft of their Master’s Project to the Office of the Dean no later than March 10th, which is nearly two weeks before the regular deadline. In addition, all students must be up-to-date on deadlines for all other classes. No student on academic probation or academic warning will be allowed to go on the trip.
- Full-time and part-time students are eligible, whether concentrating in print, digital media or broadcast.
- Composition of the class: We are looking for a group of students that will reflect the diversity of the school in terms of gender, language skills, travel experience and country of origin.
- Health insurance: Students are responsible to be sure that they are covered while traveling abroad.
- Cost to students: The foundation pays for airfare, hotels, transfers and at least one meal a day. Students should bring enough money for two meals a day plus money for any personal items or souvenirs they wish to purchase. Students are responsible for getting their own passports in order and for paying for any visa fees.
- Students will have to arrange their own travel to and from the airport in New York.
Application process: Please fill out the on-line application. Attach a 500-word essay on why you would like to be considered for the class. Please let us know if you’ve done any religion writing in RW1 or in other settings. Applications are due on Monday, Nov. 2. Students admitted to the class will be notified by Nov. 9 and will have 24 hours to accept or decline a place in the class.
