Please note that this document is updated regularly! Last updated 12/13, 2:48 p.m.
12/13/2007 Updates
- Producing a Magazine B with Jim Kelly will meet on Fridays, 2:30-5:30 pm
12/12/2007 Updates
- Second section of Business Reporting added - Prof. Paul Ingrassia
11/27/2007 Updates
- Literary Journalism will meet Fridays, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
11/26/2007 Updates
- Christopher Lehmann-Haupt will teach the Literary Journalism workshop
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Elizabeth Pochoda will teach the Magazine Editing elective
M.S. Spring 2008 Curriculum Guide
TO: All M.S. Students
FROM: David A. Klatell, Vice Dean
RE: Spring Curriculum
Here is the program of instruction for the spring term. Full-time M.S. students are required to take a 6-credit Reporting and Writing Seminar, a 6-credit Media Workshop, the Master’s Project and fulfill the requirement for a 3-credit journalism elective or an approved 3-credit graduate course outside the school.
In addition, all full-time magazine concentrators will be automatically enrolled the Delacorte Evening Lecture Series (one-half credit). Part-time students concentrating in magazine may elect to take the lecture series in spring 2008 or 2009.
Students should read this material thoroughly and, after discussing the options with their advisers and the various instructors, rank their preferences on the online ballot (available as of November 21, 7:00 a.m. from the DOS Blog).
Enrollment in classes may be subject to the consent of instructors and most course enrollments are necessarily limited. As a result, some students may be assigned to classes that may not be among their top three picks. This is done as fairly and equitably as possible. If circumstances warrant, it may be possible to add a second section for certain classes, with different instructors. However, we cannot guarantee that we will add sections to any course, no matter the demand.
The curriculum reflects the best judgment of the faculty and administration, based on our many years of experience, and is not a popularity contest. We reserve the right to add, delete or move courses (though we try to keep this to a minimum) and sometimes have to change instructors if schedule conflicts become intractable. Students are required to rank their preferences for seminars, workshops, and electives.
Students should be aware that evaluations of courses by students in previous years are available for your perusal; they are available at www.columbia.edu/cu/journalism/evaluations/.
The on-line ballot will be activated at 7:00 a.m., November 21. Your completed ballot must be submitted on line no later than November 28, 7 a.m. All ballots received during this time will be considered equal – this is not a “first-come, first-served” process.
The Journalism School’s spring semester begins Tuesday, January 22, when the first draft of Master’s Projects must be submitted to your adviser by 10 a.m. Students completing broadcast or new media projects should consult with their advisers regarding the format of the first draft. Deadlines for subsequent master’s drafts have been set for February 25 and March 24, both days at 10 a.m. You will receive detailed instructions as those dates grow closer.
Please Note: Wednesday, January 23 there will be a full-day of mandatory programming for full-time M.S. students; all others are welcome. Workshops begin Thursday, January 24 or Friday, January 25. Seminars begin either Monday, January 28 or Tuesday, January 29. Journalism School electives start Wednesday, January 30.
Classes taught elsewhere in the University begin the week of January 22 (except for Law & Business School courses which may begin earlier). Be sure to check with your instructors for exact dates and times.
Required courses for full-time students:
1. Advanced Reporting and Writing Seminars (J6002y), 6 credits
2. Media Workshops (J6011y), 6 credits
3. Master’s Project II (J6041y), 3 credits
4. Spring term electives (J6010y), 3 credits
How a Week Looks in the Spring:
- Monday and Tuesday: Reporting and writing Seminars
- Wednesday: Most Electives and time for Master’s Projects
- Thursday and Friday: Most Workshops
- Saturday and Sunday: Some Electives and Workshops
Note: Many courses require special class meetings (field trips, editorial meetings, etc.) in addition to the listed class time. All students, particularly those in the part-time program, should check with the faculty to ascertain if their course has such additional requirements. Many faculty members have posted these on the school web site, linked to their name on the faculty page or to the course description in this document.
Advanced Reporting and Writing Seminars
J6002y (6 credits)
The disciplines of reporting and writing are structured around specialized subject areas or style techniques. These seminars usually require two full days each week on Monday and Tuesday - you should carefully check the schedule of each course by consulting the faculty or their class schedules posted on the web site.
They are listed below with the instructors (see later pages for fuller course descriptions). Because accommodating all first choices is unlikely, students must indicate six choices. In filling out the ballots, students should list specific seminars in order of their preferences.
Note: Admission to some seminars requires the instructor’s approval in advance (see course descriptions below). If you have been selected by Judith Crist, Sam Freedman, or Ari Goldman you will be asked to indicate so on your ballot. These classes will be filled prior to the ballot, so if you have not been pre-selected by the professor, you will not be able to submit a ballot requesting those classes.
All professors are allowed to select 10 of the students who ballot for their class as a first choice; the remaining seats are filled by the Dean of Students office in a manner that is intended to equalize students’ success in getting at least some of their first-choice classes.
The Seminars (J6002y):
Workshops
J6011y (6 credits):
Media workshops include a number of options: broadcast (TV — Nightly News, Documentary, Magazine Production, and Radio), newspaper (Bronx Beat, Columbia News Service), magazine (Producing a Magazine, Magazine Writing, Literary Journalism) and New Media. Students devote at least two days each week, usually Thursday and Friday, to the workshop. Note: schedules vary widely, so you should check with the faculty member for details or his/her posting on the web site.
All professors allowed to select 10 of the students who ballot for their class as a first choice; the remaining seats are filled by the Dean of Students office in a manner that is intended to equalize students’ success in getting at least some of their first-choice classes.
The Workshops (J6011y)
Master’s Project II
J6041y (3 credits) — a continuation of Journalism J6040x
Master’s Project Deadlines:
- Jan. 22: First draft of all Master’s Projects (for audio/video projects, the “work cut”) will be handed in to your advisor by 10 a.m.
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Feb. 25: Second draft of all Projects (for video projects, a “rough cut”) will be handed in to your advisor by 10 a.m.
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Mar. 24: Final versions of all Projects handed to the Academic Dean’s office, in Room 701, by 10 a.m. No changes are allowed after this deadline. This copy is ultimately filed in the library.
Note: These deadlines are strict and must be met. Your adviser may require additional deadlines and drafts.
Electives
6014y (3 credits)
All full-time M.S. students are required to take an elective for at least three credits at the graduate level in the spring term — either inside or outside the school. Most Journalism electives meet once a week for lectures and/or seminar discussions, and require reading as well as written assignments. Outside electives must be approved by the Dean of Students office.
For outside course information, please see: http://snipurl.com/1tn6z
The Electives (6014y)
Delacorte Evening Lecture Series
J6050y (1/2 credit)
Thursday 7pm - 8:30 p.m.
FT magazine concentrators are automatically enrolled in the Delacorte Magazine Lectures, to be offered Thursday evenings 7-8:30 p.m. from February 7 through April 24. All other students are invited to attend. Part-time students concentrating in magazine may elect to take the Lecture Series in spring 2008 or 2009.
InternshipJ6099y (1/2 credit, optional)
Internships must be pre-approved by the Office of Career Services and the Dean of Students office. A student who undertakes an internship at a media organization can earn an additional academic one-half credit if the work consists of serious journalistic enterprise. At the conclusion of the internship, the student must submit a written description of what he or she has accomplished and learned in the internship, and an official of the media company must send a separate letter corroborating that and evaluating the student’s performance.
SEE COURSE DESCRIPTIONS AFTER THE JUMP.
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