For students enrolled in Concordia’s Department of Journalism, the following course is offered:

JOUR 402 Specialist Reporting: Science Reporting (3 credits)

Course Description

Science reporting will introduce participants to writing about science. We will look for opportunities to cover science, discuss the techniques and constraints that shape science news, and trace the process of science reporting from idea to publishable article. Guiding questions include: What makes a science story newsworthy? How do you effectively communicate technical information to a wide audience? What pitfalls can a science journalist fall into and how can they be avoided? No scientific training is required.

The course is currently offered each Fall term.

Past Courses

JOUR 398/g Special Topics in Journalism: The New Energy Beat (3 credits)

Course Description

Jour398/g is a special topics course that will explore the new energy beat. Energy production, as seen through climate change and sustainability movements, is one of the most significant and challenging problems facing mankind. It is also a topic few journalists can avoid. The course will immerse students in the beat via a combination of an advanced reporting workshop and a direct research seminar. The course showcases a modern challenge for journalism in terms of how to effectively cover a topic that requires expertise in multiple, complex fields. Developing innovative approaches to the production of journalism will be a key goal of the course.

This course was a one-time only special topics courses, which was offered in the Winter term (2011).