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Course Outline

CMN150 Digital Journalism

Course Coordinator:Peter English (penglish@usc.edu.au) School:School of Business and Creative Industries

2026Trimester 2

UniSC Sunshine Coast

UniSC Moreton Bay

 Blended learning Most of your course is on campus but you may be able to do some components of this course online.

Online

 Online You can do this course without coming onto campus, unless your program has specified a mandatory onsite requirement.

Please go to unisc.edu.au for up to date information on the
teaching sessions and campuses where this course is usually offered.

What is this course about?

Description

The digital world is constantly changing and this course is dynamic. It delivers an introductory understanding of multimedia journalism and factual storytelling. You will learn about the value of news and how to write it, as well as theoretical debates around online delivery, including journalism ethics. The course provides you with an understanding of digital media, teaching you skills for writing and producing content. It encourages you to recognise the value of social media and video. Participating in the online publishing process and building a portfolio of content is a key element.

How will this course be delivered?

Activity Hours Beginning Week Frequency
Blended learning
Learning materials – Self-directed, online, pre-workshop asynchronous learning materials 1hr Week 1 12 times
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – On-campus, scheduled, face-to-face workshop 2hrs Week 1 12 times
Online
Learning materials – Self-directed, online, pre-workshop Asynchronous learning materials 1hr Week 1 12 times
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – Interactive, scheduled, online workshop (Will also be recorded) 2hrs Week 1 12 times

Course Topics

Module 1 – What is news? Reporting and news values

Module 2 – Digital publishing and ethics

Module 3 – Multimedia reporting

Mature Content

Adult themes

What level is this course?

100 Level (Introductory)

Engaging with discipline knowledge and skills at foundational level, broad application of knowledge and skills in familiar contexts and with support. Limited or no prerequisites. Normally, associated with the first full-time study year of an undergraduate program.

What is the unit value of this course?

12 units

How does this course contribute to my learning?

Course Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this course, you should be able to... Graduate Qualities Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming...
1 Produce content and video as a communication tool and consider their impact on the audience Knowledgeable
Creative and critical thinker
2 Create content for the online medium that adheres to professional and ethical standards Empowered
Ethical
Engaged
3 Create web-based content incorporating the use of digital and video elements Knowledgeable
Engaged

Am I eligible to enrol in this course?

Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.

Pre-requisites

Not applicable

Co-requisites

Not applicable

Anti-requisites

Not applicable

Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills (where applicable)

Not applicable

Microcredential Information

Not applicable

How am I going to be assessed?

Grading Scale

Standard Grading (GRD)

High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL).

Details of early feedback on progress

In-class feedback in Weeks 1 to 3 on appropriate usage of news writing and news style.

Assessment tasks

Delivery mode Task No. Assessment Product Individual or Group Weighting % What is the duration / length? When should I submit? Where should I submit it?
All 1 Written Piece Individual 20% 
Up to 250 words
 Week 4 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All 2 Artefact - Creative, and Written Piece Individual 35% 
Approximately 400 words using the instructions provided.
 Week 9 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All 3 Artefact - Creative, and Written Piece Individual and Group 45% 
Around 300 words of text and a video of around 1 minute in the digital news package. Around 250 words of individual student reflection.
 Exam Period Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All - Assessment Task 1:Identifying news values and writing intros
Goal: 
You will be given information to write the start of a series of news stories. You will also identify the primary news value in your hypothetical news stories, and select a copyright-free image to support one of these stories.
Product: Written Piece
Authorship Statement:
Format: 
Professional/Industry format. You will write these stories in line with news style outlined in class.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Correct news-style sentence construction
 2
2 
Correct, accurate, engaging and appropriate intros
 2
3 
Appropriate news value identification and digital photographic usage
 1
Generic Skills: 
Communication, Applying technologies, Information literacy
All - Assessment Task 2:Digital production
Goal: 
To create web-based journalism, and critically engage with contemporary journalism issues
Product: Artefact - Creative, and Written Piece
Authorship Statement:
Format: 
Professional/Industry format. You will be required to plan, research and complete a blog post and an interactive social media post, written and produced to deadline in class or online, about a journalism or media issue.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Evidence of analytical reporting and engaging content
 1
2 
Demonstrated use of the online medium and understanding of the Content Management System
 2
3 
Demonstration of journalistic style and grammar usage
 2
Generic Skills: 
Communication, Problem solving, Applying technologies, Information literacy
All - Assessment Task 3:Digital news package
Goal: 
To collaborate and demonstrate your ability to produce a multimedia news package for the web.
Product: Artefact - Creative, and Written Piece
Authorship Statement:
Format: 
Professional/Industry format. In groups* organised in class you will research and produce a digital news package on a topical issue. The package includes three components: a text-based element; interactivity and audience engagement; and an audio-visual story. Each component is based on the group's own newsgathering. All visual and audio elements must be taken and recorded by the group members. This is a digital package using text, social media, visual and audio aspects to tell the story. The audio-visual component must include at least one grab from a source who you have never met before. Grabs should be the original recordings as recorded by your group. The finished audio-visual product must be published on YouTube and embedded into a blog post along with the story text and other digital publishing elements. 

The individual student reflection will focus on the newsworthiness of the package, what has been learned from the process, and how these elements can be used in future in the profession.

Mark - 15% individual, 30% group

*These requirements can be modified for those studying online-only.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Organisation, structure and journalistic inquiry of news package
 2
2 
Use and cohesion of visual and audio recording, mixing and editing, and appropriate
sequencing
 1
3 
Clarity and newsworthiness of text component
 3
4 
Use of interactivity and audience engagement features
 2
Generic Skills: 
Communication, Collaboration, Applying technologies, Information literacy

Directed study hours

A 12-unit course will have total of 150 learning hours which will include directed study hours (including online if required), self-directed learning and completion of assessable tasks. Student workload is calculated at 12.5 learning hours per one unit.

What resources do I need to undertake this course?

Please note: Course information, including specific information of recommended readings, learning activities, resources, weekly readings, etc. are available on the course Canvas site– Please log in as soon as possible.

Prescribed text(s) or course reader

There are no required/recommended resources for this course.

Specific requirements

To participate in this course you must have a working digital camera and a device for capturing video. HD quality smartphone, DSLR, or compact cameras are acceptable. Your camera should have some manual control functions and have an accompanying instruction manual. For video, you can use HD quality smartphones, compact digital cameras with video capacity, DSLRs or handycams. You must have an accompanying instruction manual and relevant memory cards and cables for connecting to a computer. You will also be required to cover any associated camera costs (e.g batteries, power cords, memory cards etc).
Students undertaking the workshops ONLINE will require a mobile phone or video recording device and will require a cable to transfer images and video footage from the device to a computer. Access to a tripod and microphone is highly recommended.  This course requires some commercial editing software or hardware which is provided at UniSC campuses for student use. If you elect to do this course ONLINE, you may either: attend a campus at which it is available, discuss alternative open source solutions with your course coordinator that would enable you to demonstrate the learning outcomes, or if you prefer you may acquire this software and / or hardware at your own expense.

How are risks managed in this course?

Health and safety risks for this course have been assessed as low. It is your responsibility to review course material, search online, discuss with lecturers and peers and understand the health and safety risks associated with your specific course of study and to familiarise yourself with the University’s general health and safety principles by reviewing the online induction training for students, and following the instructions of the University staff.

What administrative information is relevant to this course?

Assessment: Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is the ethical standard of university participation. It ensures that students graduate as a result of proving they are competent in their discipline. This is integral in maintaining the value of academic qualifications. Each industry has expectations and standards of the skills and knowledge within that discipline and these are reflected in assessment.

Academic integrity means that you do not engage in any activity that is considered to be academic fraud; including plagiarism, collusion or outsourcing any part of any assessment item to any other person. You are expected to be honest and ethical by completing all work yourself and indicating in your work which ideas and information were developed by you and which were taken from others. You cannot provide your assessment work to others. You are also expected to provide evidence of wide and critical reading, usually by using appropriate academic references.

In order to minimise incidents of academic fraud, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Canvas, are electronically checked through Turnitin. This software allows for text comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work to which Turnitin has access.

Assessment: Additional Requirements

Eligibility for Supplementary Assessment

Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying:
(a) The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4%; and
(b) The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale

Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying: The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4%. The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale. You have not failed an assessment task in the course due to academic misconduct.

Assessment: Submission penalties

Late submissions may be penalised up to and including the following maximum percentage of the assessment task’s identified value, with weekdays and weekends included in the calculation of days late:
(a) One day: deduct 5%;
(b) Two days: deduct 10%;
(c) Three days: deduct 20%;
(d) Four days: deduct 40%;
(e) Five days: deduct 60%;
(f) Six days: deduct 80%;
(g) Seven days: A result of zero is awarded for the assessment task.

The following penalties will apply for a late submission for an online examination:
Less than 15 minutes: No penalty
From 15 minutes to 30 minutes: 20% penalty
More than 30 minutes: 100% penalty

Links to relevant University policy and procedures

For more information on Academic Learning & Teaching categories including:

  • Assessment: Courses and Coursework Programs
  • Review of Assessment and Final Grades
  • Supplementary Assessment
  • Central Examinations
  • Deferred Examinations
  • Student Conduct
  • Students with a Disability

For more information, visit https://www.usc.edu.au/explore/policies-and-procedures#academic-learning-and-teaching

Student Charter

UniSC is committed to excellence in teaching, research and engagement in an environment that is inclusive, inspiring, safe and respectful. The Student Charter sets out what students can expect from the University, and what in turn is expected of students, to achieve these outcomes.

General Enquiries

For course-specific questions, contact your teaching staff or Course Coordinator.  

For other enquiries or to access support, please contact Student Central: 

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