Master in journalism

The courses that make up the common core of the Master programme (90 credits) cover theories and trends in communication, provide an introduction to major social issues, and include a thorough practice of English in connection with the programme's topics. On top of this common core, students choose one of three specialisations, or focuses (30 credits), that allow them to acquire specific skills and knowledge:

• The focus on Narrative Journalism and Investigative Journalism is dedicated to long form storytelling that immerses the journalist in social situations, and to investigative journalism techniques with strong emphasis on data analysis and visualisation. It allows students to express rich narratives in multiple formats (text, video, audio), perfect their data analysis skills, and develop strategies to present information. Course subjects include ethnographic methods, political discourse analysis, and the history of documentary film. Students work in groups to design and produce a journalism project as the central activity of the Master.

• The focus on Journalism, Politics, and Society in Belgium aims to train bilingual journalists (French/Dutch). It offers two options: the first deals with the Belgian public space, and emphasizes improving Dutch language skills and knowledge of Belgium's political and administrative system. The second option is offered in partnership with VUB, allowing students already fluent in Dutch to develop their language skills for news production.

• The focus on Journalism Research is intended for students who wish to pursue an academic career researching and teaching media trends. With courses in sociology, discourse analysis, and statistics, as well as research seminars, students gain analytical skills in the field of journalism studies and prepare for a PhD.

ournalistic project as the central activity of the Master.

· The specialization Journalism, Politics and Society in Belgium is aimed at training bilingual journalists (French/Dutch). It offers two options: the first one concerns the Belgian public space and emphasizes improving Dutch language skills and the knowledge of the Belgian political and administrative system. The second option is offered in partnership with the VUB to allow students already fluent in Dutch to practice it for news production.

· The specialization Research in Journalism is aimed at students that want to follow an academic career researching and teaching media trends. Courses in sociology, discourse analysis, statistics, and research seminars allow to develop analytical skills in the field of journalism studies, and prepare for a Ph.D.

Practical courses are supervised by teachers and assistants who are professional journalists at the highest level in their field. The television and radio studios used for teaching activities, as well as the technical tools and software, meet professional standards and are regularly updated. The Brussels University School of Journalism’s curriculum is enhanced by various collaborations, including with Radio Campus (for radio journalism) and HELB INRACI (for television journalism). Many partnerships with foreign universities allow students to spend a semester abroad, in Europe or elsewhere in the world.

Students in the focus on narrative journalism and investigative journalism attend advanced courses that help them acquire the techniques required for in-depth reporting. Other courses include data analysis and discourse analysis methods, ethnography, the principles of literary journalism, and the history of documentary film. These skills are put into practice through a collective news product that includes investigative reporting pieces (based on data gathering and visualisation, in-depth interviews, and document analysis) and long-form narratives (book, web documentary, travel journals, etc.).

Students in the focus on Journalism, Politics, and Society in Belgium gain in-depth insights into the complexities of Belgium's plural cultures. In addition to improving or perfecting their Dutch language skills, students attend advanced courses on current events at various levels in the public sphere. During the Master, students design and produce a collective bilingual news project.

Students in the research focus are introduced to the research methods used in social sciences and humanities, as well as to current debates in journalism studies. The curriculum is designed to train experienced researchers on all methods and objects of study in the field of journalism studies. The goal is to get students ready to produce a doctoral thesis. The one-month work placement in a research team is a major plus for developing a research career in line with the highest standards.

s with foreign universities allow students to spend a semester abroad, in Europe and elsewhere in the world.

Students of the specialisation Narrative Journalism and Investigative Journalism follow thorough courses that enable them to acquire the techniques for in-depth reporting. Trained in the methods of data and discourse analysis and ethnography, they also learn the principles of literary journalism and the history of documentary film. These skills are put into practice in a collective news product that includes investigative reporting pieces (based on data gathering and visualization, thorough interviews and document analysis) and long form narratives (mook, web documentary, journalistic travel journals, etc).

Students of the specialisation Journalism, Politics and Society in Belgium get in-depth insight about the complexity of Belgian plural cultures. Improving or prefecting Dutch language skills is complemented with a thorough study of current events at the different levels the public sphere. During the Master, students conceptualize and produce a bilingual collective news projet.

The students of the specialization Research in Journalism are introduced to social sciences and humanities research methods and current debates in journalism studies. The curriculum is designed to train experienced researchers to all methods and all objects of study in information and communication sciences. The aim is to prepare students to the production of a doctoral thesis. A one-month internship in a research project is a major asset for the development of a research profile meeting the highest standards.