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  • Berkeley Global

Journalism Workshop

JOURN X473

41380
Delivery Options Online

Do you aspire to a career in journalism or simply want to explore journalistic storytelling? Get a practical, task-based introduction to news writing and reporting, and learn standards embraced by the best media practitioners—old and new.

This class is suitable for those looking to become freelancers, expand on pre-existing freelance gigs, or find entry-level media. Students with undergraduate degrees can take this class to test their aptitude and appetite for graduate school in journalism. Other students may want to explore personal interest along the lines of a hobby or to learn how to tell nonfiction stories focused on environmental or political causes, business or non-profit organizations, and other interests. Student-teacher interactions simulate a newsroom environment.

Together, we’ll come up with story ideas that capture audience attention, and learn how to find the facts, sources and details to bring these stories to life. That is the essence of journalism: telling true stories that affect an audience. You may not change the world. But you will change yourself by learning how to tell print or audiovisual stories that matter.

Course Outline

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Course Objectives

  • Identify and produce news stories in a variety of forms
  • Develop reporting, interviewing and writing skills
  • Identify the larger story hidden within a news item and turn it into an enterprise piece
  • Gain confidence and knowledge needed to network among their peers
  • Acquire the basic tools needed to identify and pursue the style of journalism that interests you most

What You Learn

  • Definition and identification of news stories
  • Difference between a news story, an essay and an opinion piece
  • The ABCs of journalism
  • Necessary components of a news story
  • Preparation for interviews: common interview mistakes, thought-provoking questions and difference between powerful and weak quotes
  • The purpose of a lead
  • The inverted pyramid writing structure
  • Breaking news and preparation for a press conference
  • Difference between two main types of sources
  • How to research a basic story
  • Useful data and its utilization for story ideas
  • Sourcing multiple sides of a story
  • Beats, including their role in journalism; traditional beats; geographical, regional and contemporary beats; covering a beat; reporting on an event; and unusual beats
  • Multimedia stories
  • Basic elements of a podcast
  • Utilizing images to tell a story
  • How to source, research and tell a story using social media
  • Editing: style and ethics

How You Learn

  • Reading assignments
  • Discussion participation and assignments
  • Press conference story
  • David Downs event story
  • Final story
  • Writing assignments

Is This Course for Me?

If you are a blogger or just someone interested in learning from professional journalists how to improve your reporting and writing skills, this is the course for you. As an introductory course, it is not designed for current School of Journalism students.

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Sections

Section 033

May 31 to Aug 23

Type: Online, Fixed Date

Instructor:

  • Nancy DeVille

Cost: $710.00

See section 033 Details

Type Online, Fixed Date

Dates

May 31, 2022 to Aug 23, 2022

Delivery Options

Online

Available for Credit

2 semester units

Section Notes

Recommended textbook:  The Associated Press Stylebook in a recent year or membership to the AP Stylebook Online

Section Materials

  • Textbook

    (Mandatory)

    Dynamics of News Reporting & Writing Foundational Skills for a Digital Age by Vincent F. Filak

    © 2018 CQ Press ISBN 1506344747 Textbook ISBN: 978-1506344744
  • Textbook

    (Mandatory)

    An additional required text that you will choose in Module 1 - students may purchase or borrow from a library.

Summer enrollment opens on March 21!

This course applies to the following programs:

Interdisciplinary Writing Program

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Individualized Study Plan

  • Effective Writing in the Workplace
  • Writing for Social Media: Prose That Works for Web 2.0
  • Grammar, Mechanics and Usage for Editors
  • Journalism Workshop
  • Science Writing
  • Writing the Feature Story
  • Introduction to Public Relations Writing
  • Writing and Editing Internship Program
  • Editorial Workshop I: Introduction to Copyediting
  • Writing Skills Workshop
  • Writing Creative Nonfiction
  • Creative Nonfiction Workshop
  • Developing the Memoir
  • Developing the Memoir II
  • The Craft of Reading
  • The Craft of Writing
  • Exploring Creative Writing
  • Introduction to Writing Fiction
  • Intermediate Fiction Writing
  • Advanced Fiction Writing
  • Developing the Novel
  • Screenwriting: The Art of Visual Storytelling
  • Poetry Workshop
  • Poets Studied and in Conversation
  • American Fiction
  • The English Novel
  • Great Novels You Always Meant to Read
  • Mystery Fiction
  • Shakespeare
  • Editorial Workshop II: Intermediate Copyediting
  • Advanced Editorial Workshop
  • Indexing: Theory and Application
  • Technical Communication I
  • Technical Communication II
  • Technical Communication III: Information Design

Learn More About this Program

Professional Writing Program

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Required Courses

  • Effective Writing in the Workplace
  • Introduction to Public Relations Writing
  • Writing for Social Media: Prose That Works for Web 2.0

Electives

  • Writing Skills Workshop
  • Journalism Workshop
  • Writing the Feature Story
  • Editorial Workshop I: Introduction to Copyediting
  • Technical Communication I
  • Writing Creative Nonfiction
  • Creative Nonfiction Workshop
  • Screenwriting: The Art of Visual Storytelling
  • Science Writing

Capstone Project

  • Professional Writing Program - Final Project

Course of Related Interest

  • Fundamentals of Freelancing

Learn More About this Program

Certificate Program in Writing

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Required Courses

  • The Craft of Reading
  • The Craft of Writing
  • Writing Skills Workshop

Electives (Literature)

  • American Fiction
  • Contemporary Voices: Speaking From the Margins
  • The English Novel
  • Fact or Fiction: Reading and Writing the Personal Essay
  • Great Novels You Always Meant to Read
  • Great Writers Steal: How the Work of Other Writers Can Inform and Inspire You
  • Mystery Fiction
  • Re-envisioning the Past Through Historical Fiction
  • Shakespeare
  • Short-Story Masterpieces
  • Meet the Writer: Guided Study and Discussion With Fiction Writers
  • Ursa Minor Production Class

Electives (Writing Workshop)

  • Exploring Creative Writing
  • Introduction to Writing Fiction
  • Intermediate Fiction Writing
  • Advanced Fiction Writing
  • Writing Genre Fiction: Science Fiction, Mystery, Romance and More
  • Mystery Writing
  • Developing the Novel
  • Screenwriting: The Art of Visual Storytelling
  • Screenwriting Workshop
  • How to Write a Story
  • Writing and Appreciating Poetry
  • Poetry Workshop
  • Poets Studied and in Conversation
  • Writing Creative Nonfiction
  • Creative Nonfiction Workshop
  • Developing the Memoir
  • Developing the Memoir II
  • Journalism Workshop
  • Science Writing
  • Writing the Feature Story
  • Writing and Editing Internship Program

Courses of Related Interest

  • Children's Picture Book Writing Workshop
  • Story Lab
  • Writing the First-Person Essay

Learn More About this Program

Notes

Departmental contact: extension-letters@berkeley.edu | (510) 643-1110

Instructional Types

Live Online
Live Online courses provide an interactive learning experience with scheduled synchronous online sessions held via Zoom video conferencing (Pacific Time). Learn more about the Live Online format.
Online, Start Anytime
Continuous enrollment course begins when you enroll. You have a minimum of 90 days and a maximum of 180 days to complete the course.
Online, Fixed Date
Enroll in this course by its start date and complete it by its specified end date. There are no live sessions, but plenty of opportunities to collaborate with your classmates and instructor.
Classroom
Take classes in-person at one of our buildings or partner locations.

English Language Proficiency Requirements

All of our courses are taught in English. If English is not your first language, please use the following test scores as guides in order to be successful:

  • TOEFL: 90
  • IELTS Academic Format: 7
  • DAAD: C1
  • TEM-4 or TEM-8: Level 70

Note: You do not need to submit test scores.

Extension

1995 University Ave., Suite 200

Berkeley, CA 94704-7000

extension@berkeley.edu

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The University of California, Berkeley, is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). UC Berkeley Extension—like all other UC Berkeley schools, colleges and departments—is accredited by WASC through the University.

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Course Fee

Nancy DeVille

Nancy DeVille is an award-winning journalist who has spent the last decade writing about everything from politics, education and health to the environment and growth and development. She is currently a producer at Youth Radio, the youth desk for NPR. At Youth Radio, Nancy works with teens to produce stories for local and national outlets. Nancy has done work for several media outlets including Pacific Standard Magazine, USA Today, KQED and NPR’s Latino USA. She’s taught journalism and writing courses at Tennessee State University and Santa Rosa Junior College. The California native is a graduate of the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism and Fisk University in Nashville, TN.

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