Oh Journalism Curriculum how you stifle me

I talked a little bit about the journalism curriculum before, and how they offer little room for creativity. I will continue to complain about that, because I just registered for classes like a week ago, and while I don't have many classes left to take, it still bothers me.

For English, there are tons of options--different types of literature classes, theory studies, and in depth analysis of authors. I love those classes, I feel like I can actually see myself taking them, WANTING to take them.

For journalism, I have 2 required classes left to take and I am dreading them. Graphics is VERY intimidating, and I cannot imagine taking a reporting II class where I have to write about things that I am not interested in, to teachers who, from what I hear, are very set in their own ways being right.

It is very nerve wracking because I will never be a news reporter. I keep up with NYtimes and the Chicago Tribune online, but I don't read everything. I glance and skim, but ask me to keep up with People and that is something I can do. It is something that interests me, and while it is very tabloid-esque, it is what I like.

We only offer one course in Magazine writing, which other schools offer an entire major focused on that field. It is just very frustrating to me that we all have to fit into these little molds. Don't get me wrong, great writers have graduated from this curriculum and have gone on to do wonderful things. I just don't think that is in the cards for me, and I think there are other people who feel the same way.

Even editing there is only one class. I am a grammar freak, I might not be the best at it, but I correct people like it is my job. I would love to learn more about it, but with one class that lasts one semester, how are we expected to master the craft?

I feel like our education barely even scratches the surface of everything I want to know.

and.. rant over.

Less newsy, but better memorabilia

So, the front pages after the election were pretty much all the same.

Obama makes history.

Obama Wins.

Change... 

Fill in adjectives, rearrange words, and you have a nation wide base of like 12 words that described the historic victory in our nation.  Every front page. 12 words. Give or take.

Even though they more or less all said the same thing, the presentation was different, and some were more appealing than others.  Oddly enough, people were dying to get a copy of the Chicago Tribune.  My mother told me they were selling for like $500 on Ebay, now whether that was an exaggeration or not, I have not checked, but I saw that paper and I thought it was nothing THAT special.

I really liked the papers that made the standard "Obama wins" pop with a little flair.  

The Bakersfield Californian took out the story, and let the picture speak.  The quotes along the side merely helped the picture along, but the story was told though the smiling, waving man.  It is about HIM not about the fact that he is historical, this is NOW, and all the stories saying how amazing he is puts a lot of pressure on him.  Let Obama enjoy his victory, he has a long time to worry about the rest.

The same with this front page, but the ban on gay marriage teaser takes away from the prominence of the image.

I don't know why, I mean I know that these front pages I like are less "newsy" but I think they are special.  More like collector's editions, because this only happens once.  Whether he is reelected it doesn't matter.  Having a special front page makes it seem more special, and less like news as usual

I think this one might be my favorite, because it shows both of them.  It has a positive message, because as much as it is Obama, Biden was a big part of this campaign as well.  Yes we can, showing an image of them as a team sends a positive message.  Yes, they can, together.

This front page, The Examiner made me laugh, because seriously, after everything that happened the night before.  The AMAZING pictures everyone else got, they seriously ran an image from some random DAY.  DAYTIME.  Seriously, if you are gonna pick a picture that is not of that day, pick one that can pass off as it.  Not during the day, that's just lazy.

Oh what a burden our education can be

Our journalism education at the University is very limited.

We started as a two year college, and with the expansion to include sophomores and now freshmen, the curriculum is to small to satisfy these eager student's needs.

I could have gotten out of here next semester if I wanted because I only have 3 classes left to take to fulfill the major.  I didn't want to, so I chose to dual degree (still pending.. ah..).  It wasn't merely about the not wanting to miss my senior year and enter the job force a year early (though that was a big part of it..), it was also because there is so much that I want to learn, so much I feel is lacking in the journalism department.

In  regards to copy editing, there is one class: News Editing. If copy editors are so important to our field of education, why do we only devote one four-hour lab to the class?  There is so much more to learn than can be taught in half a year.  I suppose the 451 Research Methods COULD help with copy editing, statistics and other things that can help with fact checking, but that is kind of a stretch.

The rules of grammar are something we feel as if we know, but we do not.  We can't.  There is just too much to know, too much to learn in just a semester.

As for integrating other programs into the education, I honestly believe it is the only way for a journalist to be prepared.  Our program does a better job at attempting to integrate other programs into their curriculum, then they do at their own program.  

The six sections of classes that we have to take six hours in allows us to broaden our base of knowledge, but it does not allow us to get in depth with our knowledge.  A school like the University of Iowa REQUIRES that a student have a double major, in journalism AND something else. 

That something else contributes immensely to the education of the individual and makes them a better job applicant in a very competitive market.  I myself am trying to do that, and the process is dreadful, and the essay that seems like it would be easy to write has undergone massive rewrites and it is still not done.  They make it hard to double major, dual degree, whatever you want to call it.  They don't want to deal with the "burden" they place on the college, 

But what is a burden to a well rounded education?