overview

Communication Studies: Washington DC
Introduction to Journalism

July 21 - August 23, 2008

Journalism-DC Overview

Breaking news: journalism institute alumna, Ana La O, has published a story about undocumented students at UCLA. Read the story in L.A. CityBeat !

Travel to Washington and learn the basics of news writing and reporting from a seasoned international journalist while feeding off the highly charged political atmosphere of the nation’s capital. Students will participate in an intensive writing workshop over five weeks, learning the rudiments of story structure, sourcing, balance, and news analysis – essential skills for anyone contemplating a career in print, broadcasting, or online media. A separate part of the program will focus on topics linking current affairs and the media – including the relationship between journalists and their political sources, the recent explosion in news blogs on the Internet, and reporting in wartime. The course will also include field trips, a weekly movie night, focusing on films a with a journalism-related theme, and in-class visits by prominent Washington journalists, think-tank policy analysts, and government and lobby-group communications professionals.

Election 2008: In this most exciting of election years, students will also do political campaign reporting exercises -- some fictionalized and some based on the real events of 2008. They will take advantage of the Democratic National Convention, which takes place during the course, to watch speeches, write live news stories and do some simulated political blogging on the proceedings.

Directed by Andrew Gumbel, U.S. correspondent for the London Independent and author of Steal this Vote (Nations Books, 2005). For more program information, please click on the links at the top of this page.

Financial aid is available to qualified UCLA students. All other students should inquire about financial aid at their home institution.