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A
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Our Mission
Our Philosophy of News
Our Philosophy of Education
Our
Mission
The Department of Journalism and Media Studies, a
USF St. Petersburg “Program of Distinction,” is dedicated
to highest standards of teaching, scholarship, service and professional
practice.
The mission of the Department of Journalism and Media
Studies is to:
- educate journalists who can report, edit, present
and interpret the news with skill, responsibility and social consciousness
- offer graduate students advanced study that prepares
them for leadership in their professional or academic careers
- engage in research, service, creative endeavors
and professional activities that contribute to the academy, the community
and the profession
- detect and explore emerging issues in journalism,
mass media and society
- question journalism’s traditional methods
and values and test alternatives
- promote cultural understanding and broaden perspectives
develop abilities and expand imaginations of students and faculty
- affirm the belief that journalism, at its best,
encourages and protects the democratic process
Our
Philosophy of News
The faculty and students of the Department
of Journalism and Media Studies believe in covering community news above
all else. We call it “people-first journalism.”
We seek out stories where people live,
work, pray and relax. We find stories on city buses, at beauty parlors,
church halls and playgrounds. The stories emerging from these venues
often raise issues every reporter can find at city hall or the courthouse,
such as crime prevention, disbursement of tax money, economic development
and race relations.
But the perspectives are different. Even
when they’re not that different from official viewpoints, the
words of citizens ring true and genuine because they come out in unrehearsed,
natural and refreshing ways. No one at the corner market speaks in sound
bites.
The stories our students produce add
dimension and context to conventional articles that originate from the
mayor’s office or police headquarters. In neighborhoods, homes
and shops, people strain to comprehend and, if possible, resolve the
problems and frustrations that loom large in their lives. Journalism
that puts people first listens carefully and responds appropriately.
Our
Philosophy of Education
Because we are concerned with the practice
of journalism, we help students master the skills needed to succeed
in contemporary journalism. In this, we differ little from other departments
and schools of journalism. It's a given that all graduates of journalism
programs ought to have the training and credentials to do good, competent
reporting, editing, photography, graphics and other journalistic work.
However, education is more than learning
how to keep up with prevailing practices in the field. When we talk
about "studies," we're talking about more than training or
careerism. Undergraduate and graduate education should question traditional
methods and values and explore alternatives to the status quo. Our graduates
should be prepared to contribute to their profession and to society
in ways that make them more than interchangeable cogs in some industrial
machine.
Learning basic skills helps start and
enhance our students' professional careers. But discussing practices,
history, issues, law, theory and ethics promotes critical thinking,
confronts conventions and helps develop understanding in ways that benefit
us whatever we do.
We encourage those with journalism backgrounds
to challenge themselves by reaching beyond what they have done before,
and turning their experiences upside down to explore problems and issues
from wholly different perspectives. Students — especially graduate
students without a professional background in journalism — take
catch-up courses and, by working with their more experienced classmates,
quickly make valuable contributions to every course we offer.
Our mix of students allows us to readily
explore areas from various orientations and contexts. Our classes aren't
for students (or instructors) who think they know everything. The mixing
and sometimes clashing of different backgrounds and views makes for
lively, provocative encounters for all of us. We count on students to
come away from classes feeling invigorated, excited and eager to put
what they've learned to work as reporters, editors, teachers or in whatever
other calling they follow.
Students and faculty learn together.
We do not believe in mass production of graduates; we prefer to work
closely with a community of motivated students. Lectures are held to
a minimum; discussion and exploration via Socratic dialogues are the
norm.
Fortunately, USF allows our program to
remain small and select. Our students, faculty and staff interact outside
of class every bit as much as they do in class. Our offices, commons
area and bayside campus are inviting; trade and scholarly journals,
magazines, newsletters, videos, other resources and various social opportunities
are readily available.
Our program is challenging. It does not
disturb us to hear our graduates say, "The courses were tough but
we learned a lot." And we take pride in knowing where our graduates
go and how they do once they leave here.
Approved
by faculty: Jan. 11, 2002; revised: Feb. 1, 2003 |
