Journalism portfolio COMS 481
Prerequisites: COMS 104, COMS 130, COMS 204, COMS 146 or COMS 236, COMS 304, COMS 330, or permission of instructor.
Corequisites: COMS 404.
Provides specific, directed activity for completion and evaluation of portfolio and resume material for advanced students in journalism.
Prof. Bill Kovarik
Office: 2129 CHBS / Office hours T-Th 1:00 – 3:30
Contact — Email: wkovarik at radford dot edu/ phone 540 831 6033
GOALS
1) To assess your readiness to enter the job market by providing specific, directed activity for completion and evaluation of portfolio and resume material.
3) To assess and (to some extent) fill in gaps in your education in journalism and mass communications, as needed, especially in research, writing, web production, photography, video, podcasting, ethics and law.
3) To survey new media technologies and business models, and to facilitate student communication with industry, university and professional groups concerning ongoing training and educational needs.
READING & ASSIGNMENTS
- Ongoing professional orientation
- — Columbia Journalism Review
- Society of Professional Journalists
- Virginia Press Association
- New media technologies
- New business models
ASSignments
- Submit a letter of application, resume and clips for a job
- Develop a plan to improve your job application
- Write at least three major articles for publication
- Work on extra-curricular outreach to other journalism students and/ or development of community media enterprise
ASSESSMENT
- Improvement from original application, resume and clips 10 -30%
- Three articles – 40 -60%
- Extra curricular or professional service 10 – 30%
POLICIES
Attendance policy: Attendance is important. Systematic absences will affect your grades, both in terms of poor test performance and penalties imposed for unexcused absences. Absences approaching 15 percent or more result in step-wise reduction of the grade.
Disabilities policy: If you are seeking academic accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act at Radford University, you are required to register with the Disability Resource Office (DRO). To receive academic accommodations for this class, please submit your documentation to the DRO in the lower level of Tyler Hall Suites 54-69, by fax to 540-831-6525, by email to dro@radford.edu. After submitting documentation to our office, you will set up an interview with a Disability Services Specialist to discuss accommodations. You will be notified via email once your accommodation package is complete and ready to be picked up. Once you have picked up your accommodation package, you will need to meet with each course professor during their office hours to review and discuss your package. For more information and/or for documentation guidelines, visit www.radford.edu/dro or call 540-831-6350.
RU Honor code: By accepting admission to Radford University, each student makes a commitment to understand, support and abide by the University Honor Code without compromise or exception.