Ioanna Kostarella

RIC 303 Environmental Journalism

Semester:

ECTS :

10

Course Description

To learn about journalism as a writing activity, as a profession, and as a social force. To develop an awareness of the history and changing currents of environmental journalism and conservation politics as revealed in the mainstream media. To encourage students to take a sharper and more alert scrutiny of the world around them.

Course Objectives

  • Understanding of the concept and the practices of environmental journalism.
  • Awareness of the meaning of the environmental issues in our world.
  • Understand the main scientific definitions for the environment.
  • Understand the new aspects of ecological crises.

Learning outcomes

  1. Analyze critically the ecological issues in modern world
  2. Define the core concepts of environmental journalism
  3. Write articles following professional standards for style, structure and information- gathering
  4. Build on information-gathering with interviews with environmental experts

Class and learning activities

Lectures, workshops, in-class presentations, literature study, written assignments, environmental trips.

Workload

Type of work Description Hours
Lectures Thirteen 3-hours lectures 39
Environmental trips Trips in agrotourism enterprises 15-20
Independent study Study of compulsory and optional literature 40-45
Research Online research 35-40
Written assignments-Presentations Written assignments

  1. one short assignment (600-800 words)
  2. essay (4.000-4.500 words)
  3. in-class presetations
 120-140
Total workload 249-284

Assessment

Type of assessment Learning outcome Impact on final grade Date of assessment
Presentation of written assignment 1-2 20% 8th-12th week
Written assignment (short) 3-4 30% 5th-8th week
Written assignment (essay) 1-4 50% 14th week

Bibliography – required reading

  • Annin, P., The great lakes water wars. Island Press, N.Y., 2006.
  • Corbett, J., Communicating Nature. How we create and understand Environmental Messages. Island Press, N.Y., 2006.
  • Friedman, T., Hot, fat and crowed: Why the World needs a green revolution-and how we can renew our global future. Penguin Books Ltd, UK, 2008.