When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.
Learn new concepts from industry experts
Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
Earn a shareable career certificate
There are 5 modules in this course
You will learn about the career paths that are available in journalism, and what opportunities the skill sets of a journalist can offer in other fields. You will explore areas such as being an international correspondent, self-publishing in journalism, as well as how to freelance in the field. You will be empowered to develop your own path in journalism, from being an active and informed consumer, to being a journalist.
The worlds of business, communications, politics, education and marketing all utilize elements of journalism. This course also examines how to keep the trust of audiences through ethical, and responsible, journalistic practices. Sometimes, journalists need to be aware of their own safety. We will intelligently discuss how journalists around the world handle pressure, threats and other dangers while doing their jobs.
Journalism - and journalists - are agents of change. Are you ready to become one too?
You will learn about journalism profession, the Michigan State University School of Journalism, our world-class faculty and the world-class atmosphere of Michigan State University. We are proud to have Pulitzer-prize winning journalists, distinguished authors and broadcasters, and award-winning scholarly faculty all part of our Michigan State Journalism family. We are a special place, where amazing things happen every day.
What's included
4 videos
Show info about module content
4 videos•Total 16 minutes
This is the world of journalism•4 minutes
The Michigan State School of Journalism•4 minutes
Meet your School of Journalism faculty•6 minutes
#SpartansWill•1 minute
Earning and Keeping Trust
Module 2•3 hours to complete
Module details
High ethical standards are essential to developing and maintain trust in the press, in news organizations and in individual journalists in all forms of media: print, broadcast, multimedia and social media. You will learn how to understand a journalist's ethical obligations, and then carry out your professional duties in a trustworthy way, even in the face of pressure in all mediums. You will be empowered to make strong decisions as a journalist to serve your audiences, as well as your outlet.
Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics•10 minutes
3 assignments•Total 90 minutes
Earning and keeping trust•30 minutes
Undercover reporting and deception•30 minutes
Understanding fairness and balance•30 minutes
1 peer review•Total 60 minutes
Discovering plagiarism•60 minutes
2 discussion prompts•Total 20 minutes
Find a Journalism Code of Ethics•10 minutes
Earning and keeping trust: what do you think?•10 minutes
Tough Calls
Module 3•10 hours to complete
Module details
Journalists must make difficult decisions - tough calls - that require careful analysis and deep thought. You will learn how journalists must balance competing interests in a sensitive way that still gives primary attention to the needs of your audience, not to your personal self-interest or the self-interest of your news consumers. You will be empowered with the tools and information to assess these challenges of the profession, and then make the correct decisions for safety/welfare and journalistic credibility.
What's included
4 videos4 assignments4 peer reviews
Show info about module content
4 videos•Total 23 minutes
Conflict of interest tension•5 minutes
Disaster situations•7 minutes
Tensions between journalists and news sources•6 minutes
Journalists and privacy rights•6 minutes
4 assignments•Total 120 minutes
Understanding conflict of interest•30 minutes
Violence, disaster and tragedy•30 minutes
Relationships with news sources•30 minutes
Understanding privacy•30 minutes
4 peer reviews•Total 480 minutes
Handling gift situations•120 minutes
On the scene of a disaster•120 minutes
Unhappy news sources•120 minutes
Public interest vs. individual interests •120 minutes
International Journalism
Module 4•7 hours to complete
Module details
Journalism today is unrestrained by national political borders in most of the world. The Internet and social media make it possible to follow events around the globe and to obtain news and information from multiple sources at the same time. However, the press and individual journalists can operate differently in some ways from country to country, depending on national laws, political systems, cultural values and economic resources of news organizations. You will learn how to understand national press systems, constraints on press freedom, broad techniques for covering international news from within your own country and the important work of international correspondents.You will be empowered to consider how you could serve your audience by doing journalism from an international perspective.
What's included
4 videos3 assignments4 peer reviews
Show info about module content
4 videos•Total 36 minutes
Intro to International Journalism•10 minutes
Journalist safety & press rights defenders•6 minutes
The life of international correspondents•13 minutes
Covering world news from home•7 minutes
3 assignments•Total 90 minutes
Reporting about world news from home•30 minutes
Understanding national press systems•30 minutes
Understanding journalists' safety•30 minutes
4 peer reviews•Total 300 minutes
Elements of news diversity•120 minutes
Confronting threats•60 minutes
Understanding how international correspondents work•60 minutes
Planning your news report•60 minutes
The Future of Journalism...and You
Module 5•6 hours to complete
Module details
How will people get their news and information in the future, and what will your role be in providing that news and information. Now it is your turn to think about your place. You will learn about journalism careers, freelance journalism and predictions for the future of the news industry. You will be empowered to understand, and then conceptualize, how your life and skills fit into journalism's many careers and forms. We hope you will be inspired to find your place - and voice - in journalism.
Michigan State University has been advancing the common good with uncommon will for more than 150 years.
One of the top research universities in the world, MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery and forges enduring partnerships to solve the most pressing global challenges while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.
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S
SR
5·
Reviewed on Jun 29, 2018
Fantastic Class! I have a BA in Journalism and I felt the Coursera/MSU SoJ Classes were indeed tougher and give a much better example of 'real world' than you will find in most class rooms.
A
AS
5·
Reviewed on Jul 16, 2025
I loved this course. The best thing about this course was peer review assignments. Through those assignments I learnt a lot. The professors were great too, loved their teaching style.
K
KN
5·
Reviewed on Apr 22, 2019
Enjoyed the in-depth insights and passionate sharing by the lecturers. Tutorial assignments challenged us to recap the key points and add in our own experiences.
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.