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Harvard Extension School 2006–07

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Journalism

Also see the Master of Liberal Arts in Journalism.

Courselist

JOUR E-50 Basic Journalism (12549)
(Syllabus) (Print View)
John R. Lenger, EdM, Editor in Chief and Assistant Director, Office of News and Public Affairs, Harvard University.
Workshop. Course tuition: undergraduate credit $875. Limited enrollment.
Tuesday, Sept. 19, 7:35-9:35 pm, Sever Hall, Room 104. Fall term

This course equips students with an understanding of the principles and practice of journalism: how to gather facts through skillful interviewing and research, develop sources, craft an arresting lead, and structure news stories in a way that engrosses readers. The course also explores such related issues as writing news features, absorbing the lessons of civic journalism, and pursuing the possibilities of narrative journalism. Prerequisite: a college-level writing course. (4 credits)
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JOUR E-100 Graduate Journalism Proseminar: Writing and Reporting (12584)
(Website) (Print View)
June Carolyn Erlick, MSJ, Publications Director, David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies, and Editor-in-Chief, ReVista: Harvard Review of Latin America, Harvard University.
Graduate proseminar. Course tuition: graduate credit $1,650. Limited enrollment.
Wednesday, Sept. 20, 7:35-9:35 pm, 53 Church Street, Room L01. Fall term
Students who do not have Harvard ID cards must purchase $100 special borrower's cards at Widener Library.
Online and on-campus options. See the Distance Education website. Lecture 1 video.

This intensive writing course, the gateway to the Master of Liberal Arts in Journalism, focuses on the art and craft of writing and reporting for print publications. Students gain experience in technical aspects such as writing leads, developing sources, and conducting interviews through frequent reporting exercises. The course also examines the ethics and responsibilities of excellent journalism. Prerequisites: a beginning journalism course, some experience in the field, or permission of the instructor. At the first class meeting, students must complete a writing assignment that demonstrates their graduate-level writing skills. (4 credits)
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JOUR E-110/W The Constitution and the Press (22424)
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Allan A. Ryan, JD, Director of Intellectual Property, Harvard Business School Publishing.
Writing-intensive course. Course tuition: noncredit and undergraduate credit $650, graduate credit $1,575.
Wednesday, Jan. 31, 5:30-7:30 pm, Harvard Hall, Room 202. Spring term
Online and on-campus options. See the Distance Education website. Lecture 1 video.

This course examines the basis for—and the restrictions on—freedom of the press in the US. Beginning with the debates that led to the First Amendment of the Constitution, we discuss the ways courts have resolved issues confronting the press, and then examine three contentious current issues: the conflict between disclosure and national security (for example, the Pentagon Papers case); the defamation of public figures in news reporting (New York Times Co. v. Sullivan); and reporters' shield laws and the limits of the so-called journalist's privilege. We also examine the constitutional basis for governmental regulation of broadcast content, the fairness doctrine, and profanity on the air. The course concludes by discussing the changes that cyberspace, narrowcasting, blogging, and podcasting have brought to traditional concepts of legal regulation of journalism and reporting. (4 credits)
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JOUR E-135 Opinion Writing (22588)
(Syllabus) (Print View)
John R. Lenger, EdM, Editor in Chief and Assistant Director, Office of News and Public Affairs, Harvard University.
Workshop. Course tuition: undergraduate credit $875, graduate credit $1,500. Limited enrollment.
Tuesday, Jan. 30, 7:35-9:35 pm, Sever Hall, Room 211. Spring term

This advanced workshop is for students who are interested in contemporary issues and want to influence public opinion or public policy by publishing their views. We explore various forms of opinion writing including letters to the editor, op-eds, and columns, and experiment with persuasive strategies from humor to indignation. Students write nearly every week for peer critique and polish their finished articles with the goal of submitting them to editors for possible publication. Prerequisite: a previous journalism course, or permission of the instructor. (4 credits)
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JOUR E-137 Feature Writing
Workshop. Course tuition: undergraduate credit $875, graduate credit $1,500. Limited enrollment.

Spring term, section 1 (22391) (Syllabus) (Print View): June Carolyn Erlick, MSJ, Publications Director, David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies, and Editor-in-Chief, ReVista: Harvard Review of Latin America, Harvard University. Monday, Jan. 29, 7:35-9:35 pm, Sever Hall, Room 204.

Spring term, section 2 (22693) (Syllabus) (Print View): B.D. Colen, BA, Senior Communications Officer for University Science, Office of Government, Community, and Public Affairs, Harvard University. Monday, Jan. 29, 7:35-9:35 pm, 53 Church Street, Room 203.

Feature stories give print media and magazines their dynamism and flavor. In this workshop, students explore feature writing techniques and philosophies, including slice-of-life, interview, profile, and narrative, with the goal of publishing the stories they write. Offered for graduate students who plan to pursue journalism and undergraduates interested in experimenting with different storytelling strategies, the course focuses on learning by doing and peer critique. Prerequisite: an introductory journalism course, some journalism experience, or permission of the instructor. (4 credits)
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JOUR E-140 News Reporting
Workshop. Course tuition: undergraduate credit $875, graduate credit $1,500. Limited enrollment.

Fall term, section 1 (12550) (Website) (Print View): David Beard, BS, Editor, Boston.com. Mark Pothier, BA, Senior Assistant Business Editor, Boston Globe. Thursday, Sept. 21, 7:35-9:35 pm, Sever Hall, Room 105.

Fall term, section 2 (12871) (Syllabus) (Print View): Charles Sennott, MS, Hon. PhD, Special Projects Reporter, Foreign Desk, Boston Globe. Monday, Sept. 18, 7:35-9:35 pm, Sever Hall, Room 111.

In a world of e-mailed headlines, comedy shows packaged as news, TV screen crawls, and declining print circulation numbers, news reporters and writers face more challenges than ever. But there is still a place for well-researched, strong-voiced, narrative-driven reporting that provides context and nuance. In this course, we explore the vitality of news reporting in an era of globalization. We try to define it, and we practice it through assignments and real-time exercises that focus on research, sharp leads, vivid scenes, subtext, fieldwork, and asking the right questions. Prerequisite: an introductory journalism course, some journalism experience, or permission of the instructors. (4 credits)
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JOUR E-150 Advanced Narrative Nonfiction (12743)
(Syllabus) (Print View)
Gregory A. Harris, MFA, Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University.
Workshop. Course tuition: undergraduate credit $875, graduate credit $1,500. Limited enrollment.
Thursday, Sept. 21, 7:35-9:35 pm, Sever Hall, Room 204. Fall term

In this workshop, we read a variety of nonfiction genres—from memoir to the personal essay to the New Journalism—and examine how we can use the techniques of narrative to cut across traditional genre boundaries and create powerful stories. Although the emphasis is on students' projects we also look at contemporary published work and theories for approaching narrative nonfiction. Registered students should bring copies of previous work (fewer than ten pages) to the first class meeting. Admission to the course is based on this submission. Prerequisite: a beginning or intermediate course in creative nonfiction, memoir, fiction, journalism, or permission of the instructor. (4 credits)
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JOUR E-153 Profile Writing (22617)
(Syllabus) (Print View)
Angelia Herrin, BA, Executive Director, New Business Development, Harvard Business School Publishing.
Workshop. Course tuition: undergraduate credit $875, graduate credit $1,500. Limited enrollment.
Monday, Jan. 29, 5:30-7:30 pm, Sever Hall, Room 105. Spring term

This class focuses on the profile, one of the most engaging forms of feature writing. Profile writers employ some of the journalist's core skills (interviewing, researching, reporting, and analyzing) while providing insight into the lives of other people—how they have overcome obstacles and achieved goals, or not. Published profiles serve as models for our own stories, which are workshopped in class. Class time also focuses on identifying markets for profiles and on the process of querying prospective editors. Prerequisite: a beginning journalism or feature writing course. (4 credits)
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JOUR E-157 Reviewing the Arts (12754)
(Syllabus) (Print View)
Stephen Larsen, MA, Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University.
Workshop. Course tuition: undergraduate credit $875, graduate credit $1,500. Limited enrollment.
Monday, Sept. 18, 7:35-9:35 pm, Sever Hall, Room 112. Fall term

This course is for students who wish to express themselves more cogently about the works of art they love—and those they don't. In addition to honing fundamental essay writing skills (constructing interpretive and evaluative arguments, selecting and analyzing evidence, using descriptive language, developing a personal style), we read a variety of film, book, art, architecture, and performing arts reviews to get a sense of the many forms a review essay can take. Prerequisite: an introductory course in journalism or expository writing, or permission of the instructor. (4 credits)
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JOUR E-160 Travel Writing (22441)
(Syllabus) (Print View)
Eric Weinberger, BA, Preceptor in Expository Writing, Harvard University.
Workshop. Course tuition: undergraduate credit $875, graduate credit $1,500. Limited enrollment.
Wednesday, Jan. 31, 5:30-7:30 pm, Sever Hall, Room 112. Spring term

A workshop for students interested in writing about travel to places near or far. Students read and discuss selections from some of the great twentieth-century travel writers (Waugh, Theroux, Naipaul, Rebecca West, and others) as well as current travel writing published in newspapers and magazines. Regular short assignments prepare students for their final project: a substantial travel narrative of their own. Prerequisite: a writing course or commensurate skill or experience. (4 credits)
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JOUR E-170 Food Writing (22634)
(Syllabus) (Print View)
Laura Shapiro, AB, Author.
Workshop. Course tuition: undergraduate credit $875, graduate credit $1,500. Limited enrollment.
Thursday, Feb. 1, 5:30-7:30 pm, Sever Hall, Room 204. Spring term

Food writing is a term that covers an extraordinary range of genres, styles, and voices, including muckraking (Eric Schlosser), challenging the food industry (Marion Nestle), probing history (Karen Hess), dreaming aloud (M.F.K. Fisher), and the art of narrative (Calvin Trillin). Students read such work and produce regular written assignments. There is a strong emphasis on research and reporting. (4 credits)
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Related Courses

  • ENVR E-160 Critical Thinking about Environmental and Public Health Issues
  • HUMA E-105/W Survey of Publishing: From Text to Hypertext

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