Certificate in Media and Journalism – Level 4
Semester 1: MJ100, MJ110, MJ120, MJ130, MJ140
| Code | Course Name and Description |
| MJ100 | Introduction to Basic News Writing Designs as an introduction to basic news writing to equip students with skills and techniques about basic news writing. Students are taught about the structure and style of news writing to be able to effectively write well-structured and coherent news articles for different mediums. |
| MJ110 | Value and Ethics Develops an understanding of ethics, evaluate ethical debates in the field / practice of journalism – and in the wider context of the media industry in society. |
| MJ120 | Research Apply skills needed to conduct research, especially in preparation of news and/or investigative story from a well- researched topic. Apply skills of how to conduct triangulation technique in |
| MJ130 | Low resource media production Develops student’s understanding of the types of tools available in Tonga across the different media platforms; broadcast, print and online. |
| MJ140 | Civics Develops students writing skills to be able to write/produce news or investigative stories, or journalistic commentary that reflect a good understanding of political systems and their impact on citizens: |
Semester 2: MJ150, MJ160, MJ170, MJ180, MJ190
| Code | Course Name and Description |
| MJ150 | Broadcast and Journalism Designs for students’ exposure to the nature, elements, process and practice of writing for print, focusing on critical, interpretive and opinion writing for newspapers and other media in the form of editorials, reviews, columns, letters and cartoons. |
| MJ160 | Writing and Print Develops fundamental journalistic writing techniques – skills that work well in any academic or vocational setting. Develops also skills in critical, interpretive and opinion writing for newspapers and other media in the form of editorials, reviews, columns, letters and cartoons. |
| MJ170 | Political Reporting Develops a deeper learning engagement in the practice of political reporting, concluding work on social and political systems, especially regional institutions and relationships and an interweaving theme of gender perspectives and gender-sensitivity in journalism. |
| MJ180 | Investigative Report Designs with a focus on the various manifestations of corrupt practices in government and private sectors. Aims to train students on how to identify corrupt acts and practices, conduct advanced research, analyse facts and perform investigative reporting. |
| MJ190 | Advocacy and Government Information for Media Practitioners Develops an understanding of the key functions of media advocacy, its relationship between NGOs, government information officers and the mass media. Differentiate between media advocacy & social marketing, the traditional and new media, develops advocacy tools and how to maximize, evaluate and empowering people and communities. |
Diploma in Media and Journalism – Level 5
Semester 1: MJ200, MJ210, MJ220, MJ230, MJ240
| Code | Course Name and Description |
| MJ200 | Principles of Law and Media Develops knowledge and understanding of journalists’ rights and obligations under the constitution and the pertinent laws, understand broader citizens’ rights and obligations in the subject areas below and apply this knowledge in reporting. |
| MJ210 | Digital and Social Media Demonstrates an understanding of how digital media is used to communicate across a variety of social and digital media to conduct research in the understanding of the ethical, technological and professional challenges within the South Pacific region. |
| MJ220 | Beat Reporting: Police, Court and Parliament Develops the basics of reporting and news writing focusing on how to gather and organise information, ask effective questions, respond to events and develop story ideas, research facts, and write news items to deadline. |
| MJ230 | Beat Reporting: Sport, Environment and Health Develops an understanding of the role sports plays in the community and in the media; and equip the students with the necessary skills and techniques to handle a sports round for TV, radio, print or the internet. Explores different environmental and health policies and the effective ways of reporting environmental and health issues. Trains students in doing research and in writing of stories that deal with environmental and health concerns and issues. |
| MJ240 | Regional and Global Development Explores the economic situation of the and how it affects their access to social welfare activities of the government, and other civil society organisations; to the human rights situation in the local and global perspectives and the environmental situation. |
Semester 2: MJ250, MJ260, MJ270, MJ280, MJ290
| Code | Course Name and Description |
| MJ250 | Media Organization Equips students with the necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes for a career in the media industry; and moreover, equip the students with the necessary understanding to reflect as media practitioners on the structure and practices in the media industry. |
| MJ260 | Website Design and Management Develops to maximise the student’s use of the computer and the internet in conducting research work and in preparing news reports/stories and other related information materials. It also provides meaningful technical and computer skills for an audience primarily concerned with media in the form of newspaper and radio, enables a method for broadcasting news to a much larger audience for a minimal overhead. |
| MJ270 | Sales, Marketing and Program Promotions Develops sufficient knowledge and skills to understand the basic principles of sales, marketing and program promotions; basic techniques and skills for sales, marketing and program promotions, analyse and express informed opinion on a viable sales, marketing and promotions plan for a media, enable students to appreciate the role of marketing, scheduling and program promotion in attracting readership/audience to a media organisation. |
| MJ280 | Tradition and Culture of the Pacific Develops the necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes to take the traditions and cultures into account in their work as media practitioners in representing the authentic nature of the society’s traditions and cultures. |
| MJ290 | Team Building Develops deeper knowledge of advocacy, lobbying, access to information, having access to information, identify key building blocks of advocacy and lobbying and how it is used by both Government and Non-Government Organisations in the context of media and communication in Tonga. |