Yesterday I was asked to present changes in the journalism major here at Southern Oregon University to our curriculum committee.
I admit that I was a little nervous about presenting my ideas to this all-campus committee, but also excited to introduce what we are doing in the Communication Department. The committee, comprised of professors and administrators from different disciplines was gracious and anxious to hear about our changes.
The reason for the meeting was to clarify why photojournalism students would no longer be required to take art photography classes, especially instruction related to chemical or wet processes. Traditionally, photojournalism students have enrolled in one course on the subject offered by the Communication Department and received the remainer of the training in the Art Department.
Although at first glance there appears to the outside observer some redundancy in the types of classes proposed in photojournalism with those already existing in art, there are many differences. In photojournalism education, digital technology has impinged on previously existing routines. Students in photojournalism must not only be competent in the aesthetics of photography, but also a host of technological skills from electronic imagining to digital video and audio. I guess, that is what is most exciting about the changes in our field. It's hard to get bored when there are so many new things to discover.
After today's meeting, our journalism program will have three new offerings related to photojournalism, including an introduction to visual journalism class that will required of all news-editorial and photojournalism students. This class will accomplish several objectives including, giving first-time college an opportunity to discover the applied and creative sides of visual journalism, offer photojournalism majors a foundation for understanding visual impact in print and on screen, and finally, allowing the art department to do what it does best, teach art.
The additional courses that will be coming next year include and picture editing and design course and an advanced technical course in photojournalism. At the same time, I will have opportunities to develop other experimental offerings such as the Sex, Violence and Visual Culture course I'll be teaching this summer.
My first-time experience in developing a curriculum in a specific discipline was extremely positive and not nearly as scarey as I had imagined. Most educators I have come across here work really hard on behalf of their students' interests. It is exciting to be in a learning environment where so much time is spent reflecting on process and developing a strong liberal arts core. In the Communication Department, students have expressed an interest in developing the photojournalism emphasis for a few years now. I have to hand a lot of praise to to my colleagues here for making things in such a short time.