Journalism at CSU Bathurst (1 Viewer)

[jippy787]

Hi,

I deleted my other thread because I just got access to my.csu today, and the majority of my questions have been answered there. I'd still like input from Journalism students at CSU Bathurst, though. I was intending to go to UTS, but the CSU offer just sort of came out of left field - I really wasn't expecting it, so for the last week I've been reading up on CSU, but there are still some things I'd like to know.

Since I was anticipating going to UTS, I know more about UTS's Journalism course than I do CSU's. At UTS there are no exams for Journalism, which I was looking forward to . . . but I'm assuming that there are exams for Journalism at CSU? If so, what are they about exactly? Like, what is being assessed . . .? (Personally I like UTS's policy on exams. =P)

As with the above, Journalism at UTS wouldn't have me purchasing a lot of textbooks, but "Readings" - so I knew my wallet wasn't going to burn. Does CSU Journalism require a lot of textbooks? Because the process of moving to Bathurst will have me quite poor as it is. =P How many textbooks a "session" would I need to purchase, and the price range they'd cost me? (If someone has the ISBN of a textbook required for first year Journalism at CSU, that would be awesome too!) Alternatively, if the textbooks really aren't used that often (hopefully), could I just borrow the textbooks from the library and photocopy the necessary pages? XD;

I've lost my actual Tax File Number form, but I've got the number itself written down on paper. There's no reason I actually need the physical TFN form, right? I'm OK to pop up at O-Week with just the number to fill out the HECS-Help form? =P

Regarding on-campus accommodation - does every student room have a port that I can plug an Ethernet cable into to access the internet? Or is it all wireless?

Thanks in advance to anyone who can help me out a bit~ =)

 

[LAMBERS16]

Hi,

I deleted my other thread because I just got access to my.csu today, and the majority of my questions have been answered there. I'd still like input from Journalism students at CSU Bathurst, though. I was intending to go to UTS, but the CSU offer just sort of came out of left field - I really wasn't expecting it, so for the last week I've been reading up on CSU, but there are still some things I'd like to know.

Since I was anticipating going to UTS, I know more about UTS's Journalism course than I do CSU's. At UTS there are no exams for Journalism, which I was looking forward to . . . but I'm assuming that there are exams for Journalism at CSU? If so, what are they about exactly? Like, what is being assessed . . .? (Personally I like UTS's policy on exams. =P)

As with the above, Journalism at UTS wouldn't have me purchasing a lot of textbooks, but "Readings" - so I knew my wallet wasn't going to burn. Does CSU Journalism require a lot of textbooks? Because the process of moving to Bathurst will have me quite poor as it is. =P How many textbooks a "session" would I need to purchase, and the price range they'd cost me? (If someone has the ISBN of a textbook required for first year Journalism at CSU, that would be awesome too!) Alternatively, if the textbooks really aren't used that often (hopefully), could I just borrow the textbooks from the library and photocopy the necessary pages? XD;

I've lost my actual Tax File Number form, but I've got the number itself written down on paper. There's no reason I actually need the physical TFN form, right? I'm OK to pop up at O-Week with just the number to fill out the HECS-Help form? =P

Regarding on-campus accommodation - does every student room have a port that I can plug an Ethernet cable into to access the internet? Or is it all wireless?

Thanks in advance to anyone who can help me out a bit~ =)

Hey there, I am a second yr Journo student at CSU! I had exactly the same questions as you last yr.... I'll try and answer them as best as possible
1) Generally there are no journalism exams... with the exception of a grammar test and getting accessed for practical assessments, e.g. in the radio on campus, newsroom etc. Apart from that, you will only have exams for your electives... the journalism subjects u do are your core subjects.
2) Readings are relied on heavily.... like uts (as you said above). You only need like 1 textbook in first semester, but u can always buy it cheaper off a first yr student from the previous yr or get it second hand or even from the library. You only need that one textbook as its an introduction to the course... etc. So yeh you could photocopy pages!
3) Yes, as long as you have your TFN number onhand, u will be fine... you don't need anything else! same went for me lol
4) There are ports in every room on campus and also wireless to connect to the net! (same goes for the library)

hope that helped!
have anymore questions...just spill them

 

[alen.d]

Hey Jippy,
Good to see another first year journo student!
Where abouts are you from? Staying on campus?

 

[jippy787]

Hey there, I am a second yr Journo student at CSU! I had exactly the same questions as you last yr.... I'll try and answer them as best as possible
1) Generally there are no journalism exams... with the exception of a grammar test and getting accessed for practical assessments, e.g. in the radio on campus, newsroom etc. Apart from that, you will only have exams for your electives... the journalism subjects u do are your core subjects.
2) Readings are relied on heavily.... like uts (as you said above). You only need like 1 textbook in first semester, but u can always buy it cheaper off a first yr student from the previous yr or get it second hand or even from the library. You only need that one textbook as its an introduction to the course... etc. So yeh you could photocopy pages!
3) Yes, as long as you have your TFN number onhand, u will be fine... you don't need anything else! same went for me lol
4) There are ports in every room on campus and also wireless to connect to the net! (same goes for the library)

hope that helped!
have anymore questions...just spill them

Thank you so much! That definitely helped tonnes.

I know that CSU is the superior uni for Journalism, but I've read some debates about CSU being the uni you go to for broadcast journalism, and UTS being the same for print journalism. Well, I'm striving to be a print journalist . . . could you reassure me that the quality of print journalism being taught at CSU is just as (or almost as) good as their broadcast journalism strand? I noticed that the course co-ordinator for Journalism at CSU is a print journalist . . . that can only mean good things, right?

I looked over the course structure and the subjects taken during first year Journalism seem really restricted to just first years (except for the one elective in the second session). What I'm getting at is, in other unis there are usually "mixed" classes with first year students, second year students, and third year students . . . but it really seems like in first year Journalism at CSU, you're only going to be surrounded by other first year students in the majority of your classes. Is this indeed the case?

Also, regarding the course structure shown here: Bachelor of Communication (Journalism)

Under "Restricted electives" it does say "Two restricted electives - one each in Sessions 2 and 3 - chosen from Group 1 (knowledge based subjects) listed below" and "Two restricted electives - one each in Sessions 3 and 4 - chosen from either Group 1 (knowledge based subjects) listed above or Group 2 (skills based subjects) listed below" - which indicates that there should be two electives chosen in session 3 . . . except the following examples given under "Enrolment pattern" show two electives in session 4, not session 3. Do you know which is correct?

During O-Week when we're enrolling into our subjects, is it just the first session that gets done then, or are we to enrol into our second session as well and pick that one elective?

I read that you disliked "Media Production and Presentation" - why is that?

A lot of questions, I know. Sorry! ^^;

Thank you once again for taking the time to answer my first questions!

Hey Jippy,
Good to see another first year journo student!
Where abouts are you from? Staying on campus?

I'm from South West Sydney and I'm hoping to stay on campus. I'm eagerly awaiting the results of the ballot for accommodation on Friday, but I'm not liking my chances . . . if I don't get a room, I'll have to drive up to Bathurst and find off-campus accommodation, which will be more of a hassle.

I'm looking forward to starting uni - I just wish I'll secure an on-campus room!

 

[LAMBERS16]

Thank you so much! That definitely helped tonnes.

I know that CSU is the superior uni for Journalism, but I've read some debates about CSU being the uni you go to for broadcast journalism, and UTS being the same for print journalism. Well, I'm striving to be a print journalist . . . could you reassure me that the quality of print journalism being taught at CSU is just as (or almost as) good as their broadcast journalism strand? I noticed that the course co-ordinator for Journalism at CSU is a print journalist . . . that can only mean good things, right?

I looked over the course structure and the subjects taken during first year Journalism seem really restricted to just first years (except for the one elective in the second session). What I'm getting at is, in other unis there are usually "mixed" classes with first year students, second year students, and third year students . . . but it really seems like in first year Journalism at CSU, you're only going to be surrounded by other first year students in the majority of your classes. Is this indeed the case?

Also, regarding the course structure shown here: Bachelor of Communication (Journalism)

Under "Restricted electives" it does say "Two restricted electives - one each in Sessions 2 and 3 - chosen from Group 1 (knowledge based subjects) listed below" and "Two restricted electives - one each in Sessions 3 and 4 - chosen from either Group 1 (knowledge based subjects) listed above or Group 2 (skills based subjects) listed below" - which indicates that there should be two electives chosen in session 3 . . . except the following examples given under "Enrolment pattern" show two electives in session 4, not session 3. Do you know which is correct?

During O-Week when we're enrolling into our subjects, is it just the first session that gets done then, or are we to enrol into our second session as well and pick that one elective?

I read that you disliked "Media Production and Presentation" - why is that?

A lot of questions, I know. Sorry! ^^;

Thank you once again for taking the time to answer my first questions!


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hey again. That's fine about you having heaps of questions... I wish I had someone to answer mine when I was about to start last yr! I had to just take a plunge and learn for myself when I went haha!

1) As far as I know, there is no difference between the good/bad chances of a better career in print and broadcast if you go to CSU... people always bag out print, and say its stupid to get into print journo though... thats just everywhere I am talking about, not just CSU... always saying its a 'dying art' etc lol... anyway, getting back to the point lol... there are both broadcast and print opportunities at csu... Eg. on-campus radio for broadcast enthusiasts and the uni magazine for print journos, so I think its pretty equal and btw, Chris Mcgillion (course coordinator) is a really good guy so that helps... just make sure he knows of you! thats what people have told me from 2nd and 3rd yr.... like introduce yourself and tell him what career path in journalism you want to take!

2) Regarding whether there will be first yrs only in your classes, this isnt always the case! It just depends what subjects/electives your doing. Across my subjects last yr, I had 2nd and 3rd yr students in all my classes. So that shows just how it always alternates! Very odd for there to be only first yrs in a class...there will always be some 2nd yrs at least in your class.

3) I'll get back to you on restricted electives question ! lol ill go on the csu website and have a read... it confuses me too.... but ill reply separately for that one.

4) During o-week you only enrol for session 1. At the end of session 1, you will get a notice online which will tell you the process for enrolling for session 2. Just a little extra tip I would have killed to know back last yr - you will have to sign up for tutorials in person for some subjects - I mean that there will be sheets stuck up on tutor's doors with 20 or so line spaces to write your names up! You've gotta get in quick to get the best times, otherwise you may be left with unsuitable times and your timetable will clash with other classes!

5) Haha, most people didn't like Media Production and Presentation last yr. Mainly because it went for the whole year, not just one semester! It was a lot of work. Most people including myself disliked it because it was mainly all group work, minus the last assignment! It all to do with media.... the theatre/media students loved it coz it involves drama related assignments. Eg. lip sync assignment where you make a music video, radio talk show etc. It was fun, just a hell of a lot of work!

hope that helps! ill get back to you about electives question asap
read you came from south west sydney - i do too! so i understand how far away bathurst is from civilisation!

 

[jippy787]

Hey again. That's fine about you having heaps of questions... I wish I had someone to answer mine when I was about to start last yr! I had to just take a plunge and learn for myself when I went haha!

Aww. But hey, you're helping out other future CSU Journalism students too, so no one will be in the same predicament as you were. Thanks!

1) As far as I know, there is no difference between the good/bad chances of a better career in print and broadcast if you go to CSU... people always bag out print, and say its stupid to get into print journo though... thats just everywhere I am talking about, not just CSU... always saying its a 'dying art' etc lol... anyway, getting back to the point lol... there are both broadcast and print opportunities at csu... Eg. on-campus radio for broadcast enthusiasts and the uni magazine for print journos, so I think its pretty equal and btw, Chris Mcgillion (course coordinator) is a really good guy so that helps... just make sure he knows of you! thats what people have told me from 2nd and 3rd yr.... like introduce yourself and tell him what career path in journalism you want to take!

Yeah, I read about it being a "dying art" lol. To be honest I'm actually more interested in online journalism . . . and print journalism is closer to it than broadcast journalism, so I'll be choosing the print journalism strand. I just have no desire to be a newsreader or something, lol. Thanks for reassuring me the quality's the same!

. . . Chris McGillion is supposed to be intimidating, no?

Just out of curiosity, which strand have you chosen?

2) Regarding whether there will be first yrs only in your classes, this isnt always the case! It just depends what subjects/electives your doing. Across my subjects last yr, I had 2nd and 3rd yr students in all my classes. So that shows just how it always alternates! Very odd for there to be only first yrs in a class...there will always be some 2nd yrs at least in your class.

Oh that's awesome! I didn't want to be surrounded by just 18 year olds . . . see, I'm a "mature age student". Though someone recently told me I looked 16 - so I'm sure if I don't tell anyone my age I'd just blend in with the 18 year olds, lol. XD;

3) I'll get back to you on restricted electives question ! lol ill go on the csu website and have a read... it confuses me too.... but ill reply separately for that one.

Haha no worries! It isn't until second year Journalism anyway, so if it's too confusing no sweat.

At the moment I think I'll choose to do two of the politics subjects as my two electives from the first set:

POL210 Politics of Identity
POL212 Global Politics and Culture
POL305 Politics and the Media

Have you done any of them, or heard anything about them? I just hate the thought of doing the literary subjects lol.

4) During o-week you only enrol for session 1. At the end of session 1, you will get a notice online which will tell you the process for enrolling for session 2. Just a little extra tip I would have killed to know back last yr - you will have to sign up for tutorials in person for some subjects - I mean that there will be sheets stuck up on tutor's doors with 20 or so line spaces to write your names up! You've gotta get in quick to get the best times, otherwise you may be left with unsuitable times and your timetable will clash with other classes!

Thanks for the tip! The enrolment session is apparently on 23 February, so after I enrol in my subjects, I should be running around the place signing up for tutorials immediately?

I've been wondering about how many contact hours a week Journalism has? I'm guessing 12-15?

5) Haha, most people didn't like Media Production and Presentation last yr. Mainly because it went for the whole year, not just one semester! It was a lot of work. Most people including myself disliked it because it was mainly all group work, minus the last assignment! It all to do with media.... the theatre/media students loved it coz it involves drama related assignments. Eg. lip sync assignment where you make a music video, radio talk show etc. It was fun, just a hell of a lot of work!

Oh I see, group work. XD It sounds fun though! Probably geared more towards the more outgoing students though, lol.

hope that helps! ill get back to you about electives question asap
read you came from south west sydney - i do too! so i understand how far away bathurst is from civilisation!

Of course it helped - thank you!

LOL. Yeah, if I could handle a six hour round trip to/from uni each day, I would do it, haha. ^^;

 

[LAMBERS16]

Yeah, I read about it being a "dying art" lol. To be honest I'm actually more interested in online journalism . . . and print journalism is closer to it than broadcast journalism, so I'll be choosing the print journalism strand. I just have no desire to be a newsreader or something, lol. Thanks for reassuring me the quality's the same!

. . . Chris McGillion is supposed to be intimidating, no?
Just out of curiosity, which strand have you chosen?

Chris Mcgillion is intimidating the first time you meet him! He's straight to the point, which is scary, but also good at the same time because you need someone realistic like him to motivate you. Like, he said when I first met him to our journo cohort: "20 of you will have amazing jobs that will last a lifetime, 20 of you will have good jobs that will last you a couple of years, and the other 20 of you will have nothing." Haha, sounds harsh... but it's good in a way that he's prepping people for the competitive nature of a journo career. It motivated me though!

I haven't chosen my strand yet! In first yr, its basically an introductory... and second yr, which I am in now, we do both print and broadcast all yr.... I think I have to choose a strand some time this yr... I am even clueless about your question now! Hahaha. I will have to read up on it! But 3rd yr, I am def sure that you have a strand picked out and use the whole yr to perfect your skills etc, internship etc.

Oh that's awesome! I didn't want to be surrounded by just 18 year olds . . . see, I'm a "mature age student". Though someone recently told me I looked 16 - so I'm sure if I don't tell anyone my age I'd just blend in with the 18 year olds, lol. XD

Haha.. I wouldn't worry about your age at all! There are quite a few mature age students at CSU that stick out as being mature age, and they aren't bothered about it coz noone takes notice of them being any different. And if you look 16, lol, I am sure you're not that "mature" looking! hahaha.

At the moment I think I'll choose to do two of the politics subjects as my two electives from the first set:

POL210 Politics of Identity
POL212 Global Politics and Culture
POL305 Politics and the Media

Have you done any of them, or heard anything about them? I just hate the thought of doing the literary subjects lol.

Hahaha, I actually am not too keen on doing the literary ones too... but I'll have to do one or two this yr probably, coz I avoided them last yr. I have done POL210 from your list above.. I really enjoyed it, got a HD (high distinction) for it...mainly coz I found it fun and thought-provoking. It involves a lot of the big concepts like culture, identity, gender, sexuality....etc...philosophy. May come across as boring, but I really ended up enjoying it. I have heard of POL212 and POL305, but haven't done them myself...! One of the two has a huge 3000 word essay apparently... haha which is why I am trying to avoid them for first semester lol! I am lazy I know..... ahah.

Thanks for the tip! The enrolment session is apparently on 23 February, so after I enrol in my subjects, I should be running around the place signing up for tutorials immediately?

Yeah, tutorials are pretty immediate - just go to the course/subject coordinators door to find out info. Sometimes they may organise tutorial lists in the actual tutorial... like you show up to the appropriate tutorial time and the first 20 there get the 20 slots. But ALWAYS go and check doors for tutorial lists! I know thats also hard to do when you don't know where every building is, but its a must if u want a good timetable that works for you. And if you ever get lost around campus, just ask someone for directions at student services or the library!

I've been wondering about how many contact hours a week Journalism has? I'm guessing 12-15?

I have no idea how many contacts hours a week journo has! lol shameful I know.... It just depends how your timetable works and how you arrange your uni week... like last yr, I crammed my classes to fit into full three days (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday) mainly coz I went home for the weekend on Thursdays. Just depends what works for you. Just make sure they don't clash!
Make sure you get a good COM130 class/tutorial. I made the mistake of not knowing where to sign up in first semester and was left with a night class! You would be signing up for that in Cunningham House for future info! so if you get lost in o-week and don't know where to sign up, thats the place to remember!

LOL. Yeah, if I could handle a six hour round trip to/from uni each day, I would do it, haha. ^^;

I would too! Kicked and screamed like a toddler when I had to leave first semester... lol didn't want to leave behind all my friends! but soon matured and realised to not be a baby about it... that i'd make new friends and things would be a lot better! Are you on-campus this yr, or off campus??

 

[jippy787]

Chris Mcgillion is intimidating the first time you meet him! He's straight to the point, which is scary, but also good at the same time because you need someone realistic like him to motivate you. Like, he said when I first met him to our journo cohort: "20 of you will have amazing jobs that will last a lifetime, 20 of you will have good jobs that will last you a couple of years, and the other 20 of you will have nothing." Haha, sounds harsh... but it's good in a way that he's prepping people for the competitive nature of a journo career. It motivated me though!

He actually sounds really awesome. I like realistic people, lol. But wow, you only had 60 people in your cohort? I was thinking there'd be 70-100 people . . . 60 means your lecturers will actually know you, lol.

I haven't chosen my strand yet! In first yr, its basically an introductory... and second yr, which I am in now, we do both print and broadcast all yr.... I think I have to choose a strand some time this yr... I am even clueless about your question now! Hahaha. I will have to read up on it! But 3rd yr, I am def sure that you have a strand picked out and use the whole yr to perfect your skills etc, internship etc.

I see. Well there's no rush, so I hope you'll come to a decision that you'll be happy with! And actually after reading CSU's "career opportunities" I'm starting to think online journalism might be considered a part of the broadcast strand . . . lol, confusing. XD;

Haha.. I wouldn't worry about your age at all! There are quite a few mature age students at CSU that stick out as being mature age, and they aren't bothered about it coz noone takes notice of them being any different. And if you look 16, lol, I am sure you're not that "mature" looking! hahaha.

Actually I'm closer in age to 18 year olds than I am to "actual" mature age students, lol. My age is equivalent to a fifth year student . . . or a fourth year student who took a gap year, lol!

Hahaha, I actually am not too keen on doing the literary ones too... but I'll have to do one or two this yr probably, coz I avoided them last yr. I have done POL210 from your list above.. I really enjoyed it, got a HD (high distinction) for it...mainly coz I found it fun and thought-provoking. It involves a lot of the big concepts like culture, identity, gender, sexuality....etc...philosophy. May come across as boring, but I really ended up enjoying it. I have heard of POL212 and POL305, but haven't done them myself...! One of the two has a huge 3000 word essay apparently... haha which is why I am trying to avoid them for first semester lol! I am lazy I know..... ahah.

I always hated reading novels in English, so I think I'll stay far away from literary subjects, lol.

Hmm if you have to do literary subjects this year than the course structure listed on the CSU site must be lying, lol. According to the site you can get away without doing any literary subjects at all!

Wow, congrats on your HD! Yeah, I'm actually interested in things like that too. It wasn't all theory stuff though, was it? I tend to do better with fact-based stuff, lol. But I really like your enthusiasm for the subject! I will probably definitely do POL210, lol.

Yeah, tutorials are pretty immediate - just go to the course/subject coordinators door to find out info. Sometimes they may organise tutorial lists in the actual tutorial... like you show up to the appropriate tutorial time and the first 20 there get the 20 slots. But ALWAYS go and check doors for tutorial lists! I know thats also hard to do when you don't know where every building is, but its a must if u want a good timetable that works for you. And if you ever get lost around campus, just ask someone for directions at student services or the library!

Haha I'd stop random people for directions. XD;

Oh, are lectures one week ahead of tutorials? If they are, I'll be trying to schedule my tutorials before my lectures in the week, so that in actuality I'd be attending the lecture first, and do the tutorial after . . . if that made sense, lol. XD;

I have no idea how many contacts hours a week journo has! lol shameful I know.... It just depends how your timetable works and how you arrange your uni week... like last yr, I crammed my classes to fit into full three days (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday) mainly coz I went home for the weekend on Thursdays. Just depends what works for you. Just make sure they don't clash!
Make sure you get a good COM130 class/tutorial. I made the mistake of not knowing where to sign up in first semester and was left with a night class! You would be signing up for that in Cunningham House for future info! so if you get lost in o-week and don't know where to sign up, thats the place to remember!

LOL - OK, Cunningham House, gotcha.

Wow I can't believe you went home on weekends! Too tiring for me, lol. Didn't you want to stay with your new CSU friends?

Thanks for all the info! So far only COM111 have class times up. One lecture, and twelve tutorials. Weird thing is though that the length of the tutorials vary . . . about three different lengths, I think. But do we only have one lecture and one tutorial for each subject?

I would too! Kicked and screamed like a toddler when I had to leave first semester... lol didn't want to leave behind all my friends! but soon matured and realised to not be a baby about it... that i'd make new friends and things would be a lot better! Are you on-campus this yr, or off campus??

Ballot results were released today (well, yesterday now lol) and luckily I got a room!

It's regarded as "on-campus" but technically it's off-campus - I got a room in Hargraves (probably because I'm "mature age", lol). The site claims it's a five minute walk to uni . . . I hope so! Do you know anything about it? There's such a small amount of beds that I wouldn't think so, lol.

Thank you once again for your more than generous input!