Dear students,
We would like to inform you of the opportunity to apply to the Global Reporting Program (GRP), which offers graduate students the chance to research an under-covered global issue and produce a major work of journalism/knowledge mobilization. This course involves master’s journalism students partnering with graduate students with subject-area expertise and interest, as well as graduate students at partner institutions around the world.
For 2022-23, the topic is food security:
Three Cs — coronavirus, climate change, and conflict — have contributed to an historic global food crisis and huge food price spikes worldwide. all play a role in global hunger. The pandemic has disrupted supply chains and labour forces. Climate change is threatening crops and livestocks worldwide. And the war in Ukraine is having a measurable effect on wheat, among other food supplies. This year, students will collaborate on a work of journalism that looks at the vulnerabilities in food supply chains, the systems that have brought about these vulnerabilities, and the impact of food insecurity.
As always, students will determine the framing and focus for this project. We plan to have a major media partner and a professional journalist as partners this coming academic year, so students will have opportunities to do global fieldwork and contribute to a major work of journalism.
This is a two-term 6-credit course out of the UBC School of Journalism, Writing & Media, JRNL 555A. It requires three hours of class time per week, and significant out-of-class research, as well as fully funded travel to do field reporting. The course runs from September 6, 2022 through April 28, 2023, with two hours of group class time held on Zoom, and an additional one-hour meeting time for teams during “lab” time.
The Global Reporting Program, and its precursor International Reporting Program, have afforded more than 150 students the opportunity to produce major projects for The New York Times, The Guardian, Toronto Star, The Globe & Mail, BBC News, CBS News, CBC News, Al Jazeera, Vice News, Huffington Post, and other major news organizations. Past student projects have won some of the top awards from the leading journalism organizations, including the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (Emmy for Best Investigation), Society of Professional Journalists (Sigma Delta Chi), Radio Television Digital News Association (Edward R. Murrow), International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (Webby Honour), Online News Association (Online Journalism Award), National Media Awards Foundation (Digital Publishing Award), and Editor & Publisher (EPPY).
If you’re interested in applying, please submit the following:
- Letter
- of interest – explaining why this course would benefit your studies and what you could bring to the course. Please include details of any relevant professional experience and/or past coursework. Make clear in your application what special skills, background,
- or experience you have that would contribute to the project. Also, make a case for why this course is right for you and your academic/career goals.
- CV
- and an unofficial transcript. Your grades and course load will also be taken into consideration. Feel free to include any other relevant addendums, like past journalism or knowledge mobilization work.
- Story
- Proposal – write up a one-page proposal on an aspect of the project topic that could be worth exploring.
The story proposal must show originality, research rigor and feasibility, and it will be used by the admissions committee to help evaluate your ability to conduct high-level research and reporting on a complex global issue. Choose one specific idea within this broad topic, and write a proposal for a story that could be part of a series on this topic. We want specific, well-researched ideas, not a survey of the issue. Think about how your story could be told in a variety of mediums. Your proposal may or may not be chosen to be part of the class project, but most importantly it should illustrate your ability to think through a global story. We’ll be looking for stories that are serious and under-covered by mainstream media.
Admission to the program will be determined by an independent board of scholars and journalists.
Please email a single PDF by July 4th, 2022 (application deadline updated to July 20th, 2022) with all relevant documents to peter.klein@ubc.ca, and entitle the document as follows: GRP_2022_your Last Name_your First Name.
While the GRP will cover the majority of travel and production costs, please note that there may be some out-of-pocket expenses for students. The costs vary based on destination and equipment students already own (like backpacks, sleeping bags and mosquito nets). Students should budget at least $500 CAD in out-of-pocket costs, including any potential vaccinations needed and food in the field. However, we do not want these potential costs to be an impediment to participating. We have a confidential process in order to allow students to apply for a small travel bursary. The bursary was created by class alumni in order to help future students in need of financial support. (Details will be shared with students who are granted admission.)
If you have any questions about the application process, please don’t hesitate to contact Professors Peter Klein (peter.klein@ubc.ca) or Kathryn Gretsinger (kathryn.gretsinger@ubc.ca).
