J298 Earth Journalism

This is a three-credit class aimed at learning about global environmental issues, devising strategies for reporting on them and telling the stories in a compelling way, whatever the medium. We combine developing deeper knowledge of the major environmental and climate change challenges of our time, through lectures by experts, with reporting and narrative techniques aimed at making you into an accomplished science-based reporter and story-teller. Enrolled students will also be eligible to apply for travel grants that would enable them to pursue original reporting trips on environmental and climate topics during spring break, based on pitches they will develop during the first half of the class.

For course applications please send us a letter explaining why you want to take Earth Journalism, by Monday, November 15th at noon. You will be notified if you have been accepted into Earth Journalism by November 22nd. If you are accepted, Michele will register you for the class.

Application Process for EARTH Journalism:

1. Send a letter of interest to Michele Kerr mkerr@berkeley.edu. The letter should be addressed to Mark Schapiro and James Fahn

Students should articulate what interests you about pursuing environmental stories. If you have a rough idea of the type of story you’d like to do, please  share that, though you will not be held to it as new ideas and approaches may occur to you as the class proceeds. If you have experience with environmental and/or science reporting let us know, though that is not a requirement: We want to hear what interests and intrigues you about environmental journalism. And please let us know your favored medium (all are accepted). 

Earth Journalism Scholars: https://ejscholars.wordpress.com/