CULTURAL JOURNALISM CERTIFICATE PROGRAM
updated April 3, 2008
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Cultural Journalism Program at Emerson College offers individuals an opportunity to learn to write critiques and feature stories about the arts — theater, film, music, and fine dining — for print media and the Web.
The curriculum is structured to help participants develop their writing skills and gain an understanding of the responsibilities of the arts and entertainment writer or critic. Individuals who successfully complete the three required core courses as well as two electives from the cultural journalism series will earn the Cultural Journalism Certificate.
WHO SHOULD ENROLL
The Cultural Journalism Program offers a series of non-credit courses to writers and aspiring writers interested in developing their skills for reporting, reviewing and feature-story writing.* The program features challenging courses that focus on writing for the arts and entertainment — for print media and the Web.
Also available are enrichment courses covering such topics as cultural trends, in which participants have an opportunity to gain a greater understanding of journalism and its relationship to entertainment from several viewpoints. Participants may enroll in one or several multi-session courses. The certificate, however, will be awarded only to participants who successfully complete all components of the Cultural Journalism Certificate Program.
REQUIRED CORE COURSES
CE0371-9 Arts, Entertainment and Society
10-session course, offered fall and spring semesters $500.00
This course is designed for participants who wish to pursue careers in the entertainment industry, and individuals interested in the relationship of popular culture, globalization, marketing/advertising, and ethics to entertainment and communication. Through the course, participants will define the historical context of entertainment and the effect of entertainment concepts on high art and popular culture. Participants also will examine the impact of entertainment of politics and marketing and the globalization of entertainment industries.
CE0372-9 Introduction to Arts and Entertainment Writing, Part 1
10-session course, offered fall and spring semesters $500.00
Participants will write reviews and feature articles about arts and entertainment topics, using research, content development, writing, and critical thinking skills they build in this course. Participants will also learn to create story ideas and focus them; develop reporting and interviewing abilities, and discuss arts coverage for the Web.
CE0374-9 Introduction to Arts and Entertainment Writing, Part 2
6-session course, offered summer semester $300.00
Participants will write or rewrite their own feature articles/critiques. This course focuses on the writing and critiquing process by training individuals to appraise their own work as well as the work of others. (Prerequisite: CE0372-9, Introduction to Arts and Entertainment Writing, Part 1)
ELECTIVE COURSES
CE0373-9 Hot Button Issues in Contemporary Culture, Part 16-session course, fall semester $300.00
Hot Button Issues is a crash course covering arts-industry trends, economics, and audience expectations that often determine the degree of success or failure of individuals in the arts, entertainment presentations or events. This lecture and discussion course is also designed to increase your awareness of the pressures and problems arts producers and presenters face—as well as the need to maintain independent thinking, objectivity and integrity when you cover the arts.
CE0375-9 Hot Button Issues in Contemporary Culture, Part 2
8-session course, spring semester $400.00
This eight-session course is an overview of the economic and social challenges arts organizations have faced since the early 1990s. Participants will discuss such issues as the decline in public, corporate and foundation support and the scramble for new funding by arts organizations. The class also will discuss changes in ticket purchasing patterns and consumer behavior, and the influence on artistic quality and creative independence of partnerships and sponsorships. (Prerequisite: CE0373-9, Hot Button Issues in Contemporary Culture, Part 1)
CE0380-9 New Media Arts Coverage
8-session course, summer semester $400.00
As arts coverage in major newspapers continues to decline, many arts reviewers and journalists turn to the Web to communicate with the arts community and their audiences. Learn about the development of online arts journalism, and how to use Weblogs, podcasts, video, and social networking to review and report on the arts.
CE0376-9 Critic’s Choice: Theater
7-session course, including show dates, spring semester
Come to the theater for press night and talkback discussions for three professional theater companies in Boston: the Huntington Theatre Company, Lyric Stage Company, and SpeakEasy Stage Company. Receive press packets, view the performances, observe the post-show discussions, write your critique and discuss your observations in class. (Participants will attend three plays and meet in three separate class sessions for discussion. Play titles TBD).
CE0377-9 Critic’s Choice: Film
6-session course, including film dates, semester TBA
CE0378-9 Critic’s Choice: Fine Dining
6-session course, including dining dates, semester TBA
CE0379-9 Critic's Choice: Punk Rock & Underground Music
8-session course, summer $400.00
Investigate the world of punk rock and underground music in this media-intensive writing workshop. Participants will explore the various art forms that have contributed to, and been spawned from the punk and rock underground musical genre and practice crafting critical musical reviews.
CERTIFICATE PROGRAM COMPLETION REQUIREMENTS
Professional Studies participants may choose to work towards a Cultural Journalism Certificate. The following guidelines apply to all non-credit, non-degree certificate individuals at Emerson College:
- Individuals must satisfy the certificate program requirements published for the term in which they register for the first course toward the certificate.
- All individuals must complete coursework for a certificate program within a period of three years from his or her initial date of registration.
- Only learning activities offered by Emerson College’s Department of Professional Studies & Special Programs may be applied to fulfill the requirements of a certificate program.
- Enrollment in non-credit, non-degree certificate programs is open to all individuals who have a high school diploma or GED. Prerequisite requirements apply in some instances. To receive a certificate, individuals must submit a “Request for Certificate” form to the Department of Professional Studies & Special Programs within one year of program completion.
INSTRUCTORS
Jared Bowen
Jared Bowen is the sole reporter with WGBH-TV's nightly news magazine program Greater Boston with Emily Rooney, and is a guest contributor to Boston Common magazine. At Great Boston, Jared covers breaking news, politics, arts, and culture in the show's popular Center Stage with Jared Bowen segments. He has produced four news documentaries for the program. Jared also has produced three seasons of WGBH's Eye on Education initiative. Jared is the recipient of a New England Emmy Award; prior to joining WGBH he was awarded a fellowship from the International Radio and Television Society which placed him at Dateline NBC in New York; and he earned several Associated Press Awards for reporting while attending college. Jared is a graduate of Emerson College with a degree in Broadcast Journalism.
Terry Byrne, instructor of Hot Button Issues in Contemporary Culture
Terry Byrne is a freelance writer whose work appears frequently in the Boston Globe, and a critic who contributes to WGBH-TV's Greater Boston. For 11 years, she served as the chief theater critic for the Boston Herald, and for eight years before that, was the Herald's arts editor. She has been writing about the arts for 20 years and her articles have appeared in Boston Magazine, the Dallas Morning News, the Toronto Star and the Asbury Park Press. She is a graduate of Boston College, where she taught as a member of the adjunct faculty in the Communications Department. Terry is currently a visiting scholar at Brandeis University's Women's Studies Research Center.
Michael T. Fournier, instructor of Critic's Choice: Punk and Underground Rock
Michael T. Fournier is a Boston-based writer, critic and historian. As a writer and critic, Fournier has contributed to the Boston Globe, Boston Phoenix, Punk Planet, Chunklet, Perfect Sound Forever, Trouser Press, and Pitchfork Media. In 2007 for its 33-1/3 Series, Continuum Press published Double Nickels On The Dime, Fournier's book about the Minutemen's 1984 double album of the same name. The book reached number one on Amazon.com's punk chart.
Michael is an executive board member of The Key Foundation, and co-authored Wah-Tut-Ca Scout Reservation, a photo history of the summer camp. His work was released as part of Arcadia Press's Images of America Series, 2007.
Mr. Fournier has taught History of Punk Rock at Tufts University and guest lectured at Northeastern University.
Art Hennessey, instructor of Arts, Entertainment and Society
Art Hennessey is the founder and co-artistic director of Essayons Theatre Company, through which he has produced theatrical and multimedia works in Boston, Seattle and New York City. Art is also an actor, director and playwright. The Independent Reviewers of New England (IRNE) nominated his play, I Go Solo as Best New Play in 2003.
IRNE also nominated, for Best New Play of 2005, the Essayons' production of Europhochylus, Massachusetts, which Art co-wrote. Art teaches acting in Boston with his wife Amanda Good Hennessey and writes about theater and cultural issues on his weblog, Boston Theatre Beyond Boylston.
Alan Rosenberg, instructor of Introduction to Arts and Entertainment Writing
Alan Rosenberg has worked for the Providence Journal as a reporter and editor since 1978. He is currently the Journal's South County regional editor. Alan spent 19 years as the newspaper's assistant-features editor and oversaw arts, entertainment and lifestyle coverage; and wrote book, audio book, theater and restaurant reviews.
Art has performed in community theater with Rhode Island's Academy Players and Jewish Theatre Ensemble. He also has taught religious school at Temple Beth-El in Providence where he co-directs the drama group and works with students in grades four through six. In 2006 he won the Jenny Klein Award as Rhode Island's Jewish religious schoolteacher of the year. Art holds a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from Medill School of Northwestern University.
Linda Murphy Sutherland, instructor of Critic's Choice: Theatre
Linda Murphy Sutherland is associate director of academic programs at Emerson College, and a freelance director/teaching-artist. Linda combines her background in educational programming and the performing arts, as a member of Trinity Repertory Company, to facilitate audience discussion after performances. Ms. Sutherland is a faculty member of Boston University's Arts Administration Graduate Program, and an educational consultant for Boston Public Schools. She has taught in the theatre departments of Emerson College, Bridgewater State College, and the University of Connecticut. A former associate director of education at the Huntington Theatre Company, Linda taught the Young Critics' Institute.
Linda is Rhode Island state vice-chair and a member of the Selection Committee for the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (Region I), a former president of the board of directors of the New England Theatre Conference (NETC), and is a current member of NETC's College of Fellows. Linda also has contributed to the performing arts as managing editor, and drama and dance critic for Art Dept. Newspaper.
CULTURAL JOURNALISM PROGRAM TUITION & PAYMENTS
Tuition is due upon registration for all Cultural Journalism Program courses and workshops offered through the Department of Professional Studies and Special Programs. Tuition is calculated per course and individuals must pay tuition in full prior to participating in the courses of their choice.
Participants may incur additional course-related expenses. Such additional expenses are separate from tuition costs and payments.
Emerson College reserves the right to change any provision of its programs and courses at any time. The College specifically reserves the right to change its tuition rates and any other financial charges. The College also reserves the right to rearrange its courses and class hours, to drop courses for which registration falls below the minimum enrollment, and to change instructor assignments.
