Transfer to UTS (1 Viewer)

[Benny_]

Hi everyone. I'm a 1st year UOW Communications and Media Studies student majoring in Journalism, but I don't particularly want to stay in Wollongong, so I want a transfer next year to either USyd Journalism or UTS Journalism. I was informed by a professor at my uni the other day that UTS Journalism is the pinnacle of Australian Journalism degrees, but I'd appreciate some feedback from you guys.. Of equal, or possibly even greater importance is the sort of grade I should be targetting to guarantee a transfer. What should I be shooting for to beat out the competition? D average? HD average? Have many students dropped out of UTS Journalism in the first year? Thanks for your time

 

[braindrainedAsh]

Your professor is correct in saying that UTS journalism is the bomb. Not many people drop out of UTS journalism... in fact, a lot of people from other UTS communications degrees are trying to transfer in to the journalism major after the first year. It is a very competitive course to get in to.

I was worried I wouldn't make it in to journalism at UTS when I got my UAI, so I asked all about the chances of transferring etc if I missed out. Apparently, it's extaordinarily difficult. The advice I was given was if I didn't get in to journalism at UTS I should do social inquiry at UTS with journalism electives as that would also open doors in to a career in journalism, so maybe that is something you could consider if you really want to get out of Wollongong to UTS and don't get a transfer in to the journalism degree.

I think what would be more important than just a high grade point average to transfer to UTS journalism would be if you could go to the faculty with a portfolio of published journalism work, or if you had appropriate work experience in the industry. This would show them that you are really gung ho about journo.

If I were you I would definately contact the faculty and ask them about the requirements.

I'd also advise you that USyd journalism sucks. If you are serious about journalism and don't get in to UTS, the next best course is at CSU Bathurst. USyd journo students get all theory and no practice, and what really counts when you graduate is how fat your portfolio of published work is. I have been at UTS one semester and have already had stuff published, where people at USyd apparently don't even start writing journalism stories until 2nd or 3rd year. At UTS, in the journalism 1 subject, you have to produce a news story almost immediately, which is great.

Anyway, I think the best bet is to ring the faculty and get some information about the requirements. They should be more than happy to help you.

 

[Benny_]

Thanks a lot for that information Ash, really confirmed what I feared but hoped wouldn't be so anyway. I guess it's still early enough in the semester to reassess my options and try get some things published instead of just going all out for grades. Usyd journalism sounds more or less the same as UOW journalism- a lot of theory and no field work till 2nd year. However I'm still quite certain that it's superior to UOW journalism in almost every other way possible, the teaching staff and admin here are quite terrible. Why is CSU Bathurst the next best thing to UTS? Surely the extra field work involved in the course would be undermined by the exceptionally inconvenient and rural locale of the university. I mean, sure there might be field work in the course, but where's one gonna find stories in Bathurst? Well, those are just my thoughts on it. Thanks again for the help

 

[braindrainedAsh]

The course at Bathurst has a really good reputation in the industry. The fact is that you as a young journalist will probably have to start in the country anyway with your first job. There would be a few media outlets in Bathurst, at least a local paper, local radio station (if not 2 or 3) and also Prime television would have a local newsdesk there. I don't know a huge deal about the course except that it has quite an exceptional reputation considering it is at CSU in the country. There are a couple of people on here who study CSU communications so maybe ask them more about it.

The USyd course may be better than what you have at UOW, but I imagine that it would be equally as hard to get in to as UTS because the UAI for USyd Media Comm was higher than for UTS journalism. If you feel like moving interstate there are a few good courses in Qld, as well as RMIT in Melbourne.

But I think you should ring around the different faculties, and find out what their criteria are for transferring. And get yourself some work experience and published stuff ASAP because I think that would be a big thing not only at UTS, but for all communications courses.

Also, if you really hate UOW communications, perhaps you could do journalism at a private college for a year (Macley I think is a good one) and then try and get in to UTS journalism. You may be able to get exemptions for subjects for your previous study.

Anyway, good luck with it all. I would definately ring the faculties, maybe go to the open days at UTS/USyd and ask questions there.