Our History
In the beginning:
1921: In September the Statute for Diploma for Journalism was gazetted. This was a course for graduates from the Faculty of Arts or for professional journalists with three years experience. The content of the Diploma for Journalism was in the areas of English, history, politics and economics.
The first graduate of the Diploma for Journalism was Daniel Quillinan who became president of the Queensland branch of the Australian Journalists Association (now Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance).
1934: A Diploma in Journalism program commenced which included studies in the discipline itself.
1937: The Diploma in Journalism was made available via external delivery.
The middle years:
1965: A meeting of the Board of the Faculty of Arts recommended that the Diploma in Journalism be abolished.
1968: Last enrolments accepted into the Diploma in Journalism.
1968: Some journalism courses were included in the Bachelor of Arts degree.
1971: Journalism became a single major in the Bachelor of Arts degree.
1983: This was extended to a double major in journalism in the Bachelor of Arts degree.
1988: Journalism staff moved from three small offices in the Michie Building to Building 91 in Hood Street (pictured).
1988: An honours program in journalism in the Bachelor of Arts was introduced.
1989: Australia's first chair in Journalism was created.
1990: Master of Journalism program introduced.
Towards the 21st Century:
1991: Journalism Studies gained Department status. Until this time journalism studies had been taught from the Department of Government (now the School of Political Science and International Studies).
1995: MA in Journalism offered for students who had a postgraduate Diploma in Arts.
Master's qualifying program discontinued.
From the mid 90s onwards several programs were introduced:
1996: Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism
1998: Graduate Certificate in Journalism
1998: Bachelor of Journalism program.
21st Century:
2000: Bachelor of Journalism (honours program).
Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism (Medical Journalism) this specialization has since been cancelled although the content is available through the Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism.
Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism (Sports Journalism) this has since been cancelled.
2001: School of Journalism and Communication created. This merged operations of the Department of Journalism, St Lucia and most communication offerings at Ipswich campus.
New programs were introduced:
2003: Bachelor of Communication program.
Public Relations major offered within the Bachelor of Social Science, Ipswich campus.
2004: Bachelor of Communication (honours program).
Master of Communication.
2005: Graduate Certificate in Communication.
Graduate Diploma in Communication.
Research programs – MPhil and PhD offered in communication
2006: In September to coincide with the gazetting of the Statute for the original Diploma for Journalism the School celebrated "85 years of journalism studies".
2006: The school's undergraduate programs undergo major redesign:
Single and double major students in the Bachelor of Arts study Journalism and Mass Communication courses.
Bachelor of Journalism students follow a professional path focusing on practical journalism.
2006: The Public Relations major transfers from Bachelor of Social Science to the Bachelor of Communication program.
2008: The core of the Bachelor of Communications and its Public Relations major transfer from Ipswich campus to St Lucia campus.
References:
Kirkpatrick, R. (1996) 75 years of tertiary journalism studies, Australian Studies in Journalism vol. 5 pp256-264
Department of Journalism handbooks 1988 – 2001
School of Journalism and Communication Handbooks 2002 - 2007
