Bakala Foundation’s Journey: Journalism Bootcamp 2018 in Prague, Czech Republic (Funded for Czech & Foreign Students)
Deadline: May 6, 2018
Bakala Foundation is accepting applications for the Journey: Journalism Bootcamp 2018 – an intensive 10-day summer course in journalism designed for both Czech and foreign students. The program is aimed at giving aspiring journalists real-world training that will help them pursue successful careers.
The course is a mix of lectures and exercises where students will learn by doing under the supervision of journalists from leading international news organizations. They have hosted lecturers from the BBC, Bloomberg, CNN, the New York Times, ProPublica, Reuters, Storyful, Mashable.com and the Wall Street Journal. Our lecturers have included several Pulitzer Prize winners, such as Seymour Hersh, Jesse Eisinger, Charles Ornstein and Tracy Weber.
Objectives of the program
The program focuses on best practices and standards in an ever evolving landscape of modern-day journalism. Students will discuss relevant themes in journalism during lectures and test their skills in practical exercises throughout the week under guidance from experienced editors. Students will also spend two days reporting from Prague where they will produce stories under deadline.
By the end of the course, students should be able to more confidently report and write breaking news as well as produce long-form stories while adhering to the highest ethical standards. Each student will also be required to pitch, report and write a long-form story on an assigned theme.
What skills will you learn during Journey?
- Researching a story in an organized, planned-out timely manner;
- Identifying, cultivating and effectively using sources;
- Navigating social media and verifying information shared via social media;
- Real-time field reporting and writing;
- Working with an editor to produce a long-form story.
You can expect to leave with…
- Experience of crafting a long-form story that includes text and visual components;
- Experience in field reporting in a foreign country;
- Better knowledge of best journalism practices and reporting ethics;
- Networking opportunities with fellow program participants and international journalists.
What are the outcomes of Journey?
- You will create news content for various platforms – print, TV, online, radio;
- You will learn to deliver stories under strict deadline;
- You will work under experienced journalists on an assigned topic;
- You will learn to recognize and follow all the crucial stages of researching and writing a news story.
Benefits
The successful candidates will receive full scholarship covering thecosts associated with their participation in the program. The scholarship covers room and board, travel costs, visa related expenses and study materials.
Working language of the program is English and students are expected to have a very good command of English language.
Eligibility
- Current university students of journalism, media studies or related fields
- Must have successfully completed minimum of two academic semesters of full-time study by August 2018
- Excellent academic standing
- Very good oral and written English language skills
- Citizenship of one of the following countries: Belarus, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States of America
- Passport valid until September 2019 and ability to travel to the Czech Republic
Is Journey for you? They are looking for…
- Journalism or media studies students who have finished at least two semesters of university education and who show strong interest in reporting and news writing;
- Students of related study programs who have shown deep interest in journalism and have work experience in journalism.
Application
Each candidate must submit online application form, including:
- Personal data – Information on your education, professional experience, publications and received awards
- Official transcript or equivalent document (in PDF format; if the transcript is in any other language than English, please provide an English translation. Official certification of the translation is not required)
- Curriculum Vitae (in PDF format)
- Personal statement (max. 500 words)
- Individual project pitch – see below (max. 200 words)
Candidates may be contacted and asked to participate in a Skype interview. Candidates must provide all of the information requested above. Incomplete applications will not be considered.