In this course, students will gain an exciting insider’s look into the world of journalism by partnering with practicing journalists and pursuing an in-depth writing project from field notes to publication. Working together, students and journalists will define and develop a project—either a series of stories or a long-form investigative piece—and in the process explore the critical thinking, ethical considerations and journalistic practices that go into preparing a story for public consumption. Students will learn how to make a story relevant to readers, how to deploy context and background in storytelling, how to interview sources and gather critical information, and how to navigate questions of objectivity and subjectivity to tell the true stories of Southeast Michigan. Students will write several in-depth reflection and analysis essays as their story project unfolds, as well as a number of short response essays to assigned readings; a brief, informal in-class presentation on their story project toward the end of the term is also required.

Half of the credit hours will be devoted to work with a journalist outside the classroom; the other half will focus on classroom instruction.

Much of our class time will be spent engaging in an ongoing, rigorous conversation about individual writing projects as they unfold. In addition, we will read and discuss selected examples of long-form, literary journalism, as well as works produced by the journalists connected to the course, who will also join us as guest speakers. In past iterations of the class, journalist mentors have included Laura Berman, former Detroit News Columnist and reporter for The Detroit Free Press; Anna Clark, author of The Poisoned City: Flint’s Water and the American Urban Tragedy; Ron French, staff journalist at Bridge Magazine, Stephen Henderson, Pulitzer Prize winning journalist based in Detroit; Jennifer Guerra, staff journalist at Michigan Radio.

Course Requirements:

IMPORTANT: Students interested in this course should email a writing sample of no more than fifteen double-spaced pages and a copy of their unofficial transcripts to Professor Mike Hinken at hinkenm@umich.edu.