JOUR 215 - The Magazine: Past, Present, Future

Experiential Learning (EXP): Yes
Credits: 4

Magazines are probably the most resilient mass medium we have, which is good news in the digital age. Even though the magazine business was hit hard in recent years, a look at its past and future is far more cheering. In this class, students learn how to investigate a magazine from the past as a way of understanding the magazine business from the inside. They also learn from current magazine editors, writers, and publishers, with a four-night trip to New York City (additional fee required). And students create teams to produce a tablet-ready magazine prototype. Adapted for Spring 2021 due to ongoing Covid-19 pandemic: Magazines are probably the most resilient mass medium we have, which is good news in the digital age. Because of travel restrictions, this course will not be making trips to New York and Roanoke, as in the first years it was offered, nor is there a student fee. Based on last spring’s experience, we should be able to hear from many high-level magazine editors, writers and scholars, and will work in teams on designing, writing, and publishing a prototype of our own original magazine.