Journalism education as scientific education: Research university students’ engagement with knowledge

Abstract

This study analyses the scientific character of journalism education at two Finnish research universities by investigating students’ engagement with knowledge. The journalism degrees of these universities involve scientific modules but clearly have a more practical profile than most research university degrees in Finland. This study draws on two influential concepts of university education: powerful knowledge emphasising a coherent theoretical knowledge structure, and expertise emphasising reflective integration of theoretical knowledge with other modes of knowledge. Fourteen students at the end of their bachelor’s and master’s studies were interviewed. The students’ social commitments, theoretical knowledge, integrative knowledge, and reflective knowledge were analysed using situational analysis. The results show that the journalism students’ engagement with disciplinary content knowledge was sporadic. The students’ interviews did not indicate a coherent knowledge structure. At the same time, the students demonstrated a robust capability to apply the scientific research process as an ethical method in journalistic work. Furthermore, the students demonstrated the ability to integrate diverse modes of knowledge. This study brings journalism education into ongoing international scholarly discussions on university education and offers conceptual tools that can be used to critically analyse and develop the scientific character of journalism degree programmes.