Applications are now open for the Fully Funded Open Society Investigative Journalism Fellowships 2020. These 18-month Fellowships offer an opportunity for young journalists to enter the world of in-depth. Further,  investigative reporting by learning cutting-edge investigative, digital, multimedia and storytelling skills. It is a partnership between the Open Society Foundations for South Africa and East Africa, Wits also Rhodes universities.

Five Open Society Fellowships in Investigative Reporting are available each year for 2019, 2020 and 2021. Each fellowship will last for 18 months, consisting of 12 months’ study, 6 months’ internship. Also, attendance at two international investigative journalism conferences (one in South African and one in the USA/Europe).

Fellows can study either the Wits University BA Hons in Journalism and Media Studies or the MA in Journalism and Media Studies, depending on their previous qualifications and experience. They will also get an accredited certificate from a Rhodes PAMS course, a portfolio of work and letters of recommendation for their internships.

Course Structure

For the BA Hons in Journalism and Media Studies with a specialization in Investigative Journalism, the programme will be made up of four courses and a research report:

• Journalism Studies
• Investigative Journalism A
• Data Journalism
• A choice of one of Video Journalism, Online Journalism, or Photojournalism

For the MA, the programme consists of three courses and a research report

• Media and Society
• Investigative Journalism
• Data Journalism

Research report: Based at Rhodes University for a semester, the fellows will do a major investigative project, under individual mentorship, along with a self-critical essay and two articles for publication.

The additional elements will be one international conference chosen from:

• Investigative Reporters and Editors annual Data Journalism Conference in March in the USA
• Further, IRE’s annual Investigative Journalism Conference in June in the USA – (for 2019 and 2021 only)
• The Global Investigative Journalism Conference, 2019 in Hamburg, 2021 venue TBC
• Also, The African Investigative Journalism Conference held every Oct/Nov at Wits
• Likewise, The Fundamentals of Social Accountability Monitoring course run by PAMS at Rhodes University.

Eligibility

• Candidates for the BA Hons must have a minimum of two years of journalism or relevant experience. Also, be eligible for Wits Journalism’s mid-career Honours programme: you must either have an undergraduate degree with 65% or better or pass through an RPL entrance test.
• Candidates for the MA must have at least two years of journalism. Further,  relevant experience and be eligible for Wits Journalism’s MA programme: an equivalent of their BA Hons with 65% or better.
• This is an affirmative action programme and black and female candidates will be favoured. Four of the positions will be reserved for South African residents, and the fifth is open to candidates from the African continent.