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Journalism · MS elective · 3 credit hours · 16 sessions

Virtual & Augmented Reality for Journalism

“Immersive Journalism” places the audience inside the story. This course moves beyond the flat screen, teaching students to create 360-degree video documentaries and Augmented Reality (AR) visualizations. Students will study “Empathy” as a journalistic tool, learning how to transport viewers to refugee camps, war zones, or historical events using VR headsets and mobile AR overlays.

§ 01 By the end you can
  1. Differentiate between 360 Video, VR (Interactive), and AR (Overlay)
  2. Master 360-degree camera operation and stitching workflows
  3. Design AR news apps that visualize data in the user's physical space
  4. Understand the "Empathy Machine" theory vs. the risk of "Trauma Porn"
  5. Publish immersive content to WebVR and Social Platforms
§ 02 Sixteen sessions

The whole semester.

  1. 01Introduction to Immersive Journalism
  2. 02The Psychology of Presence: Being There
  3. 03Case Study: "Clouds Over Sidra" (UNVR)
  4. 04360 Video Production: Camera Placement
  5. 05Directing the Viewer (without a frame)
  6. 06Interviewing in 360: Hiding the Crew
  7. 07Ethics of Immersion: Re-enactment vs. Reality
  8. 08 · MidtermMidterm Examination
  9. 09Stitching & Nadir Patching
  10. 10Spatial Audio: Directing Attention with Sound
  11. 11Introduction to Augmented Reality (AR)
  12. 12AR Tools: Spark AR & Adobe Aero
  13. 13Data Visualization in AR
  14. 14Photogrammetry for VR Environments
  15. 15Distribution: Headsets vs. Magic Window
  16. 16Final Project: The Immersive Documentary Experience

Midterm around session 8. Final project briefed at session 8 or 9 and developed in stages until the juries.

§ 03 Final project

Final Project: The Immersive Documentary Experience

How it’s judged

Recommended reading
  1. Immersive Journalism as Storytelling by Tanni Haas
  2. Virtual Reality Filmmaking by Celine Tricart
  3. Experience on Demand by Jeremy Bailenson
  4. The VR Book: Human-Centered Design for Virtual Reality by Jason Jerald
  5. Augmented Human by Helen Papagiannis
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