UBC School of Journalism, Writing and Media Mini School: Telling Stories with MOJO

This mini school is part of the UBC Future Global Leaders on-campus program for high school students ages 15–18. With 45 hours of class time, FGL mini schools provide a comprehensive introduction to a program area and include information on learning pathways and career opportunities.

In this two-week mini-school, you are introduced to professional journalism practices with a focus on mobile journalism (MOJO). MOJO is an emerging method for gathering facts, information and images, editing and then sharing stories. Journalists, and citizens who have stories to tell on social platforms, using their mobile devices to capture, tell and share stories from around the world.

The role of the mobile journalist is growing throughout the journalism industry. Journalists and content creators increasingly tell stories across multiple platforms and are expected (and encouraged) to utilize their mobile devices to research, report, record, edit and share stories. This approach is used in independent media, traditional media, content creation, digital storytelling and marketing and promotion. Editors and producers expect journalists and contributors to be able to use a range of mobile gathering skills and techniques.

Using your own mobile device (IOS or Android), you learn and apply MOJO methods to gather, report, interview and produce works of shareable journalism. You also work with other students and instructors to create a mini-portfolio of stories and a purpose-built social media account to share and showcase your individual and shared work.

Throughout the program, you receive hands-on instruction, technical support and editorial guidance from our award-winning instructors and meet professional journalists who use these tools in innovative, creative and deliberate ways to gather and share stories. You also learn about related career opportunities in and around journalism and media production.

This hands-on mini school is an excellent choice if you are interested in journalism, creative writing, digital storytelling, content creation, fact-gathering, and media production.

Enrolment is capped at 24 students per section.

Course format

This mini school is held on the UBC Vancouver campus. You attend class in-person 9am–12noon and 1:30-3pm, Monday through Friday. Bring your own mobile device.

Choose to live in a student residence on campus or commute daily to UBC Vancouver:

Commuter Option includes lunch in residence dining hall, Monday through Friday, and UBC Recreation Card.

Residence Option includes private room and full board, airport pick-up and drop-off, local medical insurance for all international students (and custodianship if required for visas), weeknight and weekend social activities (e.g., trips to Grouse Mountain, Granville Island and Robson Street), and UBC Recreation Card.

Cost details

*All fees are subject to change.

To register

A Family Account in UBC’s Lifelong Learning registration system is required to register for UBC Future Global Leaders on-campus.

After you add the course to your cart and go to check out, you’re asked to create a new Family Account or log in if you already have a Family Account.

A parent or guardian needs to set up the Family Account with their primary email address. After the account is created, the parent/guardian adds the learner as a family member to their Family Account using the learner’s primary email address (the learner’s email address cannot be the same as the parent/guardian email address).

Add the learner to the course session in your cart and complete the checkout process.

After completing the checkout process, and while logged into your Family Account, select Applications to access the FGL information package. Your registration is not final until the information package has been completed and submitted. You may partially complete the information package and return to it at any time within your Family Account.