Veronic Guerin memorial scholarship
Thursday 14 December 2006

Veronica Guerin

Deadline for applications: Noon, Tuesday, 31 January 2007

Independent News and Media has established an annual Veronica Guerin Memorial Bursary at Dublin City University. Veronica Guerin, who was murdered on 26 June 1996, served as a member of the governing body of NIHE/DCU from 1982 to 1992.

The bursary award scheme will run for at least five consecutive years from 2007. Each bursary is for a sum of €8,500 and is intended to meet the cost of fees and some part of the general expenses of a successful applicant.

Applicants must propose by the deadline an outline for their final thesis/major project that is on a topic or in a format relevant to the memory of Veronica Guerin. This might be, for example, a series of five investigative articles or a radio documentary or an academic study of the practice of investigative journalism.

The panel of assessors, including representatives of DCU School of Communications and of Independent News and Media, will make their selection on the overall quality of applications, taking into account in particular,

• (a) the rationale and clarity of the proposal
• (b) its proposed methodology,
• (c) the research/ investigation plan, including possible sources,
• (d) academic and/or professional performance to date,
• (e) the place of possible publication identified (for proposals in journalism formats).

Applications should be no longer than 2,500 words. Applicants may refer to earlier journalism or research they have done that is relevant to their proposal.

Persons eligible to apply are

• (a) postgraduate students who are already registered and studying on the Masters in Journalism programme at DCU for 2006/7 and
• (b) persons who have worked mainly as journalists for at least four years and who wish to be registered on the Masters in Journalism programme at DCU in the next academic year, 2007/8.

(Requirements for entry to that programme are published at http://www.dcu.ie/communications/index.shtml - go to postgraduate programmes. An outline of the requirements for the final thesis/major project within that programme are available on request to the DCU School of Communications secretary – see below for contact details.)

In the event of the successful applicant being a person seeking a place on the Masters in Journalism programme, a place will be reserved for this person for entry in the autumn immediately following the application round, subject to DCU being satisfied that they have relevant qualifications and/ or journalism experience.

Applications should be delivered to The Secretary, School of Communications, Dublin City University, Glasnevin, DUBLIN 9 (mary.nulty@dcu.ie) by noon on 31 January 2007. The applicant’s name, address and phone number should be clearly indicated on the cover page of the application, but on no other page.