Syllabus for Media and Communication Studies B: Media Studies

Medie- och kommunikationsvetenskap B: Mediestudier

A revised version of the syllabus is available.

Syllabus

  • 15 credits
  • Course code: 2IV163
  • Education cycle: First cycle
  • Main field(s) of study and in-depth level: Media and Communication Studies G1F

    Explanation of codes

    The code indicates the education cycle and in-depth level of the course in relation to other courses within the same main field of study according to the requirements for general degrees:

    First cycle

    • G1N: has only upper-secondary level entry requirements
    • G1F: has less than 60 credits in first-cycle course/s as entry requirements
    • G1E: contains specially designed degree project for Higher Education Diploma
    • G2F: has at least 60 credits in first-cycle course/s as entry requirements
    • G2E: has at least 60 credits in first-cycle course/s as entry requirements, contains degree project for Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science
    • GXX: in-depth level of the course cannot be classified

    Second cycle

    • A1N: has only first-cycle course/s as entry requirements
    • A1F: has second-cycle course/s as entry requirements
    • A1E: contains degree project for Master of Arts/Master of Science (60 credits)
    • A2E: contains degree project for Master of Arts/Master of Science (120 credits)
    • AXX: in-depth level of the course cannot be classified

  • Grading system: Fail (U), Pass (G), Pass with distinction (VG)
  • Established: 2017-01-26
  • Established by: The Department Board
  • Applies from: Spring 2018
  • Entry requirements:

    15 credits in media and communication studies

  • Responsible department: Department of Informatics and Media

Decisions and guidelines

The course is part of the Bachelor's Programme in Media, Communication and Journalism Studies.

Learning outcomes

After the course the student should be able to:

Knowledge and understanding

  • describe and critically discuss the contemporary media landscape with a focus on the interaction between different media and their relations to cultural, organisational, political and economic processes of change,
  • account for theories about contemporary media, with particular focus on digital and social media,
  • briefly account for relevant legal and ethical frames of the contemporary media,
  • describe current research on media practice and action in the areas participation, making and activism.

Competence and skills

  • conduct critically reflective analyses of the role of media in relation to various current societal phenomena and social change,
  • identify and formulate a problem as the basis for a media intervention as well as to plan and conduct such a project in a group,
  • carry out a contextual and ethical analysis using relevant research sources,
  • use various media in the media intervention project.

Judgement and approach

  • critically reflect on the relationship between media theory and media practices and actions,
  • critically reflect on ethical challenges in relation to media practices and action,
  • reflect on the ethical and social implications of the implemented media project.

Content

The course contains three parts.

(I) Media theory and analysis of the contemporary media landscape: The first part deals with media theory and analysis of the contemporary media landscape, with particular focus on digital and social media. In the first part also the relationships between the media and cultural, organisational, political and economic change in society are discussed.

(II) Media Practice and action: The second part presents current research on how people use the media. Here the focus is on three areas of practice and action: participation, doing/making and activism. Ethical issues related to media practices and action are dealt with in this part.

(III) Project: The final part of the course consists of a social media project to deepen the understanding of the relationship between theory and practice in today's digital media world. The project is performed as a media intervention and has to contain a contextual and ethical analysis, and be related to current research within the frames of the project.

Instruction

Lectures, seminars and workshops are combined with individual and group work activities and assignments.

Assessment

The course is examined through active participation in compulsory activities, in individual and group-work assignments, and in oral and/or written exam.

Syllabus Revisions

Reading list

Reading list

Applies from: Spring 2018

Some titles may be available electronically through the University library.

  • Dijck, José van The culture of connectivity : a critical history of social media

    New York: Oxford University Press, cop. 2013

    Find in the library

    Mandatory

  • Gauntlett, David Making is connecting : the social meaning of creativity, from DIY and knitting to YouTube and Web 2.0

    Cambridge: Polity, 2011

    Find in the library

    Mandatory

  • Jenkins, Henry; Ito, Mizuko; Boyd, Danah Participatory culture in a networked era : a conversation on youth, learning, commerce and politics

    Cambridge: Polity, 2016

    Find in the library

    Mandatory

  • Lindgren, Simon. Digital media and society : theories, topics and tools

    1st edition.: Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, 2017.

    Find in the library

    Mandatory

In addition to these compulsory books, approximately 150 pages of articles and chapters will be read throughout the course.

Print syllabus and reading list
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