Syllabus for Media and Communication Studies A: Introduction to Media and Communication Studies

Decisions and guidelines

This course is part of the Bachelor program in Media and Communication and Journalism.

Learning outcomes

After the course the student should be able to:

Knowledge and understanding

• give an account of past and present views on the concept of communication and different communication models/theories of communication,
• describe the social and cultural theoretical framework for the study of communication presented in the course,
• give a general description of the subject media and communication science emergence, range/width and relations to other subjects in the social sciences and humanities,

Competence and skills

• use library and digital resources to support the production of knowledge within the field of media and communication studies,
• conduct a small literature-based study in media and communication studies,
• use scientific language at a basic level,
• actively participate in group work and contribute to the group's assignments and continuously contribute to the organisation of the group's work and its objectives,

Judgement and approach

• discuss how various theories of communication contributes to different views on how communication works in society and between people.

Content

The course provides an introduction to the practices, challenges, theories and methods in media and communication studies and the three fields of media studies, communication studies and journalism studies in a social and cultural theoretical context.

Communication, as a concept and practice, is the focus of the course. What is communication and how do people communicate? The subject media and communication studies - its history, scope and relationship to related subjects - is further studied. The course also offers a social science and cultural science outlook for the study of communication. Current changes and challenges associated with communication is presented and discussed during the course.

The course also provides an introduction to academic studies in social sciences and humanities as well as giving grounds in scientific thinking, writing and research. The course ends with a research project.

Instruction

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

Assessment

The course is examined through active participation in compulsory activities, in individual and group-work assignments, and in written examinations.

If there are special reasons for doing so, an examiner may make an exception from the method of assessment indicated and allow a student to be assessed by another method. An example of special reasons might be a certificate regarding special pedagogical support from the University's disability coordinator or a decision by the department's working group for study matters.