Undergraduate - UnitATS1278 - Introduction to communication studies

This unit entry is for students who completed this unit in 2013 only. For students planning to study the unit, please refer to the unit indexes in the the current edition of the Handbook. If you have any queries contact the managing faculty for your course or area of study.

print version

6 points, SCA Band 1, 0.125 EFTSL

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Level	Undergraduate
Faculty	Faculty of Arts
Organisational Unit	School of Applied Media and Social Sciences, Gippsland
Offered	Berwick Second semester 2013 (Day) Gippsland Second semester 2013 (Day) Gippsland Second semester 2013 (Off-campus) Sunway Second semester 2013 (Day) Sunway October intake 2013 (Day)
Coordinator(s)	Dr Paul Atkinson/Dr Sue Yell

Notes

Previously coded COM1020

Synopsis

Introduces the study of communications technologies with reference to arguments about audiences, effects and technology. Investigates practices for compiling knowledge about audiences for, and effects of, communication technologies. Areas of study include telephony, screen, radio, print and digital communication technology, with a particular focus on aspects of historical development and contemporary technological convergence. Subject readings and assessment exercises expect students to discuss these matters in relation to frameworks for making sense of social, cultural and political contexts of modern life.

Outcomes

In this unit we expect you, by the end of semester, to be able to:

Use the practical skills of reading, note taking and arguing in exploring critical perspectives on communication;
Demonstrate an understanding of theoretical frameworks and conceptual tools for describing the development of communication systems;
Apply tools for analysing the social and political uses, of communications technologies; recognise communication as an active production and negotiation of meanings, not just the transmission of information; and
Identify relations between media texts and technologies, the identities and capacities of producers and audiences, and the aspirations of governments and other powerful social actors.

Assessment

Written work (3000words): 70%
Examination (2 hours): 30%

Chief examiner(s)

Dr Paul Atkinson/Dr Sue Yell

Contact hours

3 hours (1 x 1 hour lecture and 1 x 2 hour tutorial) per week

This unit applies to the following area(s) of study

Writing
Communications

Prohibitions

COM1020, COM1520, GSC1901