units

ATS2440

Faculty of Arts

18 September 2017 22 December 2024
Monash University

Undergraduate - Unit

This unit entry is for students who completed this unit in 2015 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.

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6 points, SCA Band 1, 0.125 EFTSL

Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered.

LevelUndergraduate
FacultyFaculty of Arts
Organisational UnitCommunications and Media Studies
OfferedCaulfield Second semester 2015 (Day)
Clayton Second semester 2015 (Day)
Coordinator(s)Dr John Tebbutt

Synopsis

This unit introduces a key theoretical concept in the field of media and communications studies, the public sphere. It tracks the emergence of the theory of the public sphere, analyses the multiple uses and related applications of the concept, and explains how the public sphere relates to traditional and new communications and media environments. Attention is given to the changing character of the public sphere over time, and the advent of a so-called 'postmodern public sphere' during the past twenty years.

Outcomes

Students successfully completing this unit will be able to:

  1. Outline the emergence and historical development of the public sphere.
  2. Analyse and understand the role of the media industries in public life and communication, especially how these industries mediate politics in both formal and informal contexts.
  3. Nominate and explain contemporary media developments and issues that structure, inform and reflect the condition of the public sphere.
  4. Display written and verbal evidence of knowledge and critical thinking skills based around the theory of the public sphere, as well as related concepts and issues.

Assessment

Within semester assessment: 50%
Exam: 50%

Workload requirements

Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. A unit requires on average three/four hours of scheduled activities per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.

See also Unit timetable information

Chief examiner(s)

Dr John Tebbutt

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

Communications

Prerequisites

Twelve credit points of first-year Arts units.

Prohibitions

ATS3440