This course introduces students to Media and Communications studies by exploring major theories that explain how and why we communicate the way we do.

Students will explore theories that explain how communication influences our perspective of others, the world and ourselves. This course will prepare students for employment in positions such as: Advertising account executive, broadcast journalist, editorial assistant, event manager, film director, magazine journalist, market researcher and marketing executive.

By examining media messages from journalism, entertainment and advertising, students will explore how the media create meaning and how technology shapes the ways we communicate. Students will use the theories discussed to analyze excerpts from TV shows, films, news media and digital media.

On completion of the course, students should be able to satisfy the following learning objectives:

• Identify the major schools of thought in Communication.
• Summarize major theories about how we produce messages and assign meaning in oral, written and media communication.
• Analyze major issues in contemporary media communication.
• Evaluate how mass media and new (digital) media influence political, economic and social discussion.
• Judge how mass media and new (digital) media influence cultural production and social development and interaction.
• Explain and illustrate how technology influences communication.