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IS20160

Academic Year 2024/2025

Theories of Media and Communication (IS20160)

Subject:
Information Studies
College:
Social Sciences & Law
School:
Information & Comms Studies
Level:
2 (Intermediate)
Credits:
5
Module Coordinator:
Dr Tijana Milosevic
Trimester:
Autumn
Mode of Delivery:
Blended
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

This course provides students with an introduction to major themes and issues at the heart of media and communication studies as well as providing a firm theoretical foundation that can be leveraged to explain these developments. The module connects classic concepts and current issues of media and communication and debates, including clicktivism, misinformation, fake news, LLMs, cancel culture, gaming culture, and virtual reality. Each weekly session discusses a current issue in media and communications and provides a theoretical perspective on the problem. Students are expected to analyze media-related problems from a theoretically-grounded perspective using the theoretical frameworks provided in the lecture.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

1. Familiarity with contemporary issues in media and communication
2. Knowledge of a range of theories, models, and concepts in communication theory and their relevance to research and practice
3. Ability to recognise and articulate a range of debates in the sociology of the media
4. Strong foundation in communication theory and familiarity with the epistemological, methodological, sociological, historical, and political questions posed by media and communication technologies

Indicative Module Content:

Syllabus - indicative and subject to change and updates

Week 1, September 10th (offline), Instructors: Dr. Tijana Milosevic & Dr. James Steinhoff.

Topic: Introduction to the Module: From Mass Media to Chat GPT.

Assigned readings:

McQuail & Deuze: Chapter 1 (Introduction).

TBA

Week 2, September 17th (offline), Instructor: Dr. Tijana Milosevic.

Topic: The Rise, Decline and Return of Mass Media.

Assigned readings:

McQuail & Deuze: Chapter 2: The Rise, Decline and Return of Mass Media

TBA

NB: This lecture includes a discussion session.

Week 3, September 24th (offline), Instructor: Dr. Tijana Milosevic

Topic: Models of Mass Communication.

Assigned readings:

Chapter 3, Concepts and Models of Mass Communication.

TBA

NB: This lecture includes a discussion session.

Week 4, October 1st (offline), Instructor: Dr. James Steinhoff

Topic: Theories of Media and Society.

Assigned readings:

McQuail and Deuze, Chapter 4: Theories of Media and Society

McLuhan, Understanding Media (selection) - available on Brightspace.

Week 5, October 8th (offline), Instructor: Dr. James Steinhoff

Topic: Media, Mass Communication and Culture.

Assigned readings:

McQuail and Deuze, Chapter 5: Media, Mass Communication and Culture

TBA

NB: This lecture includes a discussion session

Week 6, October 15th (online), Instructor: Dr. Tijana Milosevic

Topic: New Media Theory.

Assigned readings:

McQuail and Deuze, Chapter 6: New Media Theory.

TBA




Week 7, October 22nd (online),

Instructor: Dr. Tijana Milosevic

Topic: Media Content, Issues, Concepts and Methods of Analysis.

Assigned readings:

McQuail and Deuze, Chapter 12: Media Content, Issues, Concepts and Methods of Analysis

TBA

Week 8, October 29th, READING WEEK: NO CLASS

Week 9, November 5th, (offline): Instructor: Dr. James Steinhoff

Topic: Audience Theory.

McQuail and Deuze, Chapter 14, Audience Theory and Research Traditions

TBA

NB: This lecture includes a discussion session.




Week 10, November 12th (online), Instructor: Dr. Tijana Milosevic.

Topic: Media Effects. Processes and Models of Media Effects.

Assigned reading:

Chapter 16: Processes and Models of Media Effects.

TBA

Week 11, November 19th (offline) Dr. James Steinhoff

Topic: The Future of Media and Communications Theory

Assigned readings:

McQuail and Deuze, Chapter 18: The Future of Media and Mass Communication Theory

TBA

NB: This lecture includes a discussion session

Week 12, November 26th (online): Instructor: Dr. Tijana Milosevic

No assigned reading - Exam Review

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

24
Autonomous Student Learning

100
Total

124

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Class activities include lectures and discussion sessions (activities where students will be divided into small groups to discuss relevant lecture-related topics). NB: Use of AI tools such as Chat GPT to generate assignments is not permitted unless instructed or approved by the lecturer. Such use of AI-generated content without explicit permission and attribution will be considered as a form of academic misconduct.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Exam (In-person): The exam comprises multiple choice and open-ended answers. End of trimester
Duration:
2 hr(s)
 Graded No
65
 No
Participation in Learning Activities: In the second half of five lectures starting from week 2, students will be asked to submit a written assignment and participate in an in-class group discussion Week 2, Week 3, Week 5, Week 7, Week 9 Pass/Fail Grade Scale No
35
 No

Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Not yet recorded.

McQuail, D., & Deuze, M. (2020). McQuail’s Media and Mass Communication Theory (Seventh Edition). SAGE.

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Autumn Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Tues 15:00 - 16:50
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