| Semester 1 Credit Value: | 20 |
|---|---|
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
• To enable students to gain a sophisticated understanding of sociological and cultural debates about the media and society through a number of case studies
• To advance students’ knowledge of the changing role of the mass media in a global context
• To provide a critical understanding of the concepts of media globalisation, media ethics, and key theories of the media
• To enable students to gain a comprehensive understanding of social and cultural theories of old and new media
• To provide students with the opportunity to extend their knowledge of the relationship between media production, forms, texts and audiences
• To enable students to comprehend the political economy of the media and the formation of policy and organisational processes and practices
• To enable students to gain an understanding of media representations including the relationship between media texts and readers/audiences
• To provide knowledge of the production, communication and interpretation of meaning in traditional and new media
The module offers students the opportunity to gain an advanced knowledge of key theories, concepts and debates required to analyse the intersection of media and society. Through a series of case studies, students will be introduced to contemporary debates about media, power and publicity through the following topics: globalisation, new media technologies, the political economy of the media, the public sphere and media organisations, and the relationship between production, and consumption of media texts. Theories, concepts and debates about media and society will provide students with the analytical tools needed throughout the course to engage critically with contemporary approaches to the media.
The module will include the following topics:
Introduction to media analysis
Approaches to media analysis
Media representations, semiotics and stereotypes
Discursive approaches to analyzing representations
Media technologies and cultural forms
Social media and changing relationships
The political economy of the media
Defining media globalisation
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Academic Staff Contact Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 11 | 2:00 | 22:00 | 22:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 6 | 1:00 | 6:00 | 36:00 | Seminars |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 1 | 172:00 | 172:00 | 0:00 | N/A |
| Total | 200:00 | 58:00 |
The module aims to advance students’ knowledge and understanding of media analysis through the study of a range of key concepts theories and case studies. Lectures introduce and develop ideas and case study material and the seminars allow students to consider, assess and debate material in further detail. Seminars will involve small group work, spoken presentations. This will be combined with private study and essay writing.
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Written exercise | 1 | M | 30 | Individual project of 1000 words consisting of a media analysis exercise |
| Essay | 1 | A | 70 | Individual essay of 3000 words |
Assignment 1:
Individual analysis exercise
For the first assignment, students are asked to produce an individual analysis exercise of 1000 words. This assignment allows students to develop the skills needed to analyze a media text. Students are asked to demonstrate an understanding and knowledge of the key concepts and approaches media studies required for such an analysis. One of the following media texts are to be selected for analysis:
Film
Newspaper article or photo
TV programme
Magazine article or photo
Advertisement
Website
Video game
Assignment 2:
Essay
For the second assignment, students are required to write an individual essay of 3000 words. Students are asked to analyse an aspect of the media by engaging with a particular contemporary issue. Students must assess the strengths and weaknesses of approaches and theories in the study of the media, culture and society. The summative assessment will allow students to familiarise themselves with theories, problems and issues raised in the module and to develop a critical understanding of the intersection of media and society.