The Bachelor of Communications (Honours) is a theory and practice-based course in which you will analyse and gain skills in different aspects of Media and Communications. The programme helps you keep pace with the latest media and communication trends and technologies, offering learning of a combination of theoretical and practical skills. The programme blends a framework of concepts, processes and experiences in the dissemination of knowledge to work-related problems you will encounter throughout your career. The areas of study include journalism; design and visual communications; marketing communications; film, video and broadcasting; and internet communications. Students also explore human communications in different contexts, as well as the latest media and communication trends and technologies in various settings. During your final year, you are expected to write a research-based dissertation, experience practical work by means of a placement, and do one mentored project, all in one area of focus.
The Bachelor of Communications (Honours) is a theory and practice-based course in which you will analyse and gain skills in different aspects of Media and Communications.
Apart from exploring human communications in different contexts and providing training in the analysis of media representations, the programme helps you keep pace with the latest media and communication trends and technologies, offering learning of a combination of theoretical and practical skills. The programme blends a framework of concepts, processes and experiences in the dissemination of knowledge to work-related problems that you will encounter throughout your career.
Throughout the programme, you will learn how to understand the workings of the media and ways in which media research can contribute to your awareness of its influence in society and on the individual within different contexts. Following this, you are also taught how to use the different communications media that can lead to skills acquisition for careers in different media sectors (design, broadcasting, online communications, etc).
Apart from this, personal communications are also honed, going the whole range from understanding the workings of human communications and their different manifestations, to practice-based learning in, e.g., public speaking, presentation techniques, etc.The areas of study include journalism; design and visual communications; marketing communications; film, video and broadcasting; and internet communications. You will also explore human communications in different contexts, as well as the latest media and communication trends and technologies in various settings.
Requirements of the Programme:
The course is in two parts. The first part is made up of the first two years, in which compulsory units in the different aspects of communications are delivered. You are also allowed four optional units that you can choose from all courses on offer at the University of Malta. There are also four support units: philosophy, psychology, sociology and English/Maltese, in which the relationship of these topics with communications is explored.
The second part of the course comprises the third year. During this year, you are expected to write a dissertation, experience practical work by means of a placement, and do one mentored project, all in one area of focus. The rest of the units delivered during this year are electives. This means that you can select units from your area of focus.
Communication and Academic Skills Programme
The communication and academic skills programme complements students’ main course of study. It introduces them to writing and presenting as situated within academic contexts sensitive to specific disciplines and develops their competences for future careers.
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Semester 1 | |||||
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Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s) | |||||
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ELP1106 | Advanced English Writing Skills | 2 ECTS   |   | ||
MCS1000 | Aspects of Communications | 4 ECTS   |   | ||
MCS1010 | Introduction to Film Studies | 4 ECTS   |   | ||
MCS1021 | Human Communication | 4 ECTS   |   | ||
MCS1030 | Journalism 1 | 4 ECTS   |   | ||
MCS1040 | Visual Communications and Graphic Design | 4 ECTS   |   | ||
SOC1040 | Sociology and Communications | 4 ECTS   |   | ||
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Semester 2 | |||||
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Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s) | |||||
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CRC1010 | Introduction to Marketing Communications | 4 ECTS   |   | ||
MCS1050 | New Media and the Social World | 4 ECTS   |   | ||
MCS1060 | Media, Society and Culture | 6 ECTS   |   | ||
MCS1070 | Personal Communications | 4 ECTS   |   | ||
MCS1311 | Methods of Inquiry | 4 ECTS   |   | ||
ELP1206* | English Rhetoric and Writing Skills for Media and Communications Students | 4 ECTS   |   | ||
MAL1211* | II-Malti għall-Komunikazzjoni | 4 ECTS   |   | ||
* Students are required to choose either ELP1206 OR MAL1211.   |
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Semester 1 | |||||
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Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s) | |||||
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CGS2100 | Cognitive Psychology of Mass Communication | 4 ECTS   |   | ||
DGA2005 | Editorial Design | 4 ECTS   |   | ||
IPG2001 | Principles of Information Law | 4 ECTS   |   | ||
MCS2010 | Development of Film Language | 6 ECTS   |   | ||
MCS2020 | Video Production 1 | 4 ECTS   |   | ||
MCS2040 | Basic Photography | 4 ECTS   |   | ||
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Semester 2 | |||||
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Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s) | |||||
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CST2061 | Media Aesthetics | 4 ECTS   |   | ||
IDG2000 | Introduction to Digital Game Studies | 4 ECTS   |   | ||
MCS2030 | Journalism 2 | 4 ECTS   |   | ||
MCS2050 | Cultural Theory and Semiotics | 4 ECTS   |   | ||
MCS2060 | Ethics in the Media | 6 ECTS   |   | ||
PHI2038 | Philosophical Approaches to Communication and Culture | 4 ECTS   |   | ||
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Year   (This/these unit/s start/s in Semester 1 and continue/s in Semester 2) | |||||
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Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s) | |||||
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MCS3900 | Dissertation | 12 ECTS   | (NC)   | ||
MCS3910 | Placement/Practicum | 4 ECTS   | (NC)   | ||
MCS3940 | Mentored Practice | 4 ECTS   | (NC)   | ||
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Elective Units (Elective units are offered subject to availability, a minimum number of student registrations and time-table constraints) | |||||
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MCS3020 | Magazine and Digital Publishing | 8 ECTS   |   | ||
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Semester 1 | |||||
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Elective Units (Elective units are offered subject to availability, a minimum number of student registrations and time-table constraints) | |||||
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CST2121 | Intercultural Communication | 4 ECTS   |   | ||
CST3192 | Media in Maltese Society | 4 ECTS   |   | ||
CST4311 | Advanced Research Methods | 4 ECTS   |   | ||
GDS3001 | Gender in Communications | 4 ECTS   |   | ||
MCS3010 | Practical Graphic Design | 4 ECTS   |   | ||
MCS3050 | Audio Production | 4 ECTS   |   | ||
MCS3060 | Reporting | 4 ECTS   |   | ||
MCS3070 | Video Production 2 | 4 ECTS   |   | ||
MCS3090 | Video Manipulation and Animation | 4 ECTS   |   | ||
MCS3100 | Website Creation | 4 ECTS   |   | ||
MCS3110 | Radio Production | 4 ECTS   |   | ||
MCS3200 | Scripting Video | 4 ECTS   |   | ||
MCS3201 | Film Theory | 4 ECTS   |   | ||
MCS3700 | Economics in Media Studies | 4 ECTS   |   | ||
MCS3953 | Digital Literacies for Creatives and Communicators | 4 ECTS   |   | ||
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Semester 2 | |||||
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Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s) | |||||
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MCS3920 | Portfolio Project 1 | 4 ECTS   | (NC)   | ||
MCS3930 | Portfolio Project 2 | 4 ECTS   | (NC)   | ||
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Elective Units (Elective units are offered subject to availability, a minimum number of student registrations and time-table constraints) | |||||
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CST3111 | Film Appreciation | 4 ECTS   |   | ||
CST3281 | Meet the Press | 4 ECTS   |   | ||
CST3651 | Using Communication for Social Change | 4 ECTS   |   | ||
CST3811 | Public Relations | 4 ECTS   |   | ||
CST3951 | Cyberculture | 4 ECTS   |   | ||
IDG3000 | Game Design and Conceptualisation | 4 ECTS   |   | ||
IPG3001 | Practical Issues in Information Law | 4 ECTS   |   | ||
MCS3012 | Analogue, Monochrome Photography and Darkroom | 4 ECTS   |   | ||
MCS3040 | Photography | 4 ECTS   |   | ||
MCS3080 | Online Journalism | 4 ECTS   |   | ||
MCS3120 | In-Depth Reporting | 4 ECTS   |   | ||
MCS3130 | Integrated Marketing Communications | 4 ECTS   |   | ||
MCS3161 | Copyright, Business and Entertainment Law | 4 ECTS   |   | ||
MCS3300 | Producing Film | 4 ECTS   |   | ||
MCS3400 | Adaptation for Film and Television | 4 ECTS   |   | ||
MCS3500 | Consumer and Organizational Buying Behaviour | 4 ECTS   |   | ||
MCS3600 | Documentary Film Production | 4 ECTS   |   | ||
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This programme of study is governed by the General Regulations for University Undergraduate Awards, 2019 and by the Bye-Laws for the award of the Bachelor of Communications (Honours) - B. Comms (Hons) - under the auspices of the Faculty of Media and Knowledge Sciences.