| CODE | MCS1000 | ||||||||
| TITLE | Aspects of Communications | ||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 01 - Year 1 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 5 | ||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Media and Communications | ||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | A study-unit intended to give an introduction to the main areas that constitute Communication Studies. Each two hour session deals either with one or with two topics, given by the lecturer responsible for those topics at the Faculty of Media and Knowledge Science. The study-unit is required for all first year students doing communications as their degree or as part of their degree. The study-unit lays the base for what is to come through the history of communication studies, and then goes on to one of the staple fares of communications; journalism. An analysis of Media in its different manifestations in society follows. Film is analysed after that, giving a solid grounding for the reason why film, normally an entertainment medium, is studied at University level. The physical manifestation of film, its production, is then examined in a session on video production. Linked to this is audio production, which comes next. A popular part of what constitutes communications in present society, is marketing communications. This is explored along with its adjuncts, advertising, public relations, and organizational communications. A medium that carries a lot of communications content, and that is, by itself, revolutionising modern society, is internet communications, which is presented next. An important part of this is, in fact, visual communications, including graphic design, illustration, and creativity in presentation of online and print materials. An essential component of this is photography, a session on which is given next. Human communications, and also the essential interpersonal communication skills needed to have good presentation techniques are then presented to the students. The students are then invited to examine communications from a philosophical perspective. The archiving of knowledge in libraries and document archives rounds off the study-unit. Study-Unit Aims: To introduce to students in their first year of communications studies, and to all those other students at the University of Malta with an interest in communications, to the different aspects that form Media and Communications, primarily: journalism, media, internet communications, design, marketing communications, film and video, audio, and other related areas. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Be aware of the many different areas that constitute communication studies; - Be more informed as to which topics in the B.Communications course he or she might want to specialise in. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Write rudimentary newspaper reports; - Take a skillful photo; - Work better with social media; - Approach film-making more professionally; - Have a more skillful way of communicating to an audience; - Be better prepared in the process of image-making. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: - Watson, J., & Hill, A. (2015). Dictionary of Media and Communication Studies (9th ed.). New York, NY: Bloomsbury Academic. - Fiske, J. (2010). Introduction to Communication Studies (3rd ed.). Oxford, UK: Routledge. Other readings will be suggested by the individual lecturers. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | ||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Alex Grech Nicole Talmacs Rebecca Anastasi Malcolm Bonello Joseph Borg Vince Briffa Sandy Calleja Portelli Albert Caruana Pierre Cassar Saviour Chircop Therese Debono Matthew Galea Gorg Mallia Monika Maslowska Costantino Oliva Kenneth Scicluna Louiselle Vassallo Joseph Vella Daniel Zerafa |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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