- To introduce students to some of the key concepts, themes and perspectives that they will encounter throughout their studies, such as the interplay between media and reality, identity, ideology, power, and hegemony;

- for students to gain knowledge of different schools of thought and analytical approaches in the field of media and communication studies, such as Cultural Studies and Social Sciences, and related approaches and research methods;

- for students to gain a basic understanding of the ways that theory and theoretical perspectives can be applied and put into practice as tools of analysis in the study of media, communication, and culture;

- for students to gain their first experience in conducting their own textual analysis.

(LO1) Students will be able to identify the key concepts, themes, and perspectives in the field of communication and media studies.

(LO2) Students will be able to understand how (Western) philosophical ideas underpin the study of media realities.

(LO3) Students will be able to recall common approaches and methods used in the study of communication, media, and culture.

(LO4) Students will be able to apply theory to the analysis of media texts.

(S1) Students will develop their ability to prepare for an exam.

(S2) Students will develop their skills in academic writing.

(S3) Students will learn how to conduct textual analysis.

The module is broadly taught in three blocks. The first introduces students to key concepts such as identity, ideology, power and hegemony, and how they feature in various approaches to the analysis of communication, media, and culture. The second block focuses on perspectives from cultural studies and anthropology, including (for example) visual anthropology, screen studies and semiotics, as well as studies of media reception. The third block deals with social scientific approaches to the analysis of media and communication, including survey methodology, media framing, and content analysis.

Teaching method: Lecture
Description: Lectures introduce students to key concepts, topics, and analytical approaches and research methods.
Schedule directed student hours: one hour/ week
Attendance recorded: Yes

Teaching method: Workshop
Description: Workshops will provide students with an opportunity to discuss set readings and work in groups to generally engage with each week's topic. They will also include time devoted to assessment preparation and skills development.
Schedule directed student hours: two hours/ week
Attendance recorded: Yes

Unscheduled directed student hours: 114
Self-directed learning: These hours should be used to do the assigned weekly readings, prepare for classes, and do the research and analysis required for assessment.