masscommunicationauispring2009

 

 

 

 

 

 

AL AKHAWAYN UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

COMMUNICATION STUDIES        

                                                                         

Version 1.0

(Last Updated Thursday, 24 January 2009)

 

 

CONTACT DETAILS:

 

Class time:                          MWF 08:00 – 08:50

Class place:                         Multimedia Room at the Library

First class                            Wednesday 21 January 2009

Last class                             Friday 8 May 2009

Total 31 classes

Supervisor:                        Mohammed Ibahrine

Office:                                    Building 6, Room 9

Tel.:                                        (212) 0 35 86 24 42

 

Email:                                    masscommunicationauispring2009@gmail.com

Google website:               http://sites.google.com/site/masscommunicationauispring2009/

Course Blog:                      http://masscommunicationauispring2009.wordpress.com/

 

OFFICE HOURS:               

                                                Monday: 11.00-12.30 am

                                                Monday: 13.00-18.00 am

                                                Wednesday: 11.00-12.30 am

                                                Wednesday: 13.00-18.00 am

 

Please if you want to come to my office, please send me an e-mail to inform me about your visits and the purpose of the visit.

New Office Hours Policy:

For students, note that you have no more than 10 minutes

For capstone students, note that you have no more than 20 minutes

For master students, note that you have no more than 30 minutes

 

COURSE SYNOPSIS:

The course examines the basic functions of communication through analyses of information, opinion, entertainment, advertising and marketing. Students will learn how media content is produced and how it is processed and delivered to a variety of audiences who selectively attend to it. Considerable attention will be given to the ways in which professional communicators or communication professionals operate within each media setting.

 

THE AIM OF THE COURSE

The aim of the course is to introduce students to mass communication as a field of study and as media industries. The overall objective of this course is to develop the knowledge for understanding and critically assessing the process and effects of mass communication, especially in the international relations and diplomacy. The course will make it easier for the student to understand the nature and functions of contemporary communication and mass media as well as the influences that they have on us as individuals and as a society.

 

THE COURSE DESCRIPTION

The course consists of four parts. The publishing part includes books, newspapers and magazines. The second part will introduce electronic and visual media such as motion pictures, radio, television and the new electronic media. The third part of the course will explore media audiences, services, and support like international communication and global media, popular culture, advertising, public relations and the audience. The final part will deal with media issues and influences.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

The supervisor will follow lectures and seminars format. The students are asked to produce

Assignments	Percentage
Chapter outline before the class	5%
Detailed content outline after the class to be posted on the individual blog	(10%)
Contribution to the class google group	(5%)
Each student has to present one 1 required chapter of the textbook	(10%)
One IMC project	(20%)
Video production	(10%)
Five tutorial quizzes	(20%)
Mid-exam	(10%)
Final Exam	(10%)

DEADLINES FOR THE PROJECTS: March 11 2008

 

The research paper should be based on desk research, conducted in the library and over the Internet, including the readings central to this course. However, students should move beyond this base, where feasible in the context of a one semester course. For example, they might include a limited number of interviews, a pretest or pilot of a survey or questionnaire, secondary analysis of an existing database, content analysis, direct observations, participant observation, ethnography or other approaches that involve you directly in researching your topic. All assignments should be sent via e-mail as an attachment. masscommunicationauispring2009@gmail.com

 

ACADEMIC HONESTY:

If you expect others to respect you, please respect yourself. So if you feel desperate, don’t make things worse by acting out of desperation: please come and talk to me about your problems before you do anything foolish. We will find a way. Office hours are of great value for intellectual and educational exchange, please respect the office hours. This is useful for the professionalism. Please note that the intellectual involvement in the co-creation process of the lecture (attendance + participation) has the lion’s share of this class’s grade. And since there is no class participation without attendance; attendance is highly encouraged to increase your grade. The university’s new attendance policy will be enforced in this class.

 

READINGS:

Do the readings before class and come to class. You will come to class having completed the assigned readings and participate fully in class discussion. I expect you to be a fully contributing member of the class by being prepared, taking responsibility for having productive discussions, helping yourself and others understand the material, and generating interesting ideas. I want to avoid the “professors teach, students learn” view of this enterprise. Please read my teaching philosophy statement on my website: Please note: The course requires a minimum of 8-10 hours of outside work per week (e.g., reading, analysis, group meetings, writing assignments). All assignments should be sent via e-mail as an attachment. masscommunicationauispring2009@googlemail.com

 

REQUIRED READINGS

There are two sources of reading for this course: one textbook and a packet of readings prepared by the supervisor.

Dominick, J. (2008). The Dynamics of Mass Communication: Media in the Digital Age. Tenth Edition.

DeFleur, M. L. & Dennis, E. E. (2007). Understanding Mass Communication, Tenth Edition. Boston,

MA: Houghton Mifflin Company.

 

 

TENTATIVE CLASS SCHEDULE AND READINGS

 

Week 1.
January 21	Introduction
Week 2.	Books: The First and Most Respected Mass Medium
January 23
January 26
January 28
January 30
Week 3.	Newspapers, News, and the News Media
February, 2
February, 4:
February, 6
Week 4.	Magazines: Voices for Many Interests
February 9:
February 11:
February 13:
Week 5.	Radio: The First Broadcast Medium
February 16:
February 18:
February 20:
Week 6.	Television: The Most Influential Medium
February 23:
February 25:
February 27
Week 7.	Satellite Television
March 11:
March 13:
Week 8.
March 11:	Mid Semester Exam
March 13:
Week 9.	New Electronic Media; Satellite and the Internet
March 16:
March 18:
March 20
Week 10.	Public Relation: Influencing Beliefs, Attitudes, and Action
March  23:
March 25
March 27
Week 11.	Advertising: Using Media in the Marketplace
March 30:
April 1:
April 3
Week 12.	International Communication
April 6:
April 8:
April 10
Week 13.	Comparative Media System
April 13:
April 15
April 17
Week 14.	Regulation and Ethics and Other Informal Control
April 20:
April 22:
April 24
Week 15.	Social Effects of Mass Communications
April 27:
April 29:
May 1	No classes
Week 16.	Theories and Methods of Mass Communication
May 4:
May 6:
May8
Week 17.
May 11	Final Exams