THE UNIVERSITY
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GENERAL INFORMATION
GENERAL INDEX
GLOSSARY
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(Ext. 2896)
OFFICERS OF INSTRUCTION
Professors Emeriti
Romanow, Walter I.; B.A. (Saskatchewan), M.A. (Windsor), Ph.D. (Wayne
State)—1965.
Edmunds, Hugh H.; B.A. (Saskatchewan), M.Ed. (Wayne State)—1971.
Professor
Linton, James M.; B.A. (York), M.A. (Pennsylvania)—1972.
Associate Professors
Gold, Mary; B.A., M.A. (Windsor), M.A. (Wayne State), J.D. (Detroit)—1967.
Winter, James P.; B.J., M.J. (Carleton), Ph.D. (Syracuse)—1981.
Goldman, Irvin; B.A. (Winnipeg), M.S. (Purdue), Ph.D. (Iowa)—1981.
Lewis, Richard F.; B.S. (Loyola College), M.S., M.S., Ph.D. (Syracuse)—1983.
Hildebrandt, Kai; M.A. (Hamburg), M.A., Ph.D. (Michigan)—1985.
Assistant Professor
Ruggles, Myles A.; M.A., Ph.D. (Simon Fraser)—1994.
3.4.1 PROGRAMS OF STUDY
Communication Studies is devoted to the study, analysis, and understanding
of the role of communication in contemporary culture.
A minor, as well as general, honours, and combined honours degrees
are available.
Requirements for degree programs in Communication Studies make reference
to the following groups of courses:
Basic: 40-100, 40-101.
Foundations: 40-200, 40-202, 40-222, 40-226, 40-234, 40-257,
40-262, 40-272, 40-274, 40-275.
Research Methods: 40-333, 40-335, 40-337, 40-434, 40-435, 40-453.
Design and Applications Stream: 40-110, 40-205, 40-211, 40-212,
40-214, 40-216, 40-217, 40-250, 40-251, 40-252, 40-311, 40-315, 40-316,
40-350, 40-380, 40-381, 40-411, 40-417, 40-426, 40-489.
Policy and Systems Stream: 40-245, 40-280, 40-352, 40-361, 40-385,
40-452, 40-457, 40-461, 40-474, 40-487.
Culture and Theory Stream: 40-225, 40-240, 40-241, 40-300, 40-321,
40-330, 40-343, 40-344, 40-365, 40-370, 40-400, 40-423, 40-430, 40-441,
40-442, 40-443, 40-475, 40-477, 40-486, 40-488.
Practica: 40-398, 40-399, 40-498, 40-499.
General Communication Studies
Total courses: thirty.
Major requirements: ten courses, including 40-100 and 40-101;
plus three Foundations courses; and two Design and Application courses;
and one Policy and Systems course; and two Culture and Theory courses.
(Note: Foundations courses are prerequisites for several Policy and Systems,
and Culture and Theory courses.)
Option requirements (see 2.5.14 for subject areas): eight courses
including
(a) two Arts or Languages courses;
(b) two Science courses;
(c) four additional courses from any area of study, excluding Social
Science.
Other requirements:
(a) six courses from any area of study, including Communication Studies;
(b) six courses from any area of study, excluding Communication Studies.
Regarding the up to six additional Communication Studies courses provided
for above in (a), and including those already required in the ten-course
minimum, the following, overall program limits apply: not more than five
courses may be from any one of the Design and Applications, Policy and
Systems, or Culture and Theory streams; and not more than four may be from
Research Methods.
Honours Communication Studies
Total courses: forty.
Major requirements: twenty courses, including 40-100, 40-101,
and five Foundations courses; plus two courses from each of Design and
Applications, Policy and Systems, and Culture and Theory; and one Research
and Methods course. Including those individual courses which are specifically
listed, students fulfilling the twenty-course minimum are permitted no
more than ten courses from any of Design and Applications, Policy and Systems,
and Culture and Theory; and no more than four courses are permitted in
Research Methods, and up to four from the Practica group. Also, at least
five Communication Studies courses must be at the 400 level.
Other requirements (see 2.5.14 for subject areas):
(a) four 100-level courses from Social Science, excluding Communication
Studies;
(b) two courses from Arts or Languages;
(c) two courses from Science;
(d) two courses at the 200-level or above from Social Science, excluding
Communication Studies;
(e) four courses from Arts, Languages, Social Science, or Science,
including Communication Studies;
(f) two more courses from Arts, Languages, Social Science, or Science,
excluding Communication Studies;
(g) four courses from any area of study, excluding Communication Studies.
Regarding the up to four additional Communication Studies courses provided
for above in (e), and including those already required in the twenty-course
minimum, the following, overall program limits apply: not more than ten
courses may be from any one of the Design and Applications, Policy and
Systems, or Culture and Theory streams; not more than four may be from
Research Methods; and up to four courses from the Practica group.
Combined Honours Programs
Total courses: forty.
Major requirements—Communication Studies: sixteen courses, including
40-100, 40-101, and any four Foundations courses; plus at least two (and
up to six) in each of the Design and Applications, Policy and Systems,
and Culture and Theory streams. (Note: Foundations courses are prerequisites
for several Policy and Systems, and Culture and Theory courses.) At least
three Communication Studies courses must be at the 400 level. Students
also must include at least one Research Methods course or the equivalent
from other academic areas.
Major requirements—Other subject: as prescribed by that area of study.
Option requirements (see 2.5.14 for subject areas): eight courses
including
(a) two Arts or Languages courses;
(b) two Science courses;
(c) four additional courses from any area of study, excluding Social
Science.
Other requirements: additional options (if required) to a total
of forty courses.
Minor in Communication Studies
Required: six Communication Studies courses, consisting of 40-100,
40-101, two Foundations courses, and two additional courses.
3.4.2 COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
Communication Studies 40-100 and 40-101 are required of all majors and
are to be taken in the first year in either order. For non-majors, these
courses are recommended prior to taking even those upper-level Communications
Studies courses for which no specific prerequisites are listed. These introductory
studies of the media and their operations, within a rich context of history,
theory, and cultural policy, are designed to enhance media literacy.
Students may register in upper-level courses if specific prerequisites
are met, or with consent of the instructor or program advisor.
Not all courses listed will necessarily be offered each year. All courses
are three hours per week (3.00 credit hours) unless otherwise indicated.
40-100. Introduction to Communication and Media
An initial study of the evolution of mass media (print, film, broadcasting,
and telecommunications) and how they shaped themselves as major agents
in our society. This growth will be examined within the context of communication
theory, and with an eye to the political, economic, and cultural relationships
between media and the state.
40-101. Introduction to Communication and Society
An introduction to the social and cultural significance of information
technology, production operations, and assorted communication forms. This
course will also focus upon: media content and formats (e.g., the nature
of news); the interaction between the media and society; audience effects;
constraints upon the media; and related issues of communication freedom.
40-110. Production Planning and Design
Practical study of how ideas are created, developed, expressed, proposed
and acted upon in various media. Through lectures, laboratory activities,
and class assignments students will gain skill and knowledge in the techniques
of outlines, treatments, storyboards, shooting scripts, proposals, budgets,
and resource management. Required course for students pursuing further
film, radio, and television courses in the Design and Applications stream.
(Limited to first-year Communication Studies or combined honours majors.)
(2 lecture, 2 laboratory hours a week.)
40-200. Foundations of Communication in History
A study of the pivotal historical role of communication technologies.
This course provides an overview of communication in history, emphasizing
the relationship between oral and literate cultures, print and manuscript
culture, and how electronic media affect a post-literate culture. Special
attention will be given to Canadian theoretical perspectives. (This course
is offered in History as 43-201.) (Prerequisite: second year standing.)
(Recommended: 40-100 and 40-101, or two 100-level History courses.)
40-202. Foundations of Cultural Studies
An introduction to contemporary theories and methods of cultural studies
which focuses on the study of society's communicative practices, artistic
productions, beliefs, and institutions. This approach incorporates a variety
of theoretical and methodological perspectives, including semiotics, social
constructionism, structuralism, neo-Marxism, psychoanalysis, postmodernism,
ritual analysis, and ethnography. Particular attention is paid to the ways
in which race, class, and gender are constituted in a variety of cultural
texts. (Prerequisite: second year standing.) (Recommended: 40-100 and 40-101.)
40-205. Photography
An introduction to the use of the still photographic image in today's
society. An examination of the use of the image from the beginning of photography
to current commercial and artistic applications using silver and electronic
printing systems. The laboratory program involves the exploration of the
black-and-white print. (Students must provide their own cameras.) (Prerequisite:
40-100, or 40-101.) (2 lecture, 2 laboratory hours a week.)
40-211. The Film Making Process I
Theoretical and practical examination of the technical, communicative
and aesthetic considerations in black-and-white 16mm film making. Topics
include optics and exposure, cinematography, picture editing, and double-system,
non-synchronous sound recording, and editing. (Credit for this course will
be allocated only after successful completion of 40-212.) (Prerequisites:
40-100, 40-101, and 40-110.) (2 lecture, 2 laboratory hours a week.)
40-212. The Film Making Process II
A continuation of 40-211 with increased emphasis on practical exercises
and examination of aesthetic and communicative factors. Included will be
a study of the basic approaches to film (film as entertainment, art, economic
commodity, etc.) and of their implications for the film making process.
(Credit for this course will be allocated only after successful completion
of 40-211.) (Prerequisite: 40-211.) (2 lecture, 2 laboratory hours a week.)
40-214. Sound in Media
An introduction to design, production, and research in the use of sound
in media. The course will deal with theories of sound and their application,
research on the production process, and basic principles of sound recording
and reproduction. Lab exercises will provide a foundation for the production
of sound messages for all media. (Prerequisites: 40-100, 40-101, and 40-110.)
(2 lecture, 2 laboratory hours a week.)
40-216. Video Production I
This project-based course, integrating theory and practice, introduces
students to studio and location work with emphasis on the knowledge and
skill essential to produce a program. A variety of production techniques
are presented appropriate for fiction, non-fiction, education, and training
programs. (Prerequisites: 40-100, 40-101, and 40-110.) (2 lecture, 4 laboratory
hours a week.)
40-217. Video Production II
Post-production editing and the creative integration of sound and image
are explored. Emphasis is on the constraints imposed and the enhancements
made possible by technology and the consequences for the effectiveness
of the program. (Prerequisite: 40-216.) (2 lecture, 4 laboratory hours
a week.)
40-222. Organizational Communication
An introduction to selected areas in organizational communication,
including such topics as interpersonal communication, nonverbal communication,
small group communication, schools of organizational communication, coorientation,
decision making, and organizational culture.
40-225. Media Literacy
An introduction to important concepts concerning news media and popular
culture. The intent is to help students to develop the skills, knowledge,
and background necessary to interpret the ways in which the media actively
construct reality. Sample concepts may include: legitimation, hegemony,
objectivity, stereotyping, and alternatives.
40-226. Instructional Communication
A critical survey of instructional communication in mass education
and training. The development of audio-visual education, instructional
and interactive systems, educational networks, and distance education programs
are studied in a social context.
40-234. Foundations of Communication Research Methods
An introductory overview of research methods and designs in communication
studies. Both qualitative and quantitative epistemologies will be examined.
(Prerequisite: second year standing.) (Recommended: 40-100 and 40-101.)
40-240. The Growth of the Cinema
An examination of the growth of the cinema from its origins through
the introduction of sound. The creation of the industry and the audience,
and the growth and refinement of technique are studied and illustrated
in an historical and cultural context.
40-241. The Development of the Cinema
An examination of the development of the cinema from the studio era
to the present. The studio system and its alternatives, the war and its
aftermath, and the response of the cinema to social change and technological
competition are studied in an historical and cultural context.
40-245. Planning and Control in Canadian Telecommunications
An examination of formal and informal policy frameworks as they affect
planning for broadcasting and other electronic media content. Special emphasis
will be given to the roles of Canadian regulatory agencies. (Prerequisite:
40-100 or 40-101.)
40-250. Basic Processes in Media Writing
The practice of fundamental journalism writing skills for print and
broadcast media, and an introduction to the journalist's basic information-gathering
techniques. Students will use microcomputers in this course, though previous
typing experience is not necessary. (Prerequisite: 40-100 or 40-101.) (1
lecture hour, 2 laboratory hours a week.)
40-251. Intermediate Print and Scripting Processes
The more advanced practice of journalistic research methods, organization
of material, and the preparation of copy or scripts for the print or broadcast
media. (Prerequisite: 40-250.) (1 lecture hour, 2 laboratory hours a week.)
40-252. Print Communication
An introduction to the preparation of informational publications such
as newsletters, brochures, and reports using desktop publishing techniques.
The topics covered include the rhetoric of visual design, a critical analysis
of design elements used to direct and influence readers, ethical concerns
in print communication, changes in print communication and potential developments
in computerized text retrieval. Students will practise writing, designing,
and laying out text and graphic material. (Prerequisites: 40-100 and 40-101.)
(2 lecture, 2 laboratory hours a week.)
40-257. Foundations of Communication Policy and Systems
Introduces political and economic concepts in the national and international
study of culture and communications. Topics include: communication for
democratic citizenship and governance; doctrines of free speech, sovereignty,
and public utility; theories of legitimation, ideology, and hegemony; the
economics and geopolitics of information; patterns of ownership and concentration;
models of regulation. (Prerequisites: 40-100 and 40-101.)
40-262. Intercultural Communication
Intercultural theory is combined with an interpretive approach that
emphasizes experiential understanding of communication and a critical approach
that underscores the importance of power and historical context for understanding
intercultural communication. The perspectives of ethnic scholars are emphasized.
Special attention is paid to influences such as race, ethnicity, language,
non-verbal codes, class, gender, sexual orientation, and religion.
40-272. Theory of Message Design
An exploration of theories affecting message analysis and communication.
Topics include persuasion, ethics, perception, attention, memory, and message
analysis. Students will learn how to recognize formal features of messages
and how to apply theory to practical message design situations. (Prerequisites:
40-100 and 40-101. Recommended: prior completion of a first-year psychology
course.)
40-274. Information and Communication Technologies and Social Change
An introduction to information technologies and their impact upon mass
communication systems, organizational communication structures, and society.
Particular study will be made of the technologies involved in the new content
delivery systems within the Canadian context. (Prerequisites: 40-100 and
40-101.)
40-275. Foundations of Communication Theory
The study of a body of theories for understanding the communication
process, including philosophical assumptions and claims about communication.
The core theories will focus on general principles, concepts and processes
common to all communication and include interpretive, critical, interactional,
functional, structural and poststructural/postmodern theories. Other theories
will deal with various contexts in which communication occurs, such as
public, institutional, cultural, and mediated formats. (Prerequisite: second
year standing.) (Recommended: 40-100 and 40-101.)
40-280. The Economics of Communications
A study of the economic structure and operation of the communications
industry with emphasis on telecommunications, television, and film. (This
course is offered and taught in Economics as 41-280.) (Prerequisite: Economics
41-110.)
40-302. Popular Culture
An examination of popular culture in contemporary society. A variety
of critical and interpretive communication theories will be utilized to
analyze cultural texts, practices, and politics. The course will attempt
to demonstrate how cultural artifacts constitute social ideologies, values,
and representations of "lived culture" or lifestyles, particularly gender,
race, class, and ethnicity. (Prerequisite: 40-202.)
40-311. Intermediate Film Making
This course emphasizes multi-track sound editing, colour cinematography,
and other technical and aesthetic issues in the creation of the motion
picture. (Credit for this course will be allocated only after successful
completion of 40-411.) (Prerequisites: 40-211, 40-212, and 40-272.) (2
lecture, 2 laboratory hours a week.)
40-315. Radio Broadcasting
An examination of current and future trends in radio broadcasting,
with the focus on the social implications. Lab exercises will deal with
the production of radio programs in various formats. (Prerequisite: 40-214.)
(2 lecture, 2 laboratory hours a week.)
40-316. Advanced Video Production I
Emphasis is on the creative translation of messages into visual language,
or "writing the image," employing visual metaphors and accepted conventions.
Discursive and non-discursive sound and image will be explored in student
projects. (Prerequisite: 40-217.) (2 lecture, 4 laboratory hours a week.)
40-321. Organizational Cultures and Communication
A detailed examination of the relationship of communication and culture
in organizational settings. Several theoretical approaches are used, including
social constructionist, semiotic, interactionist, and interpretive. Several
aspects of organizational communication and culture are considered, including:
verbal and nonverbal behaviour; entering and adjusting to organizational
cultures; creating, maintaining, and changing organizational cultures;
sub-cultures and super-cultures; foreign organizational cultures; the influences
of technology and growth on organizational cultures; and the relationship
of organizational theory to organizational culture. (Prerequisite: 40-222.)
40-330. Methods of Communication Criticism
An examination of criticism dealing with contemporary communication
content and how its critics utilize a variety of critical methods or tools
to describe, analyze, and evaluate symbolic forms and to communicate their
observations and interpretations in a systematic manner. This course will
emphasize approaches and applications of critical methods to cultural artifacts.
(Prerequisite: 40-202.)
40-333. Mass Media and Audience Research
An overview of current practices and issues in mass audience research,
including the measurement of audiences by rating services, audience response
assessments, and research regarding how audiences use the media. (Prerequisites:
40-100 and 40-101.)
40-335. Statistical Data Analysis
A basic overview of the use and interpretation of quantitative information
in communication research, including univariate and bivariate statistics,
hypothesis testing, and sampling. Includes practice in quantitative analysis
using computers, use of databases, and the display and presentation of
numbered information. (Prerequisite: 40-234 or equivalent.)
40-337. Qualitative Methods in Communication Research
An examination of interpretive, cultural, and historical methodologies
utilized in contemporary communication research. A variety of possible
research strategies will be explored, such as: cultural studies, interpretive
interactionism, ethnography, narrative analysis, interpretive biography,
interview techniques, and discourse analysis.
40-343. Film Forms
An examination of the use of conventional and original forms in film.
The class will study cultural and aesthetic issues of style and form, and
of tradition and innovation in the treatment of film themes and in the
development of cinematic genre. (Prerequisite: 40-202 or 40-240 or 40-241.)
(2 lecture, 2 screening hours a week.)
40-344. Film Visions
An analysis of selected film makers and film movements. The class will
study the works of directors and other artists as individuals and as groups,
examining how they were shaped by and how they influenced their cultures.
(Prerequisite: 40-202 or 40-240 or 40-241.) (2 lecture, 2 screening hours
a week.)
40-350. Editing and Publication in Print Media
This course examines editing and other content planning processes and
restraints in the print media. It concentrates on newspapers, magazines,
and the publishing industry, dealing with publication and printing and
the application of modern informational technologies. (Prerequisites: 40-250
and 40-251.) (2 lecture, 2 laboratory hours a week.)
40-352. Journalism in Canada
This course explores newsgathering and reporting institutions and practices
as they relate to the social construction of reality. Particular emphasis
is given to institutional constraints, such as concentration of ownership,
monopolies and cross-ownership, professional norms and practices, the role
of advertising, objectivity and subjectivity, and news sources. (Prerequisites:
40-100, 40-101, and 40-200.)
40-361. Aboriginal Communication Systems:
Using a critical cultural studies perspective, this course examines
the Aboriginal experience, focusing on the representation and values of
Aboriginal culture. The course illustrates the empowerment that comes when
Aboriginal voices communicate their own culture in areas such as literature,
mass media, film and documentary, music, public ceremonies, and arts and
crafts. (Recommended prerequisite: 40-262.May be taught in conjunction
with 26-204 or 26-371.)
40-365. Mass Communication, Language and Propaganda
An examination of the central role that language plays in mass communication.
Focus will be placed upon two major areas: the ways in which language (terms,
descriptions, and expressions) both promotes and hinders the communication
of information and values, and of how language modifies and shapes the
meaning of images; and the ways in which language is used to influence
and persuade mass audiences. (Prerequisite: 40-100 or 40-101.)
40-370. Alternative Media Structures
A critical examination of the structure, operation, and function of
the mass media in contemporary society from a number of major ideological
perspectives, with an emphasis on the assessment of possible alternatives.
Innovative, small-scale communication approaches will be examined as one
such alternative, with particular attention being paid to the media's role
in, and potential for, encouraging or impeding social action. (Prerequisite:
40-100 or 40-101.)
40-380. Public Relations and Society
An examination of the content, structure, and operation of public relations
in the private and public sectors. (Prerequisites: 40-100, 40-101, and
40-234.) (2 lecture hours, 1 laboratory hour a week.)
40-381. Advertising and the Mass Media
This course is designed to give the student a theoretical understanding
of the role of advertising in modern society as an integral aspect of the
mass communication system. (Prerequisites: 40-100 and 40-101.) (Not available
for credit to students in Business Administration.)
40-385. Mass Media and the Law
An examination of the effect which law has on the content of media.
The course concentrates on the impact of the Canada Act, the Charter of
Rights and Freedoms, and statutory and common law upon the dissemination
of information. (Prerequisite: 40-245.)
40-398. Communication Practicum I
Application of communication skills and knowledge in work experience
situations approved by the Co-ordinator of Communication Practica. Admission
to the course is by consent and is available only to honours students.
The course is graded by a faculty advisor on the basis of a written report
plus other references. (To be undertaken after the successful completion
of relevant 200-level courses in the appropriate stream and before enrolling
in 300-level courses.) (Prerequisite: consent of a program advisor in Communication
Studies.) (6-8 weeks.)
40-399. Communication Practicum II
(Same description as 40-398.)
40-402. Advanced Cultural Studies
An advanced study of communication and culture, including ethnographies,
language, semiotics, narrative, ideological analysis, psychoanalysis, structuralism,
social constructionism, and postmodernism. (Prerequisites: 40-202, and
40-302 or 40-330.)
40-411. Advanced Film Making
This course emphasizes the skill and knowledge necessary to produce
a composite release print, including the conceptualization and budgeting
of the film as well as the conformation of original and final printing
processes. (Credit for this course will be allocated only after successful
completion of 40-311.) (Prerequisite: 40-311.) (2 lecture, 2 laboratory
hours a week.)
40-417. Advanced Video Production II
An exploration of aural and visual production technologies: analog
and digital, compressed video, audio-graphic, animation, desk top video,
CDI, advanced television and the implications for the creative writer-producer-director.
Students will develop and apply theory-based criteria in the analysis and
evaluation of their projects. (Prerequisite: 40-316.) (2 lecture, 4 laboratory
hours a week.)
40-423. Creative Problem Solving in Communication
An overview of current research and theory on creativity and future
planning as it is conducted in communication terms, with special reference
to organizational communication. The class will study techniques for creative
problem solving in communication at the individual and group levels, heuristic
techniques, and the effects of technology and the structure of communication
on innovation. (This course is taught in Psychology as 46-480. Students
may register for credit in either course.) (Prerequisite: 40-222.)
40-426. Advanced Message Design
Using a systematic design model and theory as a basis, students will
learn how to construct a mediated message to achieve a specific effect.
The message will be useful in instruction, advertising, public relations,
or training. Students will be expected to prepare a finished situations
analysis and message on completion of the course. (Prerequisite: 40-272.)
40-430. Media Practices and Social Responsibility
An examination of the social responsibility of the mass media in their
programs and practices, including the study of the individual and social
impact of media issues such as ratings, censorship, violence, and covert
values. The responses of the individual and corporate media professionals
are also considered. (Prerequisites: 40-234 and 40-275.)
40-434. Evaluation Research in Communication Studies
An introduction to the theory, methodology, and practice of evaluation
in the communication field, providing an overview of various approaches
and methods of evaluation, as well as practical examples of the design
of evaluation projects. (Prerequisite: 40-234.)
40-435. Quantitative Analysis in Mass Communication Research
The use of quantitative techniques in mass communication research (appropriate
for survey, experimental, and content analysis research), with emphasis
on the practical application of simple computer techniques, statistical
analysis, the relationship between theory and measurement, issues in the
construction of survey questionnaires, and sampling techniques. (Prerequisite:
40-335.)
40-441. Documentary Film and Video I
An introduction to the range of contemporary documentary techniques,
approaches, and styles, with attention to the Canadian situation. These
modern formats are considered in the context of the origins and the historical
development of the idea of documentary. (Credit for this course will be
allocated only after successful completion of 40-442.) (Prerequisite: one
previous film studies course.)
40-442. Documentary Film and Video II
A conceptual approach to the problematic issues in the depiction of
"reality," with attention to Canadian developments. Included will be an
examination of the role of technology, financing, distribution, and exhibition
arrangements, and cultural and ideological factors in the introduction
and acceptance of various documentary techniques, approaches, and styles.
(Credit for this course will be allocated only after successful completion
of 40-441.) (Prerequisite: 40-441.)
40-443. Film Theory and Criticism
An examination of the changing theoretical and critical approaches
to the film, including issues in the production and reception of film,
such as realism, adaptation, convention, signification, and culture. (Prerequisites:
40-202 and one of 40-240, 40-241, 40-343, or 40-344.)
40-452. Contemporary News Media
An exploration of the contemporary, topical issues concerning the news
media, including: ownership, economics, concentration, monopolization,
and other constraints. (Prerequisite: 40-352.)
40-453. News Media Analysis
An examination of the theory, praxis, and content of news media. A
qualitative, case study approach will emphasize one of various methods,
such as: field research, discourse, semiotic, narrative, or ideological
analysis. (Prerequisites: 40-234 and 40-352.)
40-457. Selected Topics in Canadian Communication Policy
An investigation of various aspects of the "convergence" of media forms,
technologies, and markets, and their implications for Canadian public policy
regarding electronic communication. Research assignments about selected
contemporary policy proceedings will be designed to generate seminar briefings
and discussions on their historical, cultural, economic, political, institutional,
regulatory, and jurisdictional contexts. (Prerequisite: 40-257. Recommended:
Any two foundations courses.)
40-461. International Communication Systems: Southern Hemisphere
An examination of international communication systems in the southern
hemisphere. Topics include: impact of colonialism, power and hegemony,
technology and information flow, cultural dependency/diversity/identity/sovereignty,
cultural appropriation, communication and development, indigenous knowledge
systems, ownership and control/access and participation, propaganda, and
international communication policy and technology. (Recommended prerequisite:
40-262 or 40-361.)
40-474. Social Order and the Information Society
A study of the socio-cultural and political-economic implications of
new communication and information technologies for the structure and function
of public institutions. In addition to seminar readings and discussion,
participants will undertake fieldwork projects investigating selected public
planning and design issues for digital interactive communication infrastructures
and applications. (Prerequisites: 40-274 and fourth-year standing.)
40-475. Advanced Communication Theory
An examination of contemporary communication theories, such as: critical,
cultural, functional, structural, and postmodern approaches. Special attention
will be devoted to critically evaluating the underlying assumptions and
frameworks of various theories. (Prerequisite: 40-275 and fourth-year standing.)
40-477. Forms and Contexts of Communication
An examination of the structures and cognitive forms which play a constitutive
role in shaping mass communication, including topics such as: semiotics,
the text, narrativity, metaphor, rhetoric, meaning, ideology, media format,
the concept of information, and frames of representation. Selected critical
theories of communication will be discussed and special application will
be made to audiovisual communication and advertising. (Prerequisite: 40-202
or 40-365.)
40-486. Minorities, Women, and the Mass Media
Using critical cultural studies theory, the course studies power and
representation, introducing the voices of diverse groups who are often
silenced or distorted by mainstream media. It examines both the means used
to identify, label, objectify, symbolically annihilate and stereotype,
and counter hegemonic texts that critique ideologies which institutionalize
racism, sexism, classism, and heterosexism. (This course is taught in Sociology
as 48-486.) (Recommended prerequisite: one or more of 40-202, 40-262, 40-275,
40-361, 40-461, 48-241, 48-306, or 48-333.)
40-487. Selected Topics in Policy and Systems
An advanced exploration of selected topics related to Policy and Systems.
The course may be offered as an individual or small group tutorial, or
as a regular class. For tutorials (available only to honours students),
project proposals must be approved by a program advisor in Communication
Studies prior to registration. (May be taken for credit more than once.)
(Prerequisite: successful completion of the appropriate upper-level Policy
and Systems courses.)
40-488. Selected Topics in Culture and Theory
An advanced exploration of selected topics related to Culture and Theory.
The course may be offered as an individual or small group tutorial, or
as a regular class. For tutorials (available only to honours students),
project proposals must be approved by a program advisor in Communication
Studies prior to registration. (May be taken for credit more than once.)
(Prerequisite: successful completion of the appropriate upper-level Culture
and Theory courses.)
40-489. Selected Topics in Design and Applications
An advanced exploration of selected topics related to Design and Applications
processes in print, audio and/or visual media. The course may be offered
as an individual or small group tutorial, or as a regular class. For tutorials
(available only to honours students), project proposals must be approved
by a program advisor in Communication Studies prior to registration. (May
be taken for credit more than once.) (Prerequisite: successful completion
of the appropriate upper-level Design and Applications courses.)
40-498. Communication Practicum III
Application of communication skills and knowledge in work experience
situations approved by the Co-ordinator of Communication Practica. Admission
to the course is by consent and is available only to honours students.
The course is graded by a faculty advisor on the basis of a written report
plus other references. (To be undertaken after the successful completion
of relevant 300-level courses in the appropriate stream.) (Prerequisite:
consent of a program advisor in Communication Studies.) (6-8 weeks.)
40-499. Communication Practicum IV
(Same description as 40-498.)
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