6 ECTS credits
151 h study time

Offer 1 with catalog number 1021093BER for all students in the 1st semester at a (B) Bachelor - advanced level.

Semester
1st semester
Enrollment based on exam contract
Possible
Grading method
Grading (scale from 0 to 20)
Can retake in second session
Yes
Enrollment Requirements
Students must have taken ‘Introduction to Communication Studies', before they can enroll in this course. ​
Taught in
English
Partnership Agreement
Under interuniversity agreement for degree program
Faculty
Faculty of Social Sciences & SolvayBusinessSchool
Department
Communication Sciences
External partners
Universiteit Gent
Educational team
Pascal Verhoest (course titular)
Activities and contact hours
39 contact hours Lecture
112 contact hours Independent or External Form of Study
Course Content

The course introduces political economy and cultural studies as two main critical schools of thought in media and communications research. The lecture series is set-up a dialectical journey in which students are invited to engage with and critically reflect upon these different schools of thought.  The first part of the series analyses how both schools deal with some of the most pungent tension fields in social science: objectivism vs subjectivism, structure vs agency, conflict vs consensus. The second part of the lecture series how both schools throw a different light on topic pertaining to media technology, the media economy, the media and democracy, the public sphere, popular culture and journalism. Each theme is approached from the different, sometimes complementary and sometimes competing, perspectives of political economy and cultural studies. In the third and final of the lecture series proposes an integrative approach that overcomes the duality of political economy and cultural studies.

Additional info

This course adopts a 'blended learning' approach, combining video lectures, written-up materials, online tools as well as on-campus teaching. The opening and closing sessions are given on-campus in a traditional 'live' lecture. All students are expected to attend. The other modules of this course follow the folowing procedure.

  • 1_ Each week, students get access to an online video-lecture. The length of the video's may vary, but on average, processing time should be less than 2 hours.
  • 2_ The slides used in the video are made available for download, so that you can use them to make notes (while watching the video's).
  • 3_ An on-line quiz is available that touches upon some of the critical issues discussed in the lectures. The outcome of the quiz is discussed in group during the seminars.
  • 4_ A weekly seminar is organised. In the first part of the seminar, you can ask for clarification or go into more depth about topics of interest. Questions relating to current affairs are warmly welcomed. In the second part of the seminar, the quiz is solved and the quiz results are discussed.
Learning Outcomes

General competences

This course contributes to the following learning outcomes of the Bachelor of Sciences in Social Sciences, as a student after following this course:

  • Has specific knowledge and understanding of the critical paradigms and theories within the field of media-and communication studies.
  • Shows insight in the positions and mutual relations of the critical paradigms and theories within the field of media and communication studies; in relation to other theories, concepts and research traditions within the field and within other disciplines (inter-disciplinarity).
  • Has specific knowledge and understanding of the research traditions of political economy and critical cultural studies and their mutual relations.
  • Gained insight in the underlying human and worldviews of the diverse critical paradigms, schools and theories within the field of media-and communication studies.
  • Has an understanding of how critical theories can be put to work in research on key themes in the field of media and communication studies: news and journalism, popular media culture, media and the public sphere, media and democracy, social media, and media technology.
  • Has an understanding of how critical theories can be deployed in gauging the social, cultural, economic, technological and political role and embeddedness of media processes, phenomena and practices.
  • Has an understanding of how critical theories can be applied in research on the different components (production, content, audiences) of the communication process.
  • Is able to critically reflect on the societal and contextual embeddedness of the field of media and communication studies as well as on the societal role of the media and communication scholar. 
  • Has strengthened the ability to develop the own scientifically grounded judgement and act in the spirit of free inquiry – i.e. with an open, critical-constructive and a-dogmatic attitude.
  • Developed an attitude of willingness to listen and respect to one another in order to engage in debates on the basis of scientifically and empirically grounded arguments
  • Has developed the ability to critically reflect on the own geographic, social, cultural and political position and embeddedness. 
  • Has an attitude of willingness to listen to and respect others when engaging in debates based on scientifically and empirically grounded arguments.
  • Demonstrates an honest attitude, ethical stance and engaged position, permitting a relevant contribution to current scientific and societal debates.

Grading

The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Written Exam determines 100% of the final mark.

Within the Written Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

  • Written Exam with a relative weight of 100 which comprises 100% of the final mark.

Additional info regarding evaluation

The exam comprises a combination of multiple choice and open questions.

In case a student fails this course in the first session, the exam can be taken again in the second session.  More specific details will be provided on Canvas.

Allowed unsatisfactory mark
The supplementary Teaching and Examination Regulations of your faculty stipulate whether an allowed unsatisfactory mark for this programme unit is permitted.

Academic context

This offer is part of the following study plans:
Bachelor of Social Sciences: Communication Studies
Bachelor of Social Sciences: Political Sciences
Bachelor of Social Sciences: Sociology
Bachelor of Social Sciences: Startplan