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MCA131

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Intoduction to Media Communication

Media Communication ArtsLiberal Arts
OverviewGoals, Topics, and ObjectivesAssessment, Requirements, and OutcomesRegister for this Course

Course Goals

The goal of this course is to introduce and foster media literacy by examining the history, evolution, and critical issues in electronic, digital, social, and print media. Students will explore how media and communication—particularly in news and entertainment, as shaped by media industries—affect our daily lives, societal values, and global perspectives, equipping them to critically analyze the impact of converging media and communication on culture, public affairs, and ethics.

Core Course Topics

  1. Mass Communication, Culture and Media Literacy

  2. Convergence and Reshaping of Mass Communication

  3. Books

  4. Newspapers

  5. Magazines

  6. Film

  7. Radio, Recordings, and Popular Music

  8. Television, Cable, and Mobile Video

  9. Video Games

  10. The Internet and Social Media

  11. Public Relations

  12. Advertising

  13. Theories and Effects of Mass Communication

  14. Media Freedom, Regulation, and Ethics

  15. Global Media

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

Define mass communication and relate how media literacy is critical and necessary in all aspects of it

Explain the role of converging media in changing political and cultural dynamics on the local, national and global stage

Illustrate the history of how print communication technologies originated and developed into what they are today (i.e. books, newspapers and magazines)

Illustrate the history of how electronic and digital communication technologies originated and developed into what they are today (i.e. film, radio, recordings, TV, cable and mobile video, social media, video games, Internet and world wide web)

Identify the behind-the-scenes operations and decision-making processes of all major media industries

Compare and contrast a variety of relationships between the media and their audiences and analyze what the role of PR and Advertising has evolved into in the changing times

Justify the general theory that media content provides insight into ourselves and our culture and explain the value and importance in media effects research

Know of the ongoing government regulation of the U.S. media, as well as the constitutional and principles that guide it

Analyze the ethical and philosophical issues that arise in media culture and contrast the range of viewpoints regarding each issue

Develop and assess a realistic world view based on an appropriate plan for media use and compare and differentiate global media with that of U.S. media