Course Syllabus

COMM 1500 Introduction to Mass Media

Course Description

This course is an introduction to the nature of media and its relationship with the individual. The course teaches students to analyze, assess and evaluate popular culture, literature, and media. It includes a focus on various mediums including literature, radio, television, film, books, newspaper, and advertising to assist students in looking at the big picture of how media affects their perceptions.

Justification

Introduction to Mass Media is a discursive study of media organizations, how they operate and exert their influence on individuals. It assists students to become more knowledgeable and self-critical consumers of media content. This class is more about questions than answers, and students are asked to wrestle with some big questions. The emphasis will be on the various forms of media to include literature, radio, television, film, newspaper, and advertising to determine how they influence and manipulate the ways students see reality and relate to themselves and others. This class requires both exploratory and academic writing, as well as critical, close-text reading skills, all of which are essential skills developed through the Humanities Division course offerings. The humanities are a group of academic disciplines that study the many ways by which humans have attempted to understand themselves and their world. The division of Humanities focuses on cultural traditions that are expressed largely through text and have a strong textual component: languages, literature, and philosophy. The methods by which the humanities study culture are at once analytical and interpretive, objective and subjective, historical and aesthetic. Similar courses are taught at many USHE institutions and may transfer to these institutions and others as a HU GE credit.

General Education Outcomes

1. A student who completes the GE curriculum has a fundamental knowledge of human cultures and the natural world. Students will read and discuss a selection of oral and written media-related texts, including some of the well-known political campaigns, famous speeches, literary works, art, and stories from a variety of cultures- focusing discussion on the ways these workers have influenced the way humans attempt to understand themselves and their world. Students will demonstrate their knowledge on these topics through class discussions, written assignments, and quizzes/exams.
2. A student who completes the GE curriculum can read and research effectively within disciplines. Students will read a variety of primary texts and will be required to respond to the content. These texts will vary in nature to include some aspects of political campaigns, famous speeches, literary works, art, stories, film, art, and/or others. Students will not only be able to read, understand, and engage with these texts, but will also evaluate, respond, and work to apply relevant theoretical approaches to further their own understanding and application. Students will demonstrate constructive and critical responses through essay exams and writing assignments.
3. A student who completes the GE curriculum can draw from multiple disciplines to address complex problems. Students will identify and discuss interpretations and applications of the primary texts in class, both in small groups and in open discussion. Students will be assessed through discussion questions, essay exams, oral participation, and written assignments.
4. A student who completes the GE curriculum can reason analytically, critically, and creatively. Students will critically evaluate the ideas and themes of political campaigns, famous speeches, literary works, art, and stories by identifying differences between their values and the values of the culture being studied. Students will be able to read and analyze media influences, understand the place of media in society, and make connections within the larger realm of past, and present. Students will look at the ethics used in media and its influences on society and culture. Students will demonstrate their ability to read and think critically about media, understand its context, and interpret meaning through essay exams, papers, and class discussion.

General Education Knowledge Area Outcomes

1. Students will read and discuss a selection of oral and written media-related texts, including some of the well-known political campaigns, famous speeches, literary works, art, and stories from a variety of cultures- focusing discussion on the ways these workers have influenced the way humans attempt to understand themselves and their world. This will be assessed through essay exams, papers, and class discussions.  Students will read and discuss a selection of oral and written media-related texts, including some of the well-known political campaigns, famous speeches, literary works, art, and stories from a variety of cultures- focusing discussion on the ways these workers have influenced the way humans attempt to understand themselves and their world. This will be assessed through essay exams, papers, and class discussions.
2. Understand how knowledge is created through the study of language systems, literature, and/or philosophy. Students are asked to examine the relationship between mass communication processes and both the individual and society; their influence on culture, literature, philosophy, attitudes, and behavior. In addition, this course explores interrelationships between social, economic, political, and cultural change and media outlets. This will be assessed through essay exams, papers, and class discussions.
3. Understand cultural traditions within an historical context and make connections with the present. Students will be asked to examine the effect and impact of mass media on contemporary life and society. The course covers both the historical evolution of media as well as contemporary developments and issues. Areas of coverage include newspapers and journalism, magazine and book publishing, radio and television broadcasting, motion pictures, music recording, Internet and social media, cable, and satellite communication, advertising and public relations; media law, and ethics. This will be assessed through essay exams, papers, and class discussions.
4. Critically read and respond to primary texts (original, uninterpreted) from a Humanities’ perspective. Students will read a variety of primary texts and will be required to respond to the content. These texts will vary in nature to include some aspects of political campaigns, famous speeches, literary works, art, stories, film, art, and/or others. Students will not only be able to read, understand, and engage with these texts, but will also evaluate, respond, and work to apply relevant theoretical approaches to further their own understanding and application. Students will demonstrate constructive and critical responses through essay exams and writing assignments.
5. Write effectively within the Humanities discipline to analyze and form critical and aesthetic judgments. Students will be able to write in an effective, convincing, and informed manner concerning the big questions addressed throughout the class. They will be asked to analyze and evaluate the complex interaction between media and society. Students will demonstrate an ability to write effectively through frequent and varied writing assignments encouraging students to think independently about the nature of media influences. Written assignments will be returned with suggestions for improving the student's writing skills.

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Ask and explore a variety of philosophical and theoretical questions about human thought and experience
2. Understand how knowledge is created through the study of language systems, literature, and/or philosophy
3. Understand cultural traditions within a historical context and make connections with the present
4. Critically read and respond to primary texts (Original and uninterpreted) from a Humanities perspective
5. Write effectively within the Humanities discipline to analyze and form critical and aesthetic judgments

Course Content

In a group setting each individual's differences add to the unique communication dynamics of culture, this is similar to the classroom environment. Students will be encouraged to discuss different perspectives on topics such as media culture, societal influences and personality differences. They will learn how different perspectives shape how we see and interact in a variety of settings. Understanding individual perspectives on media, media experiences, and differences along with learning communication strategies to accommodate these differences are keys to a successful understanding of the content of this course.This course is designed to introduce students to a variety of primary texts and media influences. Through a variety of teaching methods, students are taught to recognize group members' strengths, differences, abilities, and needs. They will be asked to analyze and evaluate the complex interaction between media and the individual. They will be encouraged to think independently about the nature of media, to analyze primary texts, to critically think about how media influences their lives and to analyze ways in which media influences each individual.