Communications

The main goal of Communications Studies is to critically assess the images and messages of contemporary media. How do they create meaning? Do they enlarge or restrict our understanding of the world? This course introduces a range of perspectives that seek to explain why we communicate as we do, including a general overview of communications theory and its historical development. Specific fields within the area of communication will also be explored, including: the study of popular culture, media analysis, advertising, journalism, and the political economy of communication.

Prerequisite(s):

ENGL 098

Transfer to:

UBC ELEV 1st (3) Does not meet the English/Communication requirement for any program.
SFU CMNS 110 (3)
UVIC HUMA 1XX (1.5)
UNBC ENGL 1XX (3)
TRU CMNS 1160 (3)

How have the internet and social media influenced Canadian society? To what extent have historical and contemporary developments in communications technology changed the way we do business, discuss politics, and become global citizens, and what issues have resulted? This course critically examines the role of communication in social change in the forms and institutions through which we communicate. In particular, we will discuss theoretical perspectives on the relationship between communication and the major political, economic and regulatory shifts that characterize Canadian and transnational media systems. Different eras of mass communication and leading approaches to its evolution will also be introduced.

Prerequisite(s):

ENGL 098, CMNS 110 is recommended

Transfer to:

UBC ELEV 1st (3) Does not meet the English/Communication requirement for any program.
SFU CMNS 130 (3)
UVIC HUMA 1XX (1.5)
UNBC ENGL 1XX (3)

This course is an introduction to ways of conducting empirical research. Empirical research uses techniques of direct and indirect observation to test hypotheses and develop new ideas. The course will introduce students to basic principles and tools in research design and data analysis, including research ethics, research instrument design such as surveys, sampling techniques, data visualization and presentation using statistical analysis software, and report writing. The goal of this course is to help students develop the skills necessary to read and critically evaluate research reports and scholarly articles.

Prerequisite(s):

ENGL 100, CMNS 110, CMNS 130, 3-credits of first-year arts. ENGL 100 is recommended.

Transfer to:

UBC ARTS 2nd (3)
SFU CMNS 201 (3), Q
UVIC SOSC 2XX (1.5)
UNBC PSYC 215 (3)

This course will familiarize students with a number of qualitative methods that address issues of power, communication, and knowledge-creation, including field research, documentary research, and textual analysis. Students in this course, rather than carrying out extensive library research, are to conduct research assignments and will be asked to think carefully about how they encounter the world around them as observers and researchers, and how they then represent those experiences in their writings, stories, and conversations.

Prerequisite(s):

ENGL 099, CMNS 110, CMNS 130, 3-credits of first-year arts.

Transfer to:

UBC ARTS 2nd (3)
SFU CMNS 202 (3)
UVIC SOSC 2XX (1.5)
UNBC PSYC 2XX (3)

This course introduces students to a variety of digital media communication and storytelling technologies and techniques, including image and sound capturing and manipulation, Internet-based publishing and research, digitizing, editing, and curating/archiving material. Design and management tasks involved in communicating using digital media are also introduced, including audio and video editing and processing using software on computers and/or phone technology, data integrity management, file structuring and packaging, and work presentation. The goal is to engage students and inspire them to examine cultural and community-based stories as they appear in digital forms, as well as personal expressions, through textual, voice, and visual narratives, using digital tools that are often readily available to us, such as mobile technologies, cameras, computers, and apps/software.

Prerequisite(s):

ENGL 099, CMNS 110, CMNS 130, 3-credits of first-year arts.

Transfer to:

UBC ARTS 2nd (3)
SFU CMNS 226 (3)
UVIC MDIA 2XX (1.5)
UNBC ENGL 201 (3)

This course explores the meaning of “cultural industries” such as film, sound recording, publishing etc. and their influence on current Canadian and international communications experiences. Students will consider the impact of the digital world on the economic, political and social aspects of media sectors including news, film, music, and gaming. In addition, students will critically analyze different cultural industries as a product of the relations between for-profit businesses, regulatory structures, and social dynamics, as well as their role in society today.

Prerequisite(s):

ENGL 099, CMNS 110,CMNS 130 is recommended

Transfer to:

UBC Arts 1st (3)
SFU CMNS 230 (3)
UVIC SOSC 2XX (1.5)
UNBC ENGL 1XX (3)
TRU CMNS 2XXX (3)

This course explores developments in the use of Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) in digital media. Much more than simple tools that facilitate our use of media platforms, ICTs are now distinct spaces in which part of our lives take place. This course critically analyzes the cultural, economic, political, and social shifts related to our use of technology as well as our understanding of its nature. Students will employ different methods, as well as critiques, of the use of news and social media platforms in order to strengthen a holistic approach to new media in the digital context. Social issues that arise from the use of technology will also be discussed.

Prerequisite(s):

ENGL 100, CMNS 110, CMNS 130 is recommended

Transfer to:

UBC ELEV 2nd. Does not meet the English/Communication requirement for any program
SFU CMNS 253 (3)
UVIC SOCI 1XX (1.5)
UNBC ENGL 1XX (3)
TRU CMNS 2200 (3)

The Canadian Communication Association supports graduate students of communications and creates awareness of Canadian Communications scholarship in Canada and abroad. acc-cca.ca

Established in 1978, the Canadian Association of Journalists is a corporation that promotes and recognizes excellence in Canadian journalism and supports the public’s right to information. caj.ca

Canada’s national news, radio and television network. Find news stories, podcasts, and stream live radio via this website, or search the CBC archives. cbc.ca

From the website: The Media Education Foundation produces and distributes documentary films and other educational resources to inspire critical thinking about the social, political, and cultural impact of American mass media. (MEF, 2020) mediaed.org

From the website: The Communication and Information Sector strives to foster freedom of expression, media development, and access to information and knowledge in line with UNESCO’s mandate to “promote the free flow of ideas by word and image”. (UNESCO, 2019) unesco.org