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

Transfers to:

SFU CMNS 110 (3)
UVIC HUMA 1XX (1.5)
UNBC ENGL 1XX (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

Transfers to:

SFU CMNS 130 (3)
UVIC HUMA 1XX (1.5)
UNBC ENGL 1XX (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

Transfers to:

UBCV Arts 1st (3)
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 099, CMNS 110, CMNS 130 is recommended

Transfers to:

UBCV ELEV 2nd Does not meet the English/Communication requirement for any program
UNBC ENGL 1XX (3)
TRU CMNS 2200 (3)