F2022

Communication Studies * / Kommunikation (1-fags kandidat) *

master course

English

Tilmelding sker via STADS-Selvbetjening indenfor annonceret tilmeldingsperiode, som du kan se på Studieadministrationens hjemmeside

Når du tilmelder dig kurset, skal du være opmærksom på, om der er sammenfald i tidspunktet for kursusafholdelse og eksamen med andre kurser, du har valgt. Uddannelsesplanlægningen tager udgangspunkt i, at det er muligt at gennemføre et anbefalet studieforløb uden overlap. Men omkring valgfrie elementer og studieplaner som går ud over de anbefalede studieforløb, kan der forekomme overlap, alt efter hvilke kurser du vælger.

Registration through STADS-Selvbetjeningwithin the announced registration period, as you can see on the Studyadministration homepage.

When registering for courses, please be aware of the potential conflicts between courses or exam dates on courses. The planning of course activities at Roskilde University is based on the recommended study programs which do not overlap. However, if you choose optional courses and/or study plans that goes beyond the recommended study programs, an overlap of lectures or exam dates may occur depending on which courses you choose.

Media technologies are at the heart of contemporary digital societies around the globe, inseparable from how people communicate and navigate their daily lives. We use them to participate on social media, take photos, check email, track fitness regimes, navigate public transit, get directions, scan restaurant recommendations and many other everyday activities, all while on the go. Digital media also allow us to work remotely. Obtain medical advice and prescriptions. Find potential romantic partners. Communicate with daycares and schools. Apply for government services. Vote. Protest. And on and on. It is clear that the creation of sustainable, innovative, and robust societies demands a profound understanding of how people use and experience media technologies in a number of critical environments. This elective course on Trends in Digital Media and Communication Theory accordingly embraces a human-centred perspective on technology to teach students how to investigate the complex relationships between digital media, communication, and society. From social media platforms to messaging apps, search engines to big data, self-tracking devices to machine-learning algorithms and facial recognition software, the future of democratic societies is inextricably interwoven with the everyday uses and experiences of media technologies, which shape both public policies and individual attitudes.

Debates about the disruptive influence of media are often paradoxical and the list of seemingly contradictory perspectives on how they influence citizens and societies go on and on. By learning about the central contemporary theoretical currents around digital media, students will be in a more informed position to engage in refined debates about the role of media in society and its rapid - and often, controversial - developments.

Alongside these theoretical discussions, students will be taught a number of key academic skills which they work on in class, which are then compiled in a portfolio at the end. With an eye to transferrable skills that can be deployed in later thesis and project work, the portfolio elements revolve around: 1. Learning how to find, assemble, and synthesize pertinent academic literature informing a research topic into a coherent literature review; 2. Identifying and summarizing key policy initiatives and public debates around digital media systems, platforms, and use, in order to inform and enrich your ability to argue for the importance and timeliness of a given project topic/problem statement; and 3. Learning how to make creative 'design fictions' and associated prototypes in relation to a future use for media, in order to sharpen your critical thinking and reflection about the sociopolitical and cultural impacts of media technologies.

Expected course workload

• 48 hrs. lectures and exercises

• 120 hrs. (2.5 hrs. preparation for each lecture hour)

• 80 hrs. exam work load

• 22 hrs. other activities

270 hrs. in total

Preparation includes reading, doing exercises etc. before the on campus activities. Other activities include semester intro, literature search, additional lectures, seminars and evaluation.

Most of the course pensum will be made up of recent research articles and book chapters that will be linked to from Moodle. Additional material may also be added to supplement.

There is an expectation that students read the assigned texts before coming to class, as readings will be used as the basis for in-class exercises.

The students will receive regular feedback in all class exercises and discussions, as well as after the exam.

IKH Studyadministration (ikh-studyadministration@ruc.dk)

Chris Peters (cpeters@ruc.dk)

10

• Knowledge and understanding of a specific subject area in the field of communication, information and media, including having knowledge and understanding of the common practices in relation to th subject area

• Knowledge and understanding of current theories relevant to the subject area, including knowledge of essential communications concepts and terms

• Knowledge and understanding of current methods used to study the subject area

• Skills in being able to apply relevant theory to a specific communications-related research questio

• Skills in being able to use appropriate methods to study communications-related research questions

• Skills in being able to translate analyses and knowledge and understanding to a practical communications-related context

• Competences in independently being able to take responsibility for one’s own professional development and specialisation within the subject area

The course includes presentations and critical discussions as well as the testing the of knowledge about and understanding of a defined subject area within the field of communications, including presentations and discussions of concepts, theories and investigative methods

The course consists of a mix of lectures and discussions, and it can include group work, homework and peer feedback. It is structured around a number of themes that will be presented at the start of the course

Elective course

Individual portfolio consisting of written products and other types of products.

The portfolio consists of maximum 10 (the exact number is determined by the lecturer based on an academic assessment of the student's subject) products, that wholly or partially are developed during the course. The products are e.g. answers to exercises, an outline for a presentation, written feedback, written reflections and written assignments, wiki-inputs, sound productions and visual productions.. The preparation of the products may be subject to time limits.

The total character limit of portfolio incl. the written products is 4,800-36,000 characters, including spaces.
The character limits include the cover, table of contents, bibliography, figures and other illustrations, but exclude any appendices.

The portfolio's specific products and the (if relevant) recommended size (character limits) for the individual products are made public on study.ruc.dk before the course begins.

The entire portfolio must be handed in at the same time (uploaded to eksamen.ruc.dk). Handing in the portfolio or parts of the portfolio to the supervisor for feedback, cannot replace the upload to eksamen.ruc.dk. Furthermore, the assignment must document that the student possesses a confident mastery of written English, including grammar and linguistic correctness.
The submission deadline will be announced on study.ruc.dk before the course begins.

The assessment is individual and based on the entire portfolio.

Assessment: 7-point grading scale.

Samme som ordinær eksamen / same form as ordinary exam