6 ECTS credits
152 h study time

Offer 1 with catalog number 1000914BER for all students in the 2nd semester at a (B) Bachelor - advanced level.

Semester
2nd semester
Enrollment based on exam contract
Possible
Grading method
Grading (scale from 0 to 20)
Can retake in second session
Yes
Enrollment Requirements
Studenten die dit opleidingsonderdeel opnemen, moeten geslaagd zijn voor minstens 30 ECTS-credits op bachelorniveau. Studenten communicatiewetenschappen moeten ook geslaagd zijn voor 'Communicatiewetenschappen I'. Studenten in een schakelprogramma, voorbereidingsprogramma of master kunnen dit opleidingsonderdeel opnemen.
Taught in
Dutch
Faculty
Faculty of Social Sciences & SolvayBusinessSchool
Department
Communication Sciences
Educational team
Ike Picone (course titular)
Activities and contact hours

24 contact hours Lecture
128 contact hours Independent or External Form of Study
Course Content

The course addresses the historical-theoretical link between democratic and journalistic theory and tries to answer the question whether the link is still timely.
The course content has six parts:

  1. Liberal-democratic theory
  2. Journalistic theory and deontology
  3. The normative link between journalism & democracy
  4. Participation and ideology in journalism
  5. Journalist and its public
  6. Challenges for journalism and democracy. 
Course material
Digital course material (Required) : Digitale slides, die dienen aangevuld te worden met eigen nota’s en digitale reader
Additional info

Not applicable

Learning Outcomes

General competencies

This course contributes to the following learning aims of the media and communication studies bachelor:

  • Students have specific knowledge and understanding of the diverse paradigms, main theoretical currents, concepts and research traditions within communication scientific approaches to journalism, politics and democracy.
  • Students show insight in the position and mutual relations of the diverse paradigms, main theoretical currents, concepts and research traditions within the discipline and in relation to other theories, methods, concepts and models in other disciplines (interdisciplinarity).
  • Students demonstrate insight in the underlying human and worldview and (the historical development of) assumptions of the diverse paradigms, main theoretical currents, concepts and research traditions in general and their approach to the relation between media, communication and society in particular.
  • Students have knowledge and understanding of the structures, operation and processes of media and communication organisations, media and communication practices, and media and communication markets and their relations with journalism, politics and democracy.
  • Students can detect and analyse trends and issues within a media landscape and estimate their societal, professional and policy implications on the basis of a theoretical framework of reference and analysis linked to communication scientific approaches to journalism, politics and democracy.
  • Students show a critical attitude with regard to sources and literature.
  • Students can develop their own scientifically grounded judgement and act in the spirit of free inquiry – i.e. with an open, critical-constructive and a-dogmatic attitude. Students do not seek ‘ultimate truths’, yet respond to scientific debate and the relative uncertainty of insights from an open position.
  • Students can critically and self-critically, with a long term perspective, from an interdisciplinary angle, and cautious of monocausal interpretations, gauge the impact of social, cultural, economic, ethical, technological, political, legal and other factors to communication processes.
  • Students demonstrate an honest attitude, ethical stance and engaged position, permitting a relevant contribution to current scientific and societal debates.
  • Students are able to communicate information, insights and their research findings to diverse audiences in writing, orally and by using multimedia.
  • Students can – with guidance – learn and act independently, creatively, critically and entrepreneurially.

At the end of this course,

  • you will have expanded your knowledge of traditional (theoretical) models used in communication studies by complementing them with models from liberal-democratic theory and from Journalism Studies
  • you will have developed an in-depth insight into how liberal-democratic theory shapes our understanding of journalism still today
  • you will have developed an in-depth insight into the tensions between normative journalistic theory (what journalism should be) and everyday journalistic practices (what journalims actually is)
  • you learned how to apply theoretical insight to analyse, frame and critically assess current journalistic and democratic processes and developments

Grading

The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Oral Exam determines 100% of the final mark.

Within the Oral Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

  • Oral Exam with a relative weight of 1 which comprises 100% of the final mark.

    Note: With written preparation

Additional info regarding evaluation

Not applicable

Allowed unsatisfactory mark
The supplementary Teaching and Examination Regulations of your faculty stipulate whether an allowed unsatisfactory mark for this programme unit is permitted.

Academic context

This offer is part of the following study plans:
Bachelor of Communication Studies: Standaard traject (only offered in Dutch)
Bachelor of Political Science and Sociology: - afstudeerrichting sociologie, minor communicatiewetenschappen (only offered in Dutch)
Master of Criminology: Standaard traject (only offered in Dutch)
Bridging Programme Master of Science in Communication Studies: Standaard traject (only offered in Dutch)
Preparatory Programme Master of Science in Communication Studies: Standaard traject (only offered in Dutch)