International Communication

6 ECTS credits
154 h study time

Offer 1 with catalog number 1001343BER 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

Students who want to enroll for this course, must have passed for ’Introduction to Communication Studies' and must have obtained at least 90 ECTS-credits on bachelor level (Social Sciences). Students in a master programme can follow this course.

Taught in

English

Faculty

Faculty of Social Sciences & SolvayBusinessSchool

Department

Communication Sciences

Educational team

Leo Van Audenhove (course titular)

Activities and contact hours

26 contact hours Lecture
128 contact hours Independent or External Form of Study

Course Content

This course sets out to give an overview of the field of international communication, global communication and development communication. International communications is defined as the flow of norms, culture, values and information between individuals, groups and states and how these flows of communication contribute to economic, social and political change. Apart from an introduction to the theory on media, information and ICTs in international perspective, the course pays close attention to media and ICTs from a developmental perspective. In this part of the course we discuss my own work and research on ICT4D in South Africa, Tanzania and Ugana. It discusses current trends and issues in the debate on globalization and media. The students are expected to study and process literature in advance of classes. In class the literature is critically assessed, analysed more indepth and links are explained with other literature. Active participation and discussion in class is expected of students.

Additional info

The course schedule will be provided by the start of the course. Also the exact list of literature will be communicated then. A couple of books we draw from are:

Flew, T. (2018) Understanding Global Media. Second Edition. London. Palgrave.

Hamelink, C. (2015) Global Communication. London: Sage.

Sparks, C. (2007) Globalization, Development and the Mass Media. London. Sage.

Teaching Methods

Lecture: collective contact-dependent moments during which the lecturer engages with learning materials
Seminar, Exercises or Practicals (Practical): collective or individual contact-dependent moments during which the students are guided to actively engage with learning materials
Independent or External Form of Study (Self): independent study

This description of the teaching methods is indicative, in order to assess the expected study load.

Lecture: 26 hours (13 x 2 hours)

Self: 128 hours

keeping up with the course material, amounting to 2 hour per hour lecture: 60 hours
reading of literature before coming to class: 36 hours (12 x 3 hours)
preparation exam: 32 hours (4 days of 8 hours)

Learning Outcomes

Algemene competenties

This course contributes to the following general learning results of the bachelor in communication sciences:

Students have knowledge and understanding of the diverse paradigms, main theoretical currents, concepts and research traditions within communication sciences, including different levels (micro-meso-macro), types ‘e.g., corporate, government, journalistic, … communication) and components (sender, medium, message, receiver).
Students have specific knowledge and understanding of the diverse paradigms, main theoretical currents, concepts and research traditions within communication scientific approaches to media, internet and globalisation.
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 historical and recent developments in media and communication.
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 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 media, internet and globalisation.
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 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 media, internet and globalisation.
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 reflect upon their own position as scientists, construe assumptions and identify and explicitate critically their presuppositions.
Students demonstrate an honest attitude, ethical stance and engaged position, permitting a relevant contribution to current scientific and societal debates.
Students act upon an open attitude in a culturally diverse international context. They critically reflect on their own (geographical, social, cultural, local, personal, …) position
Students develop an attitude of willingness to listen and respect to one another in order to engage in debates on the basis of scientifically and empirically grounded arguments.

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.

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 Social Sciences: Communication Studies
Bachelor of Political Science and Sociology: - afstudeerrichting sociologie, minor communicatiewetenschappen (only offered in Dutch)
Master of Educational Sciences: Standaard traject