6 ECTS credits
167 h study time

Offer 1 with catalog number 1020436AER for all students in the 1st semester at a (A) Bachelor - preliminary level.

Semester
1st semester
Enrollment based on exam contract
Possible
Grading method
Grading (scale from 0 to 20)
Can retake in second session
Yes
Taught in
English
Partnership Agreement
Under interuniversity agreement for degree program
Faculty
Faculty of Social Sciences & SolvayBusinessSchool
Department
Communication Sciences
Educational team
Jan Loisen (course titular)
Activities and contact hours

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

In this course, the process of communication and theories related to the different aspects of the communication process take a central place. This introductory course indeed aims to provide students with a bird’s-eye view of the communication studies discipline, on the basis of which different domains in communication studies are explored in depth in subsequent courses in the program.

The course

  • Traces the origins and development of communication studies as a social science;
  • Offers a concise social history of media to contextualize the interplay of the (historical) development of media; social, political and cultural developments in Western society, and the communication studies discipline;
  • Discusses important research topics and questions that are or have been on the communication studies agenda;
  • Links communication studies theory and research with different theoretical currents in social sciences that underlie the media studies discipline;
  • Presents and critically discusses the main research traditions in communication studies, i.e. the main media theories and empirical research traditions within different research areas (e.g. analysis of the communicator; media content studies; audience and effect studies).

Other important ‘transversal’ lines of investigation and focus are:

  • The importance of (historical) context: Students will be able to (historically and societally) contextualize concepts, theories, authors, research traditions and results;
  • Multidisciplinarity: Although the focus is on the discipline of communication sciences, students are made aware that media communication occurs in relation to social, political, cultural, economic, technological, legal, … processes. Other scientific disciplines are, in other words, essential and related to media studies research.
  • Theory: Communication studies research presumes a scientific and critical approach. This course is foremost of a theoretical nature.
Course material
Handbook (Required) : On media and communication, An introduction to communication sciences: theory and research, Loisen - Joye, Acco, 9789463443500, 2017
Digital course material (Required) : Slides 'Introduction to Communication Studies'
Digital course material (Recommended) : Recordings 'Introduction to Commiunication Studies'
Additional info

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.

Lectures: 39 hours

  • Classe take place 2 hours weekly and 2 hours bi-weekly

Self-study: 128 hours

  • Following up on lectures during the semester, with a rate of 2 hours per hour lecture: 78 hours
  • Preparation of the exam: 50 hours
Learning Outcomes

General Learning Outcomes

At the end of this course, students:

  • Are able to retell the origins and development of the discipline of communication sciences;
  • Can recognize, distinguish and classify the main theoretical currents and authors in the discipline of communication sciences;
  • Can construe the historical development and the underlying human and worldview of the main theoretical currents in the discipline of communication sciences;
  • Can make connections between the main theoretical currents in the discipline of communication sciences and other social scientific schools and paradigms;
  • Are able to define, illustrate and link important theories and concepts in the discipline of communication sciences; and
  • Are able to identify, contextualize and discuss research questions and results on different elements in the communication process (sender/medium/message/receiver/effect).

Grading

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

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

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

Additional info regarding evaluation
  • A mock exam will be organised and example questions are discussed in class.
  • The exam procedure in the first and second session is the same.
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 Social Sciences: Communication Studies
Bachelor of Social Sciences: Political Sciences
Bachelor of Social Sciences: Sociology
Bachelor of Social Sciences: Startplan
Preparatory Programme Master of Science in Communication Studies: Default track