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 University of Calgary Calendar 2015-2016 COURSES OF INSTRUCTION Course Descriptions C Communications Studies COMS
Communications Studies COMS
COMS 201 203 313 363 369 371 381 383 391 393 401 413 435 463 469 471 473 475 477 481 501 503 505 507 580 590 591
 

Instruction offered by the Department of Communication, Media and Film Studies in the Faculty of Arts.
 
Junior Courses
 
Communications Studies 201       Introduction to Communications Studies
A general mapping of the field, with an emphasis on its breadth in the areas of media studies, communication of science and technology, and rhetorical communication. The course also provides a general examination of how Communications Studies emerged during the twentieth century and how the field relates to issues of social and cultural change.
Course Hours: 3 units; H(2-1)
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Communications Studies 203       New Media
An introduction to the social, political and cultural aspects of new media. Students will examine the social factors that influence the use of new media, as well as the effects of new media on different spheres of social life. Topics to be examined include the historical development of new media; participatory cultures; copyright and Internet law; creative industries; and surveillance and governance in new media.
Course Hours: 3 units; H(2-1)
Antirequisite(s): May not receive credit for both Communications Studies 203 and Science, Technology, and Society 341.
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Senior Courses
 
Communications Studies 313       Communication Research Methods

A critical introduction to communication research methods. Students will explore, practice, and critique selected quantitative and qualitative research methods and perspectives on the processes of knowledge production.
Course Hours: 3 units; H(3-1T)
Prerequisite(s): Communication Studies 201.
Antirequisite(s): Credit for both Communications Studies 313 and any of General Studies 313, Development Studies 407, Northern Planning and Development Studies 407 or Women's Studies 313  will not be allowed.
Notes: Students are recommended to take Communications Studies 313 in their second year.
Also known as: (formerly Communication and Culture 313)
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Communications Studies 363       Professional and Technical Communication
An introduction to professional and technical communication in diverse media. Students will learn the rhetorical dimensions of workplace settings as well as the process of planning, composing, and delivering professional and technical communication for various audiences.
Course Hours: 3 units; H(3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Completion of at least 24 units (4.0 full-course equivalents).
Notes: Preference in enrolment is given to Majors and Minors in Communications Studies, the Bachelor of Communications Studies, majors in Geography, and students enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Culture, the Haskayne School of Business and the Schulich School of Engineering. Some sections of this course will be offered online.
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Communications Studies 369       Rhetorical Communication

An introduction to the basic principles of rhetorical theory, criticism and practice. Students will learn rhetorical perspectives on elements of communication such as argumentation, persuasion, audience, situation, genre, and ethics. Students will apply rhetorical theory to the criticism of samples of public communication and will practice their rhetorical skills through in-class activities and assigned writing and oral presentations.
Course Hours: 3 units; H(3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Prerequisite or Corequisite: Communications Studies 201.
Antirequisite(s): Credit will not normally be allowed for both Communications Studies 369 and 361.
Notes: Preference in enrolment is given to Majors and Minors in Communications Studies and the Bachelor of Communications Studies.
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Communications Studies 371       Critical Media Studies
Emphasizes major critical approaches in Communications Studies with the intent of introducing students to the theoretical foundations of media and mass communication related research. The course explores the contexts in which these theories arose, identifies their major strengths and weaknesses, and provides an appreciation of how critical theory engages the social world through research on communication and media. Areas to be covered include: the problem of communication (Durham, Mattelart, etc.), the culture industry (Adorno, the Frankfurt School), the Canadian school (McLuhan), structuralism and semiotics (Barthes), Cultural Studies (Hall, Williams), postmodernism (Lyotard, Harvey, etc.).
Course Hours: 3 units; H(2-1)
Prerequisite(s): Communications Studies 201.
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Communications Studies 381       Communications History
A general survey of how various communication systems and practices developed through history, and of the social contexts within which they emerged, transformed, and adapted through time. Within this framework, the course examines major technological developments in the history of human communication and uses theory to understand their origins and impacts on social organization and everyday life.
Course Hours: 3 units; H(2-1)
Corequisite(s): Prerequisite or Corequisite: Communications Studies 201.
Antirequisite(s): Credit for both Communications Studies 381 and 380 will not be allowed.
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Communications Studies 383       Introduction to Public Relations
The role of public relations in group communication within and among various sectors of society, including business, government, educational and cultural organizations. Alternative approaches to public relations theory and practice. Canadian examples and case studies will be used where possible, and ethical standards in public relations will be emphasized.
Course Hours: 3 units; H(3-0)
Also known as: (formerly Communications Studies 483)
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Communications Studies 391       Introduction to Acoustic Communications and Acoustic Ecology
Concepts, techniques and applications of the fields of Acoustic Communications (the ways in which speech and music convey meaning) and Acoustic Ecology (the effects of sound in natural and human environments).  These interdisciplinary areas weave together communication theory, cognitive psychology, sociology, musicology, physical sciences, health sciences, and aesthetics.
Course Hours: 3 units; H(3-0)
Antirequisite(s): Credit for both Communications Studies 391 and 401.12 will not be allowed.
Notes: There is no scheduled tutorial or lab, but some field work (off campus) and research outside of class time is required.
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Communications Studies 393       Critical Perspectives on Health and Science
Examines the construction and communication of health and science as socio-cultural phenomena and interrogates the ways in which health and science issues are communicated, defined, represented, and framed, particularly within contemporary media.
Course Hours: 3 units; H(3-0)
Antirequisite(s): Credit for both Communications Studies 393 and Science, Technology and Society 421 will not be allowed.
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Communications Studies 401       Special Topics in Communications Studies
See the Schedule of Classes for current topic(s).
Course Hours: 3 units; H(3-0)
MAY BE REPEATED FOR CREDIT
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Communications Studies 413       Advanced Research Methods
An in-depth study of selected methods for social and cultural research. Students will design and carry out empirical research applying these methods.
Course Hours: 3 units; H(3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Communications Studies 313.
Notes: This course is strongly recommended to students who intend to apply to Honours or graduate programs or to seek employment in research-intensive industries.
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Communications Studies 435       Mass Communications and Canadian Society
Introduces students to theoretical literature on various aspects of the media, including public policy questions such as the concentration of media ownership, Canadian content requirements, censorship, the role of the media during elections, and the problems and opportunities that might be brought by advances in technology.
Course Hours: 3 units; H(3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Communications Studies 201 or a Major or Minor in either Canadian Studies or Film Studies.
Also known as: (formerly Communications Studies 335)
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Communications Studies 463       Rhetorical Communication in Online Environments

Rhetorical theory, criticism, production, and editing of professional communication in online environments (organizational websites and blogs, professional uses of social media, project management applications, collaborative writing applications, corporate and community discussion forums and intranets).  Experiential learning through team projects that critique and develop an organization’s online content.
Course Hours: 3 units; H(2-2)
Prerequisite(s): One of Communications Studies 363, 383, or 369.
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Communications Studies 469       Rhetorical History and Criticism
A study of rhetorical thought and action from selected periods, cultures, and authors from the classical period to the modern age, with an emphasis on the interaction between rhetoric and philosophical, social, and political change. Theories will be applied to the criticism of historical and contemporary public communication.
Course Hours: 3 units; H(2-2)
Prerequisite(s): Communications Studies  369.
Antirequisite(s): Credit for both Communications Studies 469 and 461 will not be allowed.
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Communications Studies 471       Audience and Reception
Approaches the communications process from the point of view of the audience. Students will be introduced to the history of media research dealing with the public and the audience, and consider the changes in theoretical and research paradigms from administrative approaches to those centred on fan practices and subcultures. Topics may include public opinion, uses and gratifications, reception theory, constructivism, shopping, consumption and subjectivity, fan cultures, experiential marketing, and culture jamming.
Course Hours: 3 units; H(3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Communications Studies 371.
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Communications Studies 473       Popular Culture
A Communications Studies approach to the study of popular culture, including music, sport, television, film, comics, literature, gaming, theatre and public performance, the Internet and social networking, fashion, and advertising. Students will be introduced to critical tools for the deconstruction and evaluation of the social and cultural significance of popular cultural texts.
Course Hours: 3 units; H(3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Communications Studies 371.
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Communications Studies 475       Media and Cultural Industries
Considers the role and nature of media and cultural industries, offering students understanding of their role in the production and circulation of popular culture and information. Among those industries that could be examined are television, radio, newspapers and other print media, film, sound recording, book publishing and advertising.
Course Hours: 3 units; H(3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Communications Studies 371.
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Communications Studies 477       Food Culture and Communication
A theoretical and experiential introduction to food cultures as processes and products of communication.  Students will examine how food is constructed and represented through text, film, television, art, and tourism.  Political and economic constructions of food culture, security, and sustainability will also be explored.
Course Hours: 3 units; H(3-0)
Antirequisite(s): Credit for both Communications Studies 477 and 401.03 will not be allowed.
Notes: This course may involve off-campus field trips during class time, and students are responsible for transportation arrangements and costs.  Alternatively, the course may be packaged along with others as part of a Study Abroad opportunity requiring an application and pre-term study and preparation. Contact the instructors and/or University of Calgary CISSA for more information.
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Communications Studies 481       Advanced Topics in New Media and Society
Examines the nature, origins and social implications of new media with a focus on the Internet. Evolving forms of interpersonal, group and public communication based on the Internet will be assessed in terms of the role they play in identity formation, cultural integration, learning, political participation, commerce and work.
Course Hours: 3 units; H(3-0)
Prerequisite(s): One of Communications Studies 371, 381, or Science, Technology and Society 341.
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Communications Studies 501       Research in Selected Topics
Supervised individual study of a special topic.
Course Hours: 3 units; H(3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Consent of the Department.
Notes: Students who wish to propose a topic must secure a supervisor and have the topic approved by the Department at least two weeks prior to the first day of classes.
MAY BE REPEATED FOR CREDIT
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Communications Studies 503       Advanced Special Topics in Communications Studies
Advanced special topics in Communications Studies.
Course Hours: 3 units; H(3-0)
Prerequisite(s): Communications Studies 201 and one of 369, 371, 381 or 393.
MAY BE REPEATED FOR CREDIT
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Communications Studies 505       Communications Studies Research Project
An inquiry-based course focused on an advanced exploration of, and apprenticeship in, research within the field. Students will apply and deepen their understanding of topic-specific theories and methods learned at the 400 level. Discussion of research communication will include communication to the public, within organizations, and to academic audiences.
Course Hours: 3 units; H(0-3S)
Prerequisite(s): Communication and Culture 313 or Communications Studies 313 and one of Communications Studies 369, 371, 381 or 393.
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Communications Studies 507       Experiential Learning in Communications
Supervised individual study through guided experiential learning. Provides students with the opportunity to combine interests in communications research and theory with experiential learning opportunities in an organization or university unit. Involves a communication-related placement or project that engages students in critical reflection on community experience in the context of their formal education.
Course Hours: 3 units; H(0-4)
Prerequisite(s): Communications Studies 201, one additional course labelled Communications Studies or Science, Technology and Society 341, 421,  and admission to the Majors, Honours, or Minors in Communications Studies and Bachelor of Communications Studies and consent of the Department.
Antirequisite(s): Communications Studies 407.
Notes: Students should contact the Department of Communication, Media and Film Studies at least two weeks prior to the first day of classes to arrange an independent study course.
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Communications Studies 580       Advanced BCS/BFS Project

An advanced research project incorporating both scholarly bibliographic techniques and research techniques appropriate to media production. The project will be produced in a medium appropriate to the student's specialization: print, radio, television, video, film, or multimedia.
Course Hours: 6 units; F(0-3)
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Bachelor of Communications Studies program or Bachelor of Film Studies program. One of Communications Studies 369, 371, 381 or one of Film 321, 323, 331 or 333, and first year of SAIT Communication Arts diploma program or equivalent.
Notes: Offered jointly by the University of Calgary and the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology. Students must present their diploma transcript to the Arts Students’ Centre for consent to register in this course.  An unofficial transcript will suffice.
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Communications Studies 590       Honours Thesis
Supervised individual research and preparation of an Honours thesis.
Course Hours: 6 units; F(3S-0)
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Honours Program and consent of Honours Program Co-ordinator.
Also known as: (formerly Communication and Culture 590)
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Communications Studies 591       Senior Seminar in Communication
With reference to a special topic, this course explores the variety of ways in which communication builds social and cultural values. Students will undertake a major project that will integrate their understanding of communication theory, history and methodology. See individual course outlines for current topics.
Course Hours: 3 units; H(3S-0)
Prerequisite(s): Communications Studies 369, 371, 381, and Communication and Culture 313 or Communications Studies 313 and admission to the BA with a Major in Communications Studies.
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Graduate Courses

Courses for the graduate programs in the Department of Communication, Media and Film Studies are listed under Communication and Culture (CMCL).