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Understanding Media & Communications (MECM90039)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 25On Campus (Parkville)
For information about the University’s phased return to campus and in-person activity in Winter and Semester 2, please refer to the on-campus subjects page.
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
Semester 1
Semester 2
Please refer to the LMS for up-to-date subject information, including assessment and participation requirements, for subjects being offered in 2020.
Overview
Availability | Semester 1 Semester 2 |
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Fees | Look up fees |
This subject provides students with foundational case studies and conceptual frameworks for understanding the history of media technologies, institutions, practices, and products. Students will develop a critical understanding of the issues and debates surrounding the complex transformation of media spaces and practices from the broadcast era to the contemporary digital communications landscape. Students will explore the impact of digital technologies on the production, distribution, and consumption of mediated communications with an emphasis on the dynamic consequences of these shifts for global communications and networked publics. Students will develop academic skills of critical thinking to engage with and evaluate literature, and to write argumentatively.
Intended learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete this subject should be able to:
- Demonstrate an awareness and critical understanding of key theoretical and historical approaches to the study of media and communications in globally networked digital cultures
- Apply analytic approaches to the understanding of different media texts, industries, and practices
- Clearly communicate different perspectives, arguments, and approaches to understanding media and communications through the use of academic conventions and scholarly standards including: identifying appropriate resources in the preparation of a research essay; critically reading and engaging with scholarly literature; marshalling logic and evidence in the construction of an argument; engaging in communal scholarship through participation in class discussion; developing a range of critical and reflective writing skills
Generic skills
Upon successful completion of this subject, graduates should be able to:
- reflect on their own use of media and relate this to broader theoretical issues;
- critically analyse the role of contemporary communications lanscape;
- prepare and present their ideas in both verbal and written mode at an intermediate level and in conformity to conventions of academic presentation; and
- participate in discussion and group activities and be sensitive to the participation of others
Upon successful completion of this subject, graduates should develop the following generic skills:
- be able to reflect on their own use of media and relate this to broader theoretical issues;
- be able to critically analyse the role of contemporary communications lanscape;
- be able to prepare and present their ideas in both verbal and written mode at an intermediate level and in conformity to conventions of academic presentation; and
- be able to participate in discussion and group activities and be sensitive to the participation of others
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Assessment
Due to the impact of COVID-19, assessment may differ from that published in the Handbook. Students are reminded to check the subject assessment requirements published in the subject outline on the LMS
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Blog Post on LMS (LO3)
| Week 4 | 20% |
Critical reading/Reflective Readers Report (LO2)
| Week 6 | 20% |
Presentation: Critical Case Study (LO1)
| Week 6 | 20% |
Argumentative critical research essay (LO3)
| Week 12 | 40% |
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Dates & times
- Semester 1
Coordinator Lauren Bliss Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours 1 x 1 hour Lecture and 1 x 2 hour seminar, taught weekly Total time commitment 340 hours Teaching period 2 March 2020 to 7 June 2020 Last self-enrol date 13 March 2020 Census date 30 April 2020 Last date to withdraw without fail 5 June 2020 Assessment period ends 3 July 2020 Semester 1 contact information
- Semester 2
Coordinator Lauren Bliss Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours 1 x 1 hour Lecture and 1 x 2 hour seminar, taught weekly Total time commitment 340 hours Teaching period 3 August 2020 to 1 November 2020 Last self-enrol date 14 August 2020 Census date 21 September 2020 Last date to withdraw without fail 16 October 2020 Assessment period ends 27 November 2020 Semester 2 contact information
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
There are no specifically prescribed or recommended texts for this subject.
- Links to additional information
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
This subject is available to students studying at the University from eligible overseas institutions on exchange and study abroad. Students are required to satisfy any listed requirements, such as pre- and co-requisites, for enrolment in the subject.
Last updated: 3 November 2022