Subject details

At the completion of this subject you will:

  1. be familiar with interdisciplinary Communication Studies, its main research traditions and their key concerns, concepts, themes, and issues
  2. have a comprehensive understanding of the historical, social, policy and political contexts of mass communications media
  3. recognise the differentiated nature of mass communications media and the agency and diversity of their audiences or users
  4. be better prepared to produce effective communicative texts
  5. have acquired knowledge and analytical skills that can help you exercise responsible and adaptable leadership in your commsubjecties and workplaces
  6. be able to evaluate and contextualise key issues in the communications and creative industries: knowledge and skills that underpin current communication practices.
     

  • Topics

    • Introductions and an overview of the unit and its field of study
    • American Communication Studies and media effects
    • Mass communications and the public sphere
    • A history of communications media
    • Australian mass communications media
    • Social capital, communication and social networks
    • Cultural capital and information resources
    • British Cultural Studies and audiences and agency
    • European Critical Theory: power and knowledge
    • Creative societies and communication, creativity, space and place

  • Study resources

    • Instructional Methods

      • Discussion forum/Discussion Board
      • Online assignment submission
      • Standard Media
      • Web links

    • Online Materials

      • Printable format materials

Entry Requirements

Equivalent Subjects

You cannot enrol in this unit if you have successfully completed any of the following subject(s) because they are considered academically equivalent:

  • GRF-COMM110

You must either have successfully completed the following subject(s) before starting this unit, or currently be enrolled in the following subject(s); or enrol in the following subject(s) to study at the same time or prior to this subject:

GRF-COM190-Communication Research Skills

Special requirements

No special requirements

This subject is a postgraduate level introduction to the interdisciplinary practice of Communication Studies. It identifies key features of communication as a field of study: forms of communication; theories and histories of mass communications media; the diverse and evolving field of Australian mass media communications; and media communications issues in 21st century public policy and politics. The subject identifies key communication research traditions and examines their characteristic concepts, themes and issues. Introducing Communication Studies familiarises students with a range of social and cultural issues related to creative and communications industries and technologies.

  • Research Task 1 (20%)
  • Research Task 2 (20%)
  • Discussion Board Activities (10%)
  • Draft Journal Article (50%)

Textbooks are subject to change within the academic year. Students are advised to purchase their books no earlier than one to two months before the start of a subject.

View textbooks

Related Degrees

postgraduate OUA-PSU-GCE-2018

Postgraduate Single Subjects