Universitat Internacional de Catalunya

Communication Research

Communication Research
6
16211
2
First semester
FB
Main language of instruction: Catalan

Other languages of instruction: English, Spanish,

Introduction

The intellectual discourses, theoretical models and research methodologies that have accompanied the history of the emergence and development of different media cannot be encompassed within a single, sufficiently complex and overarching theory, nor within a single definition of communication. In light of this, the course proposes an introductory overview of a selection of theories that have made significant contributions to the study of the media landscape. Through guided independent work, students will explore and critically analyse the main theoretical and methodological frameworks, as well as the key academic publications in the field of communication.

Pre-course requirements

No. 

Objectives

  • To spark the students’ interest in intellectual work and their desire to become capable of generating their own analytical and critical thoughts.
  • To become familiar with the main topics, sources, methodologies and academic publications in the field of communication.


Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme

  • CN01 - Recognise contemporary social and media realities, contextualise historical events, and identify newsworthy issues at local, national and international levels.
  • CN02 - Identify the various stakeholders in contemporary journalism, their roles and the operational dynamics of a digital and globalised environment.
  • CN03 - Recognise the specialist areas of contemporary journalism, including their characteristics, styles, sources and specific methodologies.
  • CN05 - Define concepts and specialised journalistic terminology in English.
  • CN06 - Recognise the principal artificial intelligence tools with applications in journalism.
  • CP01 - Work effectively in professional journalism teams, adapting to multidisciplinary and changing environments.
  • CP02 - Apply professional ethical principles and standards of academic rigour in journalism, recognising the current legal and ethical framework and respecting the fundamental right to equality between women and men, promoting human rights, a culture of peace and democratic values, including the use of inclusive, non-discriminatory and stereotype-free language.
  • CP04 - Manage the technical, material and time-related resources of a journalistic project.
  • CP05 - Critically analyse national and international journalism in order to assess its influence on public opinion and current affairs.
  • CP10 - Apply knowledge of media funding models to develop viable budgets for journalistic projects, critically analysing economic data and placing it within the business and social context of the sector.
  • CP11 - Apply internal and external communication strategies to build a favourable perception of an organisation among its stakeholders.
  • CP12 - Manage an organisation's internal communications to promote understanding of its values and organisational culture.
  • HB01 - Interpret relevant data obtained from a variety of sources.
  • HB02 - Present and defend journalistic projects orally and in writing in Catalan, Spanish and English.
  • HB03 - Transform information into engaging and aesthetically effective messages.
  • HB04 - Use a range of media research and documentation resources.
  • HB05 - Distinguish between information, opinion and manipulation, applying verification and source-checking techniques to debunk misinformation and identify content generated by artificial intelligence.

Learning outcomes of the subject

Students will be able to:

  1. To define the main journalistic concepts and the vocabulary associated with the profession.

  2. To observe reality in order to identify newsworthy events.

  3. To address the challenges posed by the journalism profession ethically, with autonomy and responsibility.

  4. To understand the current media landscape, communication groups and companies, and their influence on public opinion.

  5. To acquire fundamental knowledge of journalistic organisations, their internal structure, the economic environment in which they operate, and the legal and ethical principles governing the creation and development of news organisations.

  6. To define basic concepts of academic research and identify the main theories, methodologies and research areas in the field of communication.

  7. To express personal concerns artistically through documentary filmmaking, exploring this audiovisual genre both in its informative and social-awareness dimensions.

Syllabus

  1. PART 1: COMMUNICATION RESEARCH: FOUNDATIONS AND EVOLUTION

  2. PART 2: DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT, PRESENTATION AND PUBLICATION OF A COMMUNICATION RESEARCH PROJECT

Bibliography and resources

Anàlisi. Quaderns de Cultura i Comunicació. (s. f.). Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.
Communication & Society. (s. f.). Universidad de Navarra.
Comunicar. Revista Científica Iberoamericana de Comunicación y Educación. (s. f.). Grupo Comunicar.
El Profesional de la Información. (s. f.). EPI.
Estudios sobre el Mensaje Periodístico. (s. f.). Universidad Complutense de Madrid.
Revista Latina de Comunicación Social. (s. f.). Universidad de La Laguna.
Revista Mediterránea de Comunicación. (s. f.). Universidad de Alicante. 

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