General provisions

The course is open for students accepted to the Master's Programme in Social Science at Uppsala University, but it can also be taken as a single course. The course language is English.

Entry requirements

80 credit points/120 credits where 60 credit points/90 ECTS credits should be in media and communication, or comparable, and proficiency in English according to the general admission requirements for Swedish higher education studies on the basic level.

Learning outcomes

Having completed the course, the student should be able to

Knowledge and Understanding

- analyse recent and older studies in the areas media studies and strategic/organisational communication

- explain the merits and shortcomings of specific methods of analysis in a given study

- point out how theory in media and communication science has developed in relation to theoretical discussions in other disciplines of social science and the humanities

Skills and capacities

- formulate qualified research questions, motivate choice of method and make analysis using relevant theories.

- plan and carry out a research project and report the research in written and oral form

Evaluative capacity and approach

- address and find solutions to ethical problems in research design and implementation

- identify, analyse and discuss questions of gender and Eurocentrism in relation to the theories and perspectives of the discipline

Content

The students are taught to analyse theories and the development of theory critically, paying attention to the tendency of canonisation and such issues as gender bias and Eurocentrism. How media and communication relate to other social science and humanities disciplines is also discussed.

Analysis and research of media and organisations issues is done individually and in project form. Projects can address issues as media strategies in connection with media events or media issues of major impact.

Instruction

Lectures, seminars and project work.

Assessment

Written and/or oral examination. The written examination can be in the form of a take-home exam. Fulfilled seminar assignments and project work. The grading system has three grades:VG (Väl godkänd, Passed with Distinction), G (Godkänd, Passed) and U (Underkänd, Failed)