Sample Elective Courses
Documentary Film
Documentary filmmakers help define global policy agendas, frame political debates and construct views of reality. Examine this living tradition with a focus on films associated with contemporary social change movements. Learn to analyze films from technical, economic, aesthetic, political and cultural perspectives. Students think visually, write descriptively and document learning through hands-on exercises and reflective practice.
Legal and Ethical Issues in Communication
Examine the roles law and ethics play in shaping media content and the status of expression in the American legal system. Students study communication issues such as persuasion versus propaganda, manipulation in group discussions, manifestation of prejudice (sexism and racism), the language of oppression and commercial and political doublespeak.
Power in Media
Examine the changing media environment from the perspectives of economic and cultural power. How do media shape public opinion and public policies? Where are the points of intervention where different participants can intervene in framing debates? The course explores the strengths of various media technology, including television, newspapers, cable, movies, radio, theater, the Internet etc.
Integrity and Public Relations
What is public relations and what is propaganda? How can public relations be done in a way that preserves integrity for practitioners, and advocates effectively for the disenfranchised? Students look at the relationships between journalists, researchers and public relations professionals. It probes the nature of truth-telling and manipulation of information from a critical perspective.
Citizen Journalism
The course presents concrete examples of how advocacy journalists and inquisitive citizens have shined a light on realities that have fallen outside of the dominant media's frame. What is news? What are effective means to telling stories and getting out the word? Where are the windows of opportunity to advance issues you care about? How might you reclaim the media with a strategic communication?
Media Fieldwork
Examine the visual and aural data surrounding us, identify patterns and deconstruct them. This interactive course involves making media using an instrument of choice (camera, video, audio recorder, artwork, text, music) and developing techniques for gleaning information that is transferable.
Visual Literacy
Consider visual thinking an essential path to creativity and innovation. Participants explore signs and symbolic meaning experientially and theoretically and apply their learning to design communication. Through stimulating exercises, participants gain confidence in their ability to express themselves graphically and to use visual thinking as a technique for working out creative responses to design challenges.
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