Studying online

There are now 2 possible online modes for units:

Units with modes Online timetabled and Online flexible are available for any student to self-enrol and study online.

Click on an offering mode for more details.

Unit Overview

Description

This unit examines media not just as tools of communication, but also how they shape what can and cannot be said and seen, and hence the sorts of societies we live in. Since the advent of cave painting, social and political power, and economic interest have been mediated by diverse forms of representation. In today's modern societies it is important to understand the nexus between power and the media. Never before have the forms of communication been so diverse and media so pervasive. The unit focuses on the roles that technologies of communication have played, primarily in the contemporary world. Topics include how the limits and differences of oral, written and visual languages have had an impact on ways of knowing and thinking about the world; the relationship between particular media, regimes of representation and social formations; the development of the image including the invention of perspective, photography and realism; virtuality; digital media and modernity; and theories of social control and media production and resistance.

Credit
6 points
Offering
(see Timetable)
AvailabilityLocationMode
Semester 2UWA (Perth)Face to face
Details for undergraduate courses
  • Level 1 core unit in the Communication and Media Studies major sequence
Outcomes

Students are able to (1) critically assess the ways in which different media can influence representational, communicative and social practice; (2) recognise the defining features of digital communication; (3) analyse and evaluate the quantity and quality of information communicated through different media; (4) identify, discuss and evaluate positive and negative accounts of the relation between new media and forms of community; (5) develop practical skills in the use of digital image manipulation; (6) express research findings and ideas coherently and logically in both online and text formats; and (7) critically assess their own work in relation to that of their peers.

Assessment

Indicative assessments in this unit are as follows: (1) participation; (2) research essay; and (3) image project. Further information is available in the unit outline.



Student may be offered supplementary assessment in this unit if they meet the eligibility criteria.

Unit Coordinator(s)
Dr Katja Lee
Unit rules
Incompatibility
COMM2202 Culture, New Media and Communications
Contact hours
3 hours per teaching week
  • The availability of units in Semester 1, 2, etc. was correct at the time of publication but may be subject to change.
  • All students are responsible for identifying when they need assistance to improve their academic learning, research, English language and numeracy skills; seeking out the services and resources available to help them; and applying what they learn. Students are encouraged to register for free online support through GETSmart; to help themselves to the extensive range of resources on UWA's STUDYSmarter website; and to participate in WRITESmart and (ma+hs)Smart drop-ins and workshops.
  • Unit readings, including any essential textbooks, are listed in the unit outline for each unit, one week prior the commencement of study. The unit outline will be available via the LMS and the UWA Handbook one week prior the commencement of study. Reading lists and essential textbooks are subject to change each semester. Information on essential textbooks will also be made available on the Essential Textbooks. This website is updated regularly in the lead up to semester so content may change. It is recommended that students purchase essential textbooks for convenience due to the frequency with which they will be required during the unit. A limited number of textbooks will be made available from the Library in print and will also be made available online wherever possible. Essential textbooks can be purchased from the commercial vendors to secure the best deal. The Student Guild can provide assistance on where to purchase books if required. Books can be purchased second hand at the Guild Secondhand bookshop (second floor, Guild Village), which is located on campus.
  • Contact hours provide an indication of the type and extent of in-class activities this unit may contain. The total amount of student work (including contact hours, assessment time, and self-study) will approximate 150 hours per 6 credit points.