Communication Theories
Code: 103862 ECTS Credits: 6| Degree | Type | Year | Semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2501935 Advertising and Public Relations | FB | 2 | 1 |
Contact
- Name:
- Jaume Soriano Clemente
- Email:
- jaume.soriano@uab.cat
Teaching groups languages
You can check it through this link. To consult the language you will need to enter the CODE of the subject. Please note that this information is provisional until 30 November 2023.
Teachers
- Frederic Pahisa Fontanals
- Marc Blasco Duatis
- Lluis Reales Guisado
Prerequisites
No specific knowledge is required.
Objectives and Contextualisation
This module belongs to the Communication matter and it is qualified as fundamental within the Advertising and Public Relations Bachelor Degree. It is believed there is a progressive logic linking the basic modules of the Communication matter, based on a long teaching experience and structured as follows:
- History of Communication. Introduces the student in the historical evolution of communication from the first communicative phenomena to nowadays communicative experiences.
- Structure of Communication. Presents the communicative ecosystem, its dynamics and structural logic.
- Communication theories. Presents and specifies the different theories, schools, authors and different communication analysis perspectives.
The general training objectives of this modules are: 1) identify the main theories in the communication field, the conceptual elaboration and the theoretical approaches that lay the foundations of its knowledge; 2) favour critical thinking about the role of the media within society.
Competences
- Demonstrate adequate knowledge of Catalonia's socio-communicative reality in the Spanish, European and global context.
- Differentiate the discipline's main theories, fields, conceptual developments, theoretical frameworks and approaches that lay the foundations for the discipline's knowledge and its different areas and sub-areas, as well as its value for professional practice by means of specific cases.
- Identify modern communication traditions in Catalonia, Spain and worldwide and their specific forms of expression, as well as their historic development and the theories and concepts that study them.
- Introduce changes in the methods and processes of the field of knowledge to provide innovative responses to the needs and demands of society.
- Rigorously apply scientific thinking.
- Students must be capable of collecting and interpreting relevant data (usually within their area of study) in order to make statements that reflect social, scientific or ethical relevant issues.
- Students must develop the necessary learning skills in order to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.
- Take account of social, economic and environmental impacts when operating within one's own area of knowledge.
- Take sex- or gender-based inequalities into consideration when operating within one's own area of knowledge.
- Use a third language as a working language and means of professional expression in the media
Learning Outcomes
- Critically analyse the principles, values and procedures that govern the exercise of the profession.
- Describe the structure of the media and its dynamics.
- Differentiate the specificities of written and audiovisual languages.
- Explain the development of modern advertising traditions in the world.
- Find substance and relevance in documents on theory, structure and communication in a third language.
- Identify situations in which a change or improvement is needed.
- Identify the fundamentals of theories and the history of communication.
- Identify the media system and groups that have had, at a given point in time, the power to inform, and be able to describe the legal framework that exerts a certain governance on the media.
- Identify the structural foundations of the communication system.
- Interpret and discuss texts regarding the main communication, advertising and public relations theories and present the summary of the analysis in writing and in public.
- Link social analysis and impacts of new communication technologies.
- Propose projects and actions that incorporate the gender perspective.
- Rigorously apply scientific thinking.
- Students must be capable of collecting and interpreting relevant data (usually within their area of study) in order to make statements that reflect social, scientific or ethical relevant issues.
- Students must develop the necessary learning skills in order to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.
Content
SYLLABUS:
Introduction and year planning. Presenting the program.
Interpersonal communication.
Non-verbal interpersonal communication.
Media communication. Beginning of the communication media research.
Media communication. Functionalist paradigm. Experimental theory of persuasion.
Media communication. Uses and gratifications theory.
Media communication. Silent spiral theory.
Media communication. Social construction of reality.
Media communication. Birmingham school/Political economy of communication
Media communication. Media events.
Media communication. Mediatisation theory
Media communication. Attention economy/Sexualisation of culture
The calendar will be available on the first day of class. Students will find all information on the Virtual Campus: the description of the seminar activities, teaching materials, and any necessary information for the proper follow-up of the subject. In case of a change of teaching modality for health reasons, teachers will make readjustments in the schedule and methodologies
This teaching guide includes a gender perspective when addressing the module’s content.
Methodology
The learning methodology will be based on lectures, class debates, readings, tutoring, projects and tests. The main goal of this module is to lay the foundation and develop a critical analysis and critical thinking.
Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.
Activities
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| Lectures | 34 | 1.36 | 7, 10, 11 |
| Seminars and test | 15 | 0.6 | 7, 10, 11, 5 |
| Type: Supervised | |||
| Tutoring | 8 | 0.32 | |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| Personal study and oriented readings | 51 | 2.04 | 10, 5 |
| Self-organized work | 18 | 0.72 | 13, 5 |
Assessment
Evaluation
1. Continuous assessment of first-time enrolment students
Continuous assessment system: two tests (multiple-choice tests) + coursework + reading presentation + seminar participation.
1.1. Two multiple-choice tests (25% each of the tests in the final grade) which will refer to all the explanations and debates carried out in the classes, in the seminars and in the compulsory readings of the course. The aim of the tests, within the framework of continuous assessment, is to verify the students' knowledge of communication theories, conceptual definition, theoretical approaches and analysis of social communication processes.
1.2. Completion of a coursework project (30% of the grade) in the subject seminar. The coursework will be an academic essay on a topical issue that first appeared in the media after the beginning of the course. The aim of the work will be to evaluate the understanding, capacity for analysis, structuring and systematisation of the knowledge acquired throughout the course applied to a specific case or situation.
It will have to be developed from the perspective of the theories analysed within the framework of the subject. The seminar faculty will approve, or not, the academic essay proposal and, if necessary, will indicate the necessary indications for the reformulation of the project. Likewise, the seminar lecturers will be in charge of tutoring the completion of the work during the course.
1.3. Oral presentation in seminar (10% of the final mark). The seminar will include the presentation and discussion of the compulsory reading articles. These readings are planned to favour student learning and the application of communication theories in the analysis of reality and current affairs. The compulsory readings will be, together with the content of the theoretical classes, one of the main axes of the subject tests.
1.4. Seminar participation (10% of the final mark). Attendance and participation of the students will be assessed in the seminar.
Final mark
Each student will have to take, as a minimum, the two multiple-choice tests and the coursework. In order to pass the course, each of the two multiple-choice tests must be passed with a minimum mark of 5 points each. If one of the tests is failed, it will not be averaged with the rest of the grades, the final grade of the course will be that of the failed test. If the student does not take one of the two tests, the final mark will be "Not evaluable". If the student fails both tests, the final mark will be the average of the two failed tests.
As for the coursework, if a student does not pass the proposal or does not submit it, it will be considered as "Not assessable". In accordance with this model of continuous assessment for first-time students, a "Not evaluable" in the coursework will also mean a "Not evaluable" in the subject.
The final mark, as detailed above, will be the result of:
-Test 1 (multiple-choice): 25%
-Test 2 (multiple-choice test): 25%.
-Coursework: 30%.
- Oral presentation in seminar: 10%.
- Participation in seminars: 10%.
2. Evaluation of students with second or more registrations
Students with second or more enrolments may be assigned to one (excluding the other) of the following assessment modalities:
2.1. Continuous assessment -two tests (multiple-choice tests) + coursework + oral presentation in seminar + participation in the seminar. Students will follow the same evaluation procedure explained in section 1 and will have to communicate it by e-mail to the teaching staff. The requirements to pass the course are the same as those specified in section 1.
Final mark
It will follow the same procedure explained in section 1.
2.2. Final synthesis test (multiple-choice). Students with a second or higher enrolment may opt for assessment by means of a single synthesis test, in accordance with article 117.2 of the UAB Academic Regulations applicable to university students regulated in accordance with Royal Decree 1393/2007, of 29 October, modified by Royal Decree 861/2010 of 2 July. Students who opt for this modality will be able to attend theory classes and seminars, bearing in mind that their evaluation system will be the completion of a single synthesis test, test type. In other words, they will not be assessed in the seminar, nor for coursework or other activities.
Final mark
The grade of the students assigned to the evaluation system of a final synthesis test will be the grade of the final test.
3. Single assessment
In accordance with the UAB Academic Regulations approved by the Governing Council on 7 July 2022, students may request a single assessment in those subjects that allow it. The application for single assessment implies the waiver of continuous assessment. To opt for this option, a reasoned application must be submitted to the centre within the deadlines set annually (from 18 to 29 September 2023). Exceptionally, in the case of a duly justified work or health situation, students may apply for single assessment outside this established period.
The single assessment system for the subject is based on the following percentages:
A) 50% Theoretical test. It will have to be passed(5 or more) to pass the subject (essential condition).
B) 30% Individual coursework as described in section 1.2.
C) 10% Oral presentation of one of the compulsory readings of the course.
D) 10% Submission of an individual analysis and reflection task for each of the course readings.
A (50%) + B (30%) + C (10%) + D (10%) = 100% Final mark for the course.
4. Remedial activities:
In accordance with the UAB Academic Regulations (Title IV, on Assessment, modified by agreement of the Governing Council of 12 July 2017) a recovery of the assessment activities will be scheduled. The following students will be able to present themselves:
4.1. Students of first registration or more attached to the continuous assessment system - two tests (multiple-choice) + coursework + participation in the seminar-.
Students will have the right to retake the subject if they have been assessed on all the activities, the weight of which is equivalent to at least 2/3 of the total grade for the subject.
Students who have taken the multiple-choice tests and have failed will have the right to make up one or both of the failed tests.
The coursework will be excluded from the make-up. The aim of the work, on the part of the students, is to demonstrate the understanding, capacity for analysis, structuring and systematisation of the knowledge acquired throughout the course and applied to a specific case or situation. This is the result of a continuous activity from the beginning of the course that cannot be recovered in a short period of time.
Participation in seminars will also be excluded from the possibility of recuperation for obvious reasons.
4.2 Single assessment students
Students will have the right to recover the subject if they have been evaluated on the set of activities the weight of which is equivalent to a minimum of 2/3 of the total grade of the subject.
The theoretical test can only be recovered if the student has obtained a grade lower than 5.
Individual coursework is not recoverable and the mark obtained (whether passed or not) will form part of the weighted average of the final mark.
The grade obtained in the individual analysis and reflection tasks for each of the course readings will form part of the weighted average of the final grade. Only in the case of failing this test and if the student considers it appropriate, he/she may choose to make it up with a test of the same nature.
4.3. Students of second or more enrolments assigned to the system of final synthesis test (multiple-choice). Students who have sat and failed the final synthesis test (multiple-choice).
5. Options for raising the grade:
5.1. Both students who have opted for continuous assessment and those who have opted for single assessment and have passed the tests (multiple-choice) may sit the make-up test to raise their mark. They can do so by presenting themselves to raise the grade of one or both tests. In any case, the student will have to assume the results, whether they are positive or negative. In the final grade, the mark of the make-up test will be taken into account. If the make-up exams have been passed, the weighted average between the assessment activities will be made taking into account the mark of the make-up test or tests taken. If one of the make-up tests is failed, the final mark will be that of the failed test. If both tests are failed, the final mark will be the average of the two failed marks.
5.2. Students with a second or higher registration who have opted for the final synthesis test system and have passed, will also have the option of sitting the make-up exam in order to raise their mark. In any case, the student will have to assume the results, whether they are positive or negative. The final grade will be the grade of the make-up exam.
6. Ordinary review of the grading of the assessment activities:
In case of disagreement with the qualification of the different assessment activities, students will have the right to the ordinary review of these activities. In the case of test and synthesis tests, the ordinary review will be done with the teacher responsible for the group. For coursework, oral presentations and seminar participation, the ordinary revision will be carried out with the corresponding seminar teacher. The dates and times of the ordinary revision will be made public through the space of the subject in the Virtual Campus of the UAB.
7. Extraordinary review of the final grade of the course:
In case of disagreement with the final grade of the subject, students will have the right to request an extraordinary review. Within fifteen calendar days of the publication of the final grade, a reasoned request must be submitted to the Dean's Office of the Faculty of Communication Sciences and handed in to the Academic Administration. The review will be carried out in accordance with the instructions on extraordinary review approved by the Faculty Board on 5 May 2016, published on the Faculty's website:
http://www.uab.cat/web/estudiar/graus/informacio-academica/avaluacio/revisioextraordinaria- de-la-calificación-final-1345714263962.*html
PLAGIARITY: Any student who commits any irregularity (copying, plagiarism, identity theft,...) that may lead to a significant variation in the grade of an evaluation act, will be graded with 0 for this evaluation act. In case of several irregularities, the final grade of the course will be 0.
Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Individual module's project | 30% | 10 | 0.4 | 13, 2, 3, 4, 7, 6, 10, 12, 15, 14, 11, 5 |
| Oral presentation | 10% | 3 | 0.12 | 10, 14, 5 |
| Seminar's participation | 10% | 6 | 0.24 | 1, 10, 15, 11, 5 |
| Tests | 50% | 5 | 0.2 | 13, 3, 4, 8, 7, 9, 10, 11 |
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Software
This subject does not require knowledge of specific computer programmes other than those for writing university papers and for telematic communication.