Communication Theory
Code: 104765 ECTS Credits: 6| Degree | Type | Year |
|---|---|---|
| 2503868 Communication in Organisations | FB | 2 |
Contact
- Name:
- Jaume Soriano Clemente
- Email:
- jaume.soriano@uab.cat
Teaching groups languages
You can view this information at the end of this document.
Prerequisites
No specific knowledge is required.
Objectives and Contextualisation
This module belongs to Communication subject or area and it is qualified as fundamental within the Communication in Organizations Bachelor Degree. It is considered that there is a progressive logic linking the basic modules of the Communication subject or area, based on a long teaching experience and structured as follows:
- History of Communication. It introduces students to the historical evolution of communication from the first communicative phenomena to nowadays communicative experiences.
- Structure of Communication. It presents the communicative ecosystem, its dynamics and structural logic.
- Communication theories. It presents and specifies the different theories, schools, authors and different communication analysis perspectives and approaches.
The general training objectives of this module are: 1) to identify the main theories in the communication field, the conceptual elaboration and the theoretical approaches that lay the foundations of its knowledge; I 2) to favour critical thinking about the role of the media within society and their relations with social organizations.
Competences
- Act within one's own area of knowledge, evaluating sex/gender-based inequalities.
- Differentiate the principal theories on communication in organisations, which underpin knowledge of the discipline and its different branches.
- Display thorough knowledge of the contemporary world in its social, economic, political and cultural dimensions.
- Manage time efficiently and plan for short-, medium- and long-term tasks.
- Search for, select and rank any type of source and document that is useful for creating messages.
- Students must be capable of applying their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional way and they should have building arguments and problem resolution skills within their area of study.
- Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
- Students must have and understand knowledge of an area of study built on the basis of general secondary education, and while it relies on some advanced textbooks it also includes some aspects coming from the forefront of its field of study.
Learning Outcomes
- Cross-check information to establish its veracity, using evaluation criteria.
- Define the basic concepts of communication.
- Describe the structure of the media and its dynamics.
- Find what is substantial and relevant in documents within the subject.
- Identify the fundamental principles of the theories and history of communication.
- Interpret and discuss documents on the main theories of communication.
- Plan and conduct academic studies in the field of theory, history and structure of communication.
- Present a summary of the studies made, orally and in writing.
- Propose projects and actions that incorporate the gender perspective.
- Relate communication systems to the cultural evolution of contemporary society.
- Submit course assignments on time, showing the individual or group planning involved.
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. Uses and gratifications theory
Media communication. Agenda setting theory
Media communication. Silent spiral theory
Media communication. Social construction of reality
Media communication. Birmingham school. Politica economy of communication
Media communication. Mediatisation theory
Media communication. Attention economy/Post-truth
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.
Activities and Methodology
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| Lectures | 30 | 1.2 | 2, 5, 10 |
| Seminars | 13 | 0.52 | 6, 7, 8, 11 |
| Type: Supervised | |||
| Tutoring | 19 | 0.76 | 1, 4, 7 |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| Personal study and oriented readings | 65 | 2.6 | 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11 |
The teaching methodology will be based on theory lectures, learning throug discussion and debates, readings, tutorials, 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.
Assessment
Continous Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Individual essay | 30 | 10 | 0.4 | 1, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11 |
| Oral presentation of works | 10 | 3 | 0.12 | 8, 11 |
| Seminar participation | 10 | 6 | 0.24 | 6, 7, 8, 11 |
| Test 1 | 25 | 2 | 0.08 | 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 10 |
| Test 2 | 25 | 2 | 0.08 | 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 10 |
Evaluation
A.- Continuous assessment
The continuous assessment of the subject consists of the following activities and percentages:
Two partial exams (multiple-choice format) on the theoretical contents, each of which represents 25% of the final grade. If they are passed, both exams are subject-release exams.
In order to pass the course, the two mid-term exams must be passed (minimum grade: 5) (essential condition). If one of the two exams is not taken, the final grade will be "not evaluable".
2. Completion of a course work in the seminar of the subject, which will represent 30% of the grade.
At the beginning of the course, the seminar lecturers will give the indications for the completion and evaluation of the work, together with the timetable. Likewise, the seminar lecturers will be in charge of tutoring and assessing the work during the course.
The completion and presentation of the work is compulsory. If a student does not present it, it will be considered as "Not evaluable". Given that the subject has a continuous assessment model, the "Not evaluable" in the coursework will also represent a "Not evaluable" in the subject.
3. Oral presentation at seminars, 10%. Compulsory readings will be presented and discussed in the seminars. 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 mid-term exams.
4. Attendance to seminars, 10% of the final grade.
Recovery
Both exams can be made up: there is no minimum mark for the make-up exam, but it is essential to have taken the exam (the corresponding midterm or midterms). The make-up exam will consist of a multiple-choice test. If one of the two midterm exams is not taken, the final grade will be "not evaluable".
In the event that one of the two mid-term exams is not passed, the final grade for the course will be the one obtained in this exam (or the average, if both are failed).
The evaluation activities carried out in the seminars (work, exhibition and attendance) will not be recoverable.
B.- Single assessment
The single assessment of the subject consists of the following activities and percentages:
Knowledge control: 50% - Theoretical test (multiple-choice) on the theoretical contents and the compulsory readings of the subject. In order to pass the course, it is compulsory to pass the theoretical test (essential condition).
2. Completion and submission of individual coursework: 30%.
3. Oral presentation of one of the compulsory readings of the course. 10%
4. Submission of an individual analysis and reflection assignment for each of the readings in the course. 10%
Recovery
The knowledge control or final theory test is recoverable. There is no minimum grade for the recovery, but it is essential to have taken the test. The recovery will consist of a multiple-choice test. In the event that it is not passed, the grade of the subject will be the one obtained in this exam.
Activities 2, 3 and 4 are not recoverable.
C.- Students from second enrolment onwards
From the second registration onwards, students can choose between continuous assessment (described above) or assessment by synthesis test by means of a final exam (multiple-choice test) and with the option of recovery (there is no minimum grade, it is essential to have taken the exam to be eligible for recovery). The grade of the course will correspond to the grade of the synthesis test. In the event that the final exam is not passed, the final grade for the course will be the grade obtained in this exam (recovery).
It will be understood that students from the second enrolment onwards who do not explicitly communicate by e-mail and within the period announced at the beginning of the course their choice of assessment will take the synthesis test.
CALENDAR
The dates of the assessment and recovery activities will be announced on the day of the course presentation. The information will also be available on the Virtual Campus.
Plagiarism
In the event that students commit any irregularity that may lead to a significant variation in the grade of an assessment act, this assessment act will be graded 0, regardless of the disciplinary process that may be instituted. In the event of several irregularities in the assessment acts of the same subject, the final grade for this subject will be 0.
REVIEW OF QUALIFICATIONS
Ordinary review of the grading of assessment activities:
In case of disagreement with the grade of the different assessment activities, students will have the right to ordinary revision of these activities. In the test and synthesis tests, the ordinary review will be carried out with the lecturer responsible for the corresponding theory group. For coursework and seminar participation and attendance, the ordinary revision will be carried out with the corresponding seminar lecturer. The dates and times of the ordinary revision will be made public through the subject's space on the UAB Virtual Campus.
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 after the publication of the final grade, students must submit a reasoned request to the Dean's Office of the Faculty of Communication Sciences and submit it to the Academic Management. The review will be carried out in accordance with the instructions on extraordinary review approved by the Faculty Board on 5 May 2016, modified on 14 May 2019 and 3 March 2023, and published on the Faculty's website: https://www.uab.cat/web/estudiar/graus/informacio-academica/avaluacio/revisio-extraordinaria-de-la-qualificacio
Bibliography
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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.
Language list
| Name | Group | Language | Semester | Turn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (SEM) Seminars | 71 | Catalan | first semester | afternoon |
| (SEM) Seminars | 72 | Catalan | first semester | afternoon |
| (TE) Theory | 7 | Catalan | first semester | afternoon |