Media and film studies

Critical Approaches to Contemporary Media

Module code: P4132
Level 4
30 credits in autumn semester
Teaching method: Lecture, Seminar
Assessment modes: Portfolio, Essay

On this module, you’ll explore current approaches to media, culture and communication. Through critical questions, you’ll consider how media studies address some of our biggest social issues, such as:

• the relationship between media and democracy
• how media is racialised, gendered and classed
• how media is made and consumed
• media ownership
• the politics of data and surveillance.

You’ll build transferable study skills and engage with different media forms, such as:

• news media
• broadcast media, including television and radio
• film and video
• music and sound media
• social media
• digital media.

Module learning outcomes

• Demonstrate knowledge of key concepts and principles in media studies.
• Demonstrate a range of relevant study skills, including taking concise and relevant notes on reading; writing an essay; researching a bibliography on a set topic; organising time.
• Evaluate different approaches to studying the media and interpret these within the context of media studies.
• Communicate understanding of media studies accurately, reliably, and through structured and coherent arguments.