MEDIA AND COMMUNICATION STUDIES

Some seats in these courses are reserved for students in the Media and Communication Studies program. Other students may take these courses if they meet the prerequisites and there is space.

Note: Students interested in Media and Communication might also want to check courses listed under Communications.

MACS 110:
Introduction to Communication Theory 3 credits

Prerequisites: none

Transferability: SFU, OU, TWU, UVic

An introduction to selected theories about human communication. The course discusses the nature of the self, the nature of spoken language, and non-verbal communication. It also examines technological extensions of language and culture, and the role of writing, print, and electronic media in shaping perception.

MACS 130:
Explorations in Mass Communications 3 credits

Prerequisites: none

Transferability: SFU, OU, TWU, UVic

This course examines the structure of mass media industries in Canada, such as television and the press; the political, economic, legal, and geographic factors which have shaped them; and their role in Canadian political and cultural life. Issues such as the role of the political journalist, the way audiences respond to media content, the relationship between media practices and foreign policy, and the fostering of Canadian cultural life are examined.

MACS 210:
History of Communication 3 credits

Prerequisite: none

Transferability: SFU, OU, TWU, UVic

An assessment of the social implications of developments in information technology, from cave paintings to the microchip. Topics include the origins of symbolic representation, the nature of language in preliterate society, the significance of different systems of writing and numeration, the consequences of print, and the initial changes brought about by electronic media. The general orientation will be towards exploring the relationship between technological and social change, and the cultural and psychological dimensions of literacy.

Note: Credit cannot be obtained for both MACS 210 and GD 256.

MACS 212:
Applied Communication 3 credits

Prerequisites: C or better in CMNS 124, CMNS 155, CMNS 165, or ENGL 105

Transferability: SFU, OU, TWU, UVic

This course assists students to develop practical strategies to communicate clearly to a variety of different audiences. Topics include the role and function of specialist languages in advertising, advocacy, and the media; social marketing; audience analysis; and desktop publishing.

Note: Credit cannot be obtained for both MACS 212 and CMNS 212.

MACS 215:
Advertising as Social Communication 3 credits

Prerequisite: MACS 110 or 130

Transferability: SFU, OU, TWU, UVic

An interdisciplinary examination of the significance of advertising as a social message system in consumer society. The course presents a way of assessing the role that advertising plays in defining how we see ourselves, one another, and the world at large. There is a brief history of advertising but the focus is on current styles and functions of the global advertising business.

MACS 221:
Media and Audiences 3 credits

Prerequisites: MACS 110 or 130

Transferability: SFU, OU, TWU, UVic

An introduction to the study of popular culture and mass media, with a focus on the organization and role of audiences. Cases vary according to the instructor, but range from rock videos to Harlequin romances, blue jeans to comic books.

MACS 230:
Introduction to Communication Media 3 credits

Prerequisite: MACS 130.

Transferability: SFU, OU, TWU, UVic

This course provides an overview of the development of broadcasting and telecommunication systems in Canada and their relationship to contemporary society. Topics covered include the history of the CBC, cable television, the domestic film industry, Canadian satellite development, and alternative media in Canada.

MACS 240:
The Political Economy of Communication 3 credits

Prerequisite: MACS 130; MACS 230 recommended.

Transferability: SFU, OU, TWU

This course examines the political and economic processes that have generated the policies and structures of mass media, telecommunications and related industries, and the role of the mass media in determining local, national, and international policy.

NOTE: The following SCMS courses can be used as upper-level MACS credit. Course descriptions are found under Social, Cultural, and Media Studies.

SCMS 334 — Cultural Policy
SCMS 460 — Issues in the Information Society.

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