MACS 110
3 credits
Introduction to Communication Studies
Prerequisite(s): None
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
An exploration of foundational theories in media and communication studies on such topics as propaganda, debates over high and mass culture, violence in the media, and audience uses of the media.
MACS 130
3 credits
Introduction to Digital Media and Communications
Prerequisite(s): None.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Students examine digital media and communications in all its forms, and the political, social, cultural, economic, legal, and geographic factors that shape them.
MACS 201
3 credits
Popular Music and Society
Prerequisite(s): None.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Popular music is everywhere in our day-to-day lives, yet we seldom consider how it was made, what it means, and how it affects us. In this course students draw on different scholars’ ideas to reflect on the diverse social contexts in which people create and listen to popular music.
Note: Students with credit for MUSC 201 cannot take this course for further credit.
MACS 203
3 credits
Literature and Film
Prerequisite(s): Any two 100-level English courses numbered ENGL 105 or higher), or (B or better in any 100-level ENGL class numbered ENGL 105 or higher), or (one 100-level English course numbered ENGL 105 or higher and one of [MACS 110 or MAC 130]).
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Students will study literature in relation to film. Mutually illuminating analytical approaches to literature and film, and related vocabulary, will be explored, along with thematic and historical-contextual considerations.
Note: This course is offered as ENGL 203 and MACS 203. Students may take only one of these for credit.
Note: This course will be offered under different letter designations (e.g. C-Z) representing different topics. This course may be repeated for credit provided the letter designation differs.
MACS 206
3 credits
Politics of Art Latin America
Prerequisite(s): None
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
In this course, we examine Latin American artistic culture from the perspectives of the social sciences. Focuses may include art, architecture, literature, film, music, dance, folk art, and popular culture. The intent will be to relate these to the social context in which they are located. In particular, we will be interested in the ways in which artistic expression helps to legitimize or to challenge particular social orders.
Note: This course is offered as LAS 206, ANTH 206, MACS 206, and SOC 206. Students may take only one of these for credit.
MACS 210
3 credits
History of Communication
Prerequisite(s): None. Note: As of January 2025, prerequisites will change to 15 university-level credits.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Focuses on the historical development of communication systems and technology from cave paintings to social networks. Students examine the changing relationships between technology, access to knowledge, and social values, and reflect on how these connect to their own relationship to communication today.
MACS 212
3 credits
Introduction to Media and Public Relations
Prerequisite(s): One of the following: CMNS 125, CMNS 145, CMNS 175, or ENGL 105.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Students tailor messages to a specific target audience in today’s complex media environment, through analysis, creativity, and development of skills. This course examines the public relations history, environment, and process, as well as the increasingly diverse publics, channels, and tools used in the field.
Note: This course is offered as CMNS 212 and MACS 212. Students may take only one of these for credit.
MACS 215
3 credits
Advertising as Social Communication
Prerequisite(s): None. Note: As of January 2025, prerequisites will change to 15 university-level credits.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Explores the significance of advertising as a system of social communication, considering issues such as consumerism, identity construction, and social values. While the course is grounded in critical theories, it may also include creative and practical opportunities for students to demonstrate their knowledge.
MACS 221
3 credits
Media and Popular Cultures
Prerequisite(s): None. As of January 2025, prerequisites will change to 15 university-level credits or MACS 110.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Introduces students to the field of cultural studies through a critical examination of contemporary popular cultures. Cultural studies consider media production, meaning, and audience consumption.
MACS 230
3 credits
Cultural Industries in Canada: Global Contexts
Prerequisite(s): None. Note: As of January 2025, prerequisites will change to 15 university-level credits.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Focuses on a selection of cultural industries in Canada with an emphasis on conditions of production and the impact of globalization. What interests do the cultural industries in Canada reflect, and how well do they serve Canadians?
MACS 235
3 credits
Introduction to Journalism in Canada
Prerequisite(s): None.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Journalists inform us about events and issues from around the world. But what factors determine their choice of stories to cover and the perspectives that they bring to these stories? This course takes a critical look at the role of the journalist in Canadian society.
Note: This course is offered as JRNL 235 and MACS 235. Students may take only one of these for credit.
MACS 240
3 credits
Media, Money, and Power
Prerequisite(s): None. Note: As of January 2025, prerequisites will change to 15 university-level credits.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Contemporary media claims to be more personalized and democratized, yet there is a disconnect between the proliferation of media and the concentration of media ownership into a few hands. This course considers how ownership and the quest for profit shapes the news and entertainment we experience..
MACS 255
3 credits
Introduction to Social Research
Prerequisite(s): One of ANTH 102, MACS 110, or SOC 101.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Provides an introduction to sociological research techniques, data analysis, and questions of methodology. Topics considered include research design, developing and measuring concepts, ethics, sampling, methods of data collection, and elementary data analysis.
Note: This course is offered as SOC 255 and MACS 255. Students may take only one of these for credit.
Note: Students with credit for ANTH 255 cannot take this course for further credit.
MACS 270
3 credits
Dynamics of Racism in Canada
Prerequisite(s): One of SOC 101, ANTH 102, MACS 130, or LAS 200
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
This course is a critical introduction to the area of race and ethnic relations within the Canadian context. In particular racism, inequality, and the social construction of racial and ethnic categories and identities will be examined. The student will develop an awareness of competing conceptual definitions and theoretical interpretations of racism, examine controversies about the extent and meaning of racism in Canada, and investigate how the process of racialization occurs within institutions such as education, the media, and the criminal justice system. Course material will draw upon a variety of historical and contemporary sources, cases, and examples, particularly those relevant to the Fraser Valley.
Note: This course is offered as SOC 270, ANTH 270, and MACS 270. Students may take only one of these for credit.
MACS 299
3 credits
Special Topics in Media and Communications Studies I
Prerequisite(s): None. Note: As of January 2025, prerequisites will change to 15 university-level credits.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Examines a selected topic in media and communication studies not addressed in current course offerings. Topics covered vary from semester to semester.
Note: This course will be offered under different letter designations (e.g. C-Z) representing different topics. This course may be repeated for credit provided the letter designation differs.
MACS 334
4 credits
Cultural Policy in Canada
Prerequisite(s): 45 university-level credits, including three credits of AH, MACS, or SOC.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Examines the essential role played by the federal government in shaping and supporting culture in Canada. Explores Ottawa’s involvement in such areas as radio and television broadcasting, Indigenous media, the fine and performing arts, and multiculturalism.
Note: This course is offered as MACS 334 and SOC 334. Students may take only one of these for credit.
MACS 337
4 credits
Taste and Culture
Prerequisite(s): 45 credits including 6 credits of SOC and/or MACS.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Students critically examine the concept of “taste”. Students explore the relationship between social class and taste and how it plays out in areas including art, film, television, fashion, music, food, advertising, identity, subcultures, and our bodies.
Note: This course is offered as MACS 337 and SOC 337. Students may only take one of these for credits.
MACS 355
4 credits
Quantitative Research Methods
Prerequisite(s): MACS 255/SOC 255.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Students examine methods, techniques, and concepts used in quantitative sociological analysis. Using computer software and real-world data, students develop practical research skills in quantitative data analysis and critical thinking skills appropriate for evaluating others’ use of these methods. Students take a hands-on approach to learning.
Note: This course is offered as SOC 355 and MACS 355. Students may take only one of these for credit.
Note: Students with credit for ANTH 355 cannot take this course for further credit.
MACS 356
4 credits
Qualitative Research Methods
Prerequisite(s): 45 credits including MACS 255/SOC 255.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Students examine methods used in the collection and analysis of qualitative data. Topics may include interviews, ethnographic research, archival research, textual analysis, sociological theory, and research ethics.
Note: This course is offered as SOC 356 and MACS 356. Students may take only one of these for credit.
Note: Students with credit for ANTH 356 cannot take this course for further credit.
MACS 369
4 credits
Media Law and Ethics
Prerequisite(s): 45 university-level credits, including three credits of CMNS, JRNL, or MACS.
Corequisite(s): None
Pre- or corequisite(s): None
Knowledge of moral and legal issues can assist media professionals in their everyday activities. Indeed, ethical values like fairness, respect, and truthfulness can guide them in their decision-making. Moreover, familiarity with the law as it applies to copyright, defamation, and other areas can help them assess the limits of what they can do.
Note: This course is offered as JRNL 369 and MACS 369. Students may take only one of these for credit.
MACS 375
4 credits
Indian Mediascapes
Prerequisite(s): One of ANTH 102, SOC 101 or MACS 110; plus 45 university-level credits including a further six credits of ANTH, SOC, MACS, or INCS. Recommended: ANTH 303 (Peoples and Cultures Of India) and FILM 220.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
In this course, students will critique how Indian society and socio-cultural issues are represented in South Asian media through their comparison with the ethnographic record. Taking an anthropology of media approach, the complexities of belonging to a diversity of regional South Asian communities are examined in both ethnographic and media interpretations. In particular, the course will consider religious, ethnic, caste, class, and gender communities, the influence of postcoloniality, and processes of modernity and diaspora.
Note: This course is offered as ANTH 375 and MACS 375. Students may take only one of these for credit.
MACS 385
4 credits
Television and Social Values: The Simpsons
Prerequisite(s): 45 credits, to include at least six credits of SOC and/or MACS
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
In well over four hundred episodes, The Simpsons TV series has explored innumerable aspects of contemporary North American life, always with humour and often with profound insight. This course uses both the series and scholarly writings based on it to explore a diversity of social and cultural issues, focusing on such areas as education, family, the media, religion and work.
This course is offered as SOC 385 and MACS 385. Students may take only one of these for credit.
MACS 399
4 credits
Special Topics in Media and Communication Studies II
Prerequisite(s): 45 university-level credits including at least 3 credits in MACS.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Examines a selected topic in media and communication studies not addressed in current course offerings. Topics covered vary from semester to semester.
Note: This course will be offered under different letter designations (e.g. C-Z) representing different topics. This course may be repeated for credit provided the letter designation differs.
MACS 460
4 credits
Issues in the Information Society
Prerequisite(s): 45 university-level credits including at least 9 credits of SOC and/or MACS.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
Explores the social, political, and cultural dimensions of information technology and what has come to be known as the “information society”. Students will examine technology in relation to a variety of social issues including the changing nature of work, individual identity formation, social roles, democracy, privacy, and community.
Note: This course is offered as MACS 460 and SOC 460. Students may take only one of these for credit.
MACS 480
3 credits
Crisis Communications
Prerequisite(s): 60 university-level credits, including six credits of lower-level and three credits of upper-level MACs and/or CMNS.
Corequisite(s): None
Pre- or corequisite(s): None
Canadian and international examples are used to explore how to (and how not to) deal with crises and serious challenges to public safety. To do so, this course draws on both theoretical and practical approaches to communicating strategically with diverse audiences in crises.
Note: This course is offered as CMNS 480 and MACS 480. Students may take only one of these for credit.
MACS 490
4 credits
Directed Studies in Media and Communications Studies
Prerequisite(s): 45 university-level credits including 6 credits of MACS, and permission of the instructor and department head.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
This course will allow students to examine a particular problem/issue in Media and Communication Studies at a greater depth than they can in other courses.
MACS 492
2 credits
Directed Studies in Social, Cultural, and Media Studies
Prerequisite(s): 45 credits, to include 6 credits of area of specialization (ANTH, SOC, LAS, MACS). Permission to enter requires written consent of both the faculty member supervising the student and the department head.
Corequisite(s): None.
Pre- or corequisite(s): None.
This course is designed for upper-level students who wish to examine in greater depth a particular problem/issue in Anthropology, Sociology, Latin American Studies, or Media and Communication Studies.
Note: This course is offered as SOC 492, ANTH 492, LAS 492, and MACS 492. Students may take only one of these for credit.
