With the unbundling of Mass Communication programme in Nigeria, the face of communication education in the country has changed. The programme has transited into a full college/faculty while individual courses have adapted to the change. While several new courses now exist in the seven new departments, some of the courses you used to know before have also taken a new shape. We have done a thorough research on what these courses offer in universities across the world; and we have provided prototype syllabus for students to study ahead. This is also to assist lecturers who might be facing new challenges with several new courses to have an idea of what the syllabus of each course offers.

Course Compact

Faculty: Communication and Media Studies                                           

Department: Journalism & Media Studies

Course Code: CMS102                                           Unit(s): 2                      Semester: Second

Course Title: Introduction To Communication II

Lecturer:                                          Programme: B.Sc.

 

(A). BRIEF OVERVIEW OF COURSE

This is an extension of the first part (Introduction to Communication I) done in the first semester. It consists of additional discourses on global overview of the history, institutions and functions of communication in human society. It involves a continuation of a number of topics taught in the first part of the course with additional ones such as media communications as a sub-type of human communication, an overview of the progress; models, and elements of media communications; survey of the media, including their adjuncts. At the end of this course, students should be able to explain and illustrate the characteristics, functions, contents, operations and impact of the media as well as national media systems and communication between/across nations.

(B). COURSE OBJECTIVES/GOALS

By the end of this course, students will have learned:

1. Concepts of human communication; types of human communication (a brief review)
2. What is media communication?
3. Elements of media communications
4. Characteristics of the media
5. Models and functions of the media
6. Adjuncts of the media (their nature and operations)
7. Contents, operations and impact of the media
8. National media systems/comparative media systems
9. Communication patterns between/across nations

(C). METHOD OF LECTURE DELIVERY

1. Lectures
2. Quizzes
3. Assignments
4. Practical Classroom Sessions

(D). Grading Scale

Grade                                    Requirement

A                                            70 – 100

B                                            60 – 69

C                                            50 – 59

D                                            40 – 49

F                                             Below 40

 (E). COURSE OUTLINE

1. Introduction

Concepts of human communication; types of human communication (a brief review)

 2.  Definition of media communication

(various channels of human communication)

3. Elements of media communications

(audience, messages, channels, etc.; relate them to media communication process)

4. Functions of the media

Surveillance of the Environment

The Correlation Function

Cultural Transmission and Influencing Societal Norms

Education and Entertainment

5. Types and Characteristics of the media

Types (print, broadcast, outdoor, internet)

Characteristics (what makes each type unique?)

6. Models of the media

 

7. Contents, operations and impact of the media

Media contents (news, adverts, various programmes, audio/visual)

Media operations (how media business works)

Impact of the media in the society

8. Adjuncts of the media

(Nature and operations of news agencies; advertising, public relations).

9. National media systems/comparative media systems

What is media system?

Types of media systems (Western Media System, Revolutionary Media System, Communist Media System, Development Media System, Authoritarian Media System)

Indicators of a Media System

Media systems in Africa

Globalization and media systems

 10. Communication patterns between/across nations

Communication and culture

New World Information and Communication Order (NWICO) Debate

Globalization

11. Group activities/practical assignments

 

(F). RECOMMENDED TEXTS

Beebe, S. A., Beebe, S. J., & Ivy, D. K. (2010). Communication: Principles for lifetime (4th ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

 

DeVito, Joseph,A. (2015). Human Communication: The Basic Course. Boston, MA: Pearson.

Beauchamp, S. R. & Baran, S. (2019). Introduction to Human Communication: Perception, Meaning, and Identity, Second Edition. Oxford University Press.

(G). IMPORTANT LINKS

Click on the following links to read articles;

Adjunct and impact of the mass media:

Communication Styles as Dimensions of National Culture:

 

Media systems beyond national boundaries: Towards a new paradigm?

 

What Does Medium Mean in the Communication Process?

 

Media: Types of media, characteristics, advantages and disadvantages:

 

 

READ ALSO: Syllabus for Journalism & Media Studies Courses: Intro to Communication I (CMS 101)

READ ALSO: Syllabus for Journalism & Media Studies Courses: History of Nigerian Media (CMS 103)

READ ALSO: Syllabus for Journalism & Media Studies Courses: Introduction To Communication II (CMS 102)

READ ALSO: Syllabus for Journalism & Media Studies Courses: Traditional African Communication Systems (CMS 105)

READ ALSO: Syllabus for Journalism & Media Studies Courses: Editing & Graphics of Communication (CMS 203)

READ ALSO: Syllabus for Journalism & Media Studies Courses: Media and Information Literacy (CMS 209)