2013/2014  BA-1FCO  Fundamentals of Communication

English Title

Fundamentals of Communication

Course information
Language	English
Exam ECTS	7.5 ECTS
Type	Mandatory
Level	Bachelor
Duration	One Quarter
Course period	Autumn, First Quarter
Time Table	Please see course schedule at e-Campus
Study board	Study Board for BA in Information Management
Course coordinator
Mareike Buss - Department of IT Mangement (ITM)
Main academic disciplines
Communication
Last updated on 06-08-2013

Learning objectives

At the end of the course students should be able to: understand, define, explain and compare basic concepts of communication write a coherent, argumentative text in English, demonstrate an adequate level of written English that does not constitute a barrier to communication and does not contain significant lexical or grammatical errors.

Examination

Fundamentals of Communication: Examination form Home assignment - written product Individual or group exam Individual Size of written product Max. 5 pages Assignment type Written assignment Duration Written product to be submitted on specified date and time. Grading scale 7-step scale Examiner(s) One internal examiner Exam period October Make-up exam/re-exam Same examination form as the ordinary exam

Course content and structure

The course provides a general introduction to the field of communication studies. Basic theories and concepts are introduced and critically discussed. In addition, the course aims at introducing the students to the principles of academic writing. Topics include: General introduction to communication studies: elements of communication theories, evaluating communication theories, traditions in the field of communication studies Theories of interpersonal communication (e.g. Symbolic Interactionism, Coordinated Management of Meaning, Constructivism, Uncertainty Reduction Theory, Social Information Processing Theory) Theories of group communication (e.g. Symbolic Convergence Theory) Theories of mass communication (e.g. Aristotle’s Rhetoric, Cultural Studies, Semiotics – R. Barthes & R. Jakobson) The workshops parallel to the lectures have a twofold objective. Firstly, they serve to deepen the understanding of the theories and principles presented in the lectures. Secondly, they aim at introducing the students to the principles of academic writing (e.g. different genres, standards, and requirements); train description, summaries, comparisons, and analyses; and, thus, to develop the students’ capacity and confidence in reading academic texts and in writing assignments and papers.

Teaching methods

Lectures and workshops

Expected literature

Textbooks: Fairbairn, G., &Winch, C. (1996). Reading, Writing and Reasoning: A Guide for Students. New York: McGraw Hill Higher Education. Griffin, E. (2011). A First Look at Communication Theory. 8th edition. New York: McGraw Hill.