SIDI MOHAMMED BEN ABDELLAH UNIVERSITY

FACULTY OF LETTERS AND HUMAN SCIENCES

DHAR EL-MEHRAZ – FÈS
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH STUDIES

SPRING SESSION 2022/2023

CYCLE: FUNDAMENTAL BA
FILIÈRE : ENGLISH STUDIES MODULE Introduction to Media
:
Studies
SEMESTER 4 PROF. : PROF. SADIK MADANI ALAOUI

Course Description

Introduction to Media Studies is a module that targets semester 4 Learners at the Moroccan
university. The course attempts to explore different theoretical perspectives on the role and
power of media in society in influencing social values, political beliefs, identities and behaviors.
Learners will have the chance to analyze specific media texts (such as films and television shows)
and explore the meaning of the changes that occur when a particular narrative is adapted into
different media forms. Through an interdisciplinary comparative and historical lens, the course
defines "media" broadly as including oral, print, theatrical, photographic, broadcast, cinematic,
and digital cultural forms and practices. It looks at the nature of mediated communication, the
functions of media, the history of transformations in media and the institutions that help define
media's place in society. The course also attempts to shed light on the ways in which the politics
of class, gender and race influence both the production and reception of media. Through the
readings, lectures, and discussions as well as their own writing and oral presentations, Learners
have multiple opportunities to engage with critical debates in the field as well as explore the role
of media in their own lives. The course also helps to develop critical thinking and active
participation in our media culture. The goal is to give students greater freedom by empowering
them to access, analyze, evaluate, and create media.

Course Objectives:

The aim of this course is to expose students to the various media types and issues related to
them. Analysis, inquiry and “hands on” activities related to the media will be subjects of studies.
Emphasis will be on placing the language of the mass media in the context of communication.
Media literacy and its impact on the individual, his community and society will be objects of
study. Representation through the media of what the world is and how it operates together with
the ideological implications of the media will be a major focus of the course.

Course Learning Outcomes

 i. Learners will be able to understand mass media as a system of interrelated forces,
including historical foundations, technological advances, economic dynamics, regulatory
constraints, and ethical concerns
ii. Learners will be able to grasp the complex relationship between communication/media
theories and a diverse set of individual, social, and professional practices.
iii. Learners will be able to understand the underlying philosophical assumptions of, and be
able to apply, one or more communication research methods to address a range of media
texts and audiences, production and technological practices, and relevant social issues.
iv. Learners will be able to comprehend the foundations, process, and practices of writing for
and about the media, and demonstrate proficiency in writing in one or more professional
media writing applications.
v. Learners will be able to conceptualize, design, and produce one or more works in media
based on effective principles and practices of media aesthetics for a target audience.

A provisional program of lectures and courses with a brief review of what each entails
is detailed below:

1. Introduction to Media Studies

2. History of Media and Communication Studies
3. Effects of Mass Media
4. Adventures in Media and Culture
5. Media Education & Media Literacy
6. Cultural History of Advertising
7. Media and Politics
8. Research Methods in Media Studies
9. Media and Politics: Journalism and Social Movements
10. Television Studies

References:

Douglas M. Kellner & Meenakshi Gigi Durham. (2001). Adventures in Media and Cultural
Studies: Introducing the KeyWorks.Blackwell Publishing

Graeme, Burton. (1990). More Than Meets the Eye: An Introduction to Media Studies 3rd
Edition.Oxford University Press Inc, New York.