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COMM532 News and Current Affairs

Updated: 30 May 2012
Credit Points 6
Offering Not offered in 2013
Intensive School(s) None
Supervised Exam There is no UNE Supervised Examination.
Pre-requisites candidature in a postgraduate award
Co-requisites None
Restrictions COMM332
Notes None
Combined Units COMM332 - News and Current Affairs
Coordinator(s) To be advised
Unit Description

This unit provides a critical and practical engagement with the texts and practices of today's news media. News content, including its topics, genres, styles and practices will be examined in the unit beside considerations of news industry, institutions, corporations and agencies. News values, industrial organisation, professional practices and ethical challenges will be explored in this unit which focuses primarily on news on the Internet, in print and on broadcast media. Students will become familiar with today's commercial media landscape and be prepared to engage in culturally aware and socially responsible ways with future developments in news media.
Materials Textbook information will be displayed approximately 8 weeks prior to the commencement of the teaching period. Please note that textbook requirements may vary from one teaching period to the next.
Disclaimer Unit information may be subject to change prior to commencement of the teaching period.
Assessment Assessment information will be published prior to commencement of the teaching period.
Learning Outcomes (LO) Upon completion of this unit, students will be able to:
  1. recognise and critically work with current news topics, genres, styles and practices;
  2. critically analyse the economic, social and political significance of news;
  3. explain and discuss the operations and influences of news institutions, corporations and agencies;
  4. engage in culturally aware and socially responsible ways with future developments in news media; and
  5. undertake independent research on ideas and issues in news theory and practice and present findings coherently.

Graduate Attributes (GA)
Attribute Taught Assessed Practised
1 Knowledge of a Discipline
The unit enhances knowledge of communication and media studies, particularly in the study of news content and practices, in their cultural and historical contexts. 		True True True
2 Communication Skills
Written communication skills are taught, practised and assessed through the construction of essays, feature stories, online postings and presentations. 		True True True
3 Global Perspectives
The unit teaches, practises and assesses global perspectives through historical and comparative work on news media. 		True True True
4 Information Literacy
Information literacy is taught, practised and assessed through the provision of guidance in research methods for analysing, practising and writing about news examples and issues. 		True True True
5 Life-Long Learning
The focus on understanding issues and developing the conceptual approaches of independent analysis means that life-long learning is taught and practised in the unit. 		True True
6 Problem Solving
Problem solving is taught, practised and assessed through the requirement to undertake research and analysis that helps to understand issues in news history, theory and practice. 		True True True
7 Social Responsibility
Social responsibility is taught and encouraged by considering news and media ethics, responsibilities in uses of knowledge and social relations of production. 		True
8 Team Work
News production provides a range of models for team work, which are taught as part of unit content. Team work is practised by on-campus students through tutorial organisation and activity. It may be practised, but is not assessed, through online participation by off-campus students. 		True True
   

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