Fundamental Courses
Introduction to Journalism (3 credits)
The course presents an outline of journalism and an overview of the current issues and problems in the field. The course is designed to provide students with a better understanding of journalism and an acute judgment of the value of news, to equip them with essential knowledge for their future study in news covering, writing and editing.
Introduction to Communication (3 credits)
The aim of this course is to introduce students with the basic theories and research methods of communication, making them aware of the relationship between communication theory, research and methods used.
Introduction to News Service (3 credits)
This course aims at the practical needs of news service. The content covers all the basic knowledge and skills required by journalists, among which are theories and strategies in interviewing, basic requirements and methods involved in news writing, basic theories and major approaches used in news editing, and theories and practice in the field of criticism; therefore it integrates high-standard theories with adequate practice. Accordingly students are required not only to grasp the basic theories of news service but also to be skilled in all kinds of practical work, such as collecting, writing, editing and commenting of news, that is, they should be equipped with both in-depth theories and practical skills.
Advertising (3 credits)
This course introduce process of advertising production and implementation, changes in advertising industry, relationship between advertising and marketing, concepts of persuasive advertising, creative advertising, and media of advertising. Students will also be able to appreciate and evaluate various forms of advertising.
Planning and Creative Strategy (3 credits)
The course aims to introduce the fundamental characteristics of planning and creativity, rules and procedures in planning and creativity. Students are expected to master basic skills in planning and creativity, which will enhance their planning and creative capacity.
Intercultural Communication (3 credits)
Intercultural communication examines the relationship between culture and communication and the understanding, cooperation and coexistence between cultures. Correspondingly, the aims of intercultural communication include describing the characteristics of intercultural communication, revealing the similarities and differences between cultures, finding ways to reduce the mis-communication caused by cultural barriers, better understanding home culture, and understanding the process of cultural creation and differentiation. This course is closely related to international communication and development communication. The learning objectives of the course include: (1) enabling students to know the content and characteristics of mainstream cultures in the world; (2) enhancing students’ understanding of communication from the intercultural perspective; (3) nurturing and improving students’ intercultural communication competencies; (4) cultivating students’ adaptability to cultural shock which will lay firm foundations for their future work.
Public Relations (3 credits)
This course provides concepts, theories, definitions, operations, ethics and role of public relations. It also introduces public relations strategies adopted in various practices.
Introduction to Radio and Television (3 credits)
This course mainly to introduce the basic knowledge and characteristics of these two kinds of electronic media: radio and television, include the development of radio and television, the commonness and difference between electronic media and printing media, the special news interview and writing style of radio and television, etc.
Integrated Marketing Communication (3 credits)
The course uses an integrated approach to study marketing and communication. Special emphasis is placed on its theories, basic concepts, media use, planning procedures and case studies. Students will have a view not only on communications, but also on wider and deeper interdisciplinary scopes such as management, organization, and marketing.
Audience Analysis (3 credits)
This course aims to teach students various methods in audience analysis and the purposes, philosophies, and methods of obtaining, developing, launching, scheduling, and evaluating programming content for various electronic media, including commercial radio, television networks and local stations, cable television networks and local systems, public broadcasting, and the Internet.
Quantitative Communication Research Methods (3 credits)
This course introduces students to the scientific methods of research on communication, that is, the approaches adopted by researchers to explore the nature and law of communication by exploiting such methods of social sciences and behavioral science as statistics, logics, devising of questionnaires.
Qualitative Methods in Communication (3 credits)
This course is designed to provide a broad overview of qualitative research methods in communication. The range of topics will be broad, including: participant and non-participant observation, open-ended questionnaire, in-depth interview, case study, content analysis, etc. The goals are to familiarize students with the theoretical grounding and aims of qualitative communication research and promote critical thinking regarding the quality of qualitative research.
Social Statistics (3 credits)
This course focuses on the analysis of data and the theories of probability and statistics. Content includes probability, statistical distribution, sampling, estimation, hypothesis testing, regression, multiple regression, and random process.
Basic Photography (3 credits)
The course introduces the types of photographical devices, the structure of cameras, operation of flashlights and photographic techniques, especially image creation of black and white photographs.
Mass Media and Social Changes (3 credits)
This course studies mass media in the contexts of politics, economics and law and focuses on the relationship between mass media and social changes. The course, with emphasis on sociological research methodologies and integration with modern technical education, aims at enriching students’ knowledge of the practical operation of conventional and modern communication technologies, technological progress, and the trends and effects of communication technology on media, enterprises and society.
Mass Communication and Popular Culture (3 credits)
This course is designed to examine the impact of contemporary mass media on popular culture. It mainly focuses on the role of popular culture in everyday life, the various elements of popular culture, and the relationship between cultural consumption and social status. The primary goal is to provide students with the tools to critically analyze various forms of popular culture and understand them within a broader social context.
Laws and Ethics of Communications (3 credits)
This course introduces basic laws and legal issues in communication and media. It also covers legal aspects and typical law cases in the communication industry. Political, economical and social cultural factors inherent in communication laws will be discussed.
Media Operation and Management (3 credits)
The course is an in-depth discussion about: the operation and management of wireless TV, cable TV, satellite TV, digital TV and other TV media; their production, delivery, advertising, system and channel provision. Furthermore, TV and media merging, strategic alliances and integration of future new 4C communication technologies will also be explored in this course.
Public Speaking (3 credits)
This is an introductory course in research, composition and delivery of informative and persuasive speeches for various purposes and occasions. The purpose of the course is to assist students in becoming better communicators. It will increase their knowledge and awareness of the theory and principles of public address. The course will provide students with several opportunities to develop their confidence as a public speaker.
Organizational Communication (3 credits)
The course examines the role of communication in organizations. Students will learn the major theories of organizational communication, identifying and defining primary concepts, and applying them to discussions of real-world situations. The role of technology, corporate culture, leadership, teamwork, ethics, and diversity in communication is examined. Effective communication in global organizations and critiques of organization communication systems and structures are also presented.
Visual Storytelling (3 credits)
This course introduces students to visual narratives of various medium types and genres after the invention of photography, including: photographs, movies, documentaries and even animation in the digital age. During this course, students will understand a brief history of visual storytelling, meaning of images, narrative perspectives and spectatorships, etc.
Graduation Project (6 credits)
Graduation Project aims to offer students an opportunity to review the knowledge and skills they learned in the past four years and to solve a specific problem with the related knowledge and skills and present their viewpoint in a normative way.
Internship (4 credits)
Internship is a practical course; it allows students to apply their knowledge and skill learned in the classroom in the real situation. It is a transition from the classroom to the society.
Major Compulsory Courses
Major: Journalism
News and Editorial Writing(3 credits)
This course is to introduce the characteristics and writing skills of news comment, include the meaning, nature, effect, famous articles, types and writing skills, for example, to choose the topic, confirm the idea, and design the structure of article. Besides, the students have to improve their writing level throughout discussion to their class works and home works openly.
In-depth Reporting (3 credits)
This course guides students to the exploitation of the methods in anthropology, psychology and sociology to observe and conduct face-to-face in-depth interviews, and to organize and analyze interview materials. Such skills will prepare them for on-the-spot reporting.
News Editing (3 credits)
This course puts special emphasis on interactions between theory and practice and aims at equipping students with the basic theories, general knowledge and skills of news editing, and, successfully to edit and publish a professional newspaper or periodical in a certain time limit after finishing this course.
International News Reporting (3 credits)
This course will introduce and analyze classic English news coverage, and to reveal the principle and rules of the English news writing. After this course, students will master the basic vocabulary of the English news, and be capable of writing and translating English news reports primarily.
History of Journalism and Communication of China and Foreign Countries (3 credits)
This course briefly introduce the origin, evolution, present situation, and the possible development of human communication and news media, also, compare the differences and similarities of news media development between China and foreign countries. It aims the students may understand the generalization of news media’s development, and, to insight the future development upon this base.
Major: Communication
New Media Communication and Development (3 credits)
This is an introduction to and analysis of current and emerging communication media and their relation to societal development. This course will also discuss developments and strategies between new media and conventional media.
Radio and Television News Reporting (3 credits)
This subject consists of radio journalism and television journalism. The radio journalism courses begin with the module of its history, and then extend to lectures and analyzes of the writing skills, audio news production as well as other professional skills. The television journalism courses begin with reporting principles and methods, and then the television news, feature, in-depth reporting, and investigative journalism, TV commentary, live broadcasting will be taught and analyzed separately and systematically. In addition, students are required to produce news programs independently.
Multimedia Production (3 credits)
Multimedia Production is a practical introductory course to the world of interactive digital media design. The focus is on creating interactive experiences that are both functional and engaging. This task is approached from various points-of-view: design, usability, technique, and entertainment. We will discuss not only the specifics on how to make something work, but strategies concerning how to make it work well, while making it easy to understand and fun for the audience.
Web Design (3 credits)
In this course, students will learn the basics of designing and developing a web site. The course will cover design issues specific to web-based presentations, web page layout, and effective navigation. The course will also examine some of the how-to's, in's, out's and pitfalls of using graphics, color and fonts on web pages as well as working with tables and CSS. Some site management techniques and accessibility are covered.
Digital Imaging (3 credits)
This course aims to teach students the importance of the still visual image in communicating ideas and hands-on skills in producing photography, as well as the criteria necessary to recognize, evaluate and consistently capture the "good shot" in a variety of common journalistic or other situations. In addition, it trains students to use the digital production tools that are becoming a major part of required knowledge for photojournalists.
Major: Public Relations and advertising
Consumer Behavior (3 credits)
This course studies the consumer as a problem solver and buying decision process. Content includes factors influencing consumer behavior, corresponding principles, theories and models. Students will acquire skills to employ the data developed by behavioral science to discern and explain consumer behavior. Emphasis is placed on integrating this data into current marketing practices.
Brand Study (3 credits)
The course is designed to provide students with a basic understanding of the important role of branding in today’s business environment and how to build, measure, and manage a brand. Upon completion of the course, students are expected to have a framework about how to evaluate existing brands and conceive of new ones, and be familiar with the important issues in planning and evaluating brand strategies.
Visual Communication in Advertising (3 credits)
This course is designed to introduce students to the historical, physiological, perceptual, and cognitive aspects of visual communication. It will also teach students some basic skills necessary to communicate graphically in advertising. Students are expected to be able to analyze the process of visual persuasion in advertising and evaluate the visual elements used in advertisements.
Advertising Copywriting (3 credits)
This course helps students obtain some basic ideas of the content and format of advertisement writing and nurture students’ ability in creative writing in the areas of record, practice, news and business advertisement.
Document Writing and Secretarial Practice (3 credits)
This course introduces the basic characteristics and nature of the Secretary, the basic methods and principles of the practical features of secretarial work, as well as relationships between secretarial work and other sections (e.g., human resources, marketing) in an organization.
Elective Courses
Special Topic in Journalism (3 credits)
Special topics will be discussed, by means of lectures, lab work, seminars or tutorials, in the field of journalism not covered by other regular courses to increase students’ knowledge about this area.
Special Topic in Communication (3 credits)
Special topics will be discussed, by means of lectures, lab work, seminars or tutorials, in the field of communication not covered by other regular courses to increase students’ knowledge about this area.
Special Topic in Public Relations and Advertising (3 credits)
Special topics will be discussed, by means of lectures, lab work, seminars or tutorials, in the field of public relations and advertising not covered by other regular courses to increase students’ knowledge about this area.
Note: From Academic Year 2012/2013 onwards
