Media Studies (MEDIAST)
MEDIAST 10 Introduction to Media Studies 4 Units
Department: Media Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Term course may be offered: Fall
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 3 hours of lecture and 2 hours of discussion per week.
The objective of this class is to enhance students' knowledge of media's industrial and cultural functions by introducing them to key perspectives and methods of study that stress a) how media systems have and continue to develop in the United States and across the globe as well as b) how we use and make meaning with media as part of our everyday lived experiences. To consider media's social, economic, political, and cultural impact, the course will investigate a number of ways of understanding its production, form, reception, and influence, being careful to recognize how these approaches relate to each other and to a wide array of diverse case studies in television, film, recorded music, print, video games, and online.
A deficient grade may be removed by taking Media Studies 10 or Media Studies N10.
MEDIAST N10 Introduction to Media Studies 4 Units
Department: Media Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Term course may be offered: Summer
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 6 hours of Lecture per week for 10 weeks. 8 hours of Lecture per week for 8 weeks. 10 hours of Lecture per week for 6 weeks.
The objective of this class is to enhance students' knowledge of media's industrial and cultural functions by introducing them to key perspectives and methods of study that stress a) how media systems have and continue to develop in the United States and across the globe as well as b) how we use and make meaning with media as part of our everyday lived experiences. To consider media's social, economic, political, and cultural impact, the course will investigate a number of ways of understanding its production, form, reception, and influence, being careful to recognize how these approaches relate to each other and to a wide array of diverse case studies in television, film, recorded music, print, video games, and online.
A deficient grade may be removed by taking Media Studies 10 or Media Studies N10.
MEDIAST 24 Freshman Seminar 1 Unit
Department: Media Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: The grading option will be decided by the instructor when the class is offered.
Hours and format: 1 hour of Seminar per week for 15 weeks.
The Freshman Seminar Program has been designed to provide new students with the opportunity to explore an intellectual topic with a faculty member in a small seminar setting. Freshman seminars are offered in all campus departments, and topics vary from department to department and semester to semester. Enrollment limited to 15 freshmen.
Course may be repeated for credit as topic varies. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Formerly known as Mass Communications 24. Instructor: Steven Botterill
MEDIAST 39A Freshman/Sophomore Seminar 2 - 4 Units
Department: Media Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: The grading option will be decided by the instructor when the class is offered.
Hours and format: 1 hour of lecture per week per unit.
Freshman and sophomore seminars offer lower division students the opportunity to explore an intellectual topic with a faculty member and a group of peers in a small-seminar setting. These seminars are offered in all campus departments; topics vary from department to department and from semester to semester. Enrollment limits are set by the faculty, but the suggested limit is 25.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Formerly known as Mass Communications 39.
MEDIAST 39B Freshman/Sophomore Seminar 2 - 4 Units
Department: Media Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: The grading option will be decided by the instructor when the class is offered.
Hours and format: 1 hour of lecture per week per unit.
Freshman and sophomore seminars offer lower division students the opportunity to explore an intellectual topic with a faculty member and a group of peers in a small-seminar setting. These seminars are offered in all campus departments; topics vary from department to department and from semester to semester. Enrollment limits are set by the faculty, but the suggested limit is 25.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Formerly known as Mass Communications 39.
MEDIAST 39C Freshman/Sophomore Seminar 2 - 4 Units
Department: Media Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: The grading option will be decided by the instructor when the class is offered.
Hours and format: 1 hour of lecture per week per unit.
Freshman and sophomore seminars offer lower division students the opportunity to explore an intellectual topic with a faculty member and a group of peers in a small-seminar setting. These seminars are offered in all campus departments; topics vary from department to department and from semester to semester. Enrollment limits are set by the faculty, but the suggested limit is 25.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Formerly known as Mass Communications 39.
MEDIAST 39D Freshman/Sophomore Seminar 2 - 4 Units
Department: Media Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: The grading option will be decided by the instructor when the class is offered.
Hours and format: 1 hour of lecture per week per unit.
Freshman and sophomore seminars offer lower division students the opportunity to explore an intellectual topic with a faculty member and a group of peers in a small-seminar setting. These seminars are offered in all campus departments; topics vary from department to department and from semester to semester. Enrollment limits are set by the faculty, but the suggested limit is 25.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Formerly known as Mass Communications 39.
MEDIAST 39E Freshman/Sophomore Seminar 2 - 4 Units
Department: Media Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: The grading option will be decided by the instructor when the class is offered.
Hours and format: 1 hour of lecture per week per unit.
Freshman and sophomore seminars offer lower division students the opportunity to explore an intellectual topic with a faculty member and a group of peers in a small-seminar setting. These seminars are offered in all campus departments; topics vary from department to department and from semester to semester. Enrollment limits are set by the faculty, but the suggested limit is 25.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Formerly known as Mass Communications 39.
MEDIAST 39F Freshman/Sophomore Seminar 2 - 4 Units
Department: Media Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: The grading option will be decided by the instructor when the class is offered.
Hours and format: 1 hour of lecture per week per unit.
Freshman and sophomore seminars offer lower division students the opportunity to explore an intellectual topic with a faculty member and a group of peers in a small-seminar setting. These seminars are offered in all campus departments; topics vary from department to department and from semester to semester. Enrollment limits are set by the faculty, but the suggested limit is 25.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Formerly known as Mass Communications 39.
MEDIAST 39G Freshman/Sophomore Seminar 2 - 4 Units
Department: Media Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: The grading option will be decided by the instructor when the class is offered.
Hours and format: 1 hour of lecture per week per unit.
Freshman and sophomore seminars offer lower division students the opportunity to explore an intellectual topic with a faculty member and a group of peers in a small-seminar setting. These seminars are offered in all campus departments; topics vary from department to department and from semester to semester. Enrollment limits are set by the faculty, but the suggested limit is 25.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Formerly known as Mass Communications 39.
MEDIAST 39H Freshman/Sophomore Seminar 2 - 4 Units
Department: Media Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: The grading option will be decided by the instructor when the class is offered.
Hours and format: 1 hour of lecture per week per unit.
Freshman and sophomore seminars offer lower division students the opportunity to explore an intellectual topic with a faculty member and a group of peers in a small-seminar setting. These seminars are offered in all campus departments; topics vary from department to department and from semester to semester. Enrollment limits are set by the faculty, but the suggested limit is 25.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Formerly known as Mass Communications 39.
MEDIAST 39I Freshman/Sophomore Seminar 2 - 4 Units
Department: Media Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: The grading option will be decided by the instructor when the class is offered.
Hours and format: 1 hour of lecture per week per unit.
Freshman and sophomore seminars offer lower division students the opportunity to explore an intellectual topic with a faculty member and a group of peers in a small-seminar setting. These seminars are offered in all campus departments; topics vary from department to department and from semester to semester. Enrollment limits are set by the faculty, but the suggested limit is 25.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Formerly known as Mass Communications 39.
MEDIAST 39J Freshman/Sophomore Seminar 2 - 4 Units
Department: Media Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: The grading option will be decided by the instructor when the class is offered.
Hours and format: 1 hour of lecture per week per unit.
Freshman and sophomore seminars offer lower division students the opportunity to explore an intellectual topic with a faculty member and a group of peers in a small-seminar setting. These seminars are offered in all campus departments; topics vary from department to department and from semester to semester. Enrollment limits are set by the faculty, but the suggested limit is 25.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Formerly known as Mass Communications 39.
MEDIAST 39K Freshman/Sophomore Seminar 2 - 4 Units
Department: Media Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: The grading option will be decided by the instructor when the class is offered.
Hours and format: 1 hour of lecture per week per unit.
Freshman and sophomore seminars offer lower division students the opportunity to explore an intellectual topic with a faculty member and a group of peers in a small-seminar setting. These seminars are offered in all campus departments; topics vary from department to department and from semester to semester. Enrollment limits are set by the faculty, but the suggested limit is 25.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Formerly known as Mass Communications 39.
MEDIAST 39L Freshman/Sophomore Seminar 2 - 4 Units
Department: Media Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: The grading option will be decided by the instructor when the class is offered.
Hours and format: 1 hour of lecture per week per unit.
Freshman and sophomore seminars offer lower division students the opportunity to explore an intellectual topic with a faculty member and a group of peers in a small-seminar setting. These seminars are offered in all campus departments; topics vary from department to department and from semester to semester. Enrollment limits are set by the faculty, but the suggested limit is 25.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Formerly known as Mass Communications 39.
MEDIAST 39M Freshman/Sophomore Seminar 2 - 4 Units
Department: Media Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: The grading option will be decided by the instructor when the class is offered.
Hours and format: 1 hour of lecture per week per unit.
Freshman and sophomore seminars offer lower division students the opportunity to explore an intellectual topic with a faculty member and a group of peers in a small-seminar setting. These seminars are offered in all campus departments; topics vary from department to department and from semester to semester. Enrollment limits are set by the faculty, but the suggested limit is 25.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Formerly known as Mass Communications 39.
MEDIAST 39N Freshman/Sophomore Seminar 2 - 4 Units
Department: Media Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: The grading option will be decided by the instructor when the class is offered.
Hours and format: 1 hour of lecture per week per unit.
Freshman and sophomore seminars offer lower division students the opportunity to explore an intellectual topic with a faculty member and a group of peers in a small-seminar setting. These seminars are offered in all campus departments; topics vary from department to department and from semester to semester. Enrollment limits are set by the faculty, but the suggested limit is 25.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Formerly known as Mass Communications 39.
MEDIAST 39O Freshman/Sophomore Seminar 2 - 4 Units
Department: Media Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: The grading option will be decided by the instructor when the class is offered.
Hours and format: 1 hour of lecture per week per unit.
Freshman and sophomore seminars offer lower division students the opportunity to explore an intellectual topic with a faculty member and a group of peers in a small-seminar setting. These seminars are offered in all campus departments; topics vary from department to department and from semester to semester. Enrollment limits are set by the faculty, but the suggested limit is 25.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Formerly known as Mass Communications 39.
MEDIAST 39P Freshman/Sophomore Seminar 2 - 4 Units
Department: Media Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: The grading option will be decided by the instructor when the class is offered.
Hours and format: 1 hour of lecture per week per unit.
Freshman and sophomore seminars offer lower division students the opportunity to explore an intellectual topic with a faculty member and a group of peers in a small-seminar setting. These seminars are offered in all campus departments; topics vary from department to department and from semester to semester. Enrollment limits are set by the faculty, but the suggested limit is 25.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Formerly known as Mass Communications 39.
MEDIAST 39Q Freshman/Sophomore Seminar 2 - 4 Units
Department: Media Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: The grading option will be decided by the instructor when the class is offered.
Hours and format: 1 hour of lecture per week per unit.
Freshman and sophomore seminars offer lower division students the opportunity to explore an intellectual topic with a faculty member and a group of peers in a small-seminar setting. These seminars are offered in all campus departments; topics vary from department to department and from semester to semester. Enrollment limits are set by the faculty, but the suggested limit is 25.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Formerly known as Mass Communications 39.
MEDIAST 39R Freshman/Sophomore Seminar 2 - 4 Units
Department: Media Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: The grading option will be decided by the instructor when the class is offered.
Hours and format: 1 hour of lecture per week per unit.
Freshman and sophomore seminars offer lower division students the opportunity to explore an intellectual topic with a faculty member and a group of peers in a small-seminar setting. These seminars are offered in all campus departments; topics vary from department to department and from semester to semester. Enrollment limits are set by the faculty, but the suggested limit is 25.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Formerly known as Mass Communications 39.
MEDIAST 39S Freshman/Sophomore Seminar 2 - 4 Units
Department: Media Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: The grading option will be decided by the instructor when the class is offered.
Hours and format: 1 hour of lecture per week per unit.
Freshman and sophomore seminars offer lower division students the opportunity to explore an intellectual topic with a faculty member and a group of peers in a small-seminar setting. These seminars are offered in all campus departments; topics vary from department to department and from semester to semester. Enrollment limits are set by the faculty, but the suggested limit is 25.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Formerly known as Mass Communications 39.
MEDIAST 39T Freshman/Sophomore Seminar 2 - 4 Units
Department: Media Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: The grading option will be decided by the instructor when the class is offered.
Hours and format: 1 hour of lecture per week per unit.
Freshman and sophomore seminars offer lower division students the opportunity to explore an intellectual topic with a faculty member and a group of peers in a small-seminar setting. These seminars are offered in all campus departments; topics vary from department to department and from semester to semester. Enrollment limits are set by the faculty, but the suggested limit is 25.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Formerly known as Mass Communications 39.
MEDIAST 39U Freshman/Sophomore Seminar 2 - 4 Units
Department: Media Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: The grading option will be decided by the instructor when the class is offered.
Hours and format: 1 hour of lecture per week per unit.
Freshman and sophomore seminars offer lower division students the opportunity to explore an intellectual topic with a faculty member and a group of peers in a small-seminar setting. These seminars are offered in all campus departments; topics vary from department to department and from semester to semester. Enrollment limits are set by the faculty, but the suggested limit is 25.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Formerly known as Mass Communications 39.
MEDIAST 39V Freshman/Sophomore Seminar 2 - 4 Units
Department: Media Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: The grading option will be decided by the instructor when the class is offered.
Hours and format: 1 hour of lecture per week per unit.
Freshman and sophomore seminars offer lower division students the opportunity to explore an intellectual topic with a faculty member and a group of peers in a small-seminar setting. These seminars are offered in all campus departments; topics vary from department to department and from semester to semester. Enrollment limits are set by the faculty, but the suggested limit is 25.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Formerly known as Mass Communications 39.
MEDIAST 39W Freshman/Sophomore Seminar 2 - 4 Units
Department: Media Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: The grading option will be decided by the instructor when the class is offered.
Hours and format: 1 hour of lecture per week per unit.
Freshman and sophomore seminars offer lower division students the opportunity to explore an intellectual topic with a faculty member and a group of peers in a small-seminar setting. These seminars are offered in all campus departments; topics vary from department to department and from semester to semester. Enrollment limits are set by the faculty, but the suggested limit is 25.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Formerly known as Mass Communications 39.
MEDIAST 39X Freshman/Sophomore Seminar 2 - 4 Units
Department: Media Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: The grading option will be decided by the instructor when the class is offered.
Hours and format: 1 hour of lecture per week per unit.
Freshman and sophomore seminars offer lower division students the opportunity to explore an intellectual topic with a faculty member and a group of peers in a small-seminar setting. These seminars are offered in all campus departments; topics vary from department to department and from semester to semester. Enrollment limits are set by the faculty, but the suggested limit is 25.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Formerly known as Mass Communications 39.
MEDIAST 39Y Freshman/Sophomore Seminar 2 - 4 Units
Department: Media Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: The grading option will be decided by the instructor when the class is offered.
Hours and format: 1 hour of lecture per week per unit.
Freshman and sophomore seminars offer lower division students the opportunity to explore an intellectual topic with a faculty member and a group of peers in a small-seminar setting. These seminars are offered in all campus departments; topics vary from department to department and from semester to semester. Enrollment limits are set by the faculty, but the suggested limit is 25.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Formerly known as Mass Communications 39.
MEDIAST 39Z Freshman/Sophomore Seminar 2 - 4 Units
Department: Media Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: The grading option will be decided by the instructor when the class is offered.
Hours and format: 1 hour of lecture per week per unit.
Freshman and sophomore seminars offer lower division students the opportunity to explore an intellectual topic with a faculty member and a group of peers in a small-seminar setting. These seminars are offered in all campus departments; topics vary from department to department and from semester to semester. Enrollment limits are set by the faculty, but the suggested limit is 25.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Formerly known as Mass Communications 39.
MEDIAST 84 Sophomore Seminar 1 or 2 Units
Department: Media Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall, spring and summer
Grading: The grading option will be decided by the instructor when the class is offered.
Hours and format: 1 hour of seminar per week per unit for 15 weeks. 1 and 1 half hours of seminar per week per unit for 10 weeks. 2 hours of seminar per week per unit for 8 weeks. 3 hours of seminar per week per unit for 5 weeks.
Prerequisites: At discretion of instructor.
Sophomore seminars are small interactive courses offered by faculty members in departments all across the campus. Sophomore seminars offer opportunity for close, regular intellectual contact between faculty members and students in the crucial second year. The topics vary from department to department and semester to semester. Enrollment limited to 15 sophomores.
Course may be repeated for credit as topic varies. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Formerly known as Mass Communications 24.
MEDIAST 101 Visual Communications 4 Units
Department: Media Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Term course may be offered: Spring
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 3 hours of Lecture and 2 hours of Discussion per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Media Studies major or consent of instructor.
This course aims to promote a critical understanding of visual culture from a critical theory perspective. It is designed to foster a critical understanding of media images, inviting students to question and critique the many and multiple messages at work within visual culture. It is organized around the different cultural and social theoretical approaches used to analyze visual images and explain the role of visual media in today's society.
Course may be repeated for credit. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Formerly known as Mass Communications 101.
MEDIAST 102 Effects of Mass Media 4 Units
Department: Media Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Term course may be offered: Fall
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 3 hours of Lecture per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: 10 or consent of instructor.
This course examines the often contentious history of communication theory concerning media effects. At issue among scholars working within different research traditions are core disagreements about what should be studied (institutions, texts, audiences, technologies), how they should be studied, and even what constitutes an "effect." Course readings and lectures stress an understanding of different empirical and critical research traditions by focusing on the social, political, and historical contexts surrounding them, the research models and methods they employ, as well as the findings and conclusions they have reached. Course assignments and exams assess student understanding of course readings as well as the ability to apply mass media theory to new media texts.
Formerly known as Mass Communications 102. Instructor: Retzinger
MEDIAST C103/JOURN C141 Understanding Journalism 4 Units
Department: Media Studies; Journalism
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall, spring and summer
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 4 hours of Lecture per week for 15 weeks. 7 hours of Lecture per week for 8 weeks.
Prerequisites: Media Studies major or consent of instructor.
In this course, students learn why sound journalism is so important to a healthy, working democracy. Journalism is rapidly changing. The class will give a context to those changes and provide an overview of comtemporary journalistic institutions. Students will examine how news is made, who decides what news is, who makes it, who profits by it, and what rules guide how reporters and editors work. Central issues affecting journalism, such as bias and professionalism, will be discussed. The class is not specifically intended for future journalists, but students will learn why pursuing a career in journalism can be so fulfilling and thrilling, as well as becoming better consumers of the news.
Instructor: Goldstein
MEDIAST 104A Freedom of Speech and the Press 3 Units
Department: Media Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Term course may be offered: Spring
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 3 to 4 hours of Lecture per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Media Studies major or consent of instructor.
The course considers the history and contemporary meaning of the First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and the press. Emphasizing the real world implications of major Supreme Court decisions, the course examines restrictions on speech and press imposed by national security, libel, injurious speech, and privacy, as well as issues of access to information and government regulation of new media.
Formerly known as Mass Communications 104.
MEDIAST 104B The History of Journalism 3 Units
Department: Media Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Term course may be offered: Fall
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 3 hours of Lecture per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: 10 or consent of instructor.
The history of journalism is a broad subject--far broader than can comprehensively be covered in a single course. So necessarily, this course takes an idiosyncratic approach. This course examines how news has been defined, discovered, and communicated from its early modern origins to the present. It will also focus on particular areas of journalism. The class will take a critical look at how wars get reported on, including the current war in Iraq. The class will examine the role of journalists in the rise of the Cold War more than half a century ago. It will also examine the importance of media barons, by studying two highly readable biographies, one of William Randolph Hearst, the other of Katherine Graham. And finally, the class will look at the role journalists played in unseating President Nixon.
Formerly known as Journalism 141. Instructor: Goldstein
MEDIAST C104C/COG SCI C103/HISTORY C192/INFO C103 History of Information 3 Units
Department: Media Studies; Cognitive Science; History; Information
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall, spring and summer
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 3 hours of Lecture per week for 15 weeks. 7.5 hours of Lecture per week for 6 weeks.
Prerequisites: Upper level undergraduates.
This course explores the history of information and associated technologies, uncovering why we think of ours as "the information age." We will select moments in the evolution of production, recording, and storage from the earliest writing systems to the world of Short Message Service (SMS) and blogs. In every instance, we'll be concerned with both what and when and how and why, and we will keep returning to the question of technological determinism: how do technological developments affect society and vice versa?
Formerly known as Information Systems and Management C103. Instructors: Duguid, Nunberg
MEDIAST 104D Privacy in the Digital Age 4 Units
Department: Media Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 3 hours of Lecture and 1 hour of Discussion per week for 15 weeks.
This course examines issues of privacy in contemporary society, with an emphasis on how privacy is affected by technological change. After an introduction to features of the American legal system and the theoretical underpinnings of privacy law, we will consider privacy in the context of law enforcement investigations, national security, government records and databases, newsgathering torts, commercial databases and First Ammendment limitations on privacy regulation.
MEDIAST C118/AMERSTD C118/ISF C118 American Popular Culture 4 Units
Department: Media Studies; American Studies; Interdisciplinary Studies Field Maj
Course level: Undergraduate
Term course may be offered: Summer
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 7.5 hours of Lecture per week for 6 weeks.
An interdisciplinary approach to American popular culture, focusing on the social, economic, commercial, political, and historical construction of popular culture and American identities. This course will satisfy part of the core requirement for the American Studies major.
Course may be repeated for credit as topic varies. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
MEDIAST C125/AMERSTD C125/ISF C125 American Media and Global Politics 3 Units
Department: Media Studies; American Studies; Interdisciplinary Studies Field Maj
Course level: Undergraduate
Term course may be offered: Summer
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 5.5 hours of Lecture per week for 8 weeks. 7.5 hours of Lecture per week for 6 weeks.
Public opinion about world events is largely shaped today by the mass media. How accurate is such coverage in the light of historical analysis? To what extent do systemic sources of bias or distortion affect our understanding of history? To approach these questions, we will analyze the role of the media in several specific case studies.
MEDIAST 130 Research Methods in Media Studies 4 Units
Department: Media Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Term course may be offered: Fall
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 4 hours of Lecture per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: 10 or permission of instructor.
This course is intended to familiarize students with some of the primary research methods used to study mass media texts and audiences (and the relationship between the two). Because the field of media studies has historical roots in both the social sciences and humanities, the course will cover both quantitative and qualitative approaches to communications research. Course readings will describe research methods, offer examples of research projects and findings, and present critiques of research studies and methods. Course assignments will involve designing and conducting a series of sample projects on a single topic of the student's choosing in order to gain a fuller understanding of various research methods and their limitations and strengths. There are five separate research projects on the syllabus; students must complete the first project and may conduct any three of the remaining four projects. Students must present and discuss their research findings for one project to the class.
Formerly known as Mass Communications 130. Instructor: Retzinger
MEDIAST 140 Media and Politics 4 Units
Department: Media Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 4 hours of Lecture per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Junior or senior standing in the Media Studies major.
This course will examine the influence of consumer marketing trends and techniques on presidential campaigns, and on political culture more broadly. How much truth is there to the idea that selling politicians is like "selling soap"? What is the difference between the psychology of the citizen and the psychology of the consumer? How are the political process and democratic discourse being transformed, for better or worse, by the use of such techniques?
MEDIAST 150 Topics in Film 4 Units
Department: Media Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 4 hours of Seminar per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: 10 or consent of instructor.
Topics in film employs theory to examine different film genres, historical periods, and topics.
Course may be repeated for credit. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Formerly known as Mass Communications 190.
MEDIAST 160 International Media 4 Units
Department: Media Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Term course may be offered: Fall
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 4 hours of Lecture per week for 15 weeks. 6 hours of Lecture per week for 8 weeks. 8 hours of Lecture per week for 6 weeks.
Prerequisites: Media Studies major or consent of instructor.
Case studies of the foreign mass media. Focus may be on the press and publishing, broadcasting, documentaries, or new media. Possible topics: Pacific Rim press; mass media in China; Israeli and Palestinian media.
Course may be repeated for credit as topic varies. Course may be repeated for credit as topic varies. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Formerly known as Mass Communications 160.
MEDIAST 165 Internet and Culture 4 Units
Department: Media Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 4 hours of seminar per week.
Prerequisites: Media Studies major or consent of instructor.
This class uses the approaches of media studies and cultural studies to critically consider how historical and emerging new media technologies—as well as the behaviors and forms of cultural production associated with them—influence and are themselves influenced by our everyday practices and lived experiences. It focuses particularly on concerns of identity, community, access, citizenship, industry, and regulation as these relate to social networking, collective endeavor, and public speech.
MEDIAST 170 Cultural History of Advertising 4 Units
Department: Media Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Term course may be offered: Fall
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 4 hours of Lecture per week for 15 weeks. 6 hours of Lecture per week for 8 weeks. 8 hours of Lecture per week for 6 weeks.
Prerequisites: Media Studies major or consent of instructor.
Introduction to the history of advertising and the roots of consumer culture in the United States. Presents constrasting approaches to the study of advertising and the analysis of advertising themes and images.
Course may be repeated for credit as topic varies. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Formerly known as Mass Communications 170.
MEDIAST 180 Television Studies 4 Units
Department: Media Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Term course may be offered: Fall
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 4 hours of Lecture per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Media Studies major or consent of instructor.
This course examinines contemporary approaches to the study of television, investigating televison's social, political, commercial, and cultural dimensions. Readings and assignments require students to apply critical perspectives to television programming and to the analysis of individual television texts.
Course may be repeated for credit as topic varies. Course may be repeated for credit as topic varies. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Formerly known as Mass Communications 180.
MEDIAST 190 Special Topics in Media Studies 2 - 4 Units
Department: Media Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall, spring and summer
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 2 to 4 hours of seminar per week. 3 to 7 hours of seminar per week for 8 weeks. 5 to 10 hours of seminar per week for 6 weeks.
Prerequisites: Media Studies major or consent of instructor.
Normally open only to Media Studies majors who have already completed 12 units of upper division work in the major. Advanced study in Media Studies with topics to be announced each semester.
Course may be repeated for credit. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Formerly known as Mass Communications 190.
MEDIAST H195 Honors Colloquium 3 Units
Department: Media Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Term course may be offered: Spring
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 3 hours of Seminar per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Media Studies major.
Under the supervision of the instructor, students will work toward preparing scholarly theses in the field, basing their work on theoretical considerations and, where applicable, analyzing empirical data.
Formerly known as Mass Communications H195.
MEDIAST C196A/GWS C196A/HISTART C196A/HISTORY C196A/POL SCI C196A/POLECON C196A/SOCIOL C196A/UGIS C196A UCDC Core Seminar 4 Units
Department: Media Studies; Gender and Women's Studies; History; History of Art; Political Economy; Political Science; Sociology; Undergrad Interdisciplinary Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall, spring and summer
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 3 hours of Lecture and 1 hour of Discussion per week for 15 weeks. 4.5 hours of Lecture and 1.5 hours of Discussion per week for 10 weeks.
Prerequisites: C196B (must be taken concurrently).
This course is the UCDC letter-graded core seminar for 4 units that complements the P/NP credited internship course UGIS C196B. Core seminars are designed to enhance the experience of and provide an intellectual framework for the student's internship. UCDC core seminars are taught in sections that cover various tracks such as the Congress, media, bureaucratic organizations and the Executive Branch, international relations, public policy and general un-themed original research.
Instructor: Cain
MEDIAST C196B/GWS C196B/HISTART C196B/HISTORY C196B/POL SCI C196B/POLECON C196B/SOCIOL C196B/UGIS C196B UCDC Internship 6.5 Units
Department: Media Studies; Gender and Women's Studies; History; History of Art; Political Economy; Political Science; Sociology; Undergrad Interdisciplinary Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall, spring and summer
Grading: Offered for pass/not pass grade only.
Hours and format: 20-4 to Thirty hours of Internship per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: C196A (must be taken concurrently).
This course provides a credited internship for all students enrolled in the UCDC and Cal in the Capital Programs. It must be taken in conjunction with the required academic core course C196A. C196B requires that students work 3-4 days per week as interns in settings selected to provide them with exposure to and experienc in government, public policy, international affairs, media, the arts or other areas or relevance to their major fields of study.
Instructor: Cain
MEDIAST C196W/GWS C196W/HISTART C196W/HISTORY C196W/POL SCI C196W/POLECON C196W/SOCIOL C196W/UGIS C196W Special Field Research 10.5 Units
Department: Media Studies; Gender and Women's Studies; History; History of Art; Political Economy; Political Science; Sociology; Undergrad Interdisciplinary Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall, spring and summer
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 240-300 hours of work per semester plus regular meetings with the faculty supervisor.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
Students work in selected internship programs approved in advance by the faculty coordinator and for which written contracts have been established between the sponsoring organization and the student. Students will be expected to produce two progress reports for their faculty coordinator during the course of the internship, as well as a final paper for the course consisting of at least 35 pages. Other restrictions apply; see faculty adviser.
Course may be repeated for a maximum of 12 units.Course may be repeated for a maximum of 12 units. Formerly known as 196W.
MEDIAST 198 Directed Group Study for Advanced Undergraduates 1 - 4 Units
Department: Media Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Offered for pass/not pass grade only.
Hours and format: 1 to 4 hour of Directed group study per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Media Studies major, with at least junior standing.
Seminars for the group study of selected topics not covered by regularly scheduled courses. Topics will vary from year to year.
Course may be repeated for credit. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Formerly known as Mass Communications 198.
MEDIAST 199 Supervised Independent Study for Advanced Undergraduates 1 - 4 Units
Department: Media Studies
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall, spring and summer
Grading: Offered for pass/not pass grade only.
Hours and format: Zero hours of Independent study per week for 15 weeks. 1.5 to 7.5 hours of Independent study per week for 8 weeks. 2.5 to 10 hours of Independent study per week for 6 weeks.
Prerequisites: Media Studies major, with at least junior standing.
Independent study and research by arrangement with faculty.
Course may be repeated for credit. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Enrollment is restricted; see the Introduction to Courses and Curricula section of this catalog. Formerly known as Mass Communications 199.
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