Delivered at:: School of Communication

Course type:: Compulsory course

When:: 2 year, 3 module

Abstract

This is an introductory course for students aiming to pursue Advertising and Public Relations major. The course is designed as an extension of Communication theory fundamentals course in Russian to explore internationally recognized major theoretical concepts and applications of communication studies, as well as major approaches to communication theory. Communication discipline borrows a lot of its theoretical base from psychology, sociology, anthropology, philosophy, critical theory, feminist theory, business management, economics, and linguistics. Hence, this course will also address multidisciplinary theoretical issues from various communication branches, such as interpersonal, group, organizational, intercultural, gender communication as well as critical approaches and mass communication and media perception. Coursework is designed to encourage students to give critical consideration to the place of theory within the communication discipline and to apply the theories in their everyday lives. This course will also connect major communication theories with the major traditions in communication theory, including semiotics, phenomenology, and cybernetic, sociocultural, critical, rhetorical traditions. Finally, the course will allow students to get an understanding on the role of theory in communication studies and become familiar with the key English vocabulary used by scholars in the humanities and social sciences. The course will utilize handouts, videos, project work and the Internet to examine and discuss the economic, social, and political impact of communication. Also, students are expected to take an online course, prior taking the class. Each of in-class seminars correspond with the material students familiarize themselves with during the online course. The guidelines and instructions on course are explicitly detailed below.

Learning Objectives

To create an understanding of the essence of communication theory as a practical and research discipline
To get familiar with major theories is communication field, including theories of micro-, meta- and macro level
To learn and apply modern tools and techniques in communication research
To develop skills necessary for strategic communication

Expected Learning Outcomes

To be aware of types of communication theory field;
To be able argue on social and digital media emergence and development through different optics of theoretical approaches;
To be able to analyse texts utilising critical tradition approaches;
To be able to create persuasive messages for target audience;
To be able to discuss and analyse issues of framing, primimg , agenda-setting, selective exposure and other media effects
To be able to link the approach in PR practice to its types;
To be able to utilise principles of rthetorics in speech analysis;
To be aware of communication techniques that help to forster group communication
To be familiar with practical applications of theoretical approaches in PR;
To examine how multiculturalism and diversity impact on communication theory and practice;
To identify, analyse, and discuss actual case studies and/or strategic communication in field of group communication.
To identify, analyse, and discuss actual case studies and/or strategic communication in field of mass and mediated communciation
To identify, analyse, and discuss actual case studies and/or strategic communication in field of online communication
To identify, analyse, and discuss actual case studies and/or strategic communication in field of persuasive communication
To identify, analyse, and discuss actual case studies and/or strategic communication in fields of interpersonal communication.
To know what instruments are used to understand interpersonal communication;
To understand how communication theory developed and how what are its implications in group communication;
To understand how communication theory developed in the field of interpersonal communication;
To understand how critical theory developed and how what are its implications in different contexts;
To understand, recognize, and examine the phenomenon of communication research and its application for professional and personal life;
To understand, recognize, and examine the phenomenon of communication research and its application in PR
To utilize major concepts and constructs in the analysis of communication practice.

Course Contents

Lecture 1 Introduction to the Course
Lecture 2 Interpersonal Communication
Lecture 3 Group Communication
Lecture 4 Public Rhetoric and Persuasion
Lecture 5 Mass Communication and Media Effects
Lecture 6 Theories for Social Media
Lecture 7 Theories of Public Relations
Lecture 8 Critical theory in Communication
Lecture 9 Theory Guided Communication

Assessment Elements

Group in-class activity
Is conducted several times during the course for the relevant classes.
Poster presentation
Students are asked to prepare posters presenting an academic research utilising one of the theories of interpersonal communication on social media. The poster must be based on academic article.
Online test in LMS
An exam is taken in online format via LMS. The test consists of 50 open and closed questions related to the topics of lectures. The duration of the exam is 1 hour 20 minutes. If communication is lost, the test cannot be continued (this is a feature of the LMS system).
Essay
An essay on one of the given topics.
Online course

Interim Assessment

2022/2023 2nd module
0.15 * Online course + 0.2 * Online test in LMS + 0.35 * Group in-class activity + 0.2 * Essay + 0.1 * Poster presentation

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

A first look at communication theory, Griffin, E., 2015
Communication Theory and Research, edited by Denis McQuail, et al., SAGE Publications, 2006. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/hselibrary-ebooks/detail.action?docID=334341.
Theories and Models of Communication, edited by Paul Cobley, and Peter J. Schulz, De Gruyter, Inc., 2013. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/hselibrary-ebooks/detail.action?docID=1108066.

Recommended Additional Bibliography

Aristotle, Yunis, H., Waterfield, R., & Aristotle. (2018). The Art of Rhetoric. Oxford, United Kingdom: OUP Oxford. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=2096818
Caywood, C. L. (1997). The Handbook of Strategic Public Relations & Integrated Communications. New York: McGraw-Hill Professional. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=51946
Communication and Organizational Knowledge : Contemporary Issues for Theory and Practice, edited by Heather E. Canary, and Robert D. McPhee, Routledge, 2010. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/hselibrary-ebooks/detail.action?docID=547335&query=Communication+and+Organizational+Knowledge+%3A+Contemporary+Issues+for+Theory+and+Practice
Discourse and Communication : New Approaches to the Analysis of Mass Media Discourse and Communication, edited by Teun A. Van Dijk, De Gruyter, Inc., 2011. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/hselibrary-ebooks/detail.action?docID=3042341.
Halverson, C.B. Effective Multicultural Teams: Theory and Practice / ed. by Claire B.Halverson, S. Aqeel Tirmizi. – Dordrecht: Springer Science + Business Media B.V., 2008. – 299 p. – (Advances in Group Decision and Negotiation; Vol. 3). – ISBN 9781402069567. – Текст: электронный // БД Springer Books [сайт]. – URL: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-1-4020-6957-4
Language, Power and Ideology : Studies in political discourse, edited by Ruth Wodak, John Benjamins Publishing Company, 1989. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/hselibrary-ebooks/detail.action?docID=673092.
Liu, S., & Gallois, C. (2014). Integrating intercultural communication and cross-cultural psychology: Theoretical and pedagogical implications. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.AD7AAB0B
Mangion, Claude. Philosophical Approaches to Communication, Intellect Books Ltd, 2011. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/hselibrary-ebooks/detail.action?docID=685164.
Martin, J. (2015). Situating Speech: A Rhetorical Approach to Political Strategy. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.9ADDDE3B
Miller, D. (2016). How the World Changed Social Media. London: UCL Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1257654
Online Consumer Behavior : Theory and Research in Social Media, Advertising and E-Tail, edited by Scheinbaum, Angeline Close, Routledge, 2012. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/hselibrary-ebooks/detail.action?docID=957949&query=social+media+theory#
Poynter, R. (2010). The Handbook of Online and Social Media Research : Tools and Techniques for Market Researchers. Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.: Wiley. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=339147
Public Relations and Communication Management in Europe : A Nation-by-nation Introduction to Public Relations Theory and Practice, edited by Betteke van Ruler, and Dejan Vercic, De Gruyter, Inc., 2004. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/hselibrary-ebooks/detail.action?docID=325663&query=communication+theory#
Public Relations Cases : International Perspectives, edited by Danny Moss, et al., Routledge, 2010. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/hselibrary-ebooks/detail.action?docID=557237.
Rhetoric in European Culture and Beyond, Karolinum Press, 2015. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/hselibrary-ebooks/detail.action?docID=2057512.
Smith, Ronald D.. Strategic Planning for Public Relations, Routledge, 2017. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/hselibrary-ebooks/detail.action?docID=4862851.
Solomon, Denise, and Jennifer Theiss. Interpersonal Communication : Putting Theory into Practice, Routledge, 2013. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/hselibrary-ebooks/detail.action?docID=1101332.
Tannen, Deborah, et al. The Handbook of Discourse Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated, 2015. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/hselibrary-ebooks/detail.action?docID=1895501.
The Handbook of Media and Mass Communication Theory, edited by Robert S. Fortner, and P. Mark Fackler, John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated, 2014. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/hselibrary-ebooks/detail.action?docID=1650862.
The Routledge Handbook of Language and Media [Электронный ресурс] / ed. by Colleen Cotter, Daniel Perrin; DB ebrary. – London; New York: Routledge; Taylor & Francis Group, 2018. – 572 p. – Режим доступа: https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/hselibrary-ebooks/reader.action?docID=4939135&query=Methods+of+Critical+Discourse+Analysis+
Theaker, Alison. The Public Relations Handbook, Taylor & Francis Group, 2011. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/hselibrary-ebooks/detail.action?docID=957791.

Bachelor’s Programme 'Advertising and Public Relations'

Fundamentals of Communication Theory (Part 2)

Course Syllabus