Rhodes>JMS>Curriculum>Journalism and Media Studies 2

Journalism and Media Studies 2

/jms/studentresources/journalismandmediastudies2/

 

 

 

Media Studies

Year Co-ordinator

& Teacher:

Dr Taryn De Vega 

Teacher:

Dr Kealeboga Aiseng

Teacher:

Dr  Chikezie E. Uzuegbunam

Teacher:

Dr Quatro Mgogo

Room: 108

Email:

t.devega@ru.ac.za

Room: 110

Email: k.aiseng@ru.ac.za

Room: 107

Email: chikezie.uzuegbunam@ru.ac.za

Room 207

                                         Email: Quatro.Mgogo@ru.ac.za

 

SCR

 

Storytelling for Community Radio

 

Teacher:  Dr Jeanne du Toit

Teacher: Noxolo Manyati

Room: 204

Email: j.dutoit@ru.ac.za

 

Room:

Email:

WEPD

 

Writing, Editing, Photography, and Design

Teacher: Gillian Rennie / Rod Amner

 

Teacher: TK Lekoma

Room:      230 / 229

Email: g.rennie@ru.ac.za / r,amner@ru.ac.za

Room: 007

Email: tokologo.lekoma@ru.ac.za

 

JMS2 Academic programme

 

Semester 1

Semester 2

Term 1

Term 2

Term 3

Term 4

Media Studies

     Media Representation, Narrative & Genre

 

Chikezie E. Uzuegbunam

Fundamentals of Communication Studies

Quatro Mgogo

Media Histories

 

Taryn de Vega

Media Institutions

 

Kealeboga Aiseng

Media Production

Storytelling for Community Radio (SCS)

Jeanne du Toit, Noxy Manyati

Introduction to Writing, Editing, Photography and Design (WEPD)

TK Lekoma,      Gillian Rennie / Rod Amner

 

JMS2 includes components in which students learn about the study of media and those in which they learn how to produce media. In the first semester of the Media Studies courses, students are introduced to the academic study of the ways in which the media is involved in the construction of meaning through the analysis of media texts and communication campaigns. In the second semester, students examine the historical contexts in which media practices are located and explore the concept of media institutions and how they are organised in the digital era.

In the Media Production components of the JMS2 programme, students learn how to produce media for a variety of platforms. Through the semesterised Writing, Editing, Photography, and Design course (WEPD) and the Storytelling for Community Radio (SCR) course, learning applies to the production of media for broadcast, print and online environments. Production courses seek to ensure that learning tasks provide students with opportunities to apply theoretical knowledge about media and its context to the reflective production of media. By year-end, all students will have completed both modules.

JMS 2 Media Studies and Media Production courses each represent 50% of the final year mark. Both semesters contain one Media Studies component and one Media Production component, running concurrently. Each of these modules is weighted at 7.5 credits, meaning that students complete 15 credits per semester. JMS2 has a credit value of 30, with each semester weighing 15 credits. A credit represents 10 notional learning hours, meaning that each semester-long course represents 150 hours.

 

Times of lectures

There are three Media Studies lectures per week, one Media Production lecture, and one Media Production lecture plus one Media Production practical.

Monday 8.40 Media Production

Tuesday 9.35 Media Studies

Wednesday 10.30 Media Studies

Thursday 11.25 Media Studies

 

Vacation observation work

In JMS2, students have historically been required to pursue extra-curricular opportunities for experiential learning about media production. Students are encouraged, in particular, to spend time at reputable media organisations, either to participate in media production or simply to act as observers. This experience is understood to enrich their understanding of the learning gained in their coursework. It also provides students with the chance to produce media work of their own, over and above what they do in their course assignments. Towards the end of the year, such work can then be included as evidence of their own learning in their applications for the JMS3 production electives. Whilst this is not compulsory, it is encouraged and will add value to their extra-curricular portfolio submission for entry into JMS3. Work in the student press and vacation observation work will be considered alongside the J3 applications.

 

 

Media Studies Courses

Semester 1: Intro to Cultural Studies: Representation, Narrative and Genre

Term 1 -

Media Representation, Narrative & Genre focuses on the theory informing our understanding of the relationship between media representations and contemporary society. Exploring representation, genre, narrative and semiotics, the course introduces students to the foundational concepts and methodologies of Media and Cultural Studies. The course begins by looking at Stuart Hall’s approach to representation, followed by the exploration of narrative and the study of genre and semiotics. Term 2 – Fundamentals of Communication Studies introduces communication as the lifeblood of human interaction, a dynamic process that shapes our relationships, conveys our thoughts, and connects us across the vast expanse of cultures and societies. The course introduces students to the basic principles of communication and creates an awareness of the skills and competencies needed to communicate effectively

 

Semester 2: South African media, its history and institutions

In the second semester, students are introduced to the study of the historical contexts in which media practices are located, and as part of such learning, they become familiar with the analyses of the systems and institutions of the media and explore their implication for ways in which media production is regulated and practiced. Term 03 - Media Histories explores the defining moments in the history of print media in South Africa, beginning with oral communications prior to the introduction of print and concluding with the digital era and its effects on print media today. Term 04 - Media Institutions, introduces students to the concept of media institutions and how they are organised in the digital era. Here students will learn about ongoing transitions from old to new media, the influence of digital media on shaping society and industry, traditional versus new forms of news production, the political economy of media production in the technological era, social media influencers, fake news, and many other faces in the media institutions.

 

Media production courses

Students will be assigned to a group in either the WEPD or Podcast Production course in the first semester and, in the second semester, will swap into the other course.

 

Introduction to WEPD (Writing, Editing, Photography and Design)

WEPD is a historically grounded principle and an underlying philosophy that speaks to how writing, editing, photography, and design all work together in print (and digital) publication processes. Term      01 - Introduction to Writing, Editing and Design focuses on the fundamental principles of design and (creative) writing. Here, you will begin to explore design thinking through the creation of your own handmade visual journal or zine. Term      02 - Introduction to Photography and Video focuses on photography and delves more deeply into journalistic writing and editing. Here, your assignments are designed to sharpen your skills as a photographer in the field and expose you to a wider range of writing forms such as a profile feature article, an opinion piece, a photo-essay, and more. The course is organised around producing individual videos, photos, designs, and stories around the theme of Social   Connection and      Belonging:      People, power, place, and purpose. The course draws inspiration from the book On Belonging: Finding Connection in an Age of Isolation by Kim Samuel.

 

Storytelling for Community Radio (SCR)

This course introduces students to audio storytelling in the digital age. It locates such learning in the context of the requirements of Community Radio. It engages with how such radio can be enhanced through podcasting. It focuses on Audio Diaries, a genre of storytelling designed to enable people to share stories about their personal and social experiences.

 

Media production practicals

Each student is automatically allocated to one practical slot a week.

 

Mark allocation: Media Studies (50%) and Media production (50%)

MEDIA STUDIES: 50%

SEMESTER 1:

Term 1: Media Representation, 12.5%.

Term 2: Fundamentals of communications, 12.5%.

SEMESTER 2:

Term 3: Media Histories, 12.5%.

Term 4: Media Institutions, 12.5%.

 

MEDIA PRODUCTION: 50%

25% WEPD – Writing, Editing, Photography and Design

25% SRC - Storytelling for Community Radio

 

No exam is written

 

Entry into JMS3 – Please note the following:

Entry to Journalism and Media Studies 3 is predicated upon a candidate obtaining a minimum of 50% for both the Media Studies and Media Production components of the Journalism and Media Studies 2 course. A candidate who fails to obtain 50% for one of the components but passes on aggregate will be granted a non-continuing pass. The production and media studies courses are equally weighted. Vacation observation work will also be considered alongside the application.

 

 

Last Modified: Wed, 24 Jul 2024 15:21:21 SAST