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: |
Room: 110 Email: k.aiseng@ru.ac.za |
Room: 107 Email: chikezie.uzuegbunam@ru.ac.za |
Room 207 Email: Quatro.Mgogo@ru.ac.za
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SCR
Storytelling for Community Radio
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Teacher: Dr Jeanne du Toit |
Teacher: Noxolo Manyati |
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Room: 204 Email: j.dutoit@ru.ac.za
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Room: Email: |
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WEPD
Writing, Editing, Photography, and Design |
Teacher: Gillian Rennie / Rod Amner
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Teacher: TK Lekoma |
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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
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Semester 1 |
Semester 2 |
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Term 1 |
Term 2 |
Term 3 |
Term 4 |
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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