Mass Media

Students will examine the processes and functions of mass communication and their effects on mass audiences. Each of the major mass media (newspapers, magazines, books, radio, television, movies, and electronic media) is defined and analyzed. Media issues explored include First Amendment freedoms, control and censorship, mass media’s relationship to government, media ethics, and global mass media. Counts as Social Science or Humanities credit.

This is an introductory course intended to help students acquire both a greater understanding and a deeper appreciation of the films that they attend by studying film as a distinct art form. The course focuses primarily on filmmaking techniques (e.g. photography, mise en scene, movement, editing, sound, etc.), and also the narrative elements of film (acting, drama, story, writing, and so on). There may also be secondary emphasis on film theory and history, as well as the study of certain film genres. The course will include screenings of full-length films that illustrate different cinematic techniques, or that represent a certain era of filmmaking, or the work of important directors. Students will develop skills in film analysis and criticism in written responses to films that are viewed.