Syllabus
Topics/Vocabulary areas: Fake news and disinformation; media in the post-truth world, Critical thinking in media analysis, how to recognize a manipulative text; Journalism in the 21st century. What has changed, new challenges. ; Kinds of mass media theory; Relations between media and society; Metaphors for media roles (window, mirror, gatekeeper…); Economic sustainability of media, current challenges; Television in post-broadcast age; Separating news and opinion – still valid or obsolete concept?; Media literacy, media education; Globalization and media. Media moguls, tycoons and oligarchs; Media accountability.
The topics may be modified based on students’ preferences. Students are encouraged to bring in their own ideas and areas to focus on.
Grammar: the course will cover basic areas of general grammar by way of revision. Emphasis will, however, be placed on academic or rhetorical grammatical structures (presenting an argument, defending one’s position, hedging etc.)
Essay writing: the course will introduce/revise the basic structure of essays, the use of arguments and examples, we will focus on writing the introduction and conclusion, structuring paragraphs and on formulating opening and topical sentences.
Annotation
The course is intended for students of the bachelor's programme in Media Studies. It focuses on building professional vocabulary, improving the understanding of spoken and written academic language in the field of media studies and practicing the correct use of difficult grammatical structures and new acquired vocabulary in their own oral and written formal presentation.
Emphasis will be placed on the acquisition of presentation skills in academic oral presentation and on gaining language confidence in active participation in academic debates.