As approved at the Faculty of Applied Sciences Undergraduate Curriculum Committee meeting of December 20, 2002.
CMNS 205-3 "Introduction to Interpersonal Communication" is to be deleted. This is due to a lack of regular faculty members available and interested in teaching the course, following the retirement/resignations of Pat Hindley and Paul Heyer; and Gary McCarron wishing to teach in other areas of Communication. CMNS 205 is only recommended as a prerequisite to one other CMNS course (304), and a choice among many for the Family Studies Certificate in Faculty of Arts. It is an option at the 200-level for CMNS students, not a mandatory course.
A necessary change to the prerequisites for CMNS 304 is also enclosed (removing CMNS205 as a recommended prerequisite).
CMNS 224-3 "Social Issues and Communication" is to be deleted. This is due to the resignation of Gail Faurschou; and no other CMNS faculty being willing and/or able to teach this particular course that Gail designed when she arrived at SFU in the early 1990s. CMNS 224 is not a prerequisite to any other CMNS course, so deleting it at this time should not pose a problem for our Majors. It is an option at the 200-level for CMNS students, not a mandatory course.
The following changes are proposed for CMNS 226-3.
| Current | Proposed | |
|---|---|---|
| Title |
Introduction to Digital Video Technique
|
Digital Media Communication Techniques
|
| Description |
This course provides entry level learning experience, introducing students to a variety of approaches to non-broadcast applications of video, including educational, promotional, advocacy, training, and community development. The course also introduces students to the whole range of design and management tasks involved in non-broadcast video production, including proposal writing, story boarding, scripting, shooting, digitizing, editing, packaging, and presenting their work. |
This course introduces students to a variety of digital media communication technologies and techniques, including image and sound capturing and manipulation, Internet-based publishing and research, digitizing, editing, and archiving. Design and management tasks involved in communicating using digital media are also introduced, including strategic and research planning, data integrity management, file structuring and packaging, and work presentation. |
These changes reflect the evolution of nonbroadcast communication from video to a broader array of digital media technologies. The course will act as a primer for more advanced courses in this area such as CMNS326 and CMNS426. The course also provides much needed skills for creating, presenting, transferring, and archiving digital media that could be used for many subsequent CMNS courses, such as CMNS 320 and CMNS 323.
The following changes are proposed for CMNS 323-4 Cultural Dimensions in Advertising.
| Item | Current | Proposed |
|---|---|---|
| Description |
An examination of the way that advertisements use messages to build an elaborate system of meaning. Some cultural dimensions to be studied include fashion, industrial design and popular culture. |
This course develops a critical overview of the contemporary debates about the consumer society. This exploration of consumer culture begins by examining recent characterizations of the psycho-social dynamics of consumption in consumer culture. It goes on to trace the historical formation of advertising as a key cultural practice, mediating the market transactions between producers and consumers. The marketing communication model is the focus of a detailed examination of the increasingly sophisticated coordination of communication and consumer research activities. |
| Prerequisite |
Prerequisite: 60 credit hours,
including two of CMNS 200, 220, 221, 223 or 226.
Recommended: CMNS 362 or 363.
|
Prerequisite: 60 credit hours,
including two of CMNS 220, 221, 223 or 226.
Strongly recommended: CMNS 362 or 363.
|
This course teaches students applied media relating to communication design, and research in promotional culture. The revised course description reflects the way that the usual instructor (S.Kline) teaches this course.
The following changes are proposed for CMNS 326-4 Applied Media Workshop: On The Hill.
| Item | Current | Proposed |
|---|---|---|
| Description |
This course provides an opportunity for students to build on the knowledge they have acquired in Introduction to Digital Video, and apply that knowledge to the production of the School of Communication's cable program On The Hill. Students will draw on their communication backgrounds to create new and innovative visual communication. In addition, students will learn to apply more advanced production techniques and build teamwork skills as they produce the shows in small groups. The course seminars will emphasize communication design, and the critical ethical issues which arise when working with documentary and news material for public broadcast. |
This course provides an opportunity for student to build on the knowledge they have acquired in Digital Media Communication Techniques (CMNS226), and apply that knowledge to the production of the School of Communication's web based, news, magazine, and documentary program "On The Hill" (www.sfu.ca/oth). Students will draw on their understanding of public communication in democracies and media analysis skills to create new and innovative visual and aural journalism. In addition, students will learn to build teamwork skills as they produce segments for the shows in groups. The course seminars will emphasize communication design, and the social and ethical issues which arise when working with documentary and news material for public dissemination. |
| Prerequisites |
Prerequisite: permission of instructor and either CMNS 226 or 286.
|
Prerequisite: permission of instructor,
and 60 credits including CMNS 226 and 235.
|
Rogers (Shaw) cable is no longer mandated to provide broadcast time for community produced television and, as a result, does not provide us with cable access to broadcast our "On The Hill" program as they have in the past. In light of this we have set up a website as a means of providing a public forum for this production (www.sfu.ca/oth). This description represents more of an emphasis towards understanding democratic journalism. CMNS 286 is no longer relevant as a prerequisite. A theoretical background in Journalism (CMNS 235) is beneficial to CMNS 326. CMNS 226 is designed to provide the base production skills needed for CMNS 326.
The following changes are proposed for CMNS 331-4 Political Communication.
| Current | Proposed | |
|---|---|---|
| Title |
Political Communication
|
News Discourse and Political Communication
|
| Description |
An examination of the role of the public and the media in shaping public debate. |
An examination of journalism and the news media as a set of institutions with important political and ideological roles. The course overviews theoretical perspectives and applies selected theoretical concepts to such topics as influences on media content, how news generates meaning, ideological aspects of media frames, and the evaluation of journalism's performance in relation to normative expectations of democratic political communication. |
| Prerequisites |
Prerequisite: CMNS 230 or 235.
|
Prerequisite: Two of CMNS 230, 235, and 240.
|
Compared to the existing title and description, the proposed new title and description provides students with more information, and more accurately reflects the content of the course as it has been quite consistently taught for 15 years. The prerequisite change is consistent with the intention of our current curriculum reform, as discussed by both the Media and Political Economy/Policy groups. The former group specified CMNS235, and the latter group CMNS 240, as prerequisites. Both courses are certainly relevant. Requiring two of three courses, however, would give students flexibility while still providing them with adequate background.
The following changes are proposed for CMNS 345-4 Communication and Development.
| Item | Current | Proposed |
|---|---|---|
| Course Number |
CMNS 345-4
|
CMNS 346-4
|
| CMNS 346-4 (345-4) |
Prerequisite: CMNS 110 or 130 and completion of 60 credit hours.
|
60 credit hours including CMNS 110 or 130.
Students who have taken CMNS 345 may not take CMNS 346 for further credit.
|
CMNS 345 is to become CMNS 346 keep it in line with the number of course that follows it at the 400-level course (CMNS 446). The amended prerequisite language makes it consistent with other 300-level CMNS courses.
The following changes are proposed for CMNS 422-4 Media and Ideology.
| Item | Current | Proposed |
|---|---|---|
| Course Number |
CMNS 422-4
|
CMNS 410-4
|
| Prerequisites |
Prerequisite: 75 credit hours, including CMNS 221, 261 and 331. Recommended: SA 327.
|
Prerequisite: 75 credit hours, including CMNS 310. Recommended: CMNS 331 and SA 327. Students who have taken CMNS 422
in the past may not take this course for further credit.
|
Number change: To keep the 400-level in line with the 200 and 300-level courses in the same area of Communication before it (CMNS 210 and 310).
Prerequisite change: CMNS 310 introduces students to concepts, issues and ideas that are studied in greater depth at the 400-level.
The course description form CMNS 372-4 is changed as follows.
| Item | Current | Proposed |
|---|---|---|
| CMNS 372-4 |
This course offers an overall view of the publishing process which transforms a manuscript into a book. Examined are the stages common to all publishing editing, design, production and marketing and the differences between different kinds of publishers. The contributions of modern computer technology are examined at each stage of the process. |
This introductory course follows the book-publishing process from the acquisition and editing of manuscripts through to production, promotion and distribution. With each topic, the seminar proceeds from basic concepts and precepts to case studies of particular kinds of publishing companies (e.g., literary, regional and general trade) and particular types of books (e.g., children's, genre, fiction and poetry). Students work in groups that simulate the decision-to-publish process. Required readings focus on the history of book publishing, as well as on current developments. |
The existing course description is no longer accurate. This new description reflects the way the course is currently taught, and will continue to be taught in the foreseeable future.
| Item | Current | Proposed |
|---|---|---|
| Title |
Communication Design for Non-Broadcast Video
|
Video Design for Social Communication
|
| Prerequisite |
Prerequisite: 75 credit hours, including CMNS 226, 260 and two of CMNS 320, 323, 363.
|
75 credit hours, including CMNS 226, and two of CMNS 220, 326, 358.
|
This course now emphasizes effective communication design as a way of addressing social issues and solving social problems. Prerequisite courses that are no longer relevant are eliminated.
| Course | Current | Proposed |
|---|---|---|
| CMNS 304-4 |
Prerequisite: 45 credit hours including CMNS 110 and 130. Recommended: CMNS 205.
|
Prerequisite: 45 credit hours including CMNS 110 and 130.
|
| CMNS 320-4 |
Prerequisite: CMNS 220 and either CMNS 260 or 363.
|
60 credits including two of CMNS 220, 221, 223,
226. Strongly recommended: CMNS 362 or 363.
|
| CMNS 354-4 |
Prerequisite: 60 credit hours, including any one of CMNS 253; CMPT 275; KIN 201, 205 or ENSC 100.
|
Prerequisite: 60 credit hours, including any one of CMNS 253; CMPT 275; KIN 201, 205 or ENSC 100.
CMNS students must also have completed
CMNS 362 or 363.
|
| CMNS 446-4 |
Prerequisite: 75 credit hours, including CMNS 261 and 345. Recommended: CMNS 247, 253, 260, 362.
|
Prerequisite: 75 credit hours, including CMNS 261 and 346. Recommended: CMNS 253, 260, 362.
|
| CMNS 447-4 |
Prerequisite: 75 credit hours, including CMNS 362 and either CMNS 247 or 347.
|
Prerequisite: 75 credit hours, including CMNS 347 and 362.
|
| CMNS 473-4 |
Prerequisite: 75 credit hours including CMNS 375.
|
Prerequisite: 75 credit hours.
|
With the deletion of CMNS 205, it can no longer be recommended for CMNS 304.
Widening the range of courses that students bring to CMNS 320 as prerequisites provides a broader overall background within the class, benefitting both individual assignments and group projects.
CMNS 354-4 requires students to undertake field research. A third year field research methods course was previously required for CMNS Majors, but currently is not. This change ensures that students have an appropriate methodology background to undertake such work. Note: after consultation with Kinesiology, Computing Science and Engineering Science, additional methodology requirements suitable for those students may be added also.
Prerequisite changes for CMNS 446 are to reflects the renumbering of CMNS 345 as CMNS 346 and to delete CMNS 247 as no longer relevant.
The content of CMNS 347 is important to prepare students to take CMNS 447. Giving students a choice of taking either CMNS 247 or CMNS 347 meant that some students were better prepared than others to take CMNS 447 and comprehend the content. This change is in keeping with our other CMNS 400-level course prerequisites, which almost always include a 300-level being required for a 400-level course.
The change to CMNS 473 reflects the way students have been admitted to this course over the past several semesters, e.g., students have had the CMNS 375 part of the prerequisite waived by the instructor.
The credit hours for CMNS 362 Evaluation Methods for Applied Communication Research are proposed to be increased by two.
| Item | Current | Proposed |
|---|---|---|
| Credit Hours |
CMNS 362-4
|
CMNS 362-6
|
CMNS 362 is essentially the workshop course for students learning research methods appropriate for field conditions, including design and evaluation. The tutorials are equivalent to what a student in 363-6 would do in the tutorial. They are practice sessions for interviews, surveys, focus groups, oral history, and unobtrusive measures.
CMNS 362 cannot work without this intensive practice session, but of course each week they are sent out to the field and the following week report back on their experience. This instruction and reporting can not be achieved without the intensive tutorial, which is often conducted with the instructor, TA, and small research teams.
The problem is that the course demands both academic tasks (mid-term exam, final projects, presentations, etc.) AND practical in-field tasks (at various public sites, work-places, etc.). The present structure with 4 credits is simply inadequate for the reasonable expectations of the course.
Therefore an additional 2 credit allocation to this course would make it equivalent with CMNS 363-6 -- which is the most comparable course to CMNS 362.