SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY

NEW COURSE PROPOSAL

Calendar Information:

Course Number: CMNS 432

Credit Hours: 4

Course Vector: (Lecture: 0; Seminar: 4; Tutorial: 0; Lab: 0)

Course Title:Opinion, Propaganda and Political Communication

Course Description (for Calendar): Attach a course outline to this proposal.

Explores the general relationship between mediated politics and political media. The interaction of political marketing, persuasion and political advertising during and between elections is examined.

Prerequisite(s): 75 credit hours including at least 2 CMNS or DIAL upper division courses.

Co-requisite(s) (if any): None.

Special Instructions (if any): None.

Course(s) to be dropped if this course is approved (if any): None.

Rationale for Introduction of this Course; will this be a required or elective course in the curriculum; probable enrolment when offered?

This is an elective. It has been successfully offered twice in summer semesters in 2004 and 2005 (as CMNS 486-4) with enrollments between 20 and 25.

Scheduling and Registration Information. Indicate semester and year this course would be first offered and planned frequency of offering thereafter.

First offered Fall Semester 2006. Normally offered annually thereafter.

Which of your present CFL faculty have the expertise to offer this course? Will the course be taught by sessional or limited-term instructors?

C.Murray; R.Hackett; D.Gutstein; S.Kline; S.Gunster are all regular CMNS faculty who are qualified to teach this course.

Are there any proposed student fees associated with this course other than tuition fees?

None.

Does this course duplicate the content of a previously approved course to such an extent that students should not receive credit for both courses? If so, please specify.

Yes, CMNS 486 offered in Summer 2004 and Summer 2005 semesters.

Effective date: 2006/07 Calendar.

Resource Implications:

Note: Senate has approved (S.93-11) that no new course should be approved by Senate until funding has been committed for necessary library materials. Each new course proposal must be accompanied by a library report and, if appropriate, confirmation that funding arrangements have been addressed.

Provide details on how existing instructional resources will be redistributed to accommodate this new course. For instance, will another course be eliminated or will the frequency of offering of other courses be reduced; are there changes in pedagogical style or class sizes that allow for this additional course offering.

We believe this course will not require significant new resources. It fits in with the policy and political economy stream already established in the School, including, but by no means restricted to, audience research, news analysis, democratic communication, and media analysis.

There are already 78 key sources in the Library on propaganda, and significant holdings on public opinion and political communication. There are at least two excellent AV sources on tap (30 second democracy and Triumph of the Will). The Instructor is building a personal library of other resources.

While there may be a few blindspots, we believe existing resources are adequate and holdings will be superior in three years, with a systematic policy of acquisitions in place.

Does this course require specialized space or equipment not readily available in the department or university, and if so, how will these resources be provided?

No.

Does this course require computing resources? (e.g. hardware, software, network wiring, use of computer laboratory space) and if so, describe how they will be provided.

Not required.

Approvals:

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School of Communication Undergraduate Curriculum Committee

Martin Laba, Director, School of Communications

FAS UCC Chair, Faculty of Applied Sciences Curriculum Committee

SCUS