New Students 
 

B.A. in General Mass Communication (English Track)

 

 Study Plan Structure  

Requirement Category

Type

Total Credits

Compulsory

Elective

University

18

12

30

Program

30

21

51

Liberal Arts & Sciences

42

--

42

Free Elective

--

6

6

Total

90

39

129

 

1.     Compulsory Courses: (30 credits)

Number

Title

Credits

Pre-requisite

0803100

Introduction to Communication

3

None

0803210

Intro. To Graphic Design

3

None

0803211

Introduction to Journalism 

3

None

0803213

Introduction to Electronic Media 

3

None

0803231

Principles of PR

3

None

0803101

Media Writing 

3

None

0803202

Communication Theories 

3

0803100

0803402

Integrated Communication

3

0803100

0803412

Graduation Project 

3

Final semester

0803400

Internship 

3

100 credits

 

2. Elective  Courses: (Select 21 credits) 

Course No.

                               Course Title             

Credits

Pre-requisite

0803201

Media in the UAE

3

None

0803203

Media Ethics

3

0803100

0803301

Information Society

3

None

0803212

Photography 

3

None

0803303

Public Opinion 

3

0803100

0803311

News Reporting 

3

0803211

0803312

Video Shooting & Editing 

3

0803213

0803313

Layout & Design 

3

0803211

0803314

Radio and TV Directing 

3

0803213

0803335

Public Relations Campaigns

3

0803231

0803403

International  & Intercultural Comm. 

3

0803100

0803412

Online Journalism

3

0803211

  

3. Support Liberal Arts and Sciences (42 credits) 

Course No.

Course Title

Credits

Pre-requisite

0302210

Principles of Management

3

None

0302419

Organizational Behavior

3

0302210

0302313

Creative Thinking and Problem Solving for Managers

3

0302210

0302120

Introduction to Business Administration

3

None

0302314

Technology Management

3

0302210

0302220

Principles of Marketing

3

None

0701107

History of World Arts I

3

None

0701108

History of World Arts II

3

0701107

0701205

Representation and Meaning

3

0701107, 0701108

0701305

The Arts of Islam

3

0701205

0305110

Introduction to Economics

3

None

0401142

Man and Environment

3

None

0701307

Understanding Media

3

0701205

00202110

Speech Communication

3

TOEFL

  

4. Free Electives (6 credits)

Course No.

Course Title

Credits

Pre-requisite

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Course Description and Course Syllabi

 

 0803100          Introduction to Communication                                                                            (3-0:3)

Prerequisite: None

This course provides an overview of the different fields of communication, including print and electronic journalism, public relations and advertising, multimedia and graphic design. It also sheds light on the communication process and conditions for successful communication.

 

0803210          Introduction to Graphic Design                                                                             (2-2:3)

Pre-requisite:  0803100

Survey of contemporary approaches in graphic design The graphic design process and elements. Graphic design from concept to finished artwork. Graphic design applications in print, television and interactive media. Digital design software including Photoshop, Illustrator, and others.

 

 0803211           Introduction to Journalism                                                                                 (3-0:3)

Pre-requisite:  0803100

The course introduces students to the fundamentals of newspaper production. The course is aimed at giving the student hands-on benefits of producing a newspaper through planning, reporting, photographing, editing, computer layout and design, advertising, and circulation. This course will aid the student in developing responsible attitudes toward meeting deadlines, time management and other workplace skills, and aid with career development

 

0803213           Introduction to Electronic Media                                                                      (3-0:3)

Pre-requisite:  0803100

Historical development of radio and television. Description of broadcasting characteristics, technical features, programming formats and broadcast systems. The radio studio. Television cameras and editing systems. Practical applications in studio operations.

 

0803231            Principles of Public Relations                                                                          (3-0:3)

Pre-requisite:  0803100

The concepts and process of public relations in modern societies, and the role of PR in various organizations. Historical development of public relations. Public relations models. PR practitioners in modern societies.  Features of good public relations.

 

0803101          Media Writing                                                                                                                  (3-0:3)

Pre-requisite: None

This course covers writing for a range of media fields: print and electronic journalism, public relations and advertising, etc. Students learn the basics of writing for mass communication including writing news leads, news stories, simple advertisements, broadcast items and press releases.

  

0803202          Communication Theories                                                                                            (3-0:3)

Pre-requisite:  0803100

Basic theory definitions. Functional and structural theories. Mass communication models. Media effects theories and perspectives, the agenda setting function, two-step-flow hypothesis, bullet theory, selective exposure, diffusion of innovations.

 

0803402          Integrated Communication                                                                                       (3-0:3)

Pre-requisite:  0803100

An introduction to the principles and applications of integrated communication. Using integrated communication methods in media campaigns. Planning, executing and implementing integrated communication campaigns. Case studies.

 

0803412            Graduation Project                                                                                                    (3-0:3)

 Prerequisite:      senior standing

Students produce a research project or a practical strategy or media work under course instructor. Students may work as teams to gather field information on existing media structures or may produce media works for media purposes. Students may use studio and desktop publishing facilities.

 

0803400          Internship                                                                                                                   (3 Credits)

Pre-requisite: A minimum 100 credits

An eight-week supervised summer internship that enables students to obtain professional experiences at media organizations, public relations and advertising agencies or multimedia companies.

  

0803201          Media in the United Arab Emirates                                                                            (3-0:3)

Pre-requisite:  0803100

Historical development and current overview of media of mass communication in the UAE. Media role in national development and cultural advancement. Media development in the 1990s: the press, broadcasting, internet communications and advertising in the UAE. Media professional orientations. Future trends.

 

0803203          Media Ethics                                                                                                                         (3-0:3)

Pre-requisite:  0803100

Ethical foundations of mass media laws. Ethical issues in mass communication and public relations practices. Professional and ethical codes of ethics in the Arab World and around the world. Case studies.

  

0803301         Information Society                                                                                                        (2-2:3)

Pre-requisite:  0803100

The concept of the information society. Recent global trends in information technology development. Information as a strategic political, economic and cultural resource. Features of the information age. The information industry. Information society features in the United Arab Emirates and the Arab world. Case studies.

 

0803212          Photography                                                                                                                    (2-2:3)

Pre-requisite:  0803100

Conventional and digital photography. Applications in media work. Basics of photography. Photography as a journalistic practice. The camera and its components. The Internet as a source of digital pictures. Practical applications.

 

0803303          Public Opinion                                                                                                                  (3-0:3)

Pre-requisite:  0803100

The concept of public opinion. Theories of public opinion. Media role in public opinion formation, including the agenda-setting hypothesis. Public opinion as a social and political force. Public opinion polls and how they relate to media performance. The Internet as a source of public opinion formation. Case studies.

 

0803311          News Reporting                                                                                                            (2-2:3)

Pre-requisite:  0803100

Gathering information and writing articles for print media, including newspapers and magazines. Interviewing news sources. Using conventional and online news sources. Articles may be published in community or student newspapers.

  

0803313            Video shooting & Editing                                                                                        (2-2:3)

Pre-requisite:  0803100

Video camera components and operations, camera techniques, conventional and non-linear video editing systems; practical applications in video production. Students use broadcast facilities and go on field trips to get first-hand experiences with broadcast equipment in television organizations.

 

0801313          Layout and Design                                                                                                        (2-2:3)

Pre-requisite:  0803100

Desktop publishing techniques. Layout and design principles and processes in newspapers, magazines and other publications. Use of desktop publishing software including Photoshop and Illustrator. Practical applications in desktop publishing lab.

  

0803314            Radio and TV Directing                                                                                              (2-2:3)

Pre-requisite:  0803100

The process of radio program directing .Directing techniques in pre-recorded and live programs. Audio& Video mixing techniques, indoor and outdoor production, Control management. Handling Audio& Video matters .Practical applications in the studio .Directing thinking and planning techniques

 

0803335            Public Relations Campaigns                                                                                 (2-2:3)

Pre-requisite:  0803100

This course examines the concept, organization, structure and preparation of a public relations campaign, employing a wide range of techniques. Students prepare completed PR campaign proposals for client organizations. Phases of PR campaigns.

 

0803403           International and Intercultural Communication                                      (3-0:3)

Pre-requisite:  0803100

The influence of culture on communication processes. Focus on the impact of values, beliefs and perspectives on intercultural interactions. Issues pertaining to trans-border Information flows in the age of globalization. Local cultures and national identities. Media role in safeguarding indigenous cultures and modes of expression.

 

 0803412          Online Journalism                                                                                                       (2-2:3)

Pre-requisite:  0803100

Understanding the Internet and its impact on journalism, with special attention to the search for a new style of narrative – one that could take advantage of the simultaneous use of text, hypertext, photos, images in motion, audio and databases.