Communications and Media - Junior

Course #: MDIA 3195

Course Description

Students examine digital media practices and communicative ecology within local and global milieus and present their findings through the use of digital and mobile media and written text. The course focuses on case studies and enable students to research and learn about the social, historical, cultural, and economic aspects of online communities at the intersection of mediated and unmediated experiences. Additionally, students learn to apply intersectionality and sensitivity within the new digital and social media. The course also places an emphasis on contemporary needs in versatility skills of digital and social media, as well as digital design and user experience in computer interfaces. It provides students with both theoretical and practical tools to respond with the perspicacity to inevitable shifts in digital technology and their disruptive impacts on the production, dissemination, and consumption of information.

Course Learning Outcomes

At the conclusion of this course, students will be able to:

• Identify key historical moments and dominant theories in the evolution of contemporary digital and social media.
• Analyze the construction of communities through mediated practices and experiences.
• Explain the impact of social and digital practices within pertinent cultural frameworks.
• Create a digital and social media strategy for organisation/NGO, business/brand.
• Define the dominant continuities and disruptive shifts in traditional media phenomena in the early 21st century.

Course Assessments and Grading

Course #: MDIA 3192E

Course Description

This course covers the basics of filmmaking, including the narrative elements of storytelling for documentary films. In the course, students learn every stage of the filmmaking process, from pre-production to post-production, and have opportunities to put their knowledge into practice. The course focuses on the development of documentaries and explores different genres and modes of production. Students analyze documentaries from directors in Central Asia and worldwide, gaining a comprehensive understanding of the industry. The course combines a theoretical and practical approach to documentary filmmaking.

Course Learning Outcomes

At the conclusion of this course, students will be able to:

• generate ideas for documentary films
• plan the script elements in preparation for a documentary film project
• write a script that can convey a storyline
• operate essential video and audio equipment items to create a professional product
• analyze different kinds of non-fiction and fiction films
• apply post-production methods and techniques using editing software. 

Course Assessments and Grading

Course #: MDIA 3098

Course Description

This experiential course focuses on developing skills in identifying needs and opportunities for social change, and addressing them through entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial mechanisms, to deliver social impact.

A variety of design and business, innovation, research, development, entrepreneurship, and strategy skills will be presented. These will be applied, in context, through an action learning project which identifies and addresses a real-world problem. It aims to develop an understanding of the dynamics of social relations for just, inclusive, and efficient professional and business network creation in Central Asia.

Learning Outcomes

After completing this course students will be able to;

• Communicate ways that innovation and entrepreneurship can be leveraged to deliver social impact
• Use design and business research skills to identify and validate problems and / or opportunities
• Develop and test a Theory of Change
• Develop innovative responses to social issues
• Apply entrepreneurial and entrepreneurial frameworks to deliver innovation
• Explore ways to communicate ideas in order to seek partnership, support, or funding
• Apply product development lifecycle in context
• Design a social impact or for-purpose startup

Course Assessment and Grading

Course #: MDIA 3071E

Course Description

This course introduces students to the theories and practices of visual communication.  Through the discussions of perceptual and critical theories, students read, analyse and interpret a variety of visual texts. These texts will include those of pre-modern craft mediums and extend to film, television, online media and other digital image-based mediums. The ways in which images are constructed to convey sociocultural, political, and commercial positions and preferences are analysed. A goal of the course is the acquisition of visual literacy skills, which can then be transferred into media production work. Visual communication will be explored as a global language, however local nuances will also be examined to provide students with contextualised directives in their practice. 

Course Learning Outcomes

At the conclusion of this course, students will be able to:

• Examine the ways in which explicit and implicit messages are visually encoded
• Analyse the dominant traditions, concepts and principles that inform visual communication
• Apply visual design strategies for an effective communication across distinct cultural contexts
• Explore the ways in which visual design informs and forms a core part of public discourses
• Critique patterns of production and consumption in visual communication practices
• Analyse the means-to-an-end technical strategies involved in visual communications

Course Assessment and Grading

Course #: MDIA 3087

Course Description

This course extends student knowledge and skills in communication studies into the field of science communication.  The course provides an introduction to forms of science communication intended for non-scientific audiences, such as writing for both online and print outlets, podcasting and short video production.  Students will develop a critical understanding of the wider societal context of both science and communication.  They will examine how communication practices can address contemporary science communication challenges and enhance public understanding of science.  Science communication is examined through both conceptual analysis and practical skill development and critical issues and themes in the field are explored.

Course Learning Outcomes

On completion of this course students will be able to:

• Discuss the conceptual basis of science communication.
• Analyse contemporary global science communication issues and practices.
• Examine ways that communication practices can address contemporary science communication challenges and enhance public understanding of science.
• Use a variety of media to share science information in different formats and contexts.
• Discuss the relationship between non-western knowledge and science and the ways that non-western worldviews can shift our conception of science

Course Assessments and Grading

Course #: COMP 2082

Course Description

Developing and managing efficient and effective database applications requires understanding the fundamentals of database management systems, techniques for the design of databases, and principles of database administration. This course reviews topics such as conceptual data modelling, relational data model, relational query languages, relational database design and transaction processing. It exposes the students to the fundamental concepts and techniques in database development and recovery from failure or crash.

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon the successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Describe a wide range of data using the entity-relationship (ER) data model.
• Analyze and apply formal query languages associated with the relational model.
• Apply SQL to create, query and manipulate relational databases.
• Analyze and apply different query evaluation plans and describe the various tasks of a typical relational query optimizer
• Describe database recovery after system failure.

Course Assessments and Grading

Course #: HUSS 1080

Course Description

The purpose of physical education is to strengthen health, develop the physical and mental abilities of students. Physical exercises and sports games is the way to a powerful and functional body, clear mind and strong spirit. The course is both practical and theoretical, it covers basic concepts of anatomy and physiology as well as health and safety requirements.  

Course Learning Outcomes

At the end of the course students will be able to:

• perform a range of physical activities
• understand health and safety requirements for a range of physical activities
• describe the role and progress of sport in Central Asia
• chose an appropriate physical activities program for their age and gender
• identify tiredness and its symptoms to control the body during athletic exercises
• describe the technique of running for a long and a short distance and jumping
• accomplish running for a short and a long distance and jumping according to all necessary norms
• describe the rules of a range of sports games
• participate in a range of sports games according to their rules and techniques

The course will be graded with PASS/FAIL.