Communications and Media - Sophomore

Course #: DMNS 2071

Course Description

This course is designed to give students a solid basis for furthering their studies related to the biological sciences by striking a balance between mastery of core concepts and exposure to the breadth of the discipline. Students examine the interrelationships between organisms, their biotic and abiotic environments, and the genetic, evolutionary, and ecological processes governing the patterns we observe in nature. By the end of the course, students are expected to apply biological knowledge to new situations and to integrate concepts from multiple sub-disciplines to solve problems and make predictions about biological systems.

Course Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

Unit 1 (Genetics)

• Describe the overall structure and composition of eukaryotic genomes from the scale of DNA base pairs to genes to chromosomes
• Explain ways of genetic variation by demonstrating the cellular mechanisms responsible for the variation.
• Explain how genetic data from individuals, populations, and communities can be used to explain how traits of organisms are inherited and address scientific questions in the context of genetics, evolution, or ecology.

Unit 2 (Evolution)

• Use information about genotypic frequencies in a population to infer whether the population is currently in equilibrium or potentially undergoing a change in allele frequency.
• Explain in what way each of the four major mechanisms of evolution (mutation, genetic drift, selection, gene flow) may contribute to adaptation, divergence, speciation and/or extinction.
• Explain how population or phylogenetic data can be used with an evolutionary approach to explain patterns of organismal traits in the context of their genetics and ecology.

Unit 3 (Ecology)

• Generate hypotheses and predictions about how species distribution and/or population size might change in response to changes in biotic, abiotic, stochastic and historical factors.
• Examine the anthropogenic causes and impacts of climate change in mountain societies and central Asian nations.
• Create environmental protection, biodiversity conservation, and ecological restoration strategies for central Asian mountain communities.

Course Assessment and Grading

Course #: ECON 1002

Course Description

Introductory macroeconomics provides students with key concepts and principles of contemporary macroeconomic theory. Topics covered in the course pertain to the analysis of national income, the real economy, fiscal and monetary policy in the long run. Open economy and short-run economic fluctuations are also explored in the course. Existing debates over macroeconomic policy faced by policy makers and government agencies both in developed and developing countries are discussed.

Course Learning Outcomes

At the end of the course in introductory macroeconomics students are expected to be able to:

• Define key macroeconomic concepts and principles.
• Calculate basic macroeconomic indicators related to GDP and cost of living within a group of countries or individual states.
• Explain how the real economy operates in the long run from production and growth perspectives.
• Explain the role of monetary and fiscal policies to tackle inflation and unemployment.
• Discuss advantages and disadvantages of the open economy.
• Use the concept of aggregate demand and aggregate supply to explain main facts about economic fluctuations.
• Explain both potential and limits of economic policy aimed at macroeconomic stabilization and long-term economic growth.

Course Assessment and Grading

Course #: DMNS 2031

Course Description

Probability and Statistics for Communications and Media is a course that provides students with an introduction to the basic concepts and methods of probability and statistics as they relate to the field of communications and media. The course covers topics such as descriptive statistics, probability distributions, statistical inference, and regression analysis. Students will learn how to use a software to analyze data and will also be introduced to statistical models and methods commonly used in the field of communications and media. The course aims to equip students with the statistical tools and knowledge necessary to understand and analyze data in a variety of contexts within the field of communications and media.

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:

• Implement basic concepts of probability and statistics, including descriptive statistics, probability distributions, and statistical inference.
• Use a software to analyze data and apply statistical models and methods commonly used in the field of communications and media.
• Interpret statistical results in the context of communications and media research.
• Describe the assumptions and limitations of statistical models and methods.
• Communicate statistical results and conclusions effectively in written and oral forms.
• Use statistical reasoning and critical thinking to inform decisions in the field of communications and media.
• Recognize the importance of ethical considerations in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data in the field of communications and media.

Course Assessments and Grading

Course #: MDIA 2164

Course Description

This course introduces students to the global audio industry, including its practices and ethics. Students will analyse role of radio and audio production and investigate different genres of programming and digital sound production. 

The course provides students with knowledge of media processes and practical skills in media-making techniques. Students will examine these in the context of both new and traditional formats of radio/audio production. This content will be framed within the Central Asian context. Newer forms of audio media and how they are shaping the new landscape including online, web radio, streaming and podcasts. This course builds on concepts first covered in Writing English for Media and is designed as a precursor to the Specialized Media Labs (Radio/Audio) and Specialized Media Labs (Project).

Course Learning Outcomes

• At the conclusion of this course, students will be able to:
• Describe the communicative practices, skills and technologies of radio/ audio production, especially within the Central Asian context.
• Discuss the history and the role played by radio and other audio forms of media in a global context.
• Apply operational, technical and media industry skills related to radio/audio production and program making.
• Use the ethical frameworks for radio/audio production and journalism (in research, interviewing and presentation).
• Produce sound projects for specific purposes and audiences.
• Collaborate in small production teams in order to deliver a radio/ audio product to a deadline.

Course Assessment and Grading

Course #: HUSS 1009

Course Description

This course explores Central Asian history during the colonial and post-colonial period (since circa 1750). It concentrates on the formerly Russian / Soviet areas of Central Asia, such as the three countries in which the University of Central Asia are located, but also explores neighboring areas dominated by China and Britain (Xinjiang, Afghanistan, and to a lesser extent Tibet, Mongolia, and Iran). The course emphasizes links and connections across these political borders, which were at first largely artificial and porous, but which became crucially important and shaped local communities in divergent ways. It emphasizes social and cultural history, as a complement and counterweight to the usual political frameworks and grand narratives of khans, revolutions, and wars. It focuses on questions of personal and communal identity, and how the borders between groups have been defined, what they meant to all sides, and how they changed. Students will learn about everyday life in Central Asia, and how worldviews shifted – especially for men and women outside the royal courts, military leadership, or diplomatic corps.

Course Learning Outcomes

At the end of this course, you should be able to…

• Discuss the key features, facts and frameworks that make up the history of Central Asia since 1750.
• Explore the ways shifting political boundaries and cultural identities are created, through processes that are both historically contingent and cumulative, i.e., layered on top of each other.
• Place Central Asia into an inter-scalar theory of world history, one that is able to situate local stories of "normal" people in multiple frames, i.e. regional, national, imperial and global.
• Analyse and use the sources, methods and interpretive processes of the discipline of history.

Course Assessments and Grading

Course #: MDIA 2075

Course Description

The course is designed to develop the students’ abilities to create journalistic materials in Russian for the Russian-language media in Central Asia and Russian Federation. The course will introduce students to the features of the media discourse of the Russian media: genres, formats, types of publications, language features and style. During the course, students will study the history of the formation of the Russian media and publicist style, learn to write news and journalistic texts, create a script for radio or television broadcasts in Russian, and prepare a multimedia story for Russian-language online publication. Particular attention is paid to working with the language, style and composition of texts. Themes of the assignments have been selected in such a way that students get an idea of ​​current social issues discussed in the Russian-language media and expand their knowledge in the fields of history, culture and politics. All of the above is designed to help students learn how to write professionally for modern Russian-language media.

Course Learning Outcomes

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

• Explain how the tasks and language of mass media changed in the Soviet era and after perestroika in Russia and Central Asia;
• Identify ideological discourse, manipulation and other modern tendencies in Russian rhetoric;
• Analyze the style, norms and features of the language of mass media;
• Determine and correctly use official and informal, expressive and neutral speech depending on the topic, audience, text genre and publication format;
• Assess and express one’s opinion in written public speech as well as select and integrate quotations, direct and indirect speech in the text of the publication;
• Create journalistic materials in different genres and formats: information message (hard and soft news), commentary, news radio or television broadcast (info message, reportage), multimedia article, and printed material based on a transcript;
• Edit one’s own and others' texts using one’s skills in grammar, style and pronunciation.

Course Assessment and Grading

Course #: MDIA 2127E

Course Description

This course is designed to provide students with a grounding in graphic design. It introduces the intricacies of graphic genres and focuses on the importance of design-thinking in various media professions. The goal of the course is to enable students to enhance their creative thinking and visual ideation. The course also includes technical skills in relation to visual design computer programs through practical workshops. The course will introduce students to a range of design spheres such as motion picture, TV captions, animation, 3D and web design.

Course Learning Outcomes

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

1. Explain the visual design narratives used in a variety of media production projects.
2. Apply graphic design principles in the ideation, development, and production of visual messages.
3. Create visual design products for diverse communication contexts and audiences.
4. Analyse genres, styles and trends in the history of visual design.
5. Discuss the dark forces of design and the impact they can have on how messages are communicated to and received by different audiences.

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.