Film, TV and visual culture

Postgraduate course

Course description

Objectives and Content

The course focuses on the formal and expressive aspects of media and on their cultural-historical context. Grounded in media studies as a discipline within the humanities, the course will provide a basis for theoretical reflection and analysis of (for instance) films, television, photography and computer games. The significance of technological and production-related circumstances for how media texts are created, produced and function is central to the course. The media forms under scrutiny and the theoretical-analytical traditions we will engage with will vary with each iteration of the course.

This year's course will focus on freedom of expression in popular culture and visual art.

Learning Outcomes

A student who has completed the course should have the following learning outcomes:

Knowledge

The student

  • has knowledge of selected theoretical and analytical traditions central for understanding media form and content.
  • has knowledge of how the form and content of media is related to specific cultural-historical, technological, and production-related conditions.

Skills

The student

  • is able to compare, assess, and discuss important characteristics of different analytical traditions.
  • is able to apply theoretical insights and concepts in analyses of media expressions and genres.

Level of Study

Master

Semester of Instruction

Autumn
Required Previous Knowledge
Bachelor's degree in Information Science or Media Studies or equivalent.
Teaching and learning methods
Lectures, seminars and individual supervision.
Compulsory Assignments and Attendance

Course literature presentation. See guidelines published at the start of the semester.

Presentation of topic for the exam essay. See guidelines published at the start of the semester.

Compulsory attendance at seminars (80%) and other activities as determined by the course coordinator.

Approved work requirements valid only in the teaching semester.

Forms of Assessment
  • Course essay written under supervision, approx. 5000 words: 60% of the total grade.
  • Oral individual exam: 40% of the total grade.
  • The exam will be given in the language in which the course is taught.

    The exam can be submitted in English, Norwegian, Swedish or Danish.

    Grading Scale
    A-F
    Assessment Semester

    Assessment only in the teaching semester.

    Students with valid absence as defined in the UiB regulations § 5-5 can apply for an extended submission deadline to eksamen.infomedia@uib.no. The application must be submitted before the deadline for submission has expired.

    Course Evaluation
    All courses are evaluated according to UiB's system for quality assurance of education.
    Course Administrator
    Department of Information Science and Media Studies at the Faculty of Social Sciences has the administrative responsibility for the course