Please note:

To view the current Academic Calendar, go to www.sfu.ca/students/calendar.html.

Communication Courses

CMNS 110 - Introduction to Communication Studies (3)

An introduction to selected theories about human communication. This course is required for a major, honours or minor in communication. Breadth-Social Sciences.

CMNS 120W - Creativity and Communication Across Media (3)

Introduces students to the creative practice of multimodal writing and content creation for communication and media studies. Topics may include: creativity and idea generation; media literacy in digital environments; writing conventions for various platforms and genres; analytical writing and scholarly argumentation; audio-visual production for popular audiences. Writing.

CMNS 130 - Communication and Social Change (3)

An introduction to the forms, theories and institutions of communication as they relate to broader social change, with a focus on the political, economic and regulatory shifts characterizing Canadian and transnational media systems. This course is required for a major, honours or minor in communication.

CMNS 201 - Empirical Communication Research Methods (4)

An introduction to empirical research methods in diverse traditions of communication enquiry. Some methods recognize communication as everyday interactions; others analyze communication as a process; still others blend traditional scientific empiricism with analytical and critical methods derived from the arts and humanities. Topics include: ethics, paradigms, conceptualizing and operationalizing research, sampling, interviews, surveys, unobtrusive observation, content analysis, and the role of statistics in communication research. Prerequisite: Nine CMNS units with a minimum grade of C-. Students with credit for CMNS 201W or CMNS 260 may not take this course for further credit. Quantitative.

CMNS 201W - Empirical Communication Research Methods (4)

An introduction to empirical research methods in diverse traditions of communication enquiry. Some methods recognize communication as everyday interactions; others analyze communication as a process; still others blend traditional scientific empiricism with analytical and critical methods derived from the arts and humanities. Topics include: ethics, paradigms, conceptualizing and operationalizing research, sampling, interviews, surveys, unobtrusive observation, content analysis, and the role of statistics in communication research. Prerequisite: Nine CMNS units with a minimum grade of C-. Students with credit for CMNS 201 or CMNS 260 may not take this course for further credit. Writing/Quantitative.

CMNS 202 - Design and Method in Qualitative Communication Research (4)

An introduction to interpretive approaches in communication inquiry. Topics include ethics, paradigms, conceptualizing the research process, documentary research, historical methods, discourse or textual analysis, ethnographic research, and performative research. Prerequisite: Nine CMNS units with a minimum grade of C-. Students with credit for CMNS 262 may not take CMNS 202 for further credit.

CMNS 210 - Media History (3)

An assessment of the social implications of developments in information technology from prehistory to the middle of the 20th century. Topics include: the origins of symbolic representation; the oral tradition; the significance of different systems of writing and numeration; the consequences of print; and the initial changes brought about by electronic media. Prerequisite: Nine CMNS units with a minimum grade of C-.

CMNS 215 - Media and Identity (3)

Media and identity centers the idea of "social position" and that media are created and interpreted from and through specific perspectives and experiences of the world. Media and public discourse are shaped through various axes of social position that include gender, race, sexuality, ability, nationality, and other markers of identity. Prerequisite: Nine CMNS units with a minimum grade of C-.

CMNS 221 - Media and Popular Cultures (3)

Focuses on communication for social change; historical and contemporary perspectives in consumer culture; technology, media and popular culture; media and identity; and communication as public education. Prerequisite: Nine CMNS units with a minimum grade of C-.

CMNS 226 - Digital Media Communication Techniques (3)

This course introduces students to a variety of digital media communication technologies and techniques, including image and sound capturing and manipulation, Internet-based publishing and research, digitizing, editing and archiving. Design and management tasks involved in communicating using digital media are also introduced, including audio and video editing and processing, data integrity management, file structuring and packaging, and work presentation. Prerequisite: Nine CMNS units with a minimum grade of C-. CMNS 220 recommended.

CMNS 230 - The Cultural Industries in Canada: Global Context (3)

What do we mean when we talk about the 'cultural industries' today? This course explores the business structure and economics of the cultural sectors, the regulatory and policy frameworks, and their social and cultural contexts. Students are encouraged to develop, compare and contrast at least two sectors from the audio, print or visual industries. While the primary focus is on the Canadian case, students will be encouraged to look at other countries. Overriding themes explore the following: relationships between public and private sectors; independent and commercial creators; rights of creators versus distributors; specialty and general media; indigenous and global contents. Prerequisite: Nine CMNS units with a minimum grade of C-.

CMNS 235 - Digital Democracies (3)

Introduces students to the study of the relationship between public communication, information media practices and structures, and democracy. Examines the role of media and communication in existing and emerging democratic contexts, including print and electronic journalism, alternative media, public spheres, and the challenges of constructing and maintaining a democratic media and communication environment in Canadian and global contexts. Prerequisite: Nine CMNS units with a minimum grade of C-.

CMNS 240 - The Political Economy of Communication (3)

Examination of the political and economic processes that have generated the policies and structures of mass media, telecommunications and related industries; the relationship between the dichotomies of state and market, citizen and consumer, capitalism and democracy, global and local, and sovereignty and globalization in media industries and policies; overview of influences on State and international policies towards the media. Prerequisite: Nine CMNS units with a minimum grade of C-.

CMNS 253W - Introduction to Information Technology: The New Media (3)

An introduction to new communication/information technologies, seen as new media of communication: the technologies, their uses, and the social issues arising from them. Prerequisite: Nine CMNS units with a minimum grade of C-. Students with credit for CMNS 253 may not take this course for further credit. Writing.

CMNS 258 - History of Sound in Media (3)

An introduction to audio representation technology and a survey of the history of major sound-based media, including a discussion of the way sound design conventions have developed over time. Students both analyze sound in media and create audio-based applied projects. Specific techniques of field recording, interviewing, editing, sound processing, multi-tracking, and basic digital audio techniques will be explored using the school's studio facilities. Breadth-Humanities/Social Sciences.

CMNS 286 - Selected Topics (3)

Analysis of a particular topic in the general area of communication. This course can be repeated for credit up to a maximum of three times, if topic studied is different. Prerequisite: Nine CMNS units with a minimum grade of C-.

CMNS 287 - Selected Topics (3)

CMNS 304W - Communication in Everyday Life (4)

An examination of a range of theories of everyday language focused on specific forms of discursive practice, including gossip, humour, religion, and sarcasm. Prerequisite: 17 CMNS units with a minimum grade of C- or 45 units with a minimum CGPA of 2.00. Writing.

CMNS 311 - Topics in Communication and Social Justice (4)

Topics pertain to issues of inequality, resistance and activism with a focus on entanglements with media and communication. Explores how relations of power are shaped and contested through media and communication. Topics include: racial justice, environmental policies, globalization, social activism, and labour. This course can be repeated once for credit (up to a maximum of two times). Prerequisite: 17 CMNS units with a minimum grade of C- or 45 units with a minimum CGPA of 2.00.

CMNS 312 - Topics in Communication Policy and Governance (4)

Topics cover a range of policy and governance concerns and processes pertaining to communication, media, and/or culture in national and international contexts. Topics vary and include: content regulation, copyright, media institutions, media advocacy, and different perspectives to study these issues. This course can be repeated once for credit (up to a maximum of two times). Prerequisite: 17 CMNS units with a minimum grade of C- or 45 units with a minimum CGPA of 2.00.

CMNS 313 - Topics in Data and Society (4)

Topics in the social, political, and cultural aspects of data and datafication. Explores social and philosophical implications of gathering, interpreting, and managing data. Topics include: data protection, visualization or sonification, data activism, big data, algorithmic bias and decision making, AI harms, big data, and the political economy of data. This course can be repeated once for credit (up to a maximum of two times). Prerequisite: 17 CMNS units with a minimum grade of C- or 45 units with a minimum CGPA of 2.00.

CMNS 314 - Topics in Media Production and Aesthetics (4)

Topics on the cultural production of acoustic, visual, and/or multimodal communication. Explores cultural contexts of media production, media artifacts, media perceptions, and alternative media practices. Topics include: advertising, film, gaming, radio, television, and questions of representation in media professions. This course can be repeated once for credit (up to a maximum of two times). Prerequisite: 17 CMNS units with a minimum grade of C- or 45 units with a minimum CGPA of 2.00.

CMNS 315 - Topics in Media, Difference, and Intersectional Identities (4)

Focus on how media play a role in the representation, construction, and circulation of difference and identities by drawing from feminist theories, cultural studies and/or political economy to critique dominant conceptions. Topics may include how difference and identities intersect with: gaming, film, and technology. This course can be repeated once for credit (up to a maximum of two times). Prerequisite: 17 CMNS units with a minimum grade of C- or 45 units with a minimum CGPA of 2.00.

CMNS 316 - Topics in Popular Cultures and Public Communication (4)

Topics on public and popular cultures with a focus on social, political, and cultural dynamics. Explores audiences, publics, and institutions at a global, national, and/or local level. Topics vary and may address themes like: news, music, public media, advertising, sports, childhood, youth cultures, art, and everyday life. This course can be repeated once for credit (up to a maximum of two times). Prerequisite: 17 CMNS units with a minimum grade of C- or 45 units with a minimum CGPA of 2.00.

CMNS 353 - Topics in Science, Technology and Society (4)

Examination of the emergence and shaping of information and communication technologies and science in the digital age. Explores new media and social change between everyday life, social institutions, and various enterprises. Emphasis is placed on social context and relations of power. This course can be repeated once for credit if second topic is different (up to a maximum of two times). Prerequisite: 17 CMNS units with a minimum grade of C- or 45 units with a minimum CGPA of 2.00.

CMNS 362 - Evaluation Methods for Applied Communication Research (6)

Research design and techniques for the study of the introduction, uses and consequences of new media and technologies, new communication policies and practices in their socio-economic and cultural context, and communication in innovation and change. Prerequisite: 17 CMNS units with a minimum grade of C- or 45 units with a minimum CGPA of 2.00.

CMNS 386 - Special Topics in Communication (4)

Intensive analysis of a particular topic in the general area of communication. This course can be repeated for credit up to a maximum of three times, if topic studied is different. Prerequisite: Depends on topic, published before enrollment.

CMNS 387 - Special Topics in Communication (4)

CMNS 388 - Special Topics in Communication (4)

CMNS 395 - Communication Practicum I (3)

First term of work experience in the School of Communication's Co-operative Education Program. Units from this course do not count towards the units required for an SFU degree. Graded as pass/fail (P/F). Prerequisite: Complete Bridging Online at least two terms before anticipated co-op placement. Students must then enroll with the co-op program by the second week of the term preceding the work term of application, and have a minimum GPA of 2.7.

CMNS 396 - Communication Practicum II (3)

The second term of work experience in the School of Communication's Co-operative Education Program. Units from this course do not count towards the units required for an SFU degree. Graded as pass/fail (P/F). Prerequisite: CMNS 395.

CMNS 408 - Communication Network Project Group (4)

An advanced workshop in network analysis focused on applied research. This course can be repeated for credit up to a maximum of three times, if topic studied is different. Prerequisite: Two upper division CMNS courses with a minimum grade of C- and permission of the instructor.

CMNS 410 - Media and Ideology (4)

An advanced seminar which explores intersections between communications, media studies and social theory through an in-depth history of the concept of ideology. Prerequisite: 26 CMNS units with a minimum grade of C- or 60 units with a minimum CGPA of 2.00.

CMNS 423 - Globalization: Cultural Issues (4)

Explores the cultural dimension of global flows of capital and data, comparing, on the one hand, the consequences of increased mobility and, on the other hand, the drive towards increased control and immobility of displaced populations. Examines how the tightening of national boundaries and economic and political processes of globalization have left populations "placeless" whether because of war, environmental disaster, etc. Looks at the ways in which these groups make sense of their displacement and immobility through narratives, stories and images, focusing on issues of power and the destruction of social life. Prerequisite: 26 CMNS units with a minimum grade of C- or 60 units with a minimum CGPA of 2.00.

CMNS 424 - Colonialism, Culture and Identity (4)

Examines why identity is such an important issue for contemporary diasporic communities and former colonies. Introduces students to critiques of representations that construct "racialized" groups as inferior, primitive threats to civilization and their constitution of passive, disciplined subjects. Primarily focuses on innovative cultural strategies developed in Indigenous people, the Black diaspora, Asian/Canadian communities and survivors of the Jewish Holocaust to create ethical communities and critique the impact of colonial violence on contemporary societies. Prerequisite: 26 CMNS units with a minimum grade of C- or 60 units with a minimum CGPA of 2.00.

CMNS 425 - Applied Communication for Social Issues (4)

An advanced seminar in applied communication that focuses on the research and strategic design of media messages, campaigns and programs for public awareness, education, and social change. This course involves the application of theories and approaches in critical media analysis to the tasks of media design and media use for public understanding, engagement and participation around social issues. Prerequisite: 26 CMNS units with a minimum grade of C- or 60 units with a minimum CGPA of 2.00.

CMNS 426 - Video Design for Social Communication (4)

This workshop examines the growing role that video is playing in a variety of public relations, industrial, advocacy and educational contexts. The emphasis of this course is on issues of communication design in relation to the goals and values in specific communication forums. Prerequisite: 26 CMNS units with a minimum grade of C- or 60 units with a minimum CGPA of 2.00.

CMNS 427 - Participatory Youth Media Cultures (4)

Examines the nature, meaning and pedagogical implications of participatory media cultures, including their relationship to the development of a digitally literate citizenry. Participatory cultures involve social, cultural and economic relations and practices that change the meaning of literacy, learning, and possibilities for socio political change. These developments are examined with a view to how they shape young people's lives. Prerequisite: 26 CMNS units with a minimum grade of C- or 60 units with a minimum CGPA of 2.00.

CMNS 428 - Media Analysis Project Group (4)

An advanced workshop in media analysis focused on applied research. This course can be repeated for credit up to a maximum of three times, if topic studied is different. Prerequisite: Two upper division CMNS courses with a minimum grade of C- and permission of the instructor.

CMNS 431 - News Research and Analysis (4)

Applied research seminar using traditional or digital techniques of textual and contextual analysis of news media and explore patterns of coverage and omission. Prerequisite: 26 CMNS units with a minimum grade of C- or 60 units with a minimum CGPA of 2.00.

CMNS 432 - Political Communication, Public Opinion and Political Marketing (4)

Examines the core paradox of the political discourse in a democratic society today. Despite rising levels of education and citizen access to 24-hour news, public affairs and contemporary forms of satire, voting turnout in most advanced democracies is declining. We look at how politics is defined and meaning is mediated within the communicative public sphere during and between elections. Prerequisite: 26 CMNS units with a minimum grade of C- or 60 units with a minimum CGPA of 2.00. Students with credit for CMNS 486 under this topic may not take this course for further credit.

CMNS 433 - Issues in Communication and Cultural Policy (4)

Advanced seminar on current issues in communication policy. Topics will be selected from among current policy issues in local, national and international aspects of broadcasting, the cultural industries, the arts and heritage. Prerequisite: 26 CMNS units with a minimum grade of C- or 60 units with a minimum CGPA of 2.00.

CMNS 437 - Media Democratization: From Critique to Transformation (4)

An advanced seminar on the normative debates, social bases, and strategic potential for media democratization in the context of economically developed liberal democracies like Canada and the United States. This course complements other courses which critically examine state communication policies and the political economy and allegedly ideological character of corporate media. Here, we focus on campaigns and movements in civil society to define and build alternative communicative forms based on equality, democratic participation and/or human rights. Prerequisite: 26 CMNS units with a minimum grade of C- or 60 units with a minimum CGPA of 2.00. Students with credit for CMNS 428 or 487 under the same title may not take this course for further credit.

CMNS 440 - Labour, Communication and the Media (4)

Explores the relationship between labour, communication, and the media, including: working conditions in the media and communication industries; media representations of workers and workplaces; and uses of media and communication technologies by workers and their organizations. Prerequisite: 26 CMNS units with a minimum grade of C- or 60 units with a minimum CGPA of 2.00. Students with credit for CMNS 488 with the topic "Labour and CMNS" may not take this course for further credit.

CMNS 443 - Comparative Asian Media Systems (4)

Offers a basis for understanding different Asian media systems in concrete historical, political and socio-economic contexts. Introduces students to a range of epistemological and theoretical issues in media systems in a vast and extremely diverse region that is undergoing a period of rapid political, economic, social and cultural transformation. Provides an overview of issues relating to different media systems and case studies of media and politics in specific countries in the region. Prerequisite: 26 CMNS units with a minimum grade of C- or 60 units with a minimum CGPA of 2.00.

CMNS 444 - Political Economy of International Communication (4)

An examination of the domestic and international implications of the development of mass media and telecommunications and the differential impact of the free flow of technology and information. Prerequisite: 26 CMNS units with a minimum grade of C- or 60 units with a minimum CGPA of 2.00.

CMNS 445 - Media and Popular Culture in China (4)

An exploration of the media and popular culture scene in reform-era China. A wide range of media and popular culture forms and practices are analyzed in their concrete institutional settings and dynamic relationships with official ideologies, market imperatives, and the everyday struggles and cultural sensitivities of various social groups during a period of epochal transformation in China. Prerequisite: 26 CMNS units with a minimum grade of C- or 60 units with a minimum CGPA of 2.00.

CMNS 446 - Communication, Science and Technology (4)

Explores the relationship between power, politics, and science; investigates stakeholders such as scientists, entrepreneurs, technologists, activists, policy-makers and their world-wide institutional contexts; compares global flows of science and technology through governmental, non-government, and transnational organizations; examines representations of science and technology in media systems and international development programs. Prerequisite: 26 CMNS units with a minimum grade of C- or 60 units with a minimum CGPA of 2.00.

CMNS 447 - Negotiation and Dialogue as Communication (4)

This course provides frameworks and tools with which to understand and evaluate negotiation as a form of communication. The objective of the course is to provide an understanding of the role of communication in the negotiating process, and the consequences of different kinds of negotiation strategies in intercultural, international, competitive, and conflictual situations. It combines theoretical discussion with practical case studies, involves guest negotiators and analysts, and provides an appreciation of the world-wide scale and importance of negotiation as a basis for clarifying relationships. Prerequisite: 26 CMNS units with a minimum grade of C- or 60 units with a minimum CGPA of 2.00.

CMNS 448 - International Communication Project Group (4)

An advanced workshop in international communication and development focused on applied research. This course can be repeated for credit up to a maximum of three times, if topic studied is different. Prerequisite: Two upper division CMNS courses with a minimum grade of C- and permission of the instructor.

CMNS 452 - Race and the Media (4)

Examines the contemporary construction and maintenance of race and ethnicity, through movies, music, and the Internet. Provides grounding in scholarship on media, race, ethnicity, and identity. Explores the historical role of entertainment in racialization. Investigates contemporary issues and forms of media and race. Prerequisite: 26 CMNS units with a minimum grade of C- or 60 units with a minimum CGPA of 2.00. Students who have taken CMNS 486 with subtitle "Race and the Media" cannot take this course for further credit.

CMNS 453 - Issues in the Information Society (4)

Advanced seminar to discuss issues in the interplay between contemporary society and new computer/communication technologies, at the level of comprehensive theories of society, on one hand, and major public policy, on the other. This course can be repeated once for credit if second topic is different (up to a maximum of two times). Prerequisite: 26 CMNS units with a minimum grade of C- or 60 units with a minimum CGPA of 2.00.

CMNS 454 - Computer Supported Cooperative Work: Critical Perspectives (4)

Topics will include the content, quality and character of jobs that involve computer supported cooperative work systems, the influence of managerial goals and workplace relations on the design and choice of computer supported cooperative work systems, issues arising in developing and implementing computer supported cooperative work systems, and using data which results from their use. Prerequisite: 26 CMNS units with a minimum grade of C- or 60 units with a minimum CGPA of 2.00.

CMNS 455W - Women and New Information Technologies (4)

Topics include the processes through which gendering of technologies takes place; information and communication technologies (ICTs), gender and public and private spheres; issues related to computerization of women's paid and unpaid work; and gender roles and the use of ICTs in relation to health; as well as the contributions which the study of gender and ICTs have made to theoretical debates within science, technology and society studies. Prerequisite: 26 CMNS units with a minimum grade of C- or 60 units with a minimum CGPA of 2.00. Students with credit for CMNS 455 may not take this course for further credit. Writing.

CMNS 458 - Information Technology Project Group (4)

An advanced workshop in applied information technology and its evaluation focused on applied research. This course can be repeated for credit up to a maximum of three times, if topic studied is different. Prerequisite: Two upper division CMNS courses with a minimum grade of C- and permission of instructor.

CMNS 460 - Seminar in Dialogue and Public Issues (4)

Focuses on the practical tools and conceptual approaches used in dialogue, with comparisons of the role and impact of dialogue among community, government, corporate, union, First Nations, legal-regulatory, advocacy groups and organizations. Emphasis is on interaction among interest groups and stakeholders, cultures of negotiation and decision-making, techniques of facilitation, and strategies for effective outcomes. This course can be repeated for credit up to a maximum of three times, if topic studied is different. Prerequisite: 26 CMNS units with a minimum grade of C- or 60 units with a minimum CGPA of 2.00. Students with credit for DIAL 460 may not take this course for further credit.

CMNS 461 - Field Placement in Dialogue (3)

Students work under faculty supervision in a placement where dialogue is planned or where dialogue occurs. Arrangements are the responsibility of the student, and enrollment is limited. This course can be repeated for credit up to a maximum of three times, if topic studied is different. Prerequisite: 75 units including CMNS 460 with a minimum grade of C-. Students with credit for DIAL 461 may not complete this course for further credit.

CMNS 479 - Directed Study (1)

Independent research and reading on topics selected in consultation with the supervising instructor. No more than ten units of Directed Study may be taken. May repeat for credit if topic studied is different. Prerequisite: Two upper division CMNS courses with a minimum grade of C- and permission of the instructor.

CMNS 480 - Directed Study (2)

CMNS 481 - Directed Study (3)

CMNS 482 - Directed Study (4)

CMNS 486 - Special Topics in Communication (4)

Intensive analysis of a particular topic in the general area of communication and/or attention to the work of a particular writer or school of thought. This course can be repeated for credit up to a maximum of three times, if topic studied is different. Prerequisite: Depends on topic; published before enrollment.

CMNS 487 - Special Topics in Communication (4)

Intensive analysis of a particular topic in communication and/or attention to the work of a particular writer or school of thought. This course can be repeated for credit up to a maximum of three times, if topic studied is different. Prerequisite: Depends on topic; published before enrollment.

CMNS 488 - Selected Topics in Communication (4)

CMNS 489 - Field Placement in Communication (4)

For students who have at least 24 upper level units in communication, this course offers the opportunity to work under faculty supervision in a field placement situation related to one of the areas of concentration in communication. Arrangements for field placement and faculty supervision are the responsibility of the student, and enrollment will depend upon the availability of faculty resources in any semester. This course can be repeated for credit up to a maximum of three times, if topic studied is different. Prerequisite: 75 units and permission of the school.

CMNS 494 - Communication Practicum III (3)

The third term of work experience for students in the School of Communication's Co-operative Education Program. Units from this course do not count towards the units required for an SFU degree. Graded as pass/fail (P/F). Prerequisite: CMNS 396.

CMNS 495 - Communication Practicum IV (3)

The fourth term of work experience for students in the School of Communication's Co-operative Education Program. Units from this course do not count towards the Units required for an SFU degree. Graded as pass/fail (P/F). Prerequisite: CMNS 494.

CMNS 496 - Communication Practicum V (3)

An optional term of work experience for students in the School of Communication Co-operative Education Program. Units from this course do not count towards the units required for an SFU degree. Graded as pass/fail (P/F). This course may be repeated for additive credit. Prerequisite: CMNS 495.

CMNS 497 - Honours Research Proposal (5)

Preparation for honours research project, including literature review, ethics approval (if necessary), and presentation of work in progress at end of term. Minimum grade of "B" is required in order to continue in CMNS Honours Program (Option A), and take CMNS 498 in a future term. Prerequisite: Students accepted into honours program only.

CMNS 498 - Honours Research Project (10)

Intensive work in a particular topic in the general field of communication. Involves an extensive individual research project under the direct supervision of at least one CMNS faculty member, who will provide guidance and critical feedback as necessary. Presentation of completed project at end of term. Prerequisite: Successful completion of CMNS 497-5, Honours Research Proposal, with grade of "B" or higher.

CMNS 800 - Contemporary Approaches in Communication Studies (5)

This course surveys current interdisciplinary perspectives in communication studies and theory. It is normally offered in the fall term, and expected in the first year of graduate study.

CMNS 801 - Design and Methodology in Communication Research (5)

A survey course which examines the problems, methods and theoretical assumptions in communication research using case studies of research design and methods. Students may design a research project and conduct a small pilot study in a selected area. Normally offered in the spring term and expected in the first year of graduate study.

CMNS 802 - History of Communication Theory (5)

A survey of classic works, issues and debates in communication theory.

CMNS 804 - Seminar in Advanced Communication Theory (5)

CMNS 815 - Social Construction of Communication Technologies (5)

A study of the social theory of information technologies, examining issues affecting computer-mediated communication.

CMNS 820 - Media, Democratic Communication and the Concept of the Public (5)

This course examines and evaluates the media (such as journalism, film, community media, or digital media) as fields of political and cultural practices, in relation to debates, concepts and models of the public sphere, democratic communication, and alternative media practices.

CMNS 824 - Colonialism, Culture and Identity (5)

A study of colonialism, culture, and identity with a focus on the strategies used by diasporic communities and (neo)colonial subjects to address the impact of colonial violence as well as create ethical communities. Historical and contemporary case studies will be examined. Students who took CMNS 855 in Term 1071 may not take this course for further credit.

CMNS 830 - Media & Cultural Studies (5)

Examines current debates in media and cultural studies, including hegemony, biopower, affect, subjectivity, cultures of capitalism and cultures of resistance.

CMNS 835 - Communication and Cultural Policies, Power and Governance (5)

The governance of communication and culture in Canada and globally. Issues in and approaches to communication and cultural policies as a field of international scholarly inquiry in cultural and communication studies.

CMNS 840 - Political Economy of Communications (5)

A study of the political, economic and social process that produces the structure and policies of mass media, and of telecommunication agencies in their historical setting.

CMNS 844 - Communication and Global Power Shifts (5)

This course examines the mutually constitutive relationship between rapidly transforming global communication systems and shifting structures of global political economic and cultural power. Competing claims of global power shifts - between the West and the Rest, between labour and capital, and between established institutions and networked "multitudes" – are analyzed in relation to enduring patterns and emerging dynamics in global communications.

CMNS 848 - Communication and Global Social Justice (5)

Examines communicative responses to transforming global communications systems and shifting structures of global economic and cultural power. Considers how communicators and producers of knowledge and culture interact with and produce these systems and structures and the implications of these processes for social justice. Note: Priority will be given to students enrolled in Global Communication Double MA Degree program. Students with credit for CMNS 858 (Special Topics: CMNS & Global Social Justice) in Spring 2014 & Spring 2015 may not take this course for further credit.

CMNS 849 - Communication Research for Social Change (5)

Introduction to communication research methodologies utilizing an intersectional framework of analysis, with a focus on the knowledges developed with, by, and for movements for social justice.

CMNS 850 - Directed Readings and Research (5)

Pursuance of particular areas of interest related to a student's program.

CMNS 851 - Directed Studies (5)

Pursuance of interest in specific areas, including field studies related to the student's program. May include work and study in supervised professional settings.

CMNS 855 - Selected Topics in Communication Studies (5)

Specialized one-time graduate course offerings on topics related to the current research of school faculty of visiting professors.

CMNS 857 - Selected Topics in Communication Studies (5)

Specialized graduate course offering on a topic related to the current research of school faculty or visiting professor.

CMNS 858 - Selected Topics in Communication Studies (5)

Specialized graduate course offering on a topic related to the current research of school faculty or visiting professor.

CMNS 859 - Acoustic Dimensions of Communications (5)

Special topics in sound and communication studies with emphasis on specific problems in psycho-acoustics, theories of sound cognition and information processing, soundscape studies, acoustic design, community noise surveys, media analysis and related technology. Students will gain experience in designing and conducting research projects in one of these areas. Prerequisite: CMNS 359 or equivalent.

CMNS 860 - Graduate Colloquium in Global Communication (5)

Development of capstone topic and question choice, theory, method, audience, research ethics, writing and presenting. Students share emerging drafts of extended essay for critical review by course supervisor and fellow students. Enrollment restricted to Global Communication Graduate Double Degree Program MA students. Graded on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.

CMNS 880 - Directed Readings and Research (5)

Supervised enquiry in concentrated areas of specialization.

CMNS 881 - Research Practicum (5)

Work and study in an approved professional setting.

CMNS 891 - Co-op I

Graded on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.

CMNS 892 - Co-op II

Graded on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.

CMNS 893 - MA Project (6)

MA project examined by two readers. Graded on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis. Prerequisite: CMNS 801 and one of CMNS 800, CMNS 802 or CMNS 804.

CMNS 894 - MA Extended Essay (5)

MA Extended Essay (for SFU-CUC double degree students). Graded on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.

CMNS 895 - Comprehensive Examination (6)

Examination of three areas of which one must be on the theoretical or methodological framework/procedures indicated by the proposed dissertation. S/U standing only. The exam may be retaken once in the event of unsatisfactory performance.

CMNS 896 - MA Extended Essays (6)

MA Extended Essays. Graded on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis. Prerequisite: CMNS 801 and one of CMNS 800, 802, or 804.

CMNS 897 - MA Project (10)

MA Project. Graded on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.

CMNS 898 - MA Thesis (18)

Graded on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.

CMNS 899 - PhD Thesis (18)

Graded on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.