COMMUNICATION STUDIES COURSES
(May not offer in every semester, students are advised to check the website for updated
courses under Course Registration) |
Pre-requisite |
| LOWER-LEVEL COURSES |
| CS0201 Foundations of Communication Studies |
This course provides an introduction to the basic theories, concepts, principles, and
contexts of human communication. It is designed as an introduction to the field of
communication studies. It offers an overview of fundamental communication principles and
practices applicable to many careers. Students will learn how to reflect and think critically
about communication in personal and public contexts and explore how communication has
created and shaped our society as well as our personal lives. The course will introduce
each of the specialty areas of study within the School of Communication and Information,
which include mass, promotional, interpersonal, organisational, and intercultural
communication, as well as information technology. |
None |
| CS0204 Basic Media Writing |
This hands-on course covers the fundamentals of writing for mass media, with an
emphasis on reaching publics that are diverse and demanding. Students will learn how to
write news stories for print and broadcast, public relations releases, and advertising copy.
While introducing students to the differing needs of the various media industries, the
separate strands of the course collectively reinforce common principles such as accuracy,
honesty and integrity in communication, as well as an appreciation of clear, concise and
effective writing. |
None |
| CS0209 Media Law, Ethics and Policy |
This course introduces the basics of media law, ethics and policy with a particular
emphasis on Singapore. Students will develop their working knowledge of the law in
Singapore, examine the development of Singapore’s media law and its underlying policy
rationales, and compare and contrast different approaches to media law internationally.
The role of media ethics standards will also be examined. |
None |
| CS2005 Speech and Argumentation |
This course develops and strengthens skills in constructing and delivering speeches and
presentations. The goal is to achieve oral proficiency through a combination of critical
analysis and practice. By examining communication strategies, students will see what does
and does not work in a given speech or presentation situation. Students will learn
persuasive elements, principles of argumentation, speech writing, research and content
development, oral delivery, and critique. |
None |
| CS2006 Theories of Visual Communication & Their Applications |
The course addresses theoretical issues and offer students time to broadly test out applications of
concepts. It also aims to introduce concepts and theories that can be applied to different visual
media and which are used as tools for deconstructing and analyzing visuals. The course also
teaches students the characteristics and issues associated with different visual media. The
content of the course is structured to allow students to explore form, meaning and impact of visual
content. |
None |
| CS2007 Communication Histories and Theories |
This course examines both the development of communication technologies and the intellectual
history of the study of communication (the evolution of ideas). We will investigate the foundations
of communication inquiry by reviewing relevant social science and critical social theory, thereby
gaining a better understanding of the discipline. Students will learn about many of the milestones
in communication research and their significance. In addition to examining the evolution of
communication technologies, the course will track the intellectual, institutional and socio-political
influence that helped to foster the emergence and shape the growth of the communication
discipline in the twentieth century. |
CS0201 Foundations
of Communication
Studies |
| CS2008 Fundamentals of Research |
Note: This course was a core course for students admitted prior to 2016. It becomes a prescribed
elective for the AY16/17 cohort.
This course introduces the understanding of various research perspectives and methods. The
emphasis is on providing students with the knowledge to be a critical research consumer and
buyer. Students will learn about quantitative, qualitative, and interpretative perspectives in research,
and the advantages and disadvantages of different research methods, such as the historical
method, in-depth interview, focus group, survey, and content analysis. Students will gain some
hands-on experience in implementing studies, analysing quantitative and qualitative data, and
presenting findings to different types of audience. |
None |
| CS2021 News Reporting and Writing |
This practical course develops the reporting skills, writing ability, and editorial judgement required
of journalists working in print news media. The basics of accuracy, fairness, balance, and
professional ethics are emphasised. Students will learn to approach stories with readers in mind,
asking relevant and meaningful questions, critically assessing information they obtain, and writing
with clarity and credibility. Students will have regular hands-on exercises to sharpen their reporting
and writing skills, and engage in discussion and critique of on-going news coverage in and beyond
Singapore to develop their news judgment. |
CS0204 Basic Media
Writing |
| CS2022 Multimedia Writing in Chinese |
This course introduces students to the fundamentals of media writing in Chinese. It introduces
students to the skills of clear, concise and effective writing, as well as the principles of accuracy,
honesty and integrity in communication. Students will learn basic forms of writing for public
relations, advertising and news industries. Students will gain some hands-on experience in
Chinese writing for print, broadcast and the Internet. They will appreciate styles of Chinese writing
and sharpen their media writing skills. |
None |
| CS2023 Print and Digital Publication |
This course covers the fundamentals of newspaper/magazine design, and provides hands-on
training in computer applications for page layout and image editing. In addition to catering to
students interested in specialising in publication design, the course is geared towards would-be
writers and photographers, who need to appreciate effective visual presentation and think visually in
their journalism. Practical exercises are grounded in theories pertaining to typography, colour,
space, and other design elements. Students will also be familiarised with design trends in the
newspaper and magazine publishing industries, including the impact of technological change. |
CS0204 Basic Media
Writing |
| CS2024 Web Design and Technologies |
Note: This course is a prescribed elective for students admitted prior to 2016. It becomes a core
course for the AY16/17 cohort.
This course covers a brief history of hypertext and the World Wide Web, and gives a broad
overview of technologies used in web design. Students will be taught how to design, implement
and maintain web-based sites using authoring and scripting languages, content creation,
management and digital media tools. Students will learn how to implement the latest strategies to
develop third-generation websites, evaluate design tools, discuss future technology standards and
explore the incompatibility issues surrounding current browsers. |
None |
| CS2025 Image and Sound Production |
This course introduces the core components of motion picture production: idea, image, sound, and
sequence. During lectures, students will view movies and/or television programmes while
considering a variety of questions: What do we want to express? Who is our audience? How do we
talk about images? What compositional elements can we control or manipulate? How do we
sequence images in order to evoke specific responses? What happens when particular sounds and
images are juxtaposed? In related tutorials, students will explore these concepts with digital video
cameras and nonlinear editing. |
Co-requisite: CS2006
Theories of Visual
Communication &
Their Applications |
| CS2026 Media Presentation and Performance |
This hands-on course aims to equip students with some of the basic skills and knowledge in two
areas: one, effective on-air presentation and performance; and two, directing presenters and
performers. The course will focus mainly on the “factual” genres in television and video productions,
such as broadcast journalism, documentary, talk shows, and interview programmes. Students are
encouraged to develop their own styles and personae, insofar as it is appropriate for the
programmes in question. |
None |
| CS2027 Genre and Narrative Strategies |
This course surveys and examines the various narrative strategies that are commonly used in
drama television programmes and/or motion pictures, through screenings, lectures and readings.
The concepts of narratology will be introduced for the purpose of analysing television genres such
as soap opera, sitcom, drama series, advertisement, and news, as well as motion picture genres
such as science fiction, film noir, horror, epic, and documentary. Foreign and local programmes
will be analysed and students are expected to create and present stories of their own. |
None |
| CS2029 Broadcast Journalism: Concepts and Applications |
This course introduces students to the basic techniques and processes of story selection,
research, writing, interviewing, recording and packaging in broadcast journalism. In addition to
hands-on training in how to produce news and current affairs stories for broadcast, students are
expected to develop a critical and theoretically-informed appreciation of broadcast journalistic
practices, conventions, and institutions. |
CS2025 Image and
Sound Production |
| CS2030 Audio in Media |
This course is a professionally-oriented seminar focusing on contemporary audio-production
techniques for radio, broadcast and cable television, motion pictures, theatre, and the music-
recording industry. Advanced recording and production techniques are covered. Assignments might
include, but will not be limited to, the production of radio programming (magazine, documentaries),
spot announcements, film Foley work, and television voice-overs. Students will learn about the
informational, perceptual, and aesthetic aspects of sound as applied to each stage of the
production process—from planning to post-production. The course will also benefit students looking
to work in industrial video/audio positions within the corporate business world, where audio/visual
technology plays an important role. |
None |
| CS2031 Creative Strategies |
This course focuses on the development and execution of creative and motivating communication.
The emphasis is on providing students with an understanding of creative and strategic message
development and applying these underlying principles to the media. Students will learn how to use
marketing information to develop practical creative strategies. Both visual and written creativity will
be emphasised. Students will also learn the requirements for developing advertising messages in
different media. Course work includes lectures, discussions, creative assignments, critiques, and
a final project. |
None |
| CS2033 Corporate Communication Management |
The course consists of three parts. The first part of the course will present theoretical concepts and
frameworks that guide corporate communication research and practice. Second, various corporate
communication functions with different stakeholders such as consumers, employees, media,
investors, and the general public will be covered. For the last part of the course, you will learn how
to plan and evaluate corporate communication strategies as a group project. The primary aim is to
equip students with foundational knowledge and skills for effective corporate communications
management. |
None |
| CS2034 Korean Cinema in the Global Context |
In Korean Cinema in the Global Context you will explore the history and theory of Korean cinema -
both South and North through the framework of national/transnational cinema discourse,
auteur/genre theory, globalization, the North/South division system, and the problem of nation/state
which evokes the question of identity. In this chronologically structured module, you will learn the
cinema of Korea through a set of key films, directors, and dominant genres by lectures,
screenings, and intensive and engaging discussions throughout the semester. Such critically and
historically important films as The Aimless Bullet, The Housemaid, Shiri, Sympathy for Mr.
Vengeance, My Sassy Girl, The Host, and Train to Busan will be screened. Through readings,
discussions, in-class screenings, and presentations, our goal is to develop a broad understanding
of Korean cinema and popular cultures exploring their wide-ranging impact and asking how they
participate in the transnational production and circulation of culture, ideology, modernity, politics,
and tradition in both regional and international contexts. It is not necessary for student to have prior
knowledge of Korean cinema, and all are welcome. |
None |
| CS2044 Photojournalism |
This course introduces the basics of still photography for use in mass communications. The latest
digital photographic techniques will be employed throughout, including digital still cameras and
digital darkroom software on computers. In this course, we will look at how journalism
professionals can take their own photographs, as well as work with professional photographers.
The work output should be suitable for publication in newspapers, magazines, company
publications, brochures, and digital slide-show presentations. By providing a basic appreciation of
photojournalism, this course should be of value to aspiring photojournalists as well as writers and
editors seeking a broader visual awareness. |
CS2021 News
Reporting and Writing |
| CS2045 Online Journalism |
This course covers the following areas. The Web: history, development, and features. Features of
online journalism: multimedia, hypertext, interaction, and customisation. Online reporting:
interviewing, researching, and gathering information. Verifying and selecting reliable sources.
Integrated editing of text, animation, photos, audio and video. Strategic use of links. Engaging and
empowering the online audience. Integrated multimedia and non-linear presentation of online news
stories. Students will work individually and as teams, playing roles of editor, publisher, reporter and
sub-editor to produce online verticals based on collaborative and solo reporting. Each vertical will
revolve around a key story which will be discussed in class, accompanied by secondaries related
to the main story. Each student will create one secondary and contribute to the main story. |
CS0204 Basic Media
Writing |
| CS2050 People, Politics and the Media |
The purpose of this course is to introduce a framework for students to think about the intricate
relationship between the people, the press, and various political actors. Students will gain an
understanding of various theories and concepts about the role and function of the press in
democratic systems, the effects of political content from the media, comparison of different media
and government systems, and the role of citizens in this complex picture. This course covers the
relationship between the people and the media, effects of media on politics, and comparisons of
different press systems in different democracies. |
CS0201 Foundations
of Communication
StudiesStudies |
| CS2054 Interpersonal Communication |
This course is designed to introduce students to a broad range of interpersonal communication
topics, including: self and others, verbal and nonverbal communication, self-presentation, self-
disclosure, starting, maintaining and ending relationships, compliance, conflict, and computer-
mediated communication. The instructor will provide a broad-based exposure to research and
theory in the area of interpersonal communication, providing journal articles and examples along
the way (e.g., exemplary studies or some video clips). Students enrolled in this course should
understand communication processes underlying interpersonal relationships. Ideally, students will
improve their own skills, become experts on particular topics, and share their knowledge with other
students via in-class presentations. |
None |
| CS2055 Organisational Communication |
This course introduces students to the dynamics of communication in organisational settings
through case study, role-play, and other interactive and analytical approaches. Students will learn
about effective communication in various work settings, such as meetings, teamwork, negotiation,
conflict management, image building, and employee relations. Students will be exposed to
communication and cultural diversity and organisational change and continuity. Finally, students
will learn about the applications of communication technologies, and communication etiquettes and
ethics in modern, global organisations. |
Pre-req:
CS0201
(Min Grade B) or
CS8100
(min Grade B)
*Pre-req
requirement is not
applicable to CS
students |
| CS2056 Psychology and Communication |
To better understand how and why communication occurs and what effects it has, it is necessary
to get inside the “black box” of the human mind. Therefore, this course will concentrate on studying
cognitive processes and their relationship to media and communication. While some attentionon
will be paid to the psychological aspects of interpersonal communication, the primary goal of the
course is to develop an understanding of media from a psychological perspective. That is, the
course will examine how perception, attention, memory, attitudes and emotion are related to the
experience of mediated communication. These psychological responses will be examined in a
range of contexts and communication functions including news and information, advertising and
persuasion, and entertainment. This will help students become both better producers of media and
more critical users. |
None |
| CS2057 Media Effects |
This course is intended to provide an informed and critical evaluation of media’s influence and
effects by systematically investigating the content of media messages, the nature of individuals
and audiences, and the mechanisms involved in various types of media effects. It will introduce
students to basic concepts in social science research and communication study, briefly review
the history of media research, and examine some of the most common types of media effects. In
its survey of media effects, the course will cover many prominent communication theories that help
to explain the who, what, where, and why of media influence. The goal is for students to have
deeper understanding of the extensiveness and limitations of media effects and to be able to
critically assess claims of media impact. |
None |
| CS2058 Integrated Marketing Communication |
This course offers an introduction to the principles and practices of advertising, public relations,
and associated forms of marketing communication. It covers the origins and scope of each,
including identifying research problems, setting objectives, analysing audiences, designing
messages, choosing media vehicles and evaluating promotional outcomes. Discussion groups are
formed to identify and examine the broad industry-wide trend towards integration of various aspects
of the field. Selected case studies are used. Account teams are formed to execute a written
campaign plan followed by a formal presentation. |
None |
| CS2059 Social Consequences of Mobile Communication |
Mobile communication is the fastest growing and most ubiquitous form of mediated communication
in the world. It has provided new levels of interpersonal communication, new forms of coordination,
in addition to giving us access to the internet and services such as social networking, m-health,
financial interaction, etc. This class will give the student insight into the history, technological
basis and the social consequences of mobile communication. It will give the student the ability to
understand how mobile communication arose and why it has become such a major force in our
society. |
None |
| CS2063 Short Overseas Journalism Practicum (SOJOURN) - Strictly by application |
The Short Overseas Journalism practicum exposes students to the challenge of reporting in an
overseas setting. In pre-departure meetings, students will learn about the destination, plan their
stories and assist in making arrangements for their trip. The field trip, of four to seven days, will
involve intensive reporting, briefings and site visits. Students are expected to produce a journalistic
work of professional quality soon after they return. The class size is limited and admission is by
application. |
CS2021 News
Reporting and Writing |
| CS2064 / CS2164 / CS4083 / CS4183 Television Practicum |
The purpose of this practicum is to give students practical experience in broadcast production
work. This practicum serves as a training ground for future broadcast journalists, television
producers, and programme makers. Students will work individually and as part of news and studio
teams to produce a magazine-style programme called Nanyang Spectrum, which is broadcast over
the campus cable network, Channel NTU. Selected students may have the opportunity to take the
course at the upper level and gain practice in leadership roles in television production and
programming. |
None |
| CS2066 / CS2166 / CS4085 / CS4185 Film Festival Practicum |
This course is designed to expose students to the organising of a film festival in Singapore.
Students will work individually and as part of a team to organise a two-week film festival. Students
will learn about the various aspects of a film festival, including programming, ticketing, promotion
and marketing, fundraising, budgeting and financial fiscal management, and screening. |
None |
| CS2067 / CS2167 / CS4086 / CS4186 Communication Research Practicum |
Students work independently or in small groups under the supervision of research faculty, typically
on projects the faculty member designed. |
CS2008
Fundamentals of
Research |
| CS2068 / CS2168 / CS4087 / CS4187 Online Magazine Practicum |
In this practicum, students work as a team to produce the WKWSCI Alumni Magazine, an online-
only publication targeted at the school's alumni and other stakeholders. Students hone skills
in writing, photography, editing, design, and layout, and gain practice in putting together an online
magazine from conceptualisation to publication. The practicum benefits students interested in
careers in journalism or corporate communications and helps them develop their portfolios.
Selected students may have the opportunity to take the course at the upper level and gain
leadership experience in producing the magazine. |
CS2021 News
Reporting and Writing
(may be taken
concurrently) |
| CS2071 / CS2171 / CS4091 / CS4191 News Practicum |
Students will get first-hand experience creating and developing news in a multimedia, multi-platform
newsroom. You will work as reporters, illustrators, photographers, digital journalists, video
producers and data journalists. Selected senior students will have responsibilities as editors,
managing teams of reporters and mentoring less experienced students. All students will be
involved in conceptualising innovative news packages, strategizing for greater relevance and reach. |
CS2021 News
Reporting and Writing
(may be taken
concurrently) |
| CS2073 / CS2173 / CS4093 / CS4193 Overseas Film Festival Practicum |
In the Overseas Film Festival Practicum, students will have the opportunity to visit prestigious
international film festivals around the world. You will gain both critical perspectives on the history
and theory of the film festivals and direct, hands-on experience by meeting and engaging with film
festival programmers, staffs, film journalists, directors and producers, and international film and
media scholars at the festival sites. It is this practicum’s aim to let students put the skills and
knowledge they have learned at WKWSCI into practice, and gain additional skills and a more
thorough understanding of the international film festival curatorship, programming, management,
and organization practice. |
None |
| CS2075 Regional Strategic Communication Management (RSCM) - Strictly by application |
RSCM challenges second-year Wee Kim Wee School students to produce materials to build
awareness and help raise funds for a worthy cause. Each offering of RSCM is based on the
advocacy of a partner organisation for a particular semester. The advocacy is the topic for which
collaterals are to be developed. The first part of the course involves lectures about key issues in
public communication and the development of communication collaterals. The second part covers
the fieldwork in the host community during recess week. The third part involves a series of
workshops during which the students will produce their collaterals. The course ends with the
presentation of the collaterals before a panel composed of the course lectures and representatives
from the partner organisation. |
None |
| CS2088 The Content Lab for Community Management |
This course aims to meet potential and increased demand for community management in the
marketplace, and to equip students with the right new skill sets to be community managers for
client and agency environments. Due to the scarcity of talent in this area, graduates with
experience and skills in community management will be readily recruited in the current
marketplace. This course will have hands-on training for planning, ideating and activating initiatives,
leveraging on social media platforms to the fullest. Students can learn to become brand or
community advocates with savvy communication skills, content creation skills, project
management and organisation skills, strategic thinking and data analysis skills. |
None |
| CS2090 Digital Media Entrepreneurship |
This course introduces essentials of digital media entrepreneurship through analysis of case
studies and generation of student proposals. Students learn basic characteristics of business
models for digital media content distribution across genres and platforms. They learn copyright,
trademark, privacy & contract law fundamentals; basics of corporate finance for the digital media
sector; and organisation and team management essentials. |
CS0209 Media Law,
Ethics & Policy |
| CS2101 Public Relations Writing |
Note: This course was formerly offered as CS4028 (4AU). wef AY17/18 it is offered as CS2101
(3AU)
This course introduces students into the various aspects and styles of public relations writing to
gain visibility in the crowded media arena. Students will be exposed to the world of public relations
and the need for fast and accurate information processing to create and develop a story or a series
of stories to capture the media’s attention for higher visibility. Develop skills in various types of PR
tools as well as produce different types of PR writing materials. Students will be put in
organisational or consultancy settings to prepare them for real-life situations and for them to
experience the problems and excitement of what practitioners put up with. |
Mutually Exclusive to
CS4028 |
| CS2300 Acting and Directing for TV and Film |
This course will explore the theory, practice, and ethics of acting and directing actors in film and
television and other mediums. Texts, screenings, production and performance exercises will be
combined over the course of the semester. The goal of this course is to inspire students to expand
their knowledge and skill in the study of performance in directing and acting in television, film and
other forms of mediated communication. The course will enhance their ability to communicate with
confidence by providing an understanding of performance in society and in a medium. |
CS2006 Theories of
Visual
Communication &
Their Applications |
| CS2400 Foundation of Information Analytics |
Note: This course is a prescribed elective for students admitted prior to 2016. It becomes a core
course for the AY16/17 cohort.
This course will introduce you to the statistical foundations of data science and information
analytics for handling of massive databases. The course covers the statistical concepts required
for big data analytics, and introduces you to statistical tests and statistical modelling. |
None |
| CS2401 Information Analytics: Tools, Techniques and Technologies |
Large amounts of data are generated by individuals and organisations through various platforms
including social media, sensors, and mobile devices. Types of data are mostly unstructured data
and examples include videos, tweets, photographs, email messages, and Web logs, to name a
few. Such data presents opportunities and challenges in terms of extracting and analysing for
decision making, a field known as information analytics. This course provides an introduction to
information analytics and its application in various industries, including those in media and
communication. It examines the various techniques that have been employed in capturing, storing
and analysing large amounts of data, as well as software tools available for these tasks. Related
technologies essential to information analytics are also discussed including databases, search
engines, social media, and ubiquitous computing. |
None |
| CS2403 Information Visualization and Presentation |
Information visualization focuses on the use of visualization techniques to amplify cognition. This is
an introduction to information visualization and presentation, focusing on human visual perception
and media components (e.g. word, number, colour, shape, texture, image, and graph). The
fundamental issues regarding the use of visualization techniques are explored. Visualization design
principles in various situations and contexts are examined from the perspective of cognitive
psychology and human visual perception. |
None |
| CS2405 Data Mining |
This course covers the principles and techniques of data mining for extracting information from
large amounts of numerical data. The information mined from data is often in the form of
associations, patterns or specific facts, that can be synthesized to create new knowledge,
construct prediction models or used in decision making. The class will be run partly in a project-
based/problem- based style. Lab sessions and the class project will provide students with hands-
on experience with a data mining software. The approach taken in the course is a how-to- do-it,
how-does- it-work and how-to- apply-it kind of approach, to develop the student’s commonsense
ability to manipulate and analyze data intelligently for deriving new knowledge or supporting
decision making. |
CS2400 Foundation
of Information
Analytics |
| FL8001 Introduction to Film Studies |
The course is designed to provide a general introduction to the discipline of film studies. It is the
prerequisite course for all film minor elective courses. Through screenings, readings, discussions,
and critical writing, students will develop a formal and aesthetic appreciation of film and acquire a
general awareness of film history and its key movements. The course will also offer basic
theoretical approaches to the various genres of narrative cinema as well as different modes of
nonfiction cinema (documentary and avant-garde film practices) so that students will understand
how cinema has developed globally and locally as art, technology, and social practices from the
late 19th century to the digital age. |
None |
| UPPER-LEVEL COURSES |
| CS4103 / CS4203 Professional Internship (PI) |
Note: CS4103 - students admitted BEFORE AY2015/2016
CS4203 - students admitted FROM AY2015/2016
This 22-week professional internship aims to extend students’ knowledge beyond the academic
curriculum. During the internship period, students will gain first-hand industry experience by
working closely with professionals. This also provides students with an opportunity to develop an
interpersonal network with professionals and hone their social and management skills. For
students who choose to complete their internship abroad, they will also gain experience in a cross-
cultural context. |
Must accumulate at
least 55 AU |
| CS4004 Final Year Project (FYP) |
Note: Prerequisites vary by project type. See the FYP Prerequisites page.
The purpose of the final-year project is to allow students to showcase their abilities and
competencies. Students can choose to execute a variety of projects, including feature writing,
photojournalism, public and promotional campaigns, quantitative or qualitative research,
scriptwriting, video documentary, and video drama. Students are responsible for conceptualising
and designing the project, soliciting and negotiating with clients and sponsors, and managing,
implementing, and evaluating the project. |
Must accumulate at
least 90 AU |
| CS4011 News Copy Editing |
This course helps students think like editors. It treats good journalism as the product of sound
editorial decision-making across a spectrum of professional newspapering skills, from headline
writing and picture selection, to page layout. The course is geared for future editors and sub-
editors, as well as reporters and photographers who need to be sensitised to the editing principles
and practices that affect their work. Students will receive practical training in all the functions of
sub-editors, including copy processing, and develop their skills at conceptualising the presentation
of major news and feature packages. |
CS2021 News
Reporting and Writing |
| CS4017 Specialised Journalism: Public Affairs |
The course provides students with the principles of and hands-on training in reporting public affairs
– issues relating to public servants operating in government, society and the law. The course will
cover Parliament and government; police and law courts; statutory boards and grassroots
organisations. It will look at the relationship between the media and the authorities from both
sides, and examine how that relationship can work to everyone’s best advantage. |
CS2021 News
Reporting and Writing |
| CS4018 Specialised Journalism: Business and Economics |
This course introduces the business and economic beat, preparing students for entry-level
reporting jobs on the business desks of newspapers, magazines and wires. It is partly a
conceptual course, covering the macro-economy, markets, and companies, and providing a
grounding in the concepts and tools required to understand, analyse and interpret the kinds of
information that business/economic journalists deal with. It is also a practical course, with
discussions focusing on current events, and assignments requiring students to report and write
news stories and features within the business/economics beat. |
CS2021 News
Reporting and Writing |
| CS4020 Magazine Publishing |
The course is about the different forces at work in a magazine. It will give students an
understanding of magazine writing, projection, editing, production and distribution; the skills
required in an entry-level job in an editorial department; insights into the industry and the wide
variety of titles; and the creative process involved. It will take them from the initial conceptualisation
of a title, through the business side of generating income, to the creative hothouse that produces
lively, inventive, relevant publications on a regular basis. It will put magazines in a social and
cultural perspective, both in Singapore and overseas, and invite students to consider potential new
titles. |
CS0204 Basic Media
Writing |
| CS4022 Social Media Mining |
This course covers how to analyse unstructured data such as social media content using text
mining techniques. Students will learn various text mining techniques and tools both through
lectures and hands-on exercises in labs. The course will also explore various usages of text mining
techniques to real world applications. |
CS2405 Data Mining |
| CS4023 Advanced Photojournalism |
The course is intended as a continuation of CS2044 (Basic Photojournalism) and is an extended
study of the theory and practice of making photographs and using the picture essay and picture
story. It develops the basic skills introduced in CS2044 to produce work of publishable standard.
Advanced techniques including electronic fill-flash and studio lighting will be covered, as will the
history of documentary photojournalism. Emphasis will be on photographing news, feature and
sports events, with the goal of completing a photojournalism portfolio. |
CS2044
Photojournalism |
| CS4024 Writing for Cinema and TV |
This course develops scriptwriting skills for film and television. It focuses on the research and
creative processes and the technical considerations involved in developing both fiction and non-
fiction scripts. There are three approaches to the course – first, the development of ideas,
creativity, and developing writing skills; second, an introduction to genre requirements and
appropriate research skills; and third, the stages of cinema and television writing. |
None |
| CS4026 Documentary Film and TV: Concepts and Applications |
This course explores the different styles of documentary films with special emphasis on the role of
the producer/director in documentary videos. Students will review documentary concepts and
theories and put them into practice by producing their own short video. Through screenings and
readings, students develop a critical understanding of the different techniques and approaches to
documentary production. Students are encouraged to engage with contemporary debates which
concern the documentary sector of the media industries. |
CS2025 Image and
Sound Production
or
CS2029 Broadcast
Journalism: Concepts
and Applications |
| CS4027 Narrative Film and TV: Concepts and Applications |
This course further explores the different narrative structures and strategies covered in CS2027
Genre and Narrative Strategies as well as other film/TV theory with special emphasis on the role of
the director in dramatic videos. Students explore dramatic concepts and theories, and produce
short videos independently. With a focus on visual storytelling, performance and script analysis,
the course explores techniques to elicit performance and determine visual style and coverage
relevant to dramatic scenes. Screenings, discussions, lectures, tutorials, and assignments are
designed to develop students' skills as dramatic directors. |
CS2025 Image and
Sound Production |
| CS4029 Advertising, Creativity and Copywriting |
This course is an introduction to the creative processes and the process used in creating
advertisements for print, broadcast and other media with attention to creative thinking skills,
creative problem-solving, copywriting, design, and production. Students learn what advertising
creative personnel do in their professions. This course has practical exercises during the classes
and tutorials related to the creative aspects of advertising and how they relate to other areas such
as consumer behaviour and social learning. |
None |
| CS4030 Crisis Management |
The course examines contemporary theories and practices in preventing and managing issues and
crises. It introduces the definition and scope of issues and crisis management. The course
explores the dynamics of identification, planning, management, and communication of issues and
crises and their multifaceted consequences to organisations in public and private sectors.
Strategies for conducting strategic crisis communication will also be included by evaluating real-life
practices and case studies. |
CS2033 Corporate
Communications
Management |
| CS4031 Media Planning and Strategies |
The course introduces students to the quantitative aspects of media planning. Topics covered will
include brand analysis, audience analysis, market segmentation, and media analysis. Case
studies and real-life practices will be included in this class. During the first half of the semester,
students will conduct a brand audit and develop and administer a survey to determine target
audience media usage. The information from the brand audit and market survey will then be used to
compile a strategic media plan. Strategies and recommendations will form the basis of the media
plan. The course will be taught in an active learning fashion. It strives for a balanced coverage of
theoretical and practical issues, industry norms and ideals, and facts and thoughts. The ultimate
goal is for students to form their own perspectives, sharpen their strategic thinking, and advance
their planning skills. To this end, students should become critical thinkers who move beyond a view
of learning as information gathering to a view of learning as knowledge building. All students are
expected to be active and proactive in course activities. |
None |
| CS4032 Communication Campaigns |
The focus of this course is on the creation, production, performance, and dissemination of various
forms of publicity to support a range of comprehensive communication campaigns. It covers print
and audio-visual media, and the activities of government, non-profit organisations and private
corporations. The course is organised around a client project. The proposed campaign will require
students to do some basic consumer research, develop a positioning strategy, create original
advertising and other marketing communication materials, develop a media plan, and put all of
these elements into a written plan and presentation for the client as if they were “pitching” for an
account. |
CS2058 Integrated
Marketing
Communication |
| CS4034 Brand Management |
This course will introduce retail marketing concepts covering both the mechanics and management
of retailing from a brand management perspective. It will also cover the role and concepts of brand
equity creation, store and non-store retailing, location and site selection, retail communication mix
components such as merchandising, pricing and margin planning, store management, layout and
visual merchandising, as well as internal and external promotions. While the subject will cover
theories in retail marketing discipline, it is generally approached with a practical and applied
orientation. Learning will include evaluating retail brands and developing strategies for real-life
businesses through hands-on projects. |
CS2058 Integrated
Marketing
Communication |
| CS4037 Audience Research Methods |
This course is designed to provide students with tools to study audience characteristics and the
impact of communication on receivers. The course centres around two research methods that are
widely used by academics and practitioners: survey research and focus group study. Students will
learn how to design, plan and implement these two types of studies. They will also learn how to
analyse data and present the findings in both oral and written formats. |
CS2008
Fundamentals of
Research |
| CS4039 Frontiers in Communication Science |
This course aims to develop your understanding of the fundamentals underlying several of the most
cutting-edge approaches in communication science, such as agent-based modeling or gene
studies, as well as to demonstrate how these approaches are actually applied in understanding
communication. |
None |
| CS4042 Advanced Research Methods |
This course is designed to introduce you to advanced research methods in communication to
understand and implement research in applied settings. In this class, you will become familiar with
essential ideas in measurements, experimental design, quantitative content analysis, data
analysis, and result interpretation/reporting. |
CS2008
Fundamentals of
Research |
| CS4043 Specialised Journalism: Science & Health |
This course aims to teach students about reporting in two related specialised fields – science and
health. First, the course will give students an appreciation of science and medical journalism from
vaccines to viruses, satellites to space stations, embryonic stem cells to genomes, pollution and
conservation, new and old diseases, potential pandemics, a growing pharmaceutical industry and
an aging population. Next, the course will focus on strategies for communicating science and
health to the public: how to explain things, how to interview experts who seem to speak a language
of their own, and how to research and write meaningful stories for a general audience. |
CS2021 News
Reporting and Writing |
| CS4050 Bayesian Data Analysis & its Applications |
This course will introduce the theoretical foundation of cutting-edge data analytic techniques and
its applications to communication research, focusing on Bayesian statistics. Its theoretical part will
cover the philosophical discourses over empirical research, basic probability theory, the logic of
hypothesis testing, and statistical inference and learning from data. Two special topics include the
applications of Bayesian statistics to machine learning techniques. An equal weight of emphasis
will be placed on developing practical skills for collecting and analysing data to solve real-world
problems. Students will learn computational programming languages, such as R and Python,
through a series of tutorials, lab assignments, and final projects. The well-balanced combination of
theoretical knowledge and practical skills offered in this course will provide qualification
requirements both for professional analysts in media industry and for academic researchers in
communication studies and other social sciences. |
CS2008
Fundamentals of
Research |
| CS4053 Popular Cinema |
This course introduces students to the different genres of contemporary popular global cinemas. In
addition to Hollywood feature films, students will study non-Hollywood contemporary films that
have done successfully at the box offices either internationally and/or in their countries of
production, in order to study the critical elements that have contributed to the success of these
films. Students will be exposed to box office hits from a wide variety of countries such as Spain,
the UK, Japan, Korea, India, and Australia. The analysis of these popular films will be
contextualised in relation to relevant film theories such as genre theory, audience reception
theories, studies of the economic development of new cinematic industries, and the impact of
global film distribution. |
None |
| CS4054 Asian Cinema |
The course will survey and examine the various cultural determinants and industry development of
Asian film forms through screenings, lectures, and readings. It allows students to become
acquainted with the wider institutional, historical and cultural contexts of the films in their
respective countries while simultaneously exposing students to important Asian film directors and
their works. Students will also be introduced to critical film scholarship about Asian cinema in
order to partake in academic debates such as the differences and similarities between mainstream
cinema and independent film forms from East, Southeast and South Asia. |
None |
| CS4055 TV Studies: Critical Approaches |
This course aims to provide students with an understanding of the major themes, topics and
theoretical perspectives that constitute television studies. Attention will be focused on the producer
-text-audience relationships which are central to the understanding of the meanings that are
created and the impact of the medium. The course will cover audience and reception analysis,
television genres and their characteristics, television and gender, as well as television and
ethnicity. |
None |
| CS4058 Intercultural Communication |
This course examines current theories and research regarding communication between people
from different minority, ethnic and cultural backgrounds in domestic and international contexts. The
course exposes students to culture and its relationship to communication. It offers opportunities for
students to develop skills and understand cultural attitudes and the theoretical and methodological
concerns of intercultural communication. |
None |
| CS4059 Public Opinion |
This course focuses on contemporary concepts of public opinion, theories of public opinion, ways
of measuring public opinion, and the impact of public opinion, with special reference to media-
related issues. It examines relationships between public opinion and communication, and explores
the role of media use in the formation and change of public opinion. The course will also address
the influence of public opinion on individuals’ attitudes and behaviours. |
None |
| CS4060 Persuasion and Social Influence |
This course emphasises the social and psychological approaches to attitudinal and behavioural
change. It identifies the characteristics and behaviours of effective persuaders, and students will
analyse their target audience, design and package their messages, and select the right delivery
channels to optimise persuasive efforts in various contexts, such as health, politics, and business.
Students will learn about persuasion in interpersonal, small group, as well as in mass-mediated
settings. Students will learn about resistance to persuasion, and the strengthening of desired
attitudes and behaviours. |
None |
| CS4061 Global Media Issues and Policy |
This course focuses on policy and legal issues about global media and about the media of
individual nations, including Singapore. This semester, we will focus on an important and timely
issue: fake news. The issue of fake news, which rose to prominence during the 2016 presidential
elections in the United States, has reached Singapore. But what is fake news? Why is fake news
a problem? What mechanisms allow the spread of fake news? And what should be done to
address the issue of fake news? In this course, we will critically examine the sociology of fake
news, from the socio-political and economic contexts that allow fake news to thrive, the
technological factors that facilitate its spread, to the psychological processes that make individuals
vulnerable to believing in fake news. We will also learn strategies to spot and fact-check fake news. |
None |
| CS4064 International Public Relations |
Globalisation is the primary reason for the increased importance of international public relations
because it has spurred increased the outreach of organisations beyond national and cultural
borders. This course seeks to provide students with insights on the issues pertaining to effective
international public relations and the way public relations is practiced beyond national and cultural
borders. Students will develop the ability to link specific environmental variables with the generic
principles of public relations practice. |
CS2101 Public
Relations Writing
or
CS4028 Public
Relations Writing |
| CS4068 Issues in Cinema Studies |
This course covers issues that are related to cinema studies which have not been covered in
existing courses offered by the school. It provides an opportunity for students to benefit from the
special interests and expert knowledge of faculty members and/or visiting professors. Thus, this
course may draw upon multidisciplinary perspectives in examining special issues in cinema
studies, address emerging academic concerns, or introduce students to cutting-edge professional
practices. Some topics that can be examined include the relationship between cinema studies and
other creative industries, the transformation of cinema in the digital age, issues of representation in
contemporary screen studies, and national and transnational cinemas. |
None |
| CS4070 Issues in Advertising |
This course examines the role and impact of advertising in society. In this class we will wear a
different hat than often worn in other advertising classes. The emphasis is on examining advertising
from a broader perspective to help us consider the economic, legal and regulatory, ethical, and
social issues that surround advertising. This course will focus on helping students become aware
of the cumulative effects of advertising on society. |
CS2058 Integrated
Marketing
Communication |
| CS4071 Special Topics: Media in Singapore |
Every country’s media system reflects its history and political development. The shape of the
media system in Singapore is no different. In the 1950s, the media organisations were very
competitive. The scenario parallels today’s dotcom boom where media companies sprouted
overnight to face cut-throat hyper-competition. There were reports of rivals buying up all the daily
circulation only to dump them into the sea—leaving advertisers to doubt the veracity of the
publisher who would say that every copy was sold but then could not find many readers.Today’s
media structure sees dominant players in the newspaper, broadcast and Internet space linked to
Singapore Government. How did this situation arise? What are some possible implications for the
future development of the media in Singapore.This course traces the trajectory of the development
of the media in Singapore to address these issues. It will also look at some current research by
the instructor in the development of media in small countries. |
None |
| CS4072 Digital Media and Human Relationships |
The course covers issues related to computer-mediated communication in various contexts that
would help students understand the different impacts computer-mediated communication has on
its users. |
None |
| CS4074 Consumer Behaviour |
Amidst the ever-changing advertising and marketing realm, it is indispensable and pivotal to well
know about consumer behavior and consumer psychology before advertising practitioners could
implement any marketing strategy or campaign. The course covers the dynamic process in relation
to consumer behavior – cognitive processing, affective and behavioral formations, as well as study
consumers in a large social and cultural setting. This core advertising course aims to develop your
understanding of basic consumer behavior and psychology concepts, theories, and the latest
trends in consumer behavior research and applications using classical and contemporary cases,
which will serve as the basis for future advertising courses and practices. |
None |
| CS4075 Selected Topics in PR: Evaluating & Producing Campaign Results |
Students learn to conduct formative research to guide campaign programming and
evaluative research on campaign outcomes. Upon successful completion of the course, students
will be able to critically evaluate various campaigns and conduct the types of research required for
campaign final year projects. |
CS2008
Fundamentals of
Research |
| CS4079 Issues in Cinema Studies: Cinema and Social Currents |
This is a module for advanced students addressing the question, "How does film relate to society
and politics?" While films are generally seen as a leisure activity, the cinema cannot be divorced
from society and the pressing issues of our times. It can function as a forum in which viewers are
not only entertained but informed and educated and cognitively prepared to develop good
citizenship. This module seeks to stimulate and inspire students towards a more critical view of
cinema as a medium that challenges viewing practices and cognitive senses through the content of
the films. Students will be taught to understand the cinema as a medium of social communication,
presenting stories that question our views of society and politics. The module will familiarize
students with a range of cinematic works, including Battle of Algiers (1966), Zero Dark Thirsty
(2013), Waltz with Bashir (2008) and other important works of global cinema. Students will also be
introduced to key readings discussing the films and the social issues presented. They will learn to
develop critical tools and skills in analyzing contemporary films with respect to both their aesthetic
properties and their various historical, social and political determinants. |
None |
| CS4090 Going Overseas for Advanced Reporting (GOFAR) - Strictly by application |
This hands-on course exposes journalism students to the challenges of operating in another
country and culture. Students work on stories that require a stint in the overseas location. They are
expected to deliver stories of publishable or broadcast quality. They will prepare for their field trips
by attending seminars and doing independent research into the chosen location and identifying
workable story ideas. They are also expected to help organise the logistics of the programme.
While overseas, they are expected to function as working journalists, developing their story ideas
within the practical constraints of operating in the field. They will complete their assignments back
in Singapore. Admission to this course is by application and on merit. |
CS2021 News
Reporting and Writing |
| CS4092 New Media and Society |
New media technologies are changing every aspect of our social, political and cultural lives. This
course aims to help students develop insights into how new media affects news, politics,
economy, education and culture. After taking this course, you will be familiar with how new media
technologies shape the way we work, study, make friends, create knowledge and ultimately, live.
You will explore the development and use of new information and communication technologies and
critically examine their social and cultural impact. |
None |
| CS4095 International Strategic Communication Management - Strictly by application |
This course is designed to give students practical overseas experience in tackling major
communication challenges. It will give students the opportunity to apply skills learnt in the
advertising and PR courses. It will expose students to the full process of launching an
advertising/PR campaign, from client briefing, immersion in the subject, market research, strategic
thinking, media planning, creative execution and consumer testing, right up to client presentation.
The students will be broken into groups and put into competitive situations like professionals in real
life are. |
None |
| CS4131 Risk Communication |
The course introduces the theory, core concepts, and practice of communication about hazards
and risks. Key principles of risk communication are used across a variety of arenas including
public health, environmental communication, disaster management and corporate management. In
this course, students will attain competencies in 1) understanding core concepts and theories of
risk communication, 2) examining special challenges in communicating about risks with diverse
audiences 3) critically analysing risk communication practices through case studies. Emphasis is
placed on students' active participation in exploring and applying concepts that inform risk
communication in a global society. |
None
*Mutually exclusive
to CS4150 |
| CS4150 Health Communication |
This course is designed to introduce students to significant concepts and issues in the field of
health communication. Health communication encompasses theories, research, and practices
based on multiple sources of scholarship such as communication, public health, and social
psychology. The primary objective of this course is to provide students with knowledge and skills
for communicating health that should be useful in their future career in a wide range of contexts. |
CS2008
Fundamentals of
Research
*Mutually Exclusive
to CS4131 |
| CS4160 The Korean Wave: A Multidisciplinary Perspective |
Accompanying the Korean Wave, or Hallyu, are the heightened popular and scholarly discussions
of the attributes of this phenomenon. This course seeks to get students to appreciate the
dynamics of transnational cultural flow, and to appropriate and localise such flows according to
their own spatial and cultural specificities. A combination of factors has been put forward to explain
the rise of the Korean Wave including the release in creative energies arising from political
liberalisation in the 1990s, technological advancement particularly in the era of the digital and
social media, and significant investment and sophisticated marketing. In this respect, as a course,
the Korean Wave will offer a potentially multidisciplinary engagement with students, many of whom
are already avid fans of the Korean Wave (Hallyu) products and icons. |
None |
| CS4260 Film Festivals: History and Theory |
As many film historians have argued, the beginning of the annual international film festival was the
specific European political situation in the period preceding World War II and the immediate post-
war era that brought together the necessary incentives to initiate their development, which would
later expand to a global phenomenon. Throughout the course, each student will learn how
international film festivals affected the cinematic aesthetics, movements, and history(and vice
versa) through screenings, readings, and discussions of such vital film festivals as Cannes,
Venice, Berlin, Moscow, Sundance, Busan and Singapore, focusing primarily on the politics of
cultural market and industry, print journalism, alternative distributions, and global circulation of
cinema in the age of digital media. |
None |
| CS4262 Social Media and Digital Campaign Management |
This course is an advanced-level course that teaches how to build digital and social media
campaigns for today’s hyper-connected world. Students will be exposed to a wide range of
resources and tools across traditional, mobile and web platforms, and learn how to think
strategically; generate ideas; develop strategies to amplify the big ideas using owned, earned and
paid media to drive business outcomes; and pitch for real world clients. This course provides
exposure to real-world situations and helps meet demands of the future advertising and public
relations job market for students with skills in new media communication. |
None |
| CS4264 Introduction of Network Analysis |
‘Networking thinking’, which views people, organisations, events, and anything else around us as
‘network nodes’ interconnected in some meaningful ways, is becoming more and more significant
nowadays with the emergence and popularity of social media. The countless ways in which
network structures affect our well-being make it critical to understand how social network
structures impact behaviour, which network structures are likely to emerge in a society, and why
we organise ourselves as we do. The course provides an overview and synthesis of research on
social networks, drawing on studies by communication scientists, sociologists, economists, and
computer scientists, which will expose students to an interdisciplinary body of knowledge.
Students will not only acquire knowledge from learning this course but also practical skills to
address networking issues. |
CS2008 Fundamentals of Research |
| CS4311 Promoting SustainabilityCS4311 Promoting Sustainability |
This course introduces the concept and practice of social marketing as a means of promoting
sustainability. Course contents explore a range of environmental issues that social marketers have
sought to address by influencing public attitudes and behaviours. A social marketing case study
will accompany each sustainability theme. Students will learn about a range of important
sustainability issues and practice using social marketing tools to promote attitudinal and
behavioural change among diverse audiences. |
None |
| CS4540 Tech & Startup Reporting Lab |
This course introduces students to tech and startup reporting. Upon completion of the course,
students are expected to: 1) Understand the fundamentals of digital transformation and its impact
across society; more importantly, how this digital shift has led to the emergence of tech
companies and startups with new innovations in local and global economies. 2) Understand key
business and financial basics of tech companies from startups to unicorns. 3) Chase and generate
stories as news unfold on the ground 4) Produce news and enterprise stories fit for publication 5)
Develop networking and interpersonal skills as they generate stories through interviews with
various stakeholders and collaborate with key partners. |
CS2021 News
Reporting and Writing |
| CS9080: News Media Lab - Innovating & Exploring New Tools for Digital Media Storytelling |
News Media Lab is an interdisciplinary practicum that brings together student journalists,
designers and developers to innovate and explore new tools for digital media storytelling in today’s
newsrooms.
This practicum is open to all students who are able to take on the roles of journalists, designers
and developers. Working in small groups, students will be assigned to client news organisations
with the main objective of developing news products or tools that will enrichen online storytelling.
Toward this end, students will use Google’s SPRINT framework of testing and prototyping new
product ideas.
At the end of the semester, students will present a digital strategy pivoted on their clients’
needs/problem and produce a prototype that could come in the form of a digital storytelling tool or
otherwise.
The practicum aims to bring students up to speed with the needs and challenges of today’s fast-
evolving newsrooms, most of which have begun to implement innovation labs or processes. |
None |
