2nd Year Undergraduate

Department of Communication Studies Course Selection Guide

 

Required

Elective

Health Communication

Local Issues/
Tribal Images or Videos

Program Production

News

Integrated Marketing

Media Design

First Semester
  • Introduction to Research Methods in Communication Studies (3)
  • Interpersonal Communication
    (3)
  • Persuasion (2)
  • Healthy Behavior (2)
  • Health
    Communication
    Message Design
    (2)
  • The Political Economy
    of Imagery (3)
  • Television Videography
    (2)
  • Digital Video Editing (2)
  • News
    Editing
    (2)
  • Introduction to Advertising
    (2)
  • The Construction of Media and Digital Content (3)

Second Semester

  
  • Oral Communication
    (3)
  • Intercultural
    Communication
    (2)
  • Epidemiology and
    Communication (3)
  • Documentary Film on Issues of Aboriginal Communities/ Regional Communities (4)
  • Broadcasting Production (2)
  • News Gathering and Anchoring
    (2)
  • Public Relations (2)
  • Computer Graphics(2)

First Semester

Introduction to Research Methods in Communication Studies (3 credits)

The course introduces research methods in communication. It enhances students’ ability to reflect on theory and research skills, and provides basic training in qualitative and quantitative empirical research. 

The course covers the entire research process, including structure, sampling, measurement, design, data analysis (SPSS suite of applications), and scientific writing. 

The course also deals with the theoretical and philosophical basis of research, including the concept of legitimacy of research, the reliability of measurement, and the ethics of research. Its goal is to equip students with basic research knowledge and skills as to further their abilities to analyze research papers or conduct their research independently.

Interpersonal Communication (3 credits)

Objectives:

  1. Introduction to Theory of Interpersonal Communication.
  2. Conduct special topics seminar on inter-personal relationships in social environment/settings to enhance students’ understanding of various social interaction issues
  3. Enable students to grasp and project person-to-person and person-to-society interrelationships based on their knowledge and training in interpersonal communication.  
  4. Each student is required to complete a written report based on interpersonal communication theory and substantiate it with media information or graphics to demonstrate their ability to combine theory and empirical skills. 

Persuasion (2 credits)

This course teaches students to recognize the basic issues of persuasion and then cultivate their persuading skills and how to respond to persuasion. The course covers the core theories and concepts of persuasion, design of persuasion messages, examination of verbal and non-verbal messages, interpersonal persuasion, media persuasion, and application of persuasion in political/election campaigns, propaganda/promotion, and advertising. Actual cases will be discussed to enhance students’ abilities at applying persuasion theory and analyzing persuasion messages.

Healthy Behavior (2 credits)

1. The course is designed to teach students the theory of health behavior and behavioral change.
2. Enable students to apply health behavior theory to health message productions.
3. Cultivate students’ ability to engage in health communication through group practice in class.

Health Communication Message Design (2 credits)

By JSK

The goal of this course is to assist students to design and produce graphic messages for health issues. It consists of three major areas: understanding of health issues, design of health messages, and planning of health programs. At the end of the term, students participating in the program will be able to complete a special health project to facilitate their employment in related industries.

The Political Economy of Imagery (3 credits)

The core of this course is analyzing imagery from the perspective of political economy. Students will understand the core concepts and thinking of political economy, especially from the "commercialization" concept, analyzing the processes of image production, circulation, and consumption. 

The course further uses the perspective of political economy to analyze communications and other social phenomena. 

The course is part of the ‘Image Communication Study’ group, to teach students, after flat and moving image production training, how to incorporate imagery in the political economy and sociology framework for analysis. Simultaneously, it lays the theoretical foundation for documentary study, darkroom photography and reporting, community documentary, as well as graduation production projects.

Television Videography (2 credits)

The course introduces the development history of television cameras, ensuring students’ understanding of principles of TV imagery, concepts of static and dynamic composition, and types of camera movement. Students will learn how camera lenses work and practice operational methods during lab time. 

In addition, the course introduces location shooting and related operational techniques, and the relationship between color temperature, lighting, and cameras. Above all, it cultivates professionalism in students’ attitude and skills.

Digital Video Editing (2 credits)

The course teaches the purposes and functions of TV production editing. It introduces the history of linear and non-linear editing; linear editing (including editing signals and equipment), non-linear editing (including digital image technology / knowledge and editing concepts). The course also compares the difference between linear and non-linear clips and familiarizes students with the professional version of non-linear editing technology, simple synthesis, and editing techniques. Above all, it cultivates professionalism in their editing attitude and technical training.

Broadcast News Interview / Broadcast Practice (2 credits)

The course is designed to train students to gain the following knowledge and abilities:

  1. Knowledge and analysis ability of media
  2. Basic knowledge of journalism
  3. Basic ability in writing and editing news interviews
  4. Basic ability in news compilation and publishing 
  5. Basic ability in news broadcasting and program production
  6. Basic ability in producing broadcast news and programs on campus
  7. Basic skills in writing and communication in Chinese

News Editing (2 credits)

This course includes two parts: news interviewing and editing. In the first semester, the course introduces the theory and practice of journalism, including the connotation of journalism, the definition of news, and the evolution of press freedom. In the second semester, the course focuses on practical exercises, including manuscript processing, title making, layout planning, poster design and exhibition, and the application of ethical news principles. The goal is to familiarize students with compiling process, in preparing for editing of departmental publications, graduation productions, and future employment needs.

Introduction to Advertising (2 credits)

This course teaches the basic concept and theory of advertising, using real life materials to exemplify how practice fits theory. This course systematically explores the theories and applications of advertising environments, management, strategy and innovation, and uses domestic and foreign advertising cases plus real life situations to explain and apply advertising and marketing theory. This is, in addition to inspiring students' interest in advertising and marketing, to cultivate their abilities to analyze, plan, and solve problems related to advertising and marketing.

The Construction of Media and Digital Content (3 credits)

The purpose of this course is to teach students the characteristics of "new media," its development and marketing tools, and how to design digital media content. The course is divided into three stages:

  1. Understanding the types, characteristics, and development of new media.
  2. Analyzing marketing and case studies of digital content on blogs, community sites, OTT, mobile media, etc.
  3. Practicing digital media content design.

These studying stages facilitate students’ understanding of the development of new media and its marketing strategies. Combining knowledge of the theory and practice on content design will inspire students’ creativity in new media applications and design. 

 

Second Semester

Intercultural Communication (2 credits)

This course introduces the interaction between cultural and interpersonal communications. Through the observation and analysis of different cultures, and experience sharing as well as exploration of the related theory and its empirical application, the course enhances students' ability to adapt to different cultures. 

The course covers cultures of different nations, culture and communication, cultural cognition, cultural value and communication, culture and language, culture and nonverbal language, cross-culture adaptation and training, cross-culture relationships, and cross-culture conflict management and negotiation.

Epidemiology and Communication (3 credits)

  1. The course ensures students’ understanding of the basic concept of epidemiology and their ability to report on epidemics.
  2. Students will learn the social causes of disease breakouts and community health status, and acquire the ability to interpret health events correctly.
  3. The course also teaches students to apply professional communication to the health field, and cultivates their ability to work in health communication

Documentary of Aboriginal Communities/Regional Communities (4 credits)

  1. Students will learn to observe and participate mainly in the community and tribal villages in the Hualien County area.
  2. Students are required to produce a short documentary in cooperation with community / tribal residents.
  3. The course is to enhance students' ability in communication of life/activities in communities and tribes.
  4. The final documentary will be presented to the community and tribal villages at the end of the semester.
  5. The final documentary (9.5 minutes or less) will be submitted to Civic Station Website of Tzu Chi University at the end of the semester.

Public Relations (2 credits)

Public relations is an art that creates and promotes mutual communication, as well as good understanding and good will between organizations and the targeted audience (stakeholders?). This course, on a conceptual basis, is divided into three parts. The first part is to enhance students’ understanding of the general public relations through the introduction of theory, strategy, and case studies; the second part is to focus on crises and risks in public relations, particularly relying on actual case studies, and the third part is to explore objectives and planning of public relations.

Broadcasting Production (3 credits)

This course aims to train students in basic radio program planning, hosting, recording, and sound and audio, enabling them to acquire the ability to produce a broadcasting program.

The course teaches the basic principles of broadcasting, the basic software and hardware operations of the studio, and the current situation of the broadcasting media. It teaches, in addition, program planning, production, and interview skills. 

Some industry broadcast professionals are invited to share their experiences of program anchoring, production, and interviewing.  Students will first learn the recording process and equipment operation at the beginning of the course and they are required to pass an equipment operation test. Before the midterm, students are required to write an analysis report of a radio program and complete a short recording as a team. At the end of the course, students should complete a 30 minute documentary/ recording, and accompany it with a program proposal, program flow chart, and music use list.

At completion of the course, students are encouraged to take internships at radio and television stations to gain program production experience and enrich media capabilities.  They are also encouraged to participate in relevant professional contests to build up competitiveness.

News Gathering and Anchoring News Interview and Broadcast Practice (3 credits)

  1. Cultivate news sensitivity.
  2. Recognize implications of the objective reality, subjective reality, and media reality. 
  3. Understand skills of interviewing (gathering), editing, and reporting in radio broadcasting.
  4. Understand skills of interviewing, editing, and reporting in TV news broadcasting.
  5. Be familiar with technology in the practical operation of radio/television news gathering and reporting, students will gain thorough understanding of professionalism in digital media news interviewing and broadcasting.

Computer Graphics (2 credits)

The ability to use the right tools allows ideas to be disseminated and creativity released. Photography is the basic skill for the visual communicator.

This course teaches two commonly used computer graphics programs, Adobe Photoshop (image processing and graphics software) and Adobe Illustrator (vector graphics software). Both are taught by giving practical demonstrations to facilitate students’ easy understanding.

  1.   Adobe Photoshop
    The course introduces the principles and concepts of system software and computer digital images, exploring how professional designers apply image processing skills in artistic creation. Students learn to use tools, commands, color systems, layers, color plates and paths, as well as input and output technologies to solve digital image processing problems
  2.  Adobe Illustrator
    Use vector graphics software to produce or create a variety of symbols, logos, and illustrations.
  3. Students, then learn to integrate these two sets of software to complete a work.