Teaching plan for the course unit

(Short version)

 
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General information

 

Course unit name: Sociology of Comunication and Information

Course unit code: 360937

Academic year: 2025-2026

Coordinator: Maria Trinidad Bretones Esteban

Department: Department of Sociology

Credits: 6

Single program: S

 

 

Estimated learning time

Total number of hours 150

 

Face-to-face and/or online activities

60
 

-  Lecture with practical component

Face-to-face

  

45
 

-  Problem-solving class

Face-to-face

  

15

Supervised project

40

Independent learning

50

 

 

Learning objectives

 

Referring to knowledge

Develop a sociological understanding of the relationships between communication and education, communication and power, communication and political activity, and communication and public opinion.

 

Analyse the social role of the media from a range of contemporary sociological perspectives.

 

Develop an understanding of critical discourse analysis in the study of the media.

 

Referring to abilities, skills

Analyse professional practice in relation to the interaction between social actors and the media.

 

Critically reflect on current changes and emerging trends in the communication landscape and their social impact.

 

 

Teaching blocks

 

1. Forms of Social Communication: from individual communication to mass and informational communication

1.1. The communication process: communicative traits and social contexts. A typology of social communication

1.2. Psychosocial bases of communication

1.3. Society and communication. History of the mass media. Types and structures of current mass media and new media

2. Analysis of Mass Communication: function and effects

2.1. Theories on the effects of the mass media

2.2. Traditional productive routines and newsworthiness criteria of the mass media and new productive and newsworthiness routines derived from new forms of communication

2.3. Application of discourse analysis: selection of press and digitized materials

  • Ideological and value conflicts as communicative conflicts (sensationalism in newspaper headlines, television debates, fake news, social media debates, etc.)
  • Social communication as an expression and reproduction of social inequality: class-based language, homophobic, sexist, anti-feminist and xenophobic discourses

2.4. Digital divide and media literacy: debate concerning the incorporation of the media into daily life

3. Political Communication, Mass Media and Informational communication

3.1. Political communication: polyarchy and communication

3.2. Social movements, communication and public opinion

3.3. Public opinion as a process of information and social communication

 

 

Official assessment of learning outcomes

 

Attendance is compulsory and forms a key part of the assessment. Students must attend at least 80% of classes in order to be eligible for the continuous mode of assessment.

— Two in-course tests (including multiple-choice and essay-style questions): 60% of the final grade. These assess the specific competencies as set out in this course plan.

— Individual assignments (as specified on the Virtual Campus) for each problem-analysis session, consisting of two written exercises presented orally in class; and submitted via the Virtual Campus: 40% of the final grade. These assess both transversal and specific competences as set out in this course plan.

Repeat assessment. Students who do not pass the course under the continuous mode are entitled to sit a global exam consisting of 20 multiple-choice questions and 2 essay questions.

Opting out of continuous assessment: In the event that the final continuous assessment examination is held before the date scheduled by the Academic Council for single assessment, students who sit this examination are understood to have renounced the single assessment option. Students who do not take the continuous assessment examination are automatically entered for single assessment.

 

Examination-based assessment

Single assessment consists of a global exam covering the course content and core readings (as specified on the Virtual Campus), and includes 20 multiple-choice questions and 2 essay questions.

Repeat assessment criteria

— Students who fail the course (whether opting for the continuous or single mode of assessment) are entitled to be re-evaluated.

— Repeat assessment. This consists of a global exam comprising 20 multiple-choice questions and 2 essay questions.

 

 

Reading and study resources

Check availability in Cercabib

Book

BAUDRILLARD, Jean. La guerra del Golfo no ha tenido lugar. Barcelona: Editorial Anagrama, reimp. 2001

Catāleg UB  Enllaç

BOURDIEU, Pierre. Sobre la televisión. Barcelona: Anagrama, reimp. 2012

Catāleg UB  Enllaç

CASTELLS, Manuel. Comunicación y poder. Madrid: Alianza, reimp. 2011

Catāleg UB  Enllaç
Catāleg UB. Versiķ en catalā (2009)  Enllaç

CHOMSKY, Noam.; HERMAN, Edwards. Los guardianes de la libertad: propaganda, desinformación y consenso en los medios de comunicación de masas. Barcelona: Crítica, 2000

Catāleg UB  Enllaç

ECO, Umberto. Los límites de la interpretación. Barcelona: DeBolsillo, 2013

Catāleg UB  Enllaç

McLUHAN, Marshall. La aldea global. Barcelona: Gedisa, 2015

Catāleg UB  Enllaç
Versiķ en línia (2020)  Enllaç

NOELLE-NEUMANN, Elisabeth. La espiral del silencio. Opinión pública: Nuestra Piel social. Barcelona: Paidós, 1995

Catāleg UB  Enllaç

DIJK, Teun Adrtianus Van. Racismo y discurso de las élites. Barcelona: Gedisa, 2003

Catāleg UB  Enllaç