Module SPAN2101: HISPANIC MEDIA AND CULTURE

Department: Modern Language and Cultures (Spanish)

SPAN2101: HISPANIC MEDIA AND CULTURE

Prerequisites

• Spanish Language 1A (SPAN1011) OR Spanish Language 1B (SPAN1072) OR an equivalent qualification to the satisfaction of the Chairman/Chairwoman of the Board of Studies in MLAC or his/her representative.

Corequisites

• Modern European Languages, Combined Honours and all Joint and 'with' programmes: Spanish Language 2A (SPAN2011) OR Spanish Language 2A and Year Abroad (SPAN2131) OR Spanish Language 2B (SPAN2111) OR Spanish Language 2B and Year Abroad (SPAN2121). Others: see Chairman/Chairwoman of the Board of Studies in MLAC or his/her representative.

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None.

Aims

• This module aims to introduce students to the theory and practice of analysis of the mass media of Hispanic world, including the print press, television and internet, which are examined in relation to the cultural, political and national contexts of their production.
• Designed for level 2 students of Spanish, it aims to enhance awareness of a range of modes of representation that are not covered in other cultural modules available in the department.

Content

• The module focuses on a variety of mass media texts - print press, television and the internet - produced in the Hispanic world.
• It introduces students to key theoretical issues and concepts that inform the analysis of media texts.
• at the same time, these theoretical issues are put into practice and contextualised through close readings of a range of mass mediated cultural artefacts.
• The kinds of texts studied will include TV news, popular soap opera, advertisements and will necessarily engage with aspects of contemporary life and culture in the Spanish-speaking world.

Learning Outcomes

• By the end of this module students should:
• have acquired a knowledge and understanding of the rhetorical and stylistic strategies characteristic of each medium, which they demonstrate through close textual analysis.
• demonstrate an awareness of the modes of discourse deployed across different media and cultural contexts.
• demonstrate intercultural awareness of the different social, cultural and political contexts in which media texts are produced.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• This module will be taught via a combination of weekly lectures and fortnightly seminars.
• Lectures will concentrate on the presentation of theoretical principles, contextual information and models of analysis.
• small-group seminars will be used for practical exercises working on representative samples of media material.
• Preparation for the seminars will encourage independent learning and teamwork.
• The mixture of summative coursework and examination is intended to allow scope for independent investigation while ensuring that candidates' understanding is tested under controlled conditions.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

None

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University