Media and Communication Studies Courses
Minor: Media and Communication Studies (7 courses)
Course Details
Video Production I MCS-101
An introductory course in the art and craft of video production. Coming to understand
film as a method of storytelling, students learn and practice film aesthetics
and techniques, including all the elements of preproduction, production, and
postproduction. Students will collaborate to plan, shoot, and edit short videos while
learning the basics of filmmaking equipment and software. Students will reflect on the
nature of film and the practice of filmmaking through a faith lens. Materials fee applies.
Oral and Interpersonal Communication MCS-115
An introduction to oral and interpersonal communication, including basic theory, conversation, non-verbal communication, performance, use of technology, writing for reading aloud, and public speaking.
Introduction to Media and Communications MCS-121
This course introduces students to the rise of mass media and communication and its impact and influence on modern society. Basic media forms and their function in society will be surveyed and students will develop a Christian perspective on media and its role in both the production and consumption of culture. Students will examine the application of a Reformed Christian worldview to understanding communication
and communication-related vocations. The relationship between Christianity and professional communication, including professions in the media, will be discussed.
Video Production II MCS-201
Students will work in small groups to develop, shoot, and edit experimental and dramatic projects with more advanced camera equipment. Materials fee applies.
Prerequisites:
MCS-101,
MCS-225
Media Law, Copyright and Contracts MCS-235
An overview of media law in Canada, including defamation, publication bans, intellectual property, releases, etc. for students intending a career in media production or journalism. Materials fee applies.
Prerequisites:
MCS-101,
MCS-121
The Art of Editing for Video & Film MCS-225
Students will explore digital editing theories, as well as practices of digital film editing and other elements of the postproduction process. Students will develop skills that include engagement with non-linear software and organizing and structuring short pieces. In addition, students will learn how shot selection, pacing, rhythm, sound, etc. shape both scenes and final productions.
Prerequisites:
MCS-101
The Language of Film and Television MCS-233
This course provides students with a nuanced understanding of how film and television articulate meanings. Grounded in the historical eras and practices that range from the silent to the digital era, students will learn formal analyses and close readings of cinematic and televisual texts with special attention to narrative constructions, lighting, production design, acting styles, editing, genre, sound, music, and point of view. The course will also emphasize how such analyses should consider various contexts.
Prerequisites:
MCS-121or permission of the instructor
Video Production III MCS-301
In this course, students will explore the theoretical and practical elements of the pre-production and production phase, including concept development and shooting techniques so as to collaboratively write, produce, shoot, and edit short pieces. Students will develop their skills in audio and sound production, camera work, lighting, directing, and producing. Materials fee applies.
Prerequisites:
MCS-201
Media and Communication Ethics MCS-302
A course in the moral dimensions of communication, with special attention given to working in communication and media professions. The course cultivates a Christian understanding of the topic through attention to theological and philosophical issues and through wrestling with a range of cases and controversies.
Prerequisites:
MCS-115,
MCS-121Year 3 or 4 standing. MCS-302 is the Capstone Course for the MCS major and is required in the 3rd or 4th year.
Theories of Communication MCS-311
This course establishes the basic framework of core knowledge concerning the nature of human interaction. It will survey theories and research in communication as it is applied to various social, political, and cultural contexts. Students will develop a broad Christian framework for understanding, critiquing, and utilizing these theories.
Prerequisites:
MCS-121
Documentary Films and Filmmaking MCS-326
In this class, students will learn about the history, aesthetics, and politics of the documentary film tradition. Drawing on films from the silent era to the digital age, the course explores movements, techniques, philosophical underpinnings, and limitations of cinema verite, direct cinema, investigative documentary, activist media, personal video essays, and mockumentaries. Cultivating a Christian understanding of the history and practice of this genre, students will participate in the tradition of documentary filmmaking and produce various short form documentaries. Materials fee applies.
Prerequisites:
MCS-201
Audio Production MCS-327
This course introduces the basics of audio production and post production. Students will learn how to capture sound in a studio setting and in field work. They will also explore audio editing, audio processing, and mixing. Both audio production and postproduction components will cover the applications of music, radio, and moving images.
Prerequisites:
MCS-201
Screenwriting MCS-231
This course covers the theoretical and applied components of script writing for film and television production. In the process, it cultivates among students a Christian understanding of audiovisual storytelling. Topics will include conflict, character development, structure and plot creation, genre, and mood, among others.
Content for the Digital Age MCS-332
Information is audiovisual and text in the Digital Age. In this course, students will study the emergence of digital technology and its impact on commercial and social cultures. Students will also learn how to communicate an effective story online using 21st century digital tools, including video, photographs, audio, and text. Materials fee applies.
Prerequisites:
MCS-101,
MCS-121
World Cinemas MCS-361
Aiming to put a question mark on the end of the phrase, “what are world cinemas?”, this course offers an atlas of world cinemas as a mode of film making comprised of a wide intersection of contexts. As such, the complex phenomenon of world cinemas opens up the opportunity to engage the limits of our own Western imaginations.
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