Course Title: International Communication and Culture 1

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: International Communication and Culture 1

Credit Points: 12

Course Code	Campus	Career	School	Learning Mode	Teaching Period(s)
COMM2204	City Campus	Postgraduate	335H Applied Communication	Internet	Sem 2 2006, Sem 2 2008
COMM2204	City Campus	Postgraduate	345H Media and Communication	Internet	Sem 2 2010, Sem 2 2012

Course Coordinator: Russell Bevers

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 3029

Course Coordinator Email:russell.bevers@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: city campus

Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

Undergraduate Degree in Communication /graphic design. No prerequisite courses required.

Course Description

The subject examines the issues and processes associated with international communication. It
defines culture and provides insights into significant aspects of intercultural communication.
Aims:
to provide students with a broad understanding of culture and the cultural dimensions of communication
to develop students understanding of significant issues in international communication and the cultural dimensions of international communication
to enhance students’ understanding and proficiency in international and intercultural communication
Topics:
introduction to culture and communication
cultural difference and communication
issues in contemporary international communication: colonialism, imperialism and national territory; global trade and international capitalism; information flows; international mediascapes; tourism, migration, refugees; interpersonal communication; the internet and new electronic communities; direct, interpersonal and electronic communication; intercultural communication skills
 

Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

At the end of this subject, students will be able to:
-  outline the historical development of theories relating to an understanding of communication and culture
- understand why culture was the central concept for an understanding of intercultural communication
-  understand the role of language in the construction of meaning
-  analyze poststructuralist arguments about the uses of cultural difference in the modern world
-  identify salient aspects of the modernizing, globalizing economy and its effects on international communication
-  describe ways in which cultures might resist the homogenizing effects of globalization

The subject examines the issues and processes associated with international communication. It
defines culture and provides insights into significant aspects of intercultural communication.
Aims:
to provide students with a broad understanding of culture and the cultural dimensions of communication
to develop students understanding of significant issues in international communication and the cultural dimensions of international communication
to enhance students’ understanding and proficiency in international and intercultural communication
Topics:
introduction to culture and communication
cultural difference and communication
issues in contemporary international communication: colonialism, imperialism and national territory; global trade and international capitalism; information flows; international mediascapes; tourism, migration, refugees; interpersonal communication; the internet and new electronic communities; direct, interpersonal and electronic communication; intercultural communication skills

Overview of Learning Activities

Learning activities will be detailed on Weboard at the start of the course. These will form a week by week program of class discussion based around reading, reserach and reflection.

Overview of Learning Resources

 A list of selcted reading resources are listed on the Blackboard section of the course. The lecturer will provide some prescribed readings prior to commencement. These may take the form of online sections from some of these texts.

Overview of Assessment

There will be 3 assessment tasks. One in each of 3 modules.Module one - three weeks / Module two four weeks/ Module three four weeks.