Media Literacy

Catalog description

Media literacy is essential, as it allows individuals to deconstruct messages in order to gain control over them. In an age where claims of "fake news" are prevalent, it is increasingly important that audiences understand the messages being presented. In this course, students will engage with a variety of media - photographs, news articles, advertisements, websites, movies, tv shows - and develop an understanding of how this content can influence audiences. We will draw on persuasion and media theories, in order to evaluate the messages being presented in society. This course places equal emphasis on the foundation of solid scholarly writing and the pervasiveness of media messages. The course will feature regular writing assignments, in-class discussions, and a final project in which students analyze media messages using persuasion theories and discuss the importance of media literacy in evaluating persuasive messages.