Presents an overview of the historical development of theories and approaches to media and cultural studies as they interconnect with communication studies. Considers the meaning and production of culture, the culture industry, and various interpretive practices. Explores how mass media has influenced and been influenced by cultural industries and contextualizes our current digital age in relation to other major advancements in communication history. Drawing on contemporary media and cultural theory, the course investigates how our current digital environment modifies our definitions of privacy and the public, civil society, political participation, and culture through case studies and applied and experiential activities.
Author: Darija
PCOM632: Conflict Analysis and Management
Provides a rich exposure to theories and practices of dispute resolution through the eyes of a practicing mediator and empowers the learner to be more effective and secure in responding to conflict. Examines conflict at interpersonal, community, and organizational levels. Concepts of analysis are applied, models of response are learned, and various skills of interpersonal communication are practiced.
PCOM633: Strategic Communication
Explores effective management of external communication systems and processes in an organizational context. Reference is made to the linkages between all major communication efforts, including engagement, marketing and advertising; however, the emphasis of the course is on public relations, stakeholder relations, and corporate communication. The course focuses on the requisite skill set of corporate communication leaders, including reputation management, crisis management and strategic communication planning. Current trends, such as the use of social media channels, are highlighted. The course is delivered through a combination of case studies, experiential exercises, and interactive lectures designed to provide an opportunity to apply learnings through realistic scenarios and role playing.
PCOM640: Communication Policy, Politics and Law
Takes as its premise the political and ideological nature of communication, media and culture. Surveys classic and contemporary sources, themes and debates in the academic communication literature as these relate to disciplinary subfields such as policy, political economy, political communication, technology studies, cultural economics, law and ethics, and as they manifest in the interpersonal, print, broadcast, and telecommunications realms. Learners explore topics ranging from trans-national and state-level concerns to civil society; from electoral politics to those of social movements and countercultures; and from major policy documents and regulatory bodies in Canada and abroad to issues like terrorism and propaganda, privacy and surveillance, digital media and intellectual property that test the capacity of policymakers.
PCOM645: Organizational Design, Communication and Knowledge Management
Organizational leaders must consider the impact of their design choices not only on business performance, but also on employees, customers, and the communities and societies in which they operate. This course discusses the systematic approach to configuring and aligning structure with strategy and includes an examination of the links between communications, processes, knowledge, metrics, leadership and people practices, with culture and strategic direction in organizations. Using case studies, application of theoretical principles, interactive discussions and activities, students will explore how organizations can be designed for optimal performance and sustainability. Focuses on effective organizational design in both traditional and innovative organizations with special emphasis on innovative organizational forms and knowledge management principles. Team projects include inventing new possibilities for real organizations.
PJMN500: The Right Side of Project Management
Combines the tools and techniques needed to manage risk, time and costs effectively, with the essential humanistic components of project leadership. Students can expect to gain critical stakeholder engagement techniques, including negotiation, conflict resolution, change leadership and collaboration in conjunction with a practical focus and application on the constraints faced on any project: time limits, human resources, materials, budget and specifications.
PJMN501: Managing Complex Projects
Project managers use specific proven techniques and strategies for achieving outstanding results. Several models have evolved to provide contextual frameworks for integrating projects within an organization’s strategic goals. This course includes and examines the benefits realization approach and the SMART (strategically managed, aligned, regenerative and transitional) model.
PJMN502: Project Planning and Scheduling
Examines the constraints faced by every project manager in any project and timeframe, budget, human resources, specifications, equipment and material-without letting the constraints limit innovation and creativity. The course introduces techniques for work breakdown structure development, estimating, forecasting, evaluating and forecasting, monitoring and reporting costs and interpreting earned-value data.
SPCC614: Science and Impacts of Climate Change
This course is a foundational introductory, interdisciplinary course about the nature, causes, and impacts of climate change. Resources will include the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and Canadian and BC government reports as well as significant current journal articles and publications. Impacts covered will include warming, sea level rise, melting of permafrost, and altered distribution and migration patterns as well as impacts on livelihoods and cultures. It will combine perspectives from geology, biology, sociology, and modelling.
SPCC615: Climate Policy and Governance
This course reviews and evaluates existing policy instruments and governance institutions designed to address climate change (both adaptation and mitigation) now and in the future: e.g. COP process including COP 21- the Paris Agreement, UNFCCC, local, regional and national policies in Canada and elsewhere. It will include human dimensions of such policies and governance such as gender, equity, indigenous rights, communication and others.