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MS-242
All Ears - an Introduction to the Art of Podcasting
In this highly practical module, students will gain a high-level introduction to podcasting.
Covering a wide spectrum of topics, and catering to audiences from the mainstream to the niche, the popularity of podcasts is increasing across a whole range of audiences. From news and current affairs to sport and comedy, podcasts offer listeners the ability to consume content that interests them on-demand, at their own pace and across multiple devices.
Through the critical analysis of acclaimed podcasts, students will learn how sound may be used effectively to communicate meaning, and using the latest podcasting technology, they will learn how to record and edit audio content.
In addition to essential technical skills, students will gain an understanding of the importance of research to underpin content development, the tenets of scriptwriting for audio and how to choose and edit music to enrich their podcast. They will also learn how to develop compelling, listenable content through the judicious use of expert guests.
Finally, they will discover how to develop and promote a brand identity for their own podcast across multiple platforms, resulting in a finished podcast that can be added to their own personal multi-media portfolio, designed to highlight their employability.
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MS-243
Pitch Perfect: Sports Commentary and Punditry
Whether spoken or written, describing the action of any sporting endeavour is a form of spontaneous composition. Much like the players, commentators and live-blog ticker writers have put in hundreds and probably thousands of hours of reporting boot camp before they find themselves as the authoritative narrator of any major sporting event. The ability to report at this level, in a manner which appears effortless, almost casual, is the direct result of deliberate practice.
Through practice, commentators have learned to convey the action that is taking place on the pitch as it happens with accuracy, clarity and concision, three essential qualities of sports storytelling. Like the players, commentators understand their audiences' expectations. They know that they need to fulfil the key purpose of effortless sports commentary - to give an objective, fluent, accurate interpretation of what is happening on the track, pitch, court or field.
By studying some key commentary theories, and through listening to the insights given by professional sports commentators, students will gain the knowledge, skills and confidence to embark on the art of sport interpretation and narration.
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MS-310
Dissertation Preparation
This module introduces the practice of dissertation writing and research approaches for the study of media forms. texts and systems and their contribution to social life. It begins to explore the breadth of media studies through attention to the ways in which media matter. In what ways, and how significant are the media in the formation of individual identities and in the practices of everyday life? In the more public world, to what extent are media key to providing knowledge and enabling the debate necessary to the practices of democracy? The course enables students to build on their own experiences of media as consumers and users. But it also encourages critical attention to how the field of media studies has historically been forged: through argument and contestation between different academic approaches and disciplines.
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MS-311
Dissertation
This dissertation enables students to engage in long term, in-depth research on a topic of their choice subject to the approval of the Department.
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MS-344
Sports Public Relations
The Sports Public Relations module will offer an advanced level introduction to the role communications play within the sporting arena, and how public relations, advertising, marketing, branding and social media help shape our perceptions of its stars, teams and disciplines. Through a combination of theoretical analyses, practical assignments and dissection of recent and historical case studies, we will explore how communication ensures sport today is as much about business as it is about entertainment for fans.
Over the course of the module, students will each develop and implement an authentic multi-media and cross-platform promotional campaign for one of Swansea University's many Sports Societies.
A Sports Public Relations Symposium will be held during Week 4, where students will learn about the practical realities of sports public relations practitioners' professional lives. This will also form a part of the module's assessment methodology. In the event that a student cannot attend the symposium, for good reason, they will be directed to a recording of the symposium available via Canvas, and will not therefore be disadvantaged.
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MS-355
Professional Sports Communication Placement
Students will spend a minimum of 50 hours on a professional sport communication placement within a local 'host' organization (including, for example, Sport Swansea, Swim Wales, The Ospreys, Swansea City FC). The placement will focus on media and communications work experience and will build on the theoretical knowledge of sports communication and practical sports promotional skills developed during the first two years of the degree programme.
All placements will be formally arranged and monitored regularly by staff from Swansea University. The placement will be assessed on the basis of two academic assignments: a CV and application letter and a detailed communications plan mapping out a six-month communications strategy for the host organisation.
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MS-356
Extended Professional Sports Communication Placement
Students who have followed the Professional Sports Communication Placement module in TB1 will be able to deepen their understanding and experience of sports communication in this module.
During this second semester placement with their host organisation, they will be expected to implement many aspects of the sports communication plan that they had developed for their host organisation during the first semester, as well as evaluating the efficacy of the communications tactics deployed.
The operational tempo of this module is the same as first semester module, as students will spend a minimum of 50 hours on a professional sport communication placement with the same host organisation where they were placed in TB1.
The placement will deepen students' understanding of the longer-term focus on media and communications work experience and will further build on the practical realities of implementing the theoretical plans devised in the first semester.
All placements will be formally arranged and monitored regularly by staff from Swansea University.
Students are expected to produce a multi-media portfolio of promotional work that could include videos, promotional writing (media releases, social media posts, journalism articles, ), events, photography, with each item accompanied by contextualising narrative and evaluation methodology and/or results.
On completion of the placement, students will produce a reflective critical analysis of the placement.
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MS-M10
Dissertation or Project
An innovative practice-based alternative to a Masters dissertation. Students are encouraged to develop projects across more than one area of media practice and to do so with dual supervision that embraces both theory and practice. Work produced should be at a professional level, accompanied by a reflective essay and presentation exploring the contextual, theoretical and practical issues raised by the project.
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MS-M11
MA Project and Dissertation Preparation
This core module comprehensively prepares students for their Master¿s project or dissertation, which is an integral part of the requirements for the degree. It
incorporates several key themes and issues across the communications, media practice and PR industries. It is a challenging, and stimulating module ¿ both for professional practitioners and those new to communications and media practice. The module encourages students to unite theory and practice in productive ways. It introduces students to a number of important research and project management methods essential for undertaking a successful project or dissertation.
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MS-M15
Sports Communication - Journalism and Promotion
This module offers a comprehensive guide to to the practices, techniques and skills used in the sports communication industry. It will allow students to focus on current critical themes and debates in sports journalism and promotion, and through theoretical analysis and the application of theory in practice, will provide students with the opportunity to develop a digital, multi-media portfolio of written work. Students will in turn learn the theories and practices that can be used to develop and promote a personal sports communicator's brand to the relevant industry sectors. The module will appeal to students new to journalism and promotional practice, but who are ambitious to deepen their understanding of best practices that could allow them to engage with the emerging and fast-changing sports communication mediascape.
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MSP100R
Public Relations: Strategic Communications
Public Relations is a rapidly developing industry, but it remains a challenge for both academics and practitioners to distinguish between those activities which are classed specifically as PR and those that might be determined to be promotion. This introductory module considers definitions of PR and promotion as well as PR theories and history.
Providing students with a mixture of theory and practice, the module examines techniques used for PR and promotion and teaches students the fundamentals of creating a promotional campaign. Students will be introduced to specific techniques such as campaign planning, writing a press release and developing creative campaign ideas. Particular emphasis is placed on media relations and the role that PR plays in influencing news agendas and public opinion.
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MSS312
Media and Communication Internship
The students will spend a minimum of 50 hours on an internship placement within a local 'host' organization. This may be in any one of a number of commercial or public sector organisations, but the placement will focus on media and communications work experience. All placements will be formally arranged and monitored regularly by staff from Swansea University. The placement will be assessed on the basis of three academic assignments: a CV and application letter, a 2,000 word essay on the role and nature of the creative media and promotional industries and a 1,500 word reflective account and photo diary of the tasks undertaken on the placement in blog format.
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MSSW312
Interniaeth y Cyfryngau a Chyfathrebu
Bydd y myfyrwyr yn treulio o leiaf 50 o oriau ar leoliad interniaeth gyda sefydliad 'lletyol' lleol. Gall hyn fod yn unrhyw un o amrywiaeth o sefydliadau yn y sector masnachol neu gyhoeddus, ond bydd y lleoliad yn canolbwyntio ar brofiad gwaith ym maes y cyfryngau a chyfathrebu. Caiff pob lleoliad ei drefnu'n ffurfiol a'i fonitro'n rheolaidd gan staff Prifysgol Abertawe. Asesir y lleoliad ar sail tri aseiniad academaidd: CV a llythyr cais (20%), traethawd 2,000 o eiriau ar rôl a natur y cyfryngau creadigol a'r diwydiannau hyrwyddo (50%) ac adroddiad myfyriol 1,500 o eiriau a dyddiadur ffotograffig, ar ffurf blog, am y tasgau a gwblhawyd yn ystod y lleoliad.
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MSW207
Cyfathrebu Digidol
Bydd y modiwl hwn yn cyflwyno myfyrwyr i¿r sgiliau a¿r wybodaeth anghenrheidiol er mwyn datblygu a chyflwyno ymgyrch cysylltiadau cyhoeddus lwyddiannus, gan ddefnyddio cyfres o weithgareddau ymarferol. Er bod pwyslais ymarferol i¿r modiwl, bydd hefyd yn canolbwyntio ar gysylltiadau cyhoeddus ar lefel rheolaeth a strategol, fel bod modd i¿r myfyrwyr ddefnyddio theori er mwyn dyfnhau a chyfoethogi eu gwaith ymarferol. Bydd y gwaith ymarferol yn efelychu naws cwmni ymgynghori cysylltiadau cyhoeddus a bydd cyfle i¿r myfyrwyr brofi¿r swyddi, cyfrifioldebau, strwythurau trefniadol, protocol a¿r cyfarwyddiadau briffio sydd eu hangen ar gyfer creu a rhedeg ymgyrch cysylltiadau cyhoeddus effeithiol.
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MSW308
Cyfathrebu Corfforaethol
Mae'r modiwl hwn yn edrych ar ofynion cyfathrebu corfforaethol sefydliadau mawr ar draws y sectorau preifat a chyhoeddus. Mae'n dadansoddi'r theori a realiti ymarferol o reoli enw da corfforaethol, cyfathrebu adeg argyfwng a'r rôl sydd gan gyfathrebu wrth sicrhau parhad busnes. Bydd hefyd yn edrych ar elfennau ymarferol fel hyfforddiant yn y cyfryngau a'r gofynion statudol sy'n sail i'r gwaith o ddatblygu adroddiadau blynyddol effeithiol.
This module explores the corporate communications requirements of large organisations across the private and public sectors. It analyses the theory and practical realities of corporate reputation management, crisis communications and the role communications play in business continuity. It will also look at practical elements such as media training and the statutory requirements that underpin the development of effective annual reports.
