Media and Communications Thesis

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2012:

Regular supervision across two concurrent semesters

240

Admission to the postgraduate diploma or fourth year honours in Media and Communication, or Master of Global Media Communication

Master of Global Media Communication students only: MULT50001 Research Principles and Practices must be undertaken concurrently with the first semester of thesis enrolment.

Fourth Year Honours students in Media and Communication: MULT50001 Research Principles and Practices

None

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry.

The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

The Media and Communications Thesis subject requires students to design and deliver a substantial research project. Students will select an object of study, an appropriate methodology, and tools for analysing and interpreting the data they gather from their sources. Enrolment in the thesis is across two consecutive semesters and students must enrol in the subject in each semester to ensure they are meeting the full 37.5 point requirement for the year-long subject.

Students who complete this subject will be able to:

• demonstrate an ability to design and deliver a research project and use skills to marshall evidence and interpreting it appropriately; and
• demonstrate an ability to use appropriate theoretical and methodological models in the field of media and communications.

Thesis of 12,000 words (100%) due at the end of two concurrent semesters.

None

• Lee, Carolyne (2009), Ch 14 Researching and Reporting, Word Bytes, MUP
• Bertrand, Ina and Peter Hughes (2005), Media Research Methods: Audiences, Institutions, Texts, Palgrave, Basingstoke
• Deacon, David, Michael Pickering, Peter Golding and Graham Murdoch (eds) (1998), Researching Communications: A Practical Guide to Methods on Media and Cultural Analysis, Arnold, London
• Wimmer, Roger D. and Dominick, Joseph R. (2006), Mass Media Research: Introduction, Thomson, Wadsworth
• Stokes, Jane (2003), How to do Media & Cultural Studies, Sage
• Jensen, Klaus Bruh and Nicholas W Jankowski (eds) (1991), A Handbook of Qualitative Methodologies for Mass Communication Research, Routledge, London
• Jones, Steven G. (ed) (1999), Doing Internet Research: Critical Issues and Methods for Examining the Net, Sage, London

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

Students who successfully complete this subject will be able to:

• prepare and present ideas in both verbal and written mode, and in conformity to conventions of academic presentation;
• reflect on learning and take responsibility for organising personal study; and
• participate in discussion and group activities and be sensitive to the participation of others.