Media and Communications Thesis

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

360 hours

Students enrolled in the thesis must also complete MULT50001 Research Principles and Practices (may be undertaken concurrently).

Please note this thesis subject is only available to students who commenced their Honours program prior to 2013. Students wishing to enrol in Honours from 2013 will need to enrol in a 50 point thesis subject as per the course requirements for BH-Arts. This does not affect students enrolling in the Master of Global Media Communication or Postgraduate Diploma in Arts (Media and Communication).

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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, read widely in the relevant area, consult 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.

Please note this thesis subject is only available to students who commenced their Honours program prior to 2013. Students wishing to enrol in Honours from 2013 will need to enrol in a 50 point thesis subject as per the course requirements for BH-Arts. This does not affect students enrolling in the Master of Global Media Communication or Postgraduate Diploma in Arts (Media and Communication).

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.

A thesis of 12 000 words on an approved topic written over two consecutive semesters 100% (due at the end of the second semester of enrolment).

Students are required to attend a minimum of 80% of supervision meetings in order to pass this subject.

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• I Volkmer (ed), The Handbook of Global Media Research, Wiley-Blackwel, 2012.
• C Lee, “Ch 14: Researching and Reporting”, Word Bytes, MUP, 2009.
• I Bertrand et al, Media Research Methods: Audiences, Institutions, Texts, Palgrave, 2005.
• D Deacon & M Pickering et al (eds), Researching Communications: A Practical Guide to Methods on Media and Cultural Analysis, Arnold, 1998.
• R D Wimmer et al, Mass Media Research: Introduction, Thomson, 2006.
• J Stokes, How to do Media & Cultural Studies, Sage, 2003.
• K B Jensen et al (eds), A Handbook of Qualitative Methodologies for Mass Communication Research, Routledge, 1991.
• S Jones (ed), Doing Internet Research: Critical Issues and Methods for Examining the Net, Sage, 1999.

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.

This subject is only available to students admitted to the Master of Global Media Communication or the Graduate Diploma (Advanced) in Arts (Media and Communication).