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MODULE DESCRIPTOR
Module Title
Political Communication
Reference CB4257 Version 3
Created March 2024 SCQF Level SCQF 10
Approved June 2018 SCQF Points 15
Amended April 2024 ECTS Points 7.5

Aims of Module
To provide the student with the ability to assess the role and function of communication in the public sphere and to evaluate the management and practice of communication within the political process.

Learning Outcomes for Module
On completion of this module, students are expected to be able to:
1 Identify and define the ethical, legal and political frameworks within which political commentators operate.
2 Analyse the role and function of public information in a variety of political cultures.
3 Critically evaluate the political and public affairs planning process.
4 Evaluate the strategic use of the political lobbying process.

Indicative Module Content
Political and media structures and their relationships. Political campaigns and filter systems. Lobbying, briefing, propaganda, construction of reality, news and news values, agenda setting. Political advertising, corporate affairs, formal and informal constraints and controls, public sphere, censorship, public service and publicity effects evaluation. The module engages students with UNESCO's Education for Sustainable Development Critical Thinking, Systems Thinking, Normative, and Integrated Problem-Solving competencies in terms of: a) reflecting on issues of representation and diversity within media b) developing critical approaches to political communication practices and c) applying critical media practice to climate change and other crises.

Module Delivery
The module will be delivered by a combination of formal lectures, tutorials and multimedia material. The lectures follow the structure of the essential reading text. Tutorials will be mainly case study based, allowing students to come to grips with the practicalities of a given situation. Additionally, students will be directed to work independently with multimedia materials.

Indicative Student Workload Full Time Part Time
Contact Hours 36 36
Non-Contact Hours 114 114
Placement/Work-Based Learning Experience [Notional] Hours N/A N/A
TOTAL 150 150
Actual Placement hours for professional, statutory or regulatory body    

ASSESSMENT PLAN
If a major/minor model is used and box is ticked, % weightings below are indicative only.
Component 1
Type: Coursework Weighting: 100% Outcomes Assessed: 1, 2, 3, 4
Description: Individual Written Coursework

MODULE PERFORMANCE DESCRIPTOR
Explanatory Text
The calculation of the overall grade for this module is based on 100% weighting of C1. An overall minimum grade D is required to pass the module.
Module Grade Minimum Requirements to achieve Module Grade:
A The student needs to achieve an A in C1.
B The student needs to achieve a B in C1.
C The student needs to achieve a C in C1.
D The student needs to achieve a D in C1.
E The student needs to achieve an E in C1.
F The student needs to achieve an F in C1.
NS Non-submission of work by published deadline or non-attendance for examination

Module Requirements
Prerequisites for Module None.
Corequisites for module None.
Precluded Modules None.

INDICATIVE BIBLIOGRAPHY
1 CORNER, J. and PELS, D., eds., 2009. Media and the restyling of politics: consumerism, celebrity and cynicism. London: Sage.
2 LEES-MARSHMENT, J., 2014. Political Marketing. 2nd ed. London: Routledge.
3 LOUW, E., 2010. The media and political process. 2nd edition, London: Sage.
4 McNAIR, B., 2016. An introduction to political communication. London: Routledge.
5 NEGRINE, R., 2008. The transformation of political communication. London: Routledge.
6 SANDERS, K., 2009. Communicating politics in the twentieth-first century. Basingstoke: Palgrave.
7 VAN ZOONEN, L., 2005. Entertaining the citizen. Oxford: Rowman and Littlefield.

Robert Gordon University, Garthdee House, Aberdeen, AB10 7QB, Scotland, UK: a Scottish charity, registration No. SC013781