This one-quarter program is for students interested in becoming familiarized in the most relevant aspects of social communication in society. In this program we will examine the structure and process of mass communication emphasizing television, radio and the press, and explore the role of mass communication in socialization, public opinion formulation and social change.

We will concentrate on sociological methodology for the study of society, with emphasis on examining the role of social communication in the contexts of culture, social organizations, social classes, ideologies. We will also study the nature of social communications, its meaning and the scientific study of the message behind information. Finally, we will study the role of national advertising in contemporary society.

This program will pursue various approaches to the study to these subjects. Lectures, workshops, video, and film documentaries have been organized thematically. Selections will provide a broad introduction to, and interpretation of, mass communication.

Another important purpose of this program is to provide students with an understanding of social research methods, including documentary research. We will examine various and related theoretical approaches. Students will be required to work in small research groups and apply the techniques they learn to topics of their own interests. Research groups should submit written proposals of their project selections by the third week of the quarter.

A group of students will be trained and certified in professional television production to produce a weekly bilingual show Panorama Latino Americano aired through TCTV (Channel 3) in Olympia, Lacey and Tumwater.

This program will also offer interested students a chance to prepare for travel to Chile during the spring quarter of 1998. Participation in research and production of several documentaries about topics studied in this program may be preparatory for winter for winter program Popular and Alternative Communication In Latin America and the spring quarter Field School to Chile .

Credits awarded in social sciences, sociology, social communication, research methods, television production, political economy.

Program is preparatory for careers and future studies in social sciences, communication, television production and media studies

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