College of Social Sciences and International Studies

College of Social Sciences and International Studies

Europe in the Digital Age
Module POLM142 for 2017/8

Overview
Aims and Learning Outcomes
Module Content
Indicative Reading List
Assessment

Postgraduate Module Descriptor

POLM142: Europe in the Digital Age

This module descriptor refers to the 2017/8 academic year.

Module Aims

To become cognizant about theories of regulation of communications markets in Europe. Provide students with an advanced understanding of the EU regulatory framework for the media and the differing national structures regulating the traditional and new media markets. To establish connections between theory and regulatory practice. By the end of the module, students will have the ability to critically analyse the strengths and weaknesses of different theoretical and regulatory models.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
This module's assessment will evaluate your achievement of the ILOs listed here - you will see reference to these ILO numbers in the details of the assessment for this module.
On successfully completing the programme you will be able to:
Module-Specific Skills	1. Students will have advanced understanding and knowledge of regulation of the communications industry at European level and relate this to national regulatory frameworks.
Discipline-Specific Skills	2. Students will be able to undertake an advanced critical analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of different regulatory models and explain theoretical concepts with real world, empirical policy examples.
Personal and Key Skills	3. Develop an ability to study independently and to work in groups 4. Develop ability to deliver presentations to their peers, and communicate effectively in speech and writing 5. Use IT for the retrieval and the presentation of information

Module Content

Syllabus Plan

Week 1: Introduction: presentation of the module

Week 2: communications theory

Week 3: market developments

Week 4: Twitterati and political opinion formation

Week 5: Europe's Digital Single Market

Week 6: Copyfighters

Week 7: telecoms and connectivity

Week 8: global internet governance

Week 9: data protection and privacy

Week 10: the dark web

Week 11: review

Learning and Teaching

This table provides an overview of how your hours of study for this module are allocated:

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	Guided independent study	Placement / study abroad
24	276	0

...and this table provides a more detailed breakdown of the hours allocated to various study activities:

Category	Hours of study time	Description
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	24	12 x 2 hour seminars
Guided independent study	276	Independent study

Online Resources

This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).

· Media Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/uk/media

· the Independent – media http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media

· the Financial Times – media https://www.ft.com/companies/media

· the Telegraph – media and telecomms http://www.telegraph.co.uk/media-and-telecoms/

· Guardian Digital Media Content Blog https://www.theguardian.com/media/digital-media

· Guardian technology blog https://www.theguardian.com/uk/technology

· IndyMedia twitter blog https://twitter.com/indymedia

Other Learning Resources

Journals:

· Communication Research

· Convergence

· European Journal of Communication

· Javnost

· Harvard International Journal of Press

· Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television

· Journal of Communication

· Journal of Media Law and Practice

· Journalism Quarterly

· Media, Culture and Society

· Telecommunications Policy