Course List

For students admitted in 2024-25

Required courses

COMM5520 * Applied Communication Research
COMM5942 New Communication Technologies: Trends and Impacts
COMM5950 # New Media Content Development
COMM5980 New Media Ecology
Sub-Total: 12 units


Elective courses

COMM5110, 5111, 6120, 6121 Topical Studies in Communication I, II, III, IV
COMM5120 Globalization and Communication
COMM5510 Media Management
COMM5620 Media Ethics and Law
COMM5640 Online and Mobile Journalism
COMM5735 New Media and Society
COMM5775 Cultures in Media
COMM5837 Creative Digital Media Production
COMM5940 New Media Business Model and Innovation
COMM5946 Fundamentals in Multimedia Design
COMM5960 Issues of ICTs in China
COMM5961 Topical Studies in New Media I
COMM5962 Topical Studies in New Media II
COMM5963 Topical Studies in New Media III
COMM5964 New Media Analytics
COMM6420 Strategies for Integrated Communication Campaigns
COMM6940 # Creative Technologies: Design and Management
COMM6950 Directed Study in New Media Project
  Sub-Total: 12 units
  Total: 24 units
The above elective course list is subject to changes by the School. Students will be advised to take courses that form a coherent whole relating to their career objectives.
   
* Students who have taken research method course(s) in Social Science or related disciplines may apply for course exemption from the Division Head. The grade(s) obtained in the course(s) must be B or above. Supporting materials need to be provided by the student, including the official transcript with proof of grade(s) and the course syllabi of the course(s) taken.
# The course has been included in the list of reimbursable courses under the Continuing Education Fund (CEF).
The mother programme (M.Sc. in New Media) of this course is recognised under the Qualification Framework (QF Level 6)

Course Description

3U; 3 Sem = 3 units per semester.

COMM 5110, 5111, 6120, 6121 Topical Studies in Communication I, II, III, IV

3 U; 3 Sem.
Students concentrate their reading and study of one particular field in communication of their interests under the supervision of an instructor.
COMM 5120 Globalization and Communication

3 U; 3 Sem.
Analysis of national or cultural patterns of communication and media system. Emphasis will be given to factors facilitating or restricting the flow of information across national or cultural borders as well as their implications for planned social change. (For taught postgraduate students only, not for students who have taken COM6220.)
COMM 5510 Media Management

3 U; 3 Sem.
This courses aimed to acquaint students with general management principles, concepts, and theories, with particular emphasis on their applications in media organizations in a commercial, competitive, and rapidly changing environment. The focus is on training future media managers' problem-solving and decision-making skills. The communications industries covered will include the print media, radio, broadcast, cable television, advertising and public relations. The students will learn through a combination of lectures, seminars, and case studies.
COMM 5520 Applied Communication Research

3 U; 3 Sem.
Introduction to applied media research, research criticism, data interpretation and fundamentals of audience analysis. Topics include: surveys, content analysis, experimental test of programmes, field research and formative evaluation. (Not for Ph.D. and M.Phil. students.)
COMM 5620 Media Ethics and Law

3 U, 3 Sem.
This course attempts to examine two essential confines of mass media communication, namely, the legal limits and ethical constraints. It covers major media laws and ethical issues that are related to the operation and practices of media organizations and practitioners.
COMM 5640 Online and Mobile Journalism

3 U; 3 Sem.
This course examines the influence of online technologies on journalism from editorial, technological, economic, and social perspectives. The emphasis in on the advanced technologies involved in online news publishing and management skills in editorial, financial and technical fields required of online journalists.
COMM 5735 New Media and Society

3 U; 3 Sem.
The course provides an introduction to and analysis of emerging communication technologies, the Internet, multimedia technologies, and new media, including some basic technical descriptions, trends, history, diffusion, applications, and their social, economic, political and cultural implications. Topics include electronic government, online crimes, addiction, digital divide, and online communities, etc.
COMM 5775 Cultures in Media

3 U; 3 Sem.
This course analyzes intercultural communication and postcolonial media cultures. It explores the ways in which different media can facilitate cultural expression and intercultural exchange or gave way to contestation and conflict. It examines the agency and responsibility of media makers, institutions, and platforms.
COMM 5837 Creative Digital Media Production

3 U; 3 Sem.
This course aims to introduce students to the basic principles and the process of Television Commercial (TVC) production while at the same time becoming familiar with the current advertising industry. Emphasis will be placed on the creative and production aspects. Students will gain an in-depth knowledge of how to create an original and creative TVC that serves the needs of clients. Students will also learn the language, equipment, procedure, techniques, and understand the business of advertising today.
COMM 5940 New Media Business Model and Innovation

3 U; 3 Sem.

The course prepares students to become digital product/service operation professionals, digital marketing specialists, UX researchers/designers, and startup founders by integrating business models, user experience, and technology platforms in developing and managing digital products.

Throughout the course, special attention will be given to new media project operation so that students can gain hands-on knowledge and skills to plan and deploy new media products from start to finish.

COMM 5942 New Communication Technologies: Trends and Impacts

3 U; 3 Sem.
This course is designed to examine varying theoretical perspectives related to the future trends and current uses and impacts of information technologies and services. The course provides a foundation from which students can conceptualize the factors that lead people to use communication technologies, the needs that these technologies fulfill, and the effects of such use on individuals, organizations and society.
COMM 5946 Fundamentals in Multimedia Design

3 U; 3 Sem.
This course introduces students to the principles and techniques of multimedia design. Students will be required to create their own multimedia projects from concept development to hands-on production by using design softwares. The quality and effectiveness of multimedia projects will be examined.
COMM 5950 New Media Content Development

3 U; 3 Sem.
This course focuses on how to conceive and create interactive information and entertainment multimedia content for the Internet. The major emphasis of this course will be on interactive thinking and advanced multimedia production technique and other skills. (For M.Sc. students only.)
COMM 5960 Issues of ICTs in China

3 U; 3 Sem.
From a social science perspective, this course introduces basic concepts, research tools, and thematic issues in the study of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in China. The objective of the course is to inform students of the key questions, findings, and challenges in studying ICTs in China, and, in so doing, enable students to conduct systematic research on related issues in the public sector, business environments and/or the academia.
COMM 5961, 5962, 5963 Topical Studies in New Media I, II, III

3 U each; 3 Sem.
The instructor will lecture on and direct the study of a topic in New Media he or she specializes in.

Students are allowed to take the above Topical Studies courses for more than once, and gain the units each time they pass the course. However, students cannot take courses with the same course code more than once in a single term.
COMM 5964 New Media Analytics

3 U each; 3 Sem.
This course introduces practical measurement and analytics framework not only to help businesses to measure success, but also to make better decisions that will optimize business value creation. Key topics include measurement approaches, KPIs, processes, tools, testing and optimization methodologies.
COMM 5980 New Media Ecology

3 U; 3 Sem.
This course introduces students to the role of content flow and value chain model in the information industry. It covers various topics such as content creation, selling, distribution, syndication, consumption, content economics, business models, related technology and copyright protection issues faced by different information industries in the new media ecology.
COMM 6420 Strategies for Integrated Communication Campaigns

3 U; 3 Lect.
This course covers concepts and theories of social change, attitude change, diffusion of innovation, development and underdevelopment, and modernization. Students will be trained to do research in these areas and be able to apply communication theories and research methods in designing, executing and evaluating specific campaigns.
COMM 6940 Creative Technologies: Design and Management

3 U; 3 Sem.
This is an advanced and intensive course to the theory, principles, and practice of interactive technologies. Design principles of aesthetics, harmony, respect, creativity, emotion and mindfulness will be explored. General topics include: design process, user perspective, information representations, interaction methods and usability studies. (For M.Sc. students only.)
COMM 6950 Directed Study in New Media Project

3 U
This is an interactive group workshop for students to produce advanced interactive multimedia as their graduation projects. (For M.Sc. students only.)