Elective courses

COMM5110, 5111, 6120, 6121	Topical Studies in Communication I, II, III, IV
COMM5120	Emerging Global Media and Cultures
COMM5510	Media Management
COMM5620	Media Ethics and Law
COMM5735	New Media and Society
COMM5775	Cultures in Media
COMM5940	New Media Business Model and Innovation
COMM5946	Multimedia Design in the Age of AI
COMM5947	Data Science and AI in New Media
COMM5961	Topical Studies in New Media I
COMM5962	Topical Studies in New Media II
COMM5963	Topical Studies in New Media III
COMM5992	Critical Data Studies
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)

COMM 5110, 5111, 6120, 6121 Topical Studies in Communication I, II, III, IV 3 units Students concentrate their reading and study of one particular field in communication of their interests under the supervision of an instructor.

COMM 5120 Emerging Global Media and Cultures 3 units This is a postgraduate class designed to acquaint students with the theories, trends, and debates of globalization from a media and cultural studies perspective. It explores the consequences and implications of globalization on media, culture, and society. Key theoretical texts will be read on a par with more empirically inspired texts, encouraging students to connect complex debates with concrete cultural imaginations and the objects and practices they generate.

COMM 5510 Media Management 3 units 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 units 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 units 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 5735 New Media and Society 3 units 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 units 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 5940 New Media Business Model and Innovation 3 units 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 units 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 Multimedia Design in the Age of AI 3 units 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 software. AI features are also introduced to facilitate the creative process from ideation to production. The quality and effectiveness of multimedia projects will be examined.

COMM 5947 Data Science and AI in New Media 3 units This course is designed for students pursuing strategic roles in the new media industry, equipping them to apply data and AI strategies to real-world challenges. Bridging the gap between strategic vision and technical execution, it delivers essential data science concepts and practical processes for effective collaboration with data teams on projects that drive measurable business impact. Emphasizing strategic problem-solving and ethical data and AI practices, the course uses case-based learning to build multidisciplinary capabilities in strategy, analytics, data visualization, modeling, and machine learning. Students also explore the latest AI developments, preparing them to address complex challenges and leverage emerging opportunities.

COMM 5950 New Media Content Development 3 units 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 5961, 5962, 5963 Topical Studies in New Media I, II, III 3 units each 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 units 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 units 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 5992 Critical Data Studies 3 units This course introduces key theoretical perspectives and social controversies related to data-driven, algorithmic, and AI technologies through the lens of Critical Data Studies. Through conceptual applications and real-world case studies, it helps students critically examine the socio-political implications of how emerging data-driven and AI technologies are designed, institutionalized, governed, and contested across different social and cultural contexts.

COMM 6420 Strategies for Integrated Communication Campaigns 3 units 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 units 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 units This is an interactive group workshop for students to produce advanced interactive multimedia as their graduation projects. (For M.Sc. students only.)