A survey of the great revolutions in human communication of speech, literacy, printing and electronic communication. Examines how new media of communication come into being, their impact on earlier forms of communication, their impact on society, and the influence society and culture have on communication technologies. 

This course serves as a basic introduction to the social, cultural, political, economic and technological aspects of communication. Particular attention is paid to media representations of modern social life and what constitutes the "truth".

This course will explore the nature and evolution of media since the development of the Internet. The course will provide students with a framework for thinking about media institutions and technologies.  

A general introduction to the study of Western popular music as both a cultural industry and as a form of communication which presents students with an overview of post-war popular music genres from rock 'n' roll to twenty-first-century pop music in Canada.  

This course will focus on the study of comics and manga (Japanese comic books and graphic novels). Students will analyze the history of comics and the industry in both North America and Japan. Particular emphasis will be placed on issues pertaining to: gender, culture, readership, characterizations, artwork, fan communities, and creative workers.  

This course will offer students a hands-on introduction to New Media Production through Digital Storytelling.

Combining classroom lectures, computer lab time, hands-on filming and audio recording experience, this course provides students with experience in creating rich digital narratives while exploring topics related to the development of new media. Students will gain practical experience with a variety of digital tools.  

Health communication is the study of messages that create meaning in relation to physical, mental and social well-being. Interdisciplinary research is conducted in the scientific, interpretive (humanities) and critical-cultural traditions.

This course examines theories of interpersonal, organizational, and mass communication relevant to a variety of professionals in the health field. Students will review theories and contexts of communication (interpersonal, organizational, mass, social media and intercultural), relations of power in communication settings, strategies of persuasion, the relationship between attitudes and behaviour, and the importance of representation in our understanding of the changing nature of health, health delivery and health issues in society.

Credit cannot be counted for both COMS 2201 and HEAL 2201. Students in the Bachelor of Health cannot take COMS 2201.  

This class focuses on theoretical approaches to studying political, social, and cultural implications communication processes, contexts and technologies.

Students will explore both historical and contemporary approaches to the field, emphasising the relevance of theory to our digital and everyday lives. 

This course provides students with an advanced introduction to conducting web-based research and the use of electronic research tools.    

Introduction to production techniques related to to radio and podcasting. Students will explore aspects of production through individual and group projects as well as in class presentations. Credit cannot be counted for both COMS 2004 and COMS 3004.  

This course will explore the emerging importance of copyright as a pertinent regulatory issue facing both the communication industries and western society. We will examine the development of copyright and its transformation as a result of technological, economic and cultural changes in the global cultural industries.

Introduction to video production techniques. Students will explore aspects of production through individual and group projects as well as in class presentations. Credit cannot be counted for both COMS 2006 and COMS 3006.   

New technologies and do it yourself (D.I.Y) culture have a long, intertwined history. This class will examine the origins, technologies, techniques and representations of D.I.Y in contemporary culture. Students will examine “lofi” practices such as circuitbending, hardware hacking and tinkering as forms of culture and communication.

Exploration of specialized topics in media studies, technology and society, or communication policy issues. 

This course will focus on the salience of gender in understanding media and communication. Course topics may include a focus on gender and the following: production, media texts (TV shows, movies, anime, blogs, forums, comic books, video games, etc.), reception of media, content, communication technologies, and communication practices. 

Network technologies and digital media are now part of our everyday lives. With a focus on our own media engagement, this course examines the ways that social and cultural shifts influenced by these technologies have transformed our relationships, cultures, practices, and workplaces. Credit cannot be counted for both COMS 2102 and  COMS 3103.

Promotional culture is central to our lives. Not merely in marketing, advertising and politics, but also the ways in which we interact to promote ourselves, our practices, and our tastes through traditional and social media. This course critically examines both the history of advertising and modern branding culture in our quest to understand mediated promotionalism. Credit cannot be counted for both COMS 3103 or COMS 4104.  

This seminar provides majors with the opportunity to do basic research in an area of special interest. 

An advanced seminar in media studies, technology and society, or communication policy issues. 

This course provides an opportunity for students to engage in directed study of contemporary issues and debates in the fields of communication and media.  

This course examines the media representation of the world of sport, from global mega-events to Canadian hockey. Students will analyze issues of race, gender, class, orientation, nationalism, and labour in the spectacle of contemporary sports. The objective is to direct critical thinking towards a primary fixation of our culture.   

This course examines how new generative technologies affect the cultural industries. Students will examine issues of human creativity versus AI, shifting understanding of the nature of creative work and the changing landscape of the cultural industries.

This course examines changes in audio-visual media from the age of cinema, broadcast television, cable to social media. Students will examine issues of production, distribution and reception of entertainment and information. 

This course examines the creation and reception of media franchises. Students will explore the creative, social and economic implications of major media franchises in cinema, television and video games.

This course juxtaposes two types of media systems: the so-called "mainstream" media, and alternative media. The former tends to uphold dominant narratives of capitalism, militarism, and neoliberalism, while the latter challenges power and foregrounds marginalized identities. Students will critically analyze dominant media texts, and they will produce their own form of alternative media as a final project.