Institute of Graduate Studies and Research

Communication and Media Studies (MA)

Duration 2 Years

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About
Curriculum
Entry Requirements
Fees & Scholarships

About the Department

The Communication and Media Studies Doctoral Program at CIU has been designed to enable students to make in depth explorations of the major social, cultural and political issues which arise from mass communication. After completing a range of specialist preparatory courses, students will produce a thesis that is intended to make substantial and original contribution to their field of study. The main objective of the program is to educate students capable of producing original ideas and communicating these ideas effectively to students and their academic peers. Graduates of the program will be able to analyse and discuss contemporary developments and theories within various fields related to mass communication, including film and television, journalism, public relations, advertising, and social media.

Education Opportunities

The program is designed to offer students courses that focus on the use and impact of the new media as well as a variety of elective courses including Political Communication, Popular Culture and Media, the Media Organizations Management, Institutional Communication, Comparative Communication Systems, Film Aesthetics, Science Fiction Film and Literature, Contemporary Television Studies, Media and Audience Research, and Media History which allow students to improve themselves according to their own fields of interest. The program allows students to choose between the thesis and the non-thesis options to complete their degree. Students who join the thesis program are required to take and successfully complete 7 courses and 1 seminar course and write a thesis with an assigned supervisor. Students who prefer the non-thesis program are required to successfully complete 10 courses and write a comprehensive graduation project.

Career Areas

The Communication and Media Studies Doctoral Program is designed to raise Ph.D. graduates who wish to reach the highest level in their field, having produced an original thesis related to the area of communication and media. The program also aims to instill knowledge and skills to the high standard necessary for the field of professional communication.
Graduates of the program have the opportunity to pursue careers in the following fields:
-Academics in public or private educational institutions;
- Supervisors in the professional communication sector, editor, editor-in-chief, media planning specialist, correspondent/agent coordinator, senior media analyst, sales supervisor, advertising/commercial director, advertising/commercial agent, budget analyst, representative for field sales, and video editor;
- High-ranking manager in public relations and advertising agencies;
- Manager in film and video production companies.

Contact

Institute of Graduate Studies and Research
Graduate Sciences and Education Center, GE106
Tel: +90 392 671 1111 Extension: 2776
Institute E-mail: ciu-institute@ciu.edu.tr

Compulsory Courses

First Semester

THEORIES OF COMMUNICATION

Course code

COMM505

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

This course is designed to introduce students the individual and social functions of communication along different theoretical approaches with political, social and economic process. The course is also focused historical development of communication researches and fundamental approaches, main communication theories, linguistic and semiological approaches, political, economical and cultural approaches and reformist theories.

ELECTIVE I

Course code

COMM5X1

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

ELECTIVE II

Course code

COMM5X2

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

ELECTIVE III

Course code

COMM5X3

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

Second Semester

NEW COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES

Course code

COMM510

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

Focusing primarily on the internet and digital cultures, this course will explore the theoretical and practical debates that have developed around the concept of ‘new media’. Topics to be studied include interactivity, social networking, media convergence, cyberculture and the emergence of ‘web 2.0’. Are these developments anticipated by pre-existing studies of communication practice, or are new theoretical models required to understand them?

SEMINAR

Course code

COMM590

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

Seminar presentation and group discussions on selected topics related subjects on communication and media, the course is non credit but students will be evaluated as satisfactory or unsatisfactory about the course and if a student gets unsatisfactory remark he/she must repeat the course.

ELECTIVE IV

Course code

COMM5X4

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

ELECTIVE V

Course code

COMM5X5

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

Third Semester

THESIS

Course code

COMM500

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

Supervised independent research on a topic agreed between the student and the supervisor (a faculty member) and approved by the Administrative Committee of the Institute. It is evaluated by a jury of three faculty members.

Elective Courses

ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION

Course code

COMM508

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

This course is designed to examine the internal and external communication systems of business organizations. It is also examined that the uses of communication media such as internet and intranet in organizations.

MEDIA HISTORY:TEXTS AND CONTEXTS

Course code

COMM532

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

This course will examine the history of media and mass communication since the emergence of the printing press. The course will be organised as a survey of key moments in the international development of the media, but students will also examine key theoretical writings related to media history. Major topics to be addressed will include: the role played by technology in communication, the convergence between different forms of media, the connection between media and national culture, and the role of the media in the process of globalization.

SCIENCE FICTION FILM AND LITERATURE

Course code

COMM531

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

This course aims to teach students to develop an advanced understanding of critical perspectives in science fiction film and literature. In this context this course focuses on critical skills in thinking about the role of science fiction within contemporary societies. From this point of view, the course examines European and American science fiction literature and film traditions with a special emphasis on cyberpunk literature and films

FILM AESTHETICS

Course code

COMM513

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

This course aims to develop the skills and knowledge necessary for analyzing film as an art and an aesthetic category. The course focuses on film theories and film criticism and gives special attention to detailed film analyses. Within this context it examines and analyzes the film styles of “auteur” filmmakers and compares their cinematographic styles with those of mainstream filmmakers.

COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS

Course code

COMM507

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

This course aims to explain and analyze the components and functions of communication systems in different societies. Starting with the authoritarian theories, the course progresses to the social responsibility theory of communication ın order to examine how theories emerge and spread within political systems.

MESSAGE DESIGN AND MEDIA MANAGEMENT

Course code

COMM503

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

This course aimed to analyse the forming and designing the planned message and its communication techniques and media within the framework of practices in strategic communication management. Relating to this, the case studies on how the effective media management should be are examined.

MEDIA PLANNING FOR BUSINESS

Course code

COMM512

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

In this course, students are introduced to communication as a key concept in strategic public relations and strategic communication. After the course, students will be acquainted with theoretical frameworks for communication as well as their practical implementation. Special attention is paid to the alignment of strategy and control. Students will be equipped with an in-depth understanding of applied social research as a means of evaluating strategic communication programs, knowledge on how social research contributes to strategic communication planning as well as strategic communication evaluation, an in-depth understanding of established methods and tools of communication control, i.e. systematic, integrated, both formative continuous and summative evaluation against the backdrop of communication strategy and the ability to systematically derive a communication strategy from an organizational or business strategy.

USES OF MEDIA IN POLITICAL COMMUNICATION

Course code

COMM504

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

This course is designed to study, the political communication, the political parties as an institutional brand and institutional communication management, the political candidate as an individual brand, political campaign planning, media planning in political campaign, news media and public relations.

POPULAR CULTURE AND MEDIA

Course code

COMM511

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

This course focuses on various aspects of popular culture and the media, exploring the relationship between the two. The notion of popular culture and the role of the mass media as a producer and reproducer of culture for mass consumption is discussed from different theoretical perspectives, such as Marxism, Post-Marxism, Structuralism, Post-structuralism, Critical Theory, Feminisms, and Edward Said’s critique of Orientalism. The course also discusses how popular culture and media impact the ways we see ourselves, others, and the world around us, as well as our understanding of different aspects of social identity such as race, ethnicity, class and gender.

RESEARCH METHODS IN COMMUNICATION

Course code

COMM501

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

Kitle İletişiminde Araştırma Teknikleri dersi, genel olarak sosyal bilimlerde, özel olarak kitle iletişiminde kullanılan araştırma tekniklerine odaklanmaktadır. Bu çerçevede, araştırma süreci, hipotez aşaması ve geliştirimi, araştırmanın planı, örneklem grubu, ölçme ve değerlendirme, güvenilirlik ve geçerlilik, açıklayıcı ve doğrulayıcı faktörler gibi araştırma teknikleri incelenmektedir. Ders araştırma kavramlarının ve yöntemlerinin yanı sıra, iletişim alanında yapılan bilimsel bir çalışmaya giden yollar ve aşamaları tartışmakta, öğrencilerin bu aşamaları kendi araştırma projelerinde uygulamaları sağlanmaktadır.

RESEARCH METHODS

Course code

SOSC501

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

Students learn the scientific methods and techniques and develop their competence to evaluate research and prepare research projects. The basis of scientific research, scientific method, quantitative and qualitative research, problem statement, literature review, hypothesis, assumption, limitations, definitions, sampling methods, data collection (validity, reliability, item analysis, questionnaire development procedures, observation, interview), quantitative research methods (descriptive studies, correlational research, casual research, experimental research, single-case studies, meta-analysis), qualitative research (content analysis, case studies, action research, narrative research), reporting (organizing a scientific writing, parts of a scientific writing, general writing rules, showing the source in the text, preparing the list of resources). Students make scientific research about a subject that is related to their fields.

MARKETING STRATEGIES

Course code

BUSN532

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

This course is concerned with helping managers identify, select and implement strategies that would make their organizations more competitive in the marketplace. These strategies encompass decisions such as which "products" their firm offers and chooses not to offer, by the markets it seeks to serve and not serve, by the competitors it chooses to compete with and to avoid, and the level of vertical and horizontal integration it considers as optimal for all of its stakeholders. Specific ways to compete in the chosen "markets" will usually be characterized by one or more functional strategies such as product line strategy, positioning strategy, pricing strategy, distribution strategy, segmentation strategy, manufacturing strategy, information technology strategy, and global strategy. The intent of this course is to provide decision makers with concepts, methods and procedures by which they can improve the quality of their strategic (marketing management) decision-making.

STYLISTICS

Course code

ELLE505

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

This is an interdisciplinary course which deals with some of the ways in which texts, particularly literary texts, can be examined from a linguistic perspective. Its aims is enable students to use linguistic analysis in order to explain how literary texts achieve their effects.It covers areas such as discourse analysis, pragmatics, semantics and literary studies. It aims at helping students to apply textual analysis to oral and written texts. In this course, attention will be given to the relevance of stylistics to literary works and cultural productions. Th course also will demonstrate how communicative effects are achieved through linguistic choices.

INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATION

Course code

ADPR428

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

This course aims to provide students with insights into the coordination and integration of marketing communication tools, avenues, and sources into a seamless program which maximizes the impact on consumers at a minimal cost. This integration is studied in relation to a firm’s business-to-business, marketing channel, customer focused, and internally directed communications in their entirety. Integrating advertising and other marketing communications becomes extremely important in highly competitive trade arenas and advertising alone does not guarantee sales. This course will thus enable students to understand the importance of the strategic integration of marketing mix elements, as well as the value of strategic communication in gaining new customers.

MEDIA LAW AND ETHICS

Course code

JRN242

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

This course is a study of media law and ethics. It consists of two parts: ethics and law, media law specifically. It is designed to give an overview of the general concepts, problems, and specific cases in the fields media law and media ethics. Within this perspective the course starts with the philosophical investigations in ethics to establish a foundational ground for further discussions in media ethics and advanced analysis of media laws in major countries. Topics which directly affect people working in the field of media will be studied in greater detail. The scope of this course includes not only controversial issues such as news manipulations, truth, invasion of privacy, product placement, stereotypes, taste and taboos, analysis of news reporting on current events, media polling, defamation, copyright, as well as basic knowledge of law necessary for understanding media laws in certain countries affecting media institutions.

Political Economy and Media

Course code

COMM457

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

Political Economy and Media

QUALITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS

Course code

COMM515

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

MEDIA EFFECTS AND AUDIENCE STUDIES

Course code

COMM520

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

This course will explore reception, interpretation and interactivity in relation to various forms of contemporary media, including horror films, video games and social networking sites. The course will firstly examine the various theoretical models which have been developed to explain the effect which mass media has had on consumers. In particular, we will address conflicting conceptions of audiences as being either passive or active in their responses to media texts. Secondly, this course will examine the related field of reception studies and the methods which have been used to account for the various ways in which audiences interact and make sense of mass media.

MEDIA AND INTERNATIONAL CONFLICT

Course code

INRE561

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

The course examines the cultural, political and economic dimensions of media responses and media coverage of the international conflicts through assessment of different theoretical approaches. The course also provides necessary methodological skills to graduate students in order to comprehend and assess specific cases of media’s involvement in the international conflicts at different level. Topics include war and peace journalisms, politics and economy of conflict reporting and the role of media in conflict resolution. The “conset manufacturing” effect of the global mainstream media in relation to the apprehension of the global terrorism will also be monitored during the courses.

JOURNALISM CASE STUDIES

Course code

JRN450

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

FILM ANALYSIS

Course code

RTV342

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT

Course code

BUSN509

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

Designed to help the participants gain a better understanding of some of the most critical issues in the field of strategic management today. The issues addressed include: understanding some of the principal driving forces that will shape the future of international competition; the central role of corporate purpose to strategy in individual firms; the role of capital markets and corporate financial policies in shaping a firm's competitiveness in global markets; the identification of appropriate boundaries for a firm, including strategic alliances and the degree of diversification; the future of the implicit “contract” between employees and the corporation, and its implications for the meaning people find in their work and for the creation of knowledge-based competitive advantages; and the future evolution of corporate governance (particularly the role of boards of directors and institutional shareholders).

ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT

Course code

BUSN513

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

This course is structured to inform the MBA students about contemporary applications of management. With this basic approach the topics include knowledge society and organizations, information technologies, globalization and organizations, TQM, core competence, outsourcing, hybrid, organizations, downsizing, sub – contracting, lean organizations and cluster organizations. This course examines organizational theory, practice and learning in the context of rapidly changing competitive and economic environments. Strategies and tactics for growth and performance improvement are explored. This course covers issues of current relevance, including social networks, knowledge management, innovation, organizational learning and design thinking.

HISTORY OF CINEMA

Course code

RDTV461

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

This course is designed to equip students with a foundational knowledge of film history which they will be able to develop either through further academic study or though their own initiative. The course provides an overview of the history of cinema, focusing on major cultural and creative traditions that have influenced the global development of the medium from the late nineteenth century to the present. The course topics will include Soviet cinema in the 1920s, Italian Neorealism in the 1940s, the French New Wave in the 1950s and 1960s, and the emergence of the digital technologies in the present era.

LITERATURE AND LANGUAGE

Course code

ELLE501

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

This course mainly focuses on literary discourse. It aims to offer a background to textual construction and language use, language use in literary texts, and interpretation of the reader. The course also dwells on literary studies, including how literature and language are integrated. This course is based on a survey of a selection of historically and culturally significant literary texts. The students are expected to develop their verbal, written and oral skills through these texts. Students will be able to analyze a variety of literary texts written in English in their contextual usage and improve their critical thinking abilities through literary texts.

ORGANIZATION BEHAVIOUR

Course code

BUSN566

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

The aim of the course is to provide students with a basic concepts related to organizational behavior and show them how individual and group behavior is important for the management of an organization.

MEDIA LAW AND ETHICS

Course code

COMM242

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

This course is a study of media law and ethics. It consists of two parts: ethics and law, and media law specifically. It is designed to give an overview of the general concepts, problems, and specific cases in the fields of media law and media ethics. Within this perspective, the course starts with philosophical investigations in ethics to establish a foundational ground for further discussions in media ethics and advanced analysis of media laws in major countries. Topics which directly affect people working in the field of media will be studied in greater detail. The scope of this course includes issues such as news manipulation, the invasion of privacy, product placement, stereotypes, taste and taboos, analysis of news reporting on current events, media polling, defamation, copyright, as well as basic knowledge of law necessary for understanding media laws which affect media institutions in various countries.

DIFFUSION OF INNOVATIONS AND COMMUNICATION

Course code

COMM628

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

This course aims to help students expand beyond the proven communication theories, methods and models of the past by recognizing their shortcomings and limitations, and broaden their conceptual frameworks regarding the diffusion of innovations. For this purpose, the theory and related model of diffusion of innovations will be reevaluated through new concepts and theoretical frameworks. Within the context of this course, topics such as elements of diffusion including the concepts of innovation, innovativeness and adopter categories, history of diffusion research, contributions and criticisms of diffusion research, the innovation-decision process, diffusion networks, innovation in organizations will be discussed and the theory and model of diffusion of innovations will be repositioned in a more contemporary framework.

HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Course code

BUSN512

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

Managing human capital in the new economy is a challenge all business professionals face. This course addresses that challenge by retaining its unique orientation to overall practicality and real-world application incorporating technology, teams and virtual learning methods. Practical tips and suggestions provide effective ways of dealing with problems in communication, leadership, discipline, performance appraisal, labor relations, and compensation administration.

INTEGRATED COMMUNICATIONS

Course code

COMM617

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

As communication has developed in terms of both theory and practice, separate specialties and departments within organizations were created: employee communication, public relations and public affairs, advertising and marketing, audiovisual media, training and development, event and meeting planning, and information systems. These separate “islands of communication” have grown and moved further apart, often resulting in fragmented, redundant, or even contradictory communication programs and messages. This can lead to information overload, a loss of credibility, and wasted resources. As organizations are attempting to “re-engineer” and strive to become “learning organizations”, communication professionals employ new integrated communication approaches. All communication to the audience can be integrated and aligned. This course attempts to investigate the current situation in the new corporate communications and societal changes.

TYPOMORPHOLOGICAL ANALYSIS IN URBAN STUDIES

Course code

ARCH536

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

Course code

BUSN535

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

SOCIAL GENDER AND MEDIA

Course code

COMM606

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

RHETORIC

Course code

COMM612

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

SHORT STORY ANALYSIS

Course code

ELLE509

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

This course offers a historical background to the short story and helps students to develop their skills in analyzing short stories. Focuses on reading, discussion, and written analysis of short stories in order to develop skills in literary analysis and interpretation and familiarity with the conventions of the short story. The selected stories are drawn from various literary traditions, although emphasis may be placed on the American tradition, which has been especially productive and influential. Emphasis will be on the historical development of the short story as a distinct literary genre. Samples from all over the world will be examined.

THE POLITICS OF MEDIA REPRESENTATION

Course code

COMM623

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

This course will investigate a range of media texts and discourses in order to understand the ways in which systems of representation are produced, circulated and interpreted by audiences. Focusing largely on visual media, the course will examine questions of knowledge, truth, power and pleasure in relation to representations of masculinity, femininity, sexuality, whiteness and racial ‘otherness’. The course will be organized around writings by major theorists including Stuart Hall, Edward Said, Homi Bhabha, Marcel Foucault, Laura Mulvey and Richard Dyer.

RESEARCH METHODS

Course code

EMNT525

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

This course is designed to be a background pass to graduate studies. The ability to formulate a research question, finding the data relevant to research questions, analyze those data, and presentation of research findings are skills that will be acquired through this course. Scientific thinking skills and methods of research, using library and online archives, experimental design, and presenting quantitative data are modules covered within the scope of this course. Scientific communication, writing research proposals, scientific reporting and thesis writing are also supported. Conference presentations, time management in research projects, ethical issues, plagiarism and skills of working in a group and networking are also highlighted throughout the semester.

SPACE, PLACE AND PLACE - MAKING

Course code

ARCH541

Credit

Theoretical

Practical

Ects

TRNC
International

Students who are interested in pursuing advanced graduate studies leading to a master’s, doctoral degree, or professional doctorate degree for the Fall and Spring semesters every year. Applicants can directly apply online to our graduate programs using the application portal.

TRNC Applicants- Required documents:

Bachelor’s Degree Diploma
Bachelor’s Degree transcripts for each completed academic term/year.
Documents to prove English proficiency for English language departments,
Scanned copy of passport or identity card.

Click for detailed admission requirements information.

International Applicants- Required documents;

Bachelor’s Degree Diploma
Bachelor’s Degree transcripts for each completed academic term/year.
Evidence of English Language competence: TOEFL (65 IBT) or IELTS (5.5). Students without these documents will take the CIU English proficiency exam on campus following arrival.
Scanned copy of international passport/birth certificate
CV
Fully completed and signed CIU Rules and Regulations document (which can be downloaded during the online application)

Click for detailed admission requirements information.

Scholarships
Fees

Cyprus International University provides academic scholarships for its students as an incentive for success, with most students benefiting from 50%, 75% or 100% scholarships or discounted tuition fees. Click for more information.

Tuition Fees are determined at the beginning of each academic year. Candidate students who are entitled to enroll in CIU can learn their fees in line with the Tuition Fee Calculation system.