MDIA 409Special Topic: Communication, Media, and the Cultures of the City
Media and communication in the city offer a rich field of study. From the infrastructural networks through which information, images, sounds, people, objects, commodities circulate to the various symbol systems that mediate their meaning for individuals and groups, cities allow us to contemplate the interplay of communication and media. Drawing from film, television, social media, popular music and urban policy, among others, and utilising semiotics, media and communication theories, we will cover local and global examples. Topics will include: the ‘creative’ city, cities on screen(s), scenes, global cities, the atmospheric city, the city as an ethical space, and more.
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Course details
- Dates
- 7 Jul 2025 to 9 Nov 2025
- Starts
- Trimester 2
- Fees
- NZ$2,274.90 for
- International fees
- NZ$9,033.60
- Lecture start times
- Friday 10.00am
- Campus
- Kelburn
- Estimated workload
- Approximately 300 hours or 17.6 hours per week for 17 weeks
- Points
- 30
Entry restrictions
- Prerequisites
- None
- Corequisites
- None
- Restrictions
- None
Taught by
School of English, Film, Theatre, Media and Communication, and Art History—Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
About this course
Media and communication in the city offer a rich field of study. From the infrastructural networks through which information, images, sounds, people, objects, commodities circulate to the various symbol systems that mediate their meaning for individuals and groups, cities allow us to contemplate the interplay of communication and media. Drawing from film, television, social media, popular music and urban policy, among others, and utilising semiotics, media and communication theories, we will cover local and global examples. Topics will include: the ‘creative’ city, cities on screen(s), urban scenes, global cities, the atmospheric city, the city as an ethical space, and more.
Course learning objectives
Students who pass this course will be able to:
Demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between media, communication and the cultures of the city.
Apply analytical and critical approaches to media and communication in the city.
Plan and integrate key media and communication concepts and theories.
Demonstrate research, writing and presentation skills.
Critically and constructively engage with peers' work.
Demonstrate ability to work collaboratively.
How this course is taught
This course is delivered in-person only, and students are required to attend on campus.
- Lectures/tutorials/workshops are in-person only, and not recorded.
- There is an in-person performance/presentation that requires attendance.
- There are collaborative activities that require attendance.
- Some assessment can be submitted online.
Assessment
- Urban Reflections (600-750 words each, 2 X 10 %) Mark: 20%
- Group Presentation (50 mins + 500-750 word writeup) Mark: 15%
- Project Proposal (800-1000 words) Mark: 20%
- Peer Feedback on Project Proposal (250 words) Mark: 5%
- Final Project (2500-4500 words) Mark: 40%
Assessment dates and extensions
Once you've signed up to this course, you can use to see due dates for assessments and information about extensions.
Mandatory requirements
Find out what you must do to pass this course.
In addition to achieving an overall pass mark of at least 50% students must:
- Earn at least 40% on each of the assessment items to ensure a minimum acceptable level of achievement of all CLOs.
If you believe that exceptional circumstances may prevent you from meeting the mandatory course requirements, contact the course coordinator for advice as soon as possible.
Group work
Group Work: Students will do a 50-minute presentation in a group of three or four. This will include a short collaborative write-up, including description or minutes of any meeting before the presentation to be submitted after completing the presentation
Lecture times and rooms
What you’ll need to get
Course readings are available on Talis.
Who to contact
Selected offering
MDIA 409
7 Jul–9 Nov 2025
Trimester 2 · CRN 10823