About the Program
The Journalism Program at CIU aims to prepare students for a career in the modern news media and to help them reach their potential as journalists. Our courses give students a comprehensive background in the history and theory of journalism, while developing their skills in writing and reporting. In addition, students study news photography, page design and video production, providing them with a broad range of skills which they can use in the modern newsroom.
Education Opportunities
During the academic year, visits are organized to national newspapers and agencies in North Cyprus and media professionals, as well as experts from the field being invited to contribute to classes. Writers, managing editors, news editors, page designers, photographers and photo editors also attend panels, seminars, conferences, and workshops for the benefit of the students. Students also gain practical experience of professional working environments through two internship placements, taken in the final two years of study.
Career Areas
Students graduating from the Journalism Program are able to find employment at print, broadcast and online media organizations, to work in public relations at government or private-sector organizations, or to continue their academic careers at universities. Being fluent in both spoken and written English, they are also able to work for international agencies and companies. Great journalists are experts with language: they can write simply and fluently and are able to report and to edit written and audio material. They can become reporters in the fields of news, sports, economics, politics, nature, motoring, technology, and health, as well as photo editors, visual directors, executive editors, news managers, news coordinators and broadcast coordinators. Opportunities abound for dedicated and enthusiastic journalism graduates.
Contact
Faculty of Communication
Çevik Uraz Center, CU124
Tel: +90 392 671 1111 Extension: 2301
Faculty E-mail: secretary-foc@ciu.edu.tr
Head of Department: Prof. Dr. Jonathan Guy STUBBS
Head of Department E-mail: jstubbs@ciu.edu.tr
Compulsory Courses
First Semester
INTRODUCTION TO MASS COMMUNICATION
Course code
COMM101Credit
3Theoretical
3Practical
0Ects
4
This course introduces students to the structure and functions of mass media, with special attention to emerging information technologies. It is designed to introduce communication students to the various media industries, including print and digital media. The impact of the mass media on lifestyles, public opinion, governance and business are also studied. Special attention is given to the historical background of traditional mass communication tools such as books, newspapers, magazines, radio and television by comparing their significance and influence on daily life of society, as well as their impact on the economy. The course also addresses the fundamental elements in the communication process and their significance to media relations.
MEDIA LITERACY
Course code
COMM133Credit
3Theoretical
3Practical
0Ects
4
This course aims to develop students’ ability to effectively and efficiently examine, interpret, and evaluate the underlying messages contained within media texts, and to provide an understanding of their social, cultural and political influences. This course is designed as a study in media analysis from critical perspectives; special emphasis is placed on the skills needed to evaluate selected shows, newspapers, advertisements, magazines and films. This course introduces students to focus on how the media is used to construct meaning, and the critical approach and methods used to analyze and understand it. Methods of critical writing appropriate to media analysis will be also emphasized.
MICROECONOMICS
Course code
ECON101Credit
3Theoretical
3Practical
0Ects
7
This course involves introduction to economics with the question; What is economics? Micro and Macro Economics, Needs, wants, preferences, scarcity and consumer preferences, Production Possibilities Frontier, Opportunity Cost, Budget Line, Cost-Benefit Principle, Explicit and Implicit costs, Elasticity -Inferior goods, normal goods, luxury goods, complement goods and substitute goods, Demand Curve and Supply Curve, Excess demand and supply, Demand and Supply functions, Equilibrium price and quantity by using functions, Types of taxes and their effects on demand and supply,Types of Costs; Fixed costs and variable costs. Calculating total revenue and total costs, Calculating profit and loss, Calculating Break even quantity, Drawing Break Even chart, Types of Depreciation and calculating depreciation all will be focused on.
READING AND WRITING SKILLS-I
Course code
ENGL141Credit
3Theoretical
2Practical
2Ects
4
This course aims to develop students' listening, speaking, reading - writing and study skills. The course provides students with the opportunity to develop their communication skills through controlled activities and to equip students with the basic study skills necessary to follow the curriculum of English. This course also provides students with the opportunity to process the newly acquired knowledge and to develop their ability to ask questions about how to apply the new knowledge to new situations and ask them to think critically. In addition, this course will enable students to learn about the different strategies required to review the various reading pieces, such as finding the main idea and distinguishing the details from the main idea.
INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTERS
Course code
ITEC110Credit
3Theoretical
2Practical
2Ects
4
The aim of this course is to give the students an understanding of the fundamentals of computers such as the basic components of the computers, input, output, storage devices and processing as well as application and system software, utility programs and internet basics. At the end of this course students will be familiar with the computer terminology and able to use the word processing and spreadsheet programs as well as efficient internet usage. General presentation of computer technologies, Windows operating system and applications in the Microsoft Office packageWord, Excel, Access and Power Point , softwares used in pharmacies, drawing for academic purposes and web-based method of screening of literature are also covered.
SOCIOLOGY
Course code
SOCY101Credit
3Theoretical
3Practical
0Ects
5
This introductory course in Sociology begins with an overview of the nature of the discipline, followed by a survey of various aspects of the structures and dynamics of social life. The history of sociology, the views of its founders and the major modern sociological perspectives are examined afterwards. Research methods and theories in sociology are explored to illustrate how thinking sociologically adds to our knowledge of the world around us. In this course, basic topics of sociology such as culture, socialization, media, family, education, social stratification, urbanization, social change are analyzed through different sociological perspectives. The course is accommodated to groups of students with different backgrounds and professional education. Class discussions on covered topics are encouraged and are valuable parts of this course.
TURKISH LANGUAGE
Course code
TREG100Credit
0Theoretical
2Practical
0Ects
2
This course examines basic areas of language and expression. In the first half of the course, the theoretical approach to language is formed and the spelling rules of the Turkish language are studied. In the latter part of the course, language and narrative errors are studied together with editing. In the second half of the course, formal writing, curriculum vitae, petition, evaluation of the columns in terms of language and style, types of written expression and practice; Turkish production and application of shooting attachments; Turkish grammar structure; It is aimed to teaching subjects like phonetics of Turkish to students.
TURKISH
Course code
TURK100Credit
0Theoretical
2Practical
0Ects
2
This course provides an orientation to modern Turkish language for foreign students who wish to communicate in this language for their needs. It mainly focuses on the differences between Turkish and English Alphabets, especially the sounds and the letters which are not included in the English alphabet (i.e. Turkish letters ç-ğ-i-ö-ş-ü). In addition, basic grammar and sentence structure forms in Turkish are practised. The required grammar and vocabulary will also be developed through their adaptation to daily situations in contexts such as introducing yourselves, greeting, talking about the things they possess by using possessive adjectives, forming positive, negative and question sentences by using present simple, telling the time, talking about their own timetables, using demonstrative pronouns when describing the place of objects and becoming familiar with vocabulary related to family members.
Second Semester
INTRODUCTION TO NEW MEDIA
Course code
COMM104Credit
3Theoretical
3Practical
0Ects
4
This course aims to define new media environment formed as a result of the development of information and communication technologies and to introduce its properties. In this context, the process of transition from traditional one-way communication to two-way, interactive communication environment; features that differentiate new media from traditional media; basic dynamics of new media; cyberspace, interaction in cyberspace; user-generated content creation; alternative media; citizen media; information society are discussed. In addition, the way in which the new media changes and transforms personal and mass communication will be discussed. This theoretically-engaged course will give students a critical analytical introduction to how the knowledge and culture are shared and organized in the new media environments with its impact on social-political-cultural life.
INTRODUCTION TO CULTURAL STUDIES
Course code
COMM144Credit
3Theoretical
3Practical
0Ects
4
This course introduces students to the principle analytical techniques and interpretive strategies are used in the field of cultural studies. Designed for the students at beginning of their degrees in media and communications subjects, the course places particular emphasis on interdisciplinary approaches to the study of culture and will provide a conceptual foundation for scholarly work in a variety of related areas. The course will address to the work of major figures related to Cultural Studies, including Michel Foucault, Stuart Hall and Edward Said, and will consider topics related to their work, such as the representational work of the media, the interpretative role of the audience, and the relationship between culture and power.
READING AND WRITING SKILLS-II
Course code
ENGL142Credit
3Theoretical
2Practical
2Ects
4
This course is the continuation of ENG 101. The course aims to improve students' listening, speaking, reading, writing and working skills. In the course, students are guided in writing compare and contrast essays using Venn diagram. In addition, the aim of the course is to learn the necessary conjunctions for composition writing. In addition, the students will be able to write a four-part critical composition by learning the difference between ideas and factual real sentences and how to write the opposing opinion and sentences used to refute it. Thus, the students will be able to distinguish between the compare and contrast essay and discursive essay. Students will also be able to make presentations by using presentation techniques. In addition, this course aims to summarize the reading pieces of the students and to use the strategies of reading and to draw conclusions and meanings using their reading skills.
HISTORY OF CIVILIZATION
Course code
HIST100Credit
0Theoretical
2Practical
0Ects
2
The aim of this course is to outline the development of civilizations in the course of history. It firstly focuses on the concepts such as “Civilization”, “Prehistoric”, and “Historic” and on the factors forcing the emergence of the first civilizations. As well as examining the prehistoric periods and their characteristics in the course of human life since the first appearance of human beings on earth, the course mainly focuses on the early civilizations, namely the Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Aegean, Classical Greek, Hellenistic, Indian, Chinese and Roman Civilizations. Political, social, economical, cultural, intellectual, philosophical and scientific aspects in these entities are also examined in this course.
INTRODUCTION TO JOURNALISM
Course code
JOUR102Credit
3Theoretical
3Practical
0Ects
4
This course introduces students to the profession of journalism and its most important product, news reporting. Students study historical and contemporary issues related to the news industry, as well as the relationships between news production, journalism, media and society. The course content addresses practical as well as theoretical aspects of journalism. Students are introduced to newsgathering and news reporting practices and processes, as well as the various categories of news writing. The course also addresses the primary roles and rules of journalism, including interviewing, the ability to pose effective questions, photojournalism, and the use of images in reporting.
PSYCHOLOGY
Course code
PSYC110Credit
3Theoretical
3Practical
0Ects
6
The aim of this course is to provide an introduction to the wide range of topics covered by psychology. By the end of the course, students will be familiar with the major theories and the methods of research used to analyse behavior. These include the biological basis of psychological functions, sensation, perception and different states of consciousness. In addition to cognitive topics, the course provides an introduction to social, developmental and clinical psychology.
INTRODUCTION TO RADIO
Course code
RTVC101Credit
3Theoretical
2Practical
2Ects
6
This introductory course is designed to introduce students to radio and radio production tools by describing and explaining the basic concepts which underlie radio production. Course content includes the historical development of radio and radio broadcasting; the political, economic, socio-cultural and technological configurations of radio; and the technical infrastructure and hardware or radio broadcasting. Students will be introduced to the skills and technologies of using basic radio production tools like microphones, digital audio recorders, audio consoles, etc. The course also covers the basics of sound recording and editing. Throughout the course, students will also learn interview techniques and have experience as interviewees in project work.
MODERN TURKISH HISTORY
Course code
TARH100Credit
0Theoretical
2Practical
0Ects
2
In this course, Ottoman state and society, factors causing the collapse of the state; Ottoman modernization; Tripoli and Balkan Wars, World War I, Mudros Armistice and Sevres Agreement; parties and associations, the national resistance movement led by Mustafa Kemal, the Havza and Amasya Circulars, the Congresses, the National Pact, the Turkish Grand National Assembly; the rebellions, the regular army and the War of Independence; the Mudanya Armistice, the Lausanne Peace Treaty; Revolution in the political field, secularization of the state and society, abolition of the sultanate, declaration of the republic, abolition of the caliphate; 1921 and 1924 constitutions, constitutional changes; Sheikh Said Rebellion; Multi-party experience, secularization and modernization in law, nationalization and secularization in education, Kemalizm and 6 principles, Turkish foreign policy(1923-1938) are covered.
Third Semester
INTRODUCTION TO ADVERTISING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS
Course code
ADPR201Credit
3Theoretical
3Practical
0Ects
5
This course aims to provide a basic introduction to the fields of advertising and public relations. The lesson plan is organized into two main parts in order to focus on advertising and public relations separately.These interrelated fields are examined in relation to their historical development and processes, the functions and practices. While the course aims to give students a solid understanding of the concepts underlying advertising and public relations, it also provides them with knowledge about the commonalities and differences of these fields. The course also examines the concepts and functions of marketing and situates advertising and public relations as part of the overall marketing communications world.
INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION
Course code
COMM253Credit
3Theoretical
3Practical
0Ects
5
This course aims to educate students in the issues and debates which surround the process of communication between different cultures. Students will examine the various barriers which impede and inflect intercultural communication, particularly language differences, non-verbal communication practices, and the incidence of prejudiced attitudes. They will also study specific examples of intercultural communication, both historical and contemporary, including European imperialism and its aftermath, modern patterns of immigration, and the creation of multicultural societies. In addition, class activities and presentations will encourage students to discuss and reflect on their own experiences of communication in intercultural settings.
HISTORY OF COMMUNICATION
Course code
COMM261Credit
3Theoretical
3Practical
0Ects
6
This course provides an introductory overview of the major elements, events and themes in the history of human communication. The weekly topics are organized according to the emergence of specific forms of mass media, including printing, the newspaper, magazines, radio, cinema, television and the internet. The course also addresses the rise of advertising and public relations and their role in the broader history of media. Particular emphasis will be placed on the role of technology in mass communication, the convergence between different forms of media, the connection between media and culture, and the role of media in globalizing the processes of communication.
ADVANCED READING AND WRITING SKILLS-I
Course code
ENGL241Credit
3Theoretical
2Practical
2Ects
4
The objective of the course is to develop sophomore students’ academic reading and writing skills. First of all, the course aims to identify the distinct differences between a 3-paragraph and a 5-paragraph essay. Then students are in introduced to the format of a five-paragraph descriptive essay, which includes choosing a topic, making an outline by inserting the thesis statement, a topic sentence for each body paragraph along with the supporting sentences and a concluding paragraph. In terms of reading, students will learn previewing a reading text to predict what it will be about, identifying and outlining the main ideas, skimming and scanning a text to make predictions, reading and interpreting data in charts, graphs and tables. Students will acquire effective presentation techniques.
INTRODUCTION TO TELEVISION
Course code
RDTV201Credit
4Theoretical
3Practical
2Ects
6
This course is designed to introduce student television and television production tools by describing and explaining the basic concepts in television production, the history of the medium, and the functions of television. This course provides theoretical and practical knowledge about TV production tools can be used to structure pictures and sound for maximum communication effectiveness. Students will also consider how meaning is constructed and developed, gaining an understanding of the range of meanings carried by television media texts. Through production assignments students develop a critical awareness of television content, thus enhancing their ability to reflect upon and analyse the complex relationship between media and society.
STATISTICS
Course code
STAT203Credit
3Theoretical
3Practical
0Ects
4
The main purpose of this course is to introduce to fundamentals of probability theory and basic statistical concepts. Students will learn the brief information about statistics and graphical representations of different types of data, measures of central tendency and dispersion (variance and standard deviation) are some of the main topics of statistics. This course will also help the students to understand basic probability concepts and to achieve this aim; the sets and set operations, counting techniques like multiplication rule, permutation and combination, details about events and sample spaces, tree diagrams, statistical dependence and independence, main information about the random variables are given.
Fourth Semester
PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT
Course code
BUSN250Credit
3Theoretical
3Practical
0Ects
6
This is an introductory course to the science of management. It covers the definition and the function of organizations, the role of the manager; uncertainty and business planning including the tools and techniques of planning. It then proceeds to the presentation of the decision making process. The role of technology in production and in management is introduced with special reference to the initiation and management of change. This is followed by the introduction and elaboration of the topics of human resource management, leadership and control. Students will understand and comprehend the important role played by management in the contemporary business environment, enhance skills to meet the challenges facing today’s management, encourage collaborative learning and teamwork as necessary management tools with global perspective of management.
THEORIES OF MASS COMMUNICATION
Course code
COMM212Credit
3Theoretical
3Practical
0Ects
5
Theories of Mass Communication course examine major theoretical and research trends in the field of mass communication. It aims to help students to develop awareness and basic understanding of a broad range of theories which direct mass media research as well as to encourage them to make associations between these theories in real world situations. Theories of Mass Communication opens with a discussion of the concepts of communication and theory, moves to an overview of the history of mass communication theory, and progresses to an analysis of various mass communication theories and models, ranging from traditional approaches to more recent critical perspectives.
WRITING FOR MASS COMMUNICATION
Course code
COMM222Credit
3Theoretical
3Practical
0Ects
5
This course examines the importance of writing in mass communication. Students are introduced to the primary methods of writing for newspapers, advertising, public relations, and radio and television broadcasting. News writing and headline writing techniques are studied, with particular emphasis on the inverted pyramid method and the writing of summary lead paragraphs by evaluating the importance of news elements. Students also study the techniques of writing press releases and learn their significance in public relations, the principles of writing copy and slogans for advertisements, the basics of writing for radio, television broadcasts, and writing for online publications.
ADVANCED READING AND WRITING SKILLS-II
Course code
ENGL242Credit
3Theoretical
2Practical
2Ects
4
The course is the continuation of ENG 201. First of all, the course aims to identify the distinct differences between a 3-paragraph opinion essay and a 5-paragraph argumentative essay. Then students are introduced to the format of a 5-paragraph argumentative essay, which includes choosing a topic, making an outline by inserting the thesis statement, a topic sentence for each body paragraph along with the supporting sentences, a counter-argument and a refutation, and a concluding paragraph. In terms of reading, students will learn how to draw conclusions by inferring information from a text, practice annotating and highlighting texts, how to recognize and analyse comparison and contrast in a text. Students will also acquire effective presentation techniques.
MEDIA LAW AND ETHICS
Course code
ILAW242Credit
3Theoretical
3Practical
0Ects
5
The purpose of this course is twofold: first, to discuss ethical principles and codes for various media professions such as journalism, public relations and advertising, and to discuss how these guidelines have and have not been applied in specific cases. Second, the course focuses on specific issues such as the invasion of privacy, defamation, obscenity, racial hatred, hate speech, intellectual property and copyright within the scope of media law. The course also concentrates on press freedom as well as basic knowledge of international law necessary for understanding how media law affects media institutions. Term project provides students with the opportunity to research and question local laws and regulations in the field of media and ethics in their own countries.
AREA ELECTIVE
Course code
JOURXX1Credit
3Theoretical
3Practical
0Ects
5Fifth Semester
BASIC PHOTOGRAPHY
Course code
COMM231Credit
3Theoretical
2Practical
2Ects
6
This is an introductory course in photography, covering its history, aesthetics and basic techniques. The course covers practical instruction and theoretical perspectives as well as some hands-on photographic work and field trips, enabling students will prepare a portfolio of work. Students are also expected to gain a detailed historical and aesthetic knowledge concerning the development of the medium of photography, as well as technical skills and ability to take better photographs. The scope of the course also includes the development of recent revolutionary digital technologies and their effects on the medium. Within this context, both digital and analogue photography will be thoroughly examined.
COMPUTER AIDED VISUAL DESIGN
Course code
COMM341Credit
3Theoretical
2Practical
2Ects
5
Computer Aided Visual Design is designed to introduce the student main concepts of computer aided design: solid modeling, assembly design, engineering drawing conventions, dimensioning and tolerance specification and descriptive geometry. Within this scope this course also focuses on conceptual design skills such as creative thinking and idea illustration by sketching. Topics of the course include 3D visualization and sketching, 6-view orthographic projections, drawing generation in CAD software, constrained sketching in CAD software, CAD: Solid modeling, feature based parametric models and design intent, dimensioning and tolerances, hole basis and shaft basis ANSI and ISO tolerances, clearances and fits, threaded fasteners, geometric dimensioning and tolerances (GDT), descriptive geometry concepts.
SUMMER TRAINING-I
Course code
JOUR200Credit
0Theoretical
0Practical
0Ects
5
This is first of two summer training courses. It provides students with the opportunity to gain practical, real-world experience in the journalism industry and to develop professional contacts that will help them as the launch their careers after graduation. Students will arrange the internships in association with the department and are required to complete a minimum of four weeks with their chosen organization, in accordance with rules and regulations set out by the faculty. After completing the internship, students will be interviewed by a panel of journalism department members to assess and discuss their experiences, based the work the student has produced at the organization and the report made by their employers. Each student is required to complete a minimum of four weeks summer training session in accordance with the rules and regulations set by the Department Journalism.
NEWS WRITING-I
Course code
JOUR321Credit
3Theoretical
3Practical
0Ects
5
In this course students study the fundamental principles of news reporting for print and online media. Students acquire the skills for covering an event as a news story and become proficient in news writing techniques. These skills include gathering newsworthy elements and deciding which elements to eliminate during the reporting process, covering stories according to the appropriate news values, and presenting the material in a correct and appropriate writing style. Students also study methods for searching for the most important elements of events and presenting them accordingly, asking relevant questions in order to gather correct answers from sources, and establishing accurate stories with the use of balanced, fair, unbiased, impartial information.
FEATURE AND EDITORIAL WRITING
Course code
JOUR371Credit
3Theoretical
3Practical
0Ects
5
In this course students learn the main differences between news stories and feature stories. With the help of assigned practical work they address the role and the significance of feature writing in newspapers and magazines. The main forms of feature writing and the differences between them are studied in detail. Students are asked to write news stories and to convert them into feature stories using the same information, and vice versa. Editorial writing is also studied as a means for the expression of ideas. The principles and ethics of writing opinion articles and their value for political as well as lifestyle publications are also examined.
UNIVERSITY ELECTIVE
Course code
UNIEXX1Credit
3Theoretical
3Practical
0Ects
4
UNIVERSITY ELECTIVE
Sixth Semester
SOCIAL MEDIA IN COMMUNICATION
Course code
COMM254Credit
3Theoretical
3Practical
0Ects
5
This course explores the history, rise and growth of computer-mediated communication technologies known as “social media,” – including Facebook, Twitter and YouTube – as a 21st century communication practice. Throughout the course, various social media tools and their application in current media will be addressed and current habits in social media will be discussed. This course also examines relevant social theory, including technology studies, communication theory and cultural studies to critically evaluate the effect of social media on relationships, activism, branding, politics and news media. This course also focuses on content creation and how to build content that performs well in social media.
ADVANCED PHOTOGRAPHY
Course code
COMM332Credit
3Theoretical
2Practical
2Ects
6
This course focuses on advanced techniques, applications, and editing in photography. The recent revolution in the world of personal computers has in turn revolutionized photography. As a direct result of the tremendous advances in digital technologies, software for editing photographs and developments in photographic printing technology have led to an improvement in the democratic character of photography. Consequently, conventional photography is increasingly being replaced by digital photography, thus freeing photography of its laborious aspects imposed by the conventional system. Within this context, the course will concentrate on the photography techniques and software applications necessary for the achievement of professional results. This course is assessed on project-basis.
PHOTOJOURNALISM
Course code
JOUR342Credit
3Theoretical
3Practical
0Ects
5
This course aims to introduce the various aspects of telling stories via photography. Building on previous photography courses, it emphasizes the differences between photography and photojournalism. The course focuses on the development, features, pioneers and genres of photojournalism, and analyses how photojournalism has become an institutionalized part of journalism in general. The course content addresses the technological and aesthetic dimensions of photojournalism, the careers of important photojournalists, the impact of news photography, and the ethics of digitally manipulating news photographs. Special attention given to the rules and methods of cutline writing, which is complementary for both the photograph and story.
AREA ELECTIVE
Course code
JOURXX2Credit
3Theoretical
3Practical
0Ects
5RADIO-TV NEWS WRITING AND REPORTING
Course code
RTVC332Credit
3Theoretical
2Practical
2Ects
5
This course is designed to develop skills in the areas of radio and television news writing and reporting including interviewing, researching public records, checking news information, as well as the various formats, styles and types of reports used in broadcast media. This course integrates theory and production work to address the knowledge and skills required for radio-TV news writing and reporting. It also includes in-class and out-of-classroom assignments in which students write and report news stories on topics concerning public interest, such as the economy, policy and technology. This course also provides a strong foundation in the legal and ethical rules utilized by those who gather, write, broadcast and distribute information.
UNIVERSITY ELECTIVE
Course code
UNIEXX2Credit
3Theoretical
3Practical
0Ects
4
UNIVERSITY ELECTIVE
Seventh Semester
POLITICAL ECONOMY AND MEDIA
Course code
COMM457Credit
3Theoretical
3Practical
0Ects
5
This course aims to promote critical thinking about the relationship between economics factors, political ideology and media production. Students will study economic concepts - including the supply chain, horizontal and vertical expansion, fixed and variable costs, market failure, public good, and economies of scale and scope – and learn how they can be applied to a range of contemporary media industries. The course will also examine the ways in which market regulation, the globalisation of production and consumption, and technological convergence are shaping the future of media industries. In addition, students will conduct and present original research about contemporary media mergers and acquisitions.
RESEARCH METHODS FOR SOCIAL SCIENCES
Course code
EASC270Credit
3Theoretical
3Practical
0Ects
5
Research Methods is an introductory course in social science research methodology. It is designed to introduce the student to basic concepts and problems encountered in social scientific investigation. Research methods aims at clarifying major concepts regarding the methodology of the social sciences. This course emphasizes the importance and limitations of theory and methodology in social science research as well as the purposes of applied research program evaluation, policy analysis, and research ethics. This course aims to introduce the field of social scientific methodologies by providing basic research tools for the students. Following some methodological debates in social sciences, the rules and procedures for writing research papers, reading books and doing practical research are introduced
SUMMER TRAINING-II
Course code
JOUR300Credit
0Theoretical
0Practical
0Ects
5
This is second and final summer training course required by the department. It provides students another opportunity to gain practical experience in news organizations and to develop a specialism within the field. Students will arrange the internships in association with the department and are required to complete a minimum of four weeks with their chosen organization, in accordance with rules and regulations set out by the faculty. They are encouraged to find a position that provides an alternate but complementary experience to their first internship. As before, students will be interviewed by a panel of journalism department members to assess and discuss their experiences, based the work the student has produced at the organization and the report made by their employers.
NEWS WRITING-II
Course code
JOUR421Credit
3Theoretical
3Practical
0Ects
4
This course emphasizes the elements of news writing, including the writing of leads, the organization of news stories, and writing conventions for various types of news stories. Building on the principles of writing learned in previous courses, students will undertake advanced exercises in newsgathering, interviewing and newswriting for print and online media. Students are expected to cover in-depth news events, to conduct thorough investigations, and to write stories professionally. Students also study the risks of reporting information from anonymous sources; the differences between on-the-record, off-the-record, background and deep background reporting; and the role of watchdog journalism. The uses and forms of quotations in the attribution of information is also studied.
PAGE DESIGN-I
Course code
JOUR431Credit
3Theoretical
2Practical
2Ects
6
This course develops a practical understanding of the principles of design and typography as they relate to newspaper and magazine publishing, as well as publishing on online platforms. The course will familiarize students with industry-standard software packages such as Photoshop, InDesign, PagePlus, CorelDraw, QuarkXPress and Publisher and their uses in modern publishing environments. Students will also examine the technical aspects of digital production more generally in order to place the ongoing changes in media design technology in a fuller context. Students are expected to demonstrate their abilities by designing and publishing covers for magazines and newspapers, which will be assessed.
AREA ELECTIVE
Course code
JOURXX3Credit
3Theoretical
3Practical
0Ects
5Eighth Semester
MAGAZINE WRITING AND REPORTING
Course code
JOUR422Credit
3Theoretical
3Practical
0Ects
6
This course provides instruction and practice in planning, writing, reporting, and editing copy for magazines. Building on previous writing courses, students examine magazine articles as a particular kind of writing which is flexible enough to include many different styles, treatments, and subjects. Students will address the ways in which magazine articles interpret, comment, analyze, and provide insight into the various facets of society, and the extent to which magazine journalists tackle a wide array of topics, from the most trivial to the most serious in a style that, depending on the subject and the magazine, can be formal or informal, aloof or personal, highly literary or perfectly plain.
PAGE DESIGN-II
Course code
JOUR432Credit
3Theoretical
3Practical
0Ects
6
This course extends and deepens the design skills which students have gained from the prerequisite Page Design I course. Through the completion of practical exercises and hands-on instruction, students gain greater experience and competence in the use of industry-standard design software. Particular emphasis is placed on the creation of original design work for print and online publication and the integration of this design with writing and photography which students have prepared in previous departmental courses. The course will be assessed through a portfolio of work reflecting the particular specializations which individual student journalists have developed throughout the degree program.
JOURNALISM CASE STUDIES
Course code
JOUR450Credit
3Theoretical
3Practical
0Ects
5
This course aims to develop students' judgment on contemporary issues in the media through an interactive, discussion-based method. The course is based around case studies which offer real-life dilemmas, and journalism students put themselves in the shoes of reporters, editors or publishers in order to address the issues at hand. Students are also expected to analyze the situation, identify the problem, try to find a solution, and defend their views. Instead of offering simple solutions, students are encouraged to facilitate discussion and create an environment to contribute and learn from each other. With real-life issues, they are able to grapple with the kind of complex problems they may face later in their careers.
ONLINE JOURNALISM
Course code
JOUR456Credit
3Theoretical
3Practical
0Ects
4
The aim of this course is to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of new communication technologies and their impact on journalistic practices. The rise of internet journalism and its correlation with citizen journalism are studied in detail. A short history and the reasons for the emergence of these new media forms will also be examined. Following a theoretical and historical study of online journalism, students will be asked to use the internet as an environment for journalistic practice. Students are expected to design an online newspaper or magazine as a project for assessment, incorporating materials and skills which they have developed in other department courses.
GRADUATION PROJECT
Course code
JOUR480Credit
3Theoretical
3Practical
0Ects
4
This course is a ‘capstone’ project for Journalism students. It requires them to draw on skills they have developed throughout the program to produce an original, professional-quality journalism project. Students will be expected to combine two or more aspects of modern journalism practice, such as reporting, photography, page design and video production. Typical projects include a design or photography portfolio, a news website, a newspaper or magazine, or a work of interactive reporting. The course is based on independent research and experiential learning and students will be required to present their work to a panel of department teaching staff at the end of the semester.
AREA ELECTIVE
Course code
JOURXX4Credit
3Theoretical
3Practical
0Ects
5Elective Courses
GLOBAL JOURNALISM
Course code
JOUR433Credit
3Theoretical
3Practical
0Ects
5
This course will encourage students to address the issues facing modern journalists and news organizations working in the international arena, both in practical and critical terms. The course will examine the ways in which globalization has influenced processes of news gathering and dissemination, the practical and ethical challenges which journalists encounter in an international context, and the relationship between journalistic practices and emerging media technologies. Students will also make comparative studies of individual news stories, examining the ways in which the same news events are reported in different ways by different new organizations according to their dominant ideological positions.
JOURNALISM GENRES
Course code
JOUR454Credit
3Theoretical
3Practical
0Ects
5
This course examines the major genres featured in modern journalism in a variety of media contexts, including financial reporting, sports journalism, health journalism, arts reviewing, fashion journalism, science reporting, and lifestyle writing. Weekly lessons are based around case studies in s representative sample of these genres and will analyze a range of written examples. Students are encouraged to develop a specialism and produce original writing within it, which will be examines via a portfolio of original written work. The course will also feature contributions from local professional journalists who specialize in the journalism genres under consideration.
POLITICAL JOURNALISM
Course code
JOUR381Credit
3Theoretical
3Practical
0Ects
5
This course examines the relationship between journalism and politics and its place in the broader media landscape. In particular it will address the contribution which journalism can make to the public understanding of, and public engagement with, political discourse. Student journalists will focus on the major practical and theoretical issues affecting political journalism and reflect on the role they can play as political reporters in a variety of contexts. Students will also produce original political reporting, which will be examined via a portfolio of original written work. The course will also feature contributions from local professional journalists specializing in political coverage.
INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING
Course code
JOUR462Credit
3Theoretical
3Practical
0Ects
5
This course will train students in the principle techniques of investigative reporting in a variety of media contexts. Weekly classes will focus on the processes and practices of journalistic investigation and their application in relation to crime, politics, legal processes, corporate activities and consumer affairs. Students will also consider the legal and ethical aspects of investigative journalism. Carefully selected case studies will examine major examples of investigative journalism and students will be encouraged to produce their own investigative reports. The course will also feature occasional contributions from professional journalists who have conducted their own investigative work in the local media.
INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION
Course code
COMM253Credit
3Theoretical
3Practical
0Ects
5
This course aims to educate students in the issues and debates which surround the process of communication between different cultures. Students will examine the various barriers which impede and inflect intercultural communication, particularly language differences, non-verbal communication practices, and the incidence of prejudiced attitudes. They will also study specific examples of intercultural communication, both historical and contemporary, including European imperialism and its aftermath, modern patterns of immigration, and the creation of multicultural societies. In addition, class activities and presentations will encourage students to discuss and reflect on their own experiences of communication in intercultural settings.
FILM ANALYSIS
Course code
RTVC342Credit
3Theoretical
3Practical
0Ects
4
This course is designed to provide students with an introduction to film analysis. Students will examine the ways in which meaning is constructed in cinema by looking at the various techniques employed by filmmakers and the manner in which these elements operate as a formal system. The course will stress the importance of close textual analysis of individual scenes, while also emphasizing the need to look at films as a whole. A range of films will be viewed in class, although for the sake of coherence the majority will be Hollywood productions from the 1940s and 1950s, in particular the cinema of Alfred Hitchcock.
INTERVIEW TECHNIQUES
Course code
JOUR455Credit
3Theoretical
3Practical
0Ects
5
This course will give students practical instruction in conducting interviews for a variety of media work, both face-to-face and using the telephone or other telecommunications technology. Weekly classes will focus on the primary techniques and professional practices entailed in the process of interviewing for newspaper, radio and television production. Students will also reflect on the ethical dimensions of the media interview. The course will also feature contributions from local professional journalists who have experience as interviewers. Students will conduct and present original interviews with a variety of subjects, which will be examined and assessed via a portfolio of written work.
DOCUMENTARY PRODUCTION
Course code
RTVC302Credit
3Theoretical
2Practical
2Ects
5
This course is designed to introduce the development of documentary film in terms of its history, its genres and its pioneers. Students will also consider the relation between reality and representation, and the distinction between fiction and documentary filmmaking. This course integrates the basic historical, theoretical and practical approaches to the basic techniques of documentary production in different mass media tools. The historical diversification and evolution of the documentary film and television will be emphasized in the course. With documentary demonstrations, discussions of sample documentary films, and out of class assignments, this course provides the fundamental theoretical knowledge and skills that are required for documentary production.
HISTORY OF CINEMA
Course code
RTVC361Credit
3Theoretical
3Practical
0Ects
3
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.
PUBLIC ADDRESS
Course code
COMM322Credit
3Theoretical
3Practical
3Ects
5
This course is designed to examine the principles of public address and teach the students the main elements and factors which result in a dynamic and effective speech. Besides speaking skills, the course aims to help students to improve their listening skills so that they are able to evaluate and critique speeches they listen to insightfully. The course provides opportunity for students to significantly improve their public speaking skills by practicing and delivering speeches and presentations in a safe environment with feedback from their peers as well as their lecturer so that they will be able to critically examine their own and others’ speeches through interactive practice.
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY PROJECTS MANAGEMENT
Course code
PRAD461Credit
3Theoretical
3Practical
0Ects
5
This course is designed to teach students the importance of social responsibility projects and provide opportunity for the students to gain both theoretical and practical skills in designing and implementing social responsibility projects. The students will engage in developing social responsibility projects which contribute to the betterment of society and provide solutions to various problems related to social, cultural, educational, artistic and sporting aspects of the community. This course will require students to work as groups to design campaigns, write a campaign budget, and complete related steps in the realization of their project, which will finally be presented and defended in class.
TV GENRES
Course code
RTVC411Credit
3Theoretical
3Practical
0Ects
5
This course will provide a critical overview of television genres and will examine them from practical and theoretical perspectives. Students will analyse a variety of fiction and non-fiction television genres, emphasising their historical, cultural and economic contexts. Students will also consider the ways television genres have changed, divided and combined over time. Attention will also be paid to the processes through which genre classifications are produced and the media discourses which generate them. Sample genres addressed and discussed during the course include the crime show, the prestige drama, the soap opera, reality TV, news programming, and also the quiz show.
VISUAL LITERACY
Course code
RTVC467Credit
3Theoretical
3Practical
0Ects
5
This course introduces basic visual elements and addresses the contribution of these elements to visual expression and the reproduction process of reality via audio-visual media. Course content includes the theoretical background of visual literacy, theories of cognitive learning and its relation with learning technologies, message decoding and commenting practices, the usages of images in mass media, an the effects of visual literacy on communication processes. This course includes discussion sessions designed to improve students’ ability to generate and interpret effective visual messages, including visual thinking and learning skills, reading comprehensions based on different theoretical approaches to visual culture, and the basic principles and concepts of visual language.
CREATIVITY IN ADVERTISING
Course code
PRAD324Credit
3Theoretical
2Practical
2Ects
5
Creativity in Advertising course focuses on the question of what makes an ad creative and helps the students to recognize that without creativity there will be no effective advertising. The course examines the concept of creativity and various creative approaches and styles employed in different forms of advertising. The students will examine and critically reflect on a variety of advertisements. They will also design their own ads and experience the challenges in coming up with a creative idea. In the end of the course it is aimed that the students have a solid idea why creativity is so important in advertising.
SHORT FILM PRODUCTION
Course code
RTVC464Credit
3Theoretical
2Practical
2Ects
5
This course provides an introduction to the creative and technical aspects of short film production. It introduces the notion of short film as a cinematic genre from both artistic and historical perspectives. Course content includes the aims, history, production-directing stages, and techniques of short films and the process of converting an idea to visual expression. The course aims to provide theoretical and practical knowledge about the production and directing stages of the short film, and enables students to produce their own short film. Significant examples of short films will be analyzed and students will be encouraged to write, produce, direct, edit and present their own short films.
INTRODUCTION TO DIRECTING
Course code
RDTV401Credit
4Theoretical
3Practical
2Ects
6
This course is based around the theoretical and practical skills required for directing films and TV programs. The aim is to enable students to gain critical and creative ways of thinking and to create awareness about film production. This course integrates theory and practice to teach students production and directing stages (pre-production, production, and post-production), advanced principles and techniques, the director's duties and responsibilities, particularly their relationships with actors, production crew, designers, screenwriters, and production managers. After addressing the theories, knowledge, and skills necessary for directing films and TV, the course will end with the production and presentation of short video clips and films.
EDITING
Course code
RTVC365Credit
3Theoretical
2Practical
2Ects
5
This course is designed to introduce basic theories and applications of cinema and television films post-production processes and editing for different film genres. It also aims to promote aesthetic creativity and awareness, as well as the basic knowledge and skills required for using and arranging visual language effectively. Course content includes the history and theories of editing; editing terminology; motion and dialogue editing; the synchronization of video, music and sound; and special effects. This course also teaches students how to select video footage considering a basic visual vocabulary, select correct audio clips that support video, utilize graphic elements, colour and positioning, and to assemble and trim elements to create certain moods and emotions for audiences.
MARKETING RESEARCH IN ADVERTISING
Course code
ADPR429Credit
3Theoretical
3Practical
0Ects
This course introduces the students to the principles and practices of marketing research methods. The students will learn that good marketing decisions require solid marketing research and will better understand the role of marketing research in developing marketing strategy. The course will cover both quantitative and qualitative research methods and will also provide opportunity for practical hands-on work. As the final project the students will be asked to design a research project, collect data, analyse their data, submit a report of their findings. They will also present their work to the class where each project will be evaluated by peers and the lecturer.
RADIO AND TV MANAGEMENT
Course code
RTVC452Credit
3Theoretical
3Practical
0Ects
5
This course is designed to introduce students to the basic principles of management, in particular as they relate to contemporary radio and television organizations and to media production. This course focus on general management theories and techniques, including organizational structures, leadership, decision making, budget planning and the management of groups and teams. The course concentrates more specifically on the practical media environment by examining the role of the production manager. The main responsibilities and skills required for this position and its importance for television production will be covered. Through various theoretical and practical projects students will experience management strategies and techniques vital in the collaboration and production of radio and television.
POLITICAL COMMUNICATION
Course code
PRAD453Credit
3Theoretical
3Practical
0Ects
3
This course introduces the political communication field to students. It focuses on the nature and functions of political communication, and evaluates the role of the media in political communication. The concept of political communication is examined and the theoretical, conceptual and historical processes that shape the field are discussed. Role of the media in democratic societies, freedom of the press, and the agenda setting is explored. Also, political communication campaigns, political marketing, political advertising, and political public relations are discussed in the course. By the end of the course, students are expected to be able to explain concepts of political communication, political advertising, political public relations, political marketing, and to be able to exemplify and comment on political campaigns.
SOCIAL MEDIA APPLICATIONS
Course code
PRAD459Credit
3Theoretical
3Practical
0Ects
5
Within the scope of this course, the students will learn the development of social media as a communications tool, the societal effects of social media, public relations strategies and applications through social media, reputation and crisis management in social media. Students will also gain information on the process of assessment and evaluation in social media and the tools and platforms that can be used for this process. At the end of the semester, the students are expected to be able to explain the process of communication in social media, explain different social media tools and their uses, describe the use of social media in the field of public relations and explain the analysis, assessment and evaluation processes in social media.
PUBLIC RELATIONS CASE STUDIES
Course code
ADPR350Credit
3Theoretical
3Practical
0Ects
5
The course examines a variety of real-world public relations cases and analyzes how public relations professionals manage different public relations situations in corporate, government and nonprofit organizations. Group discussion of cases in an interactive class atmosphere is essential for this class where each student is expected to have read assigned case material before the class and be prepared to participate actively in case discussions. The course allows the students to utilize their background knowledge gained in previous public relations courses and expand their knowledge by examining several successful and unsuccessful public relations responses to organizational issues, problems, challenges and opportunities.
LIGHTING DESIGN
Course code
RTVC442Credit
3Theoretical
2Practical
2Ects
5
This course focus on the theories and mechanics of light and colour, including basic lighting technology, the variety of different types of lighting equipment and control boards, the fundamental elements of lighting design, and the application of lighting in screen composition. This course is designed to address the aesthetics of dramatic screen lighting and to develop and an understanding of lighting design. The course also covers the conventions of screen lighting, the characteristics of light and visual perception, and the production of lighting systems. This is a practical course that aims to enable students to develop and implement independent lighting design projects.
FILM GENRES
Course code
RTVC466Credit
3Theoretical
3Practical
0Ects
5
This course is designed to explicate the formation and developments of film genres. It also addresses theoretical approaches of film genres and looks at film genres as artistic and cultural forms. In this course, the development of major film genres (including the western, horror, science fiction, comedy, musicals, crime films and animation) will be covered. The genres will be analysed in relation to both socio-cultural structures and with industry and audience practices. In this way students will develop a solid understanding cultural representation in film, stimulating critical, creative and independent ways of thinking about the role of the media in general
TR Applicants
TR Students who are successful in the exams conducted by the Higher Education Council Student Selection and Placement Center (ÖSYM) and are entitled to enroll in our university in line with their preferences can complete the registration process with the necessary documents for registration from our Registration and Liaison Offices throughout Turkey or from the Marketing Directorate on campus.
Click for detailed admission requirements information.
TRNC Applicants
TRNC citizens and TR citizen candidate students who have completed their entire high school education in TRNC. They are placed in undergraduate programs in line with their success in the CIU Student Placement and Scholarship Ranking Exam and the programs they prefer.
Students who are successful in the exam can register from the TRNC Marketing Office.
Applicants can directly apply online to our undergraduate programs by using the application portal. Please fill in your details correctly and upload all the required documents listed on the last page of the application form.
Required documents;
- Completed application form,
- Higher/Secondary Certificate or equivalents (e.g. O/A’Level, WAEC/NECO)
- 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,
- Fully completed and signed CIU Rules and Regulations document (which can be downloaded during the online application).
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.