MEVIT4834 – Methods in media studies: close textual and visual analysis
Course description
Schedule, syllabus and examination date
Course content
This course teaches central approaches to textual analysis within media studies in the humanities.
It focuses on establishing a fundamental understanding of theory and method within these, as well as an understanding of the traditions from which textual theory and textual analysis come. The course adds a media studies perspective to these theories by critically reflecting on how different media affect what is communicated by the texts they transmit.
Any kind of text can be analyzed in this course, be they journalistic, documentary, dramatic, narrative, descriptive, fiction, or factual.
The course is recommended for anyone who is:
- interested in fundamental theories of culture and meaning.
- writing their master’s thesis on how meaning is created or communicated, or
- planning to analyse a specific text or set of texts with regard to its potential meaning or experience.
Learning outcome
Knowledge
After completing the course, students:
- will be familiar with central approaches to textual analysis.
- will understand and know how to use central approaches to textual analysis within media studies.
Skills
After completing the course, students:
- will be able to identify adequate textual analytic tools and apply them to a variety of media texts and materials.
- will be able to discuss how and to what degree textual analysis can be applied to distinct media, genres, and types.
- be able to perform media-sensitive textual analyses.
General competence
After completing the course, students:
- will not be allowed to ever approach media texts and media cultures naively again.
Admission
Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.
If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.
Overlapping courses
This course was taught in Norwegian up to and including spring 2017, as MEVIT4834 - Tekstanalytiske tilnærmingsmåter. Students who have previously passed the exam in the Norwegian version of the course may not have both versions on their diploma, nor will they be awarded 10 additional credits upon completing the English-language version of the course.
Teaching
The course will be taught in lectures and seminars of approximately two hours each, for a total of seven weeks.
The course has two obligatory activities which must be approved in order to qualify for the exam:
- Attendance to a minimum of 75% of the seminars (5 out of 7)
- Qualification assignment
Students who have not had both obligatory activities approved during the semester will lose their right to submit their exam.
Obligatory activities and absence
It is the student's own responsibility to stay informed about the obligatory activities, comply with the requirements for attendance and to uphold deadlines. Everyone must familiarize themselves with the rules concerning obligatory activities at the Faculty of Humanities. If you get ill or have other valid reasons for being absent from obligatory activities, you must apply for a leave of absence as soon as possible and no later than the day of absence or the deadline. Documentation of the absence must be sent to the institute within three working days.
Examination
The exam for the course is a three-day take-home examination. Students are expected to write a submission of around 10 pages, where each page is approximately 2300 characters, excluding spaces. The front page, literature list, appendices et c. do not count towards the 10 pages.
Submit assignments in Inspera
You submit your assignment in the digital examination system Inspera. Read about how to submit your assignment.
Use of sources and citation
You should familiarize yourself with the rules that apply to the use of sources and citations. If you violate the rules, you may be suspected of cheating/attempted cheating.
Language of examination
The examination text is given in English. You may submit your response in English or Norwegian.
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.
Explanations and appeals
Resit an examination
Withdrawal from an examination
It is possible to take the exam up to 3 times. If you withdraw from the exam after the deadline or during the exam, this will be counted as an examination attempt.
Special examination arrangements
Application form, deadline and requirements for special examination arrangements.
Evaluation
The course is subject to continuous evaluation. At regular intervals we also ask students to participate in a more comprehensive evaluation.
Periodisk emneevaluering våren 2008 (only in Norwegian)
Periodisk emneevaluering våren 2017 (only in Norwegian)