GENERAL HUMANITIES
GENERAL HUMANITIES (81 hours)
Course Description
This course is available to students coming from a variety of academic backgrounds and orientations. Its subject matter provides an overview of the broad roles of the different types of Communication and investigates the impact of Communication on individuals and consumers. It is a strongly recommended elective course for students wishing to pursue careers in Media, Communication, Humanities and Business, as well as for those who will work primarily with people.
Aim of the Course
The aim of the course is to:
- introduce students to the field of Communication
- enable students to understand the fundamentals of Communication
- instil in students increased understanding of what moves human beings to create and how their creations reflect their world views
- encourage students to think critically
- enable students to make progress by learning how others have asked “big questions” in creative ways and, by considering the responses, answer the same questions for themselves and at the same time realise the universality of the human condition
- provide ample opportunities for self-learning to essentially make students increasingly aware of their own communication styles
- inspire students to develop confident public speaking skills by applying the fundamental principles of speaking in public situations to their preparing and delivering informative and persuasive presentations
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, students will be expected to:
- comprehend and apply communication principles to personal, small group, and public situations
- display increased self-confidence in communication settings
- express their ideas with oral and written fluency
- apply knowledge of nonverbal communication
- demonstrate critical thinking competencies
- demonstrate the ability to organise information
- adapt messages and behaviour to different communication contexts
- employ appropriate listening and response behaviour
- display evident understanding of and respect for cultural and social diversity
Syllabus
- Introduction to the field of Communication
- The importance of Semiotic Analysis as a means of communication in advertising
- Overview of the fundamentals of Communication.
- Motivation to create and how creations reflect human world views
- Critical thinking processes
- Self-interpretation of answers to “big questions” and realisation of the universality of the human condition.
- Self-learning as a stimulus to an individual communication style
Contributions of Communication:
- Introduction to the field of Communication
- Identification of the influence of communication on contemporary and future mentality and technology.
- Recognition and understanding of meanings and definitions of interpersonal communication and social interaction
- In-depth appreciation of overarching structures such as culture, mass media and gender, and of their roles in shaping interpersonal interaction
- Awareness of the dominant contemporary research in interpersonal communication and in social interaction
Resources and Booklist Suggestions
Introduction to Mass Communication: Media Literacy and Culture, Baran, Stanley J. (2012), New York, NY: Mc Graw Hill Companies.
Media and Culture: An Introduction to Mass Communication, 11ed. Campbell, R., Martin, C.R., & Fabos, B. (2011), Bedford/St. Martin’s.
Journal articles and other readings: National Assembly Bills (2013). The Media Council Act. Nairobi, KE: The Government Printer
A First Look at Communication Theory, Em Griffin (2015), 9th edition, McGraw-Hill
Advertising Campaign Strategy: A Guide to Marketing Communication Plans 5th Edition, Parente, Donald, Strausbaugh-Hutchinson Kirsten, Cengage Learning,
Strategic Thinking for Advertising Creatives (paperback), Kavounas Taylor, Alice
