Communication

This course aims to reflect on ideology, the construction of identities, and the representations of facts and languages ​​that emerge in hegemonic neoliberal discourses (focusing on multiple areas of society: health, culture, interpersonal relationships, labor relations, digital communications, etc.) It also seeks to develop critical intercultural competence, focusing on a key question: what is culture? Clichés, cultural misunderstandings, stereotypes, and prejudices surrounding identities are examined. This course is taught in Spanish and a minimum level of B2 Spanish language background is required.

This course has been developed through an exciting international collaboration with seven institutions across the UK and Europe. Teaching content has been designed by international experts in various fields of cultural competence, linguistics, and translation/interpreting. Each week, the course tackles a theoretical and practical aspect of multilingualism and multiculturalism, in the context of topical issues, such as generative AI, climate change, democracy, global health, equality and diversity, and civic responsibilities. Having a second or third language can be an advantage, but the course does not require students to be multilingual. The course develops cultural competency in the context of multiculturalism and multilingualism (M&M), particularly through learning from translation and interpreting studies in the age of artificial intelligence to provide students with an essential understanding of the topic and the skills to learn to effectively navigate the complexity of M&M in real-world situations. to challenge students to go beyond the recognition of the coexistence of cultures and languages, by actively engaging them in discussions centered around democracy, climate change, and global health.

This course is focused on journalism not just as a study but a practice. It covers the practices of journalistic writing (audience engagement, research, interviewing, hierarchizing and choosing (editing information, headline, portrait writing, reporting, and investigating) while also experimenting with different techniques through assignments and exercises, including a partnered oral press review, an editorial piece, a portrait, and a reporting piece.

In this course, students explore storytelling and analyze and dissect fiction from various media. Students start with literature, understanding how a story works, its structure, devices and narratives, and move into creating their own stories.  Through projection and discussion of examples, students analyze how films and TV shows tell stories and make their narrative as effective and surprising as possible. Students also analyze videogames with critical thinking and understanding tricks used in game design and narrative. Additionally, using the projections and discussions, students create their own original ideas and plots, using different creative exercises to build up to working on first script drafts. Video games included in the course include games that excel in storytelling and narrative by breaking the conceptions of what society views as a videogame.

In this course, students develop strategic thinking skills to create and implement effective communication plans on social media. Students learn social media theory and innovative methodologies to understand the social, political, and economic impact of digital media on strategic communication and public relations. Topics include mastering key strategies to enhance the digital presence of businesses, governments, and NGOs, learning to analyze the impact of social media in everyday life and the professional sphere, and becoming an expert in digital communication.

This course is for students who are planning to work in international teams or are considering an international career. It provides students with background knowledge of different cultural models and approaches that impact people’s behavior in a professional setting. The course raises students’ awareness of potential areas of cultural differences and the ways how to improve their intercultural communication ability. It considers a range of professional skills and situations from intercultural perspectives in order to prepare students for confident communication in their work or study-related settings.