Communication

The course focuses on the significance of rhetoric for human rights and democracy. The course provides tools to communicate opinions in societal contexts in a respectful, authentic, and effective manner, considering different opinions and interests. Students practice effectively listening to, formulating, and delivering messages.

In the age of digital intelligence, how can we coexist and collaborate with machines? What are the boundaries and limits of human–machine communication? This course focuses on five core issues in the field of intelligent communication: human–machine interaction, human–machine trust, human–machine emotion, human–machine value alignment and digital intelligence for good, and cultural and generational differences in human–machine communication. By adopting an interdisciplinary perspective and drawing on cutting-edge research cases, the course aims to help students better understand the nature of human–machine communication and human–machine relationships. It also equips students with the abilities to calibrate trust in machines, critically reflect on human–machine relationships, and engage in human–machine communication in a responsible manner.

This course explores the transformative power of media. Through critical analysis and hands-on media design, students examine how media artifacts construct national identities, deploy soft power, challenge gender norms, and transform digital spaces into sites of justice. Bridging theory and practice, students develop ethically grounded media interventions, such as storyboards, TikTok campaigns, and justice-oriented projects, etc. that engage with the tensions between cultural specificity, global algorithms, and neoliberal platforms. 

Organizations are facing a wide range of unexpected challenges of crises, requiring them to develop strategic thinking in order to prepare for, mitigate, respond to, and recover from unexpected occurrences. The aim of this course is to develop strategic skills in mitigating issues and managing crises that organizations encounter. This course places crisis communication in organizational, social, and global contexts. The course emphasizes real-world application of crisis communication concepts, theories, and principles. Thematically, the course covers the foundational of crisis communication, three phases of crisis management, internal and external crisis communication, media and stakeholder relations, and issues and trends in crisis communication.

This introductory course covers theories and research findings in the area of intercultural communication, providing a basic understanding of intercultural communication theories and their relevant issues in global society.  

Topics include Cultural identity and categorization, High vs low-context communication, Verbal codes and intercultural communication, nonverbal codes, Communication accommodation, Intercultural conflict and negotiation, Acculturation and adaptation, Intercultural competence and development, Intercultural relationships and dialog, Group dynamics, Ethics and power in intercultural work, Digital media and global dialog.  

Students can take this course without a prerequisite, but preferably students have taken an Intro to Media course before or while taking this course.  

This course introduces and discusses some of the key areas of media sociology. It looks at important figures of the field and their representative work. The point is to get an overview of the complex relationships between media and society. The course pays particular attention to social aspects of journalism and new media.

This course examines the complex relationships between media and multiple varieties of communities, including national, local, ethnic, and subcultural groups. Through readings from multiple academic fields, the course addresses the media’s potential to change one’s understanding of cultures and how one relates to cultures they see as ‘other,’ as well complicating the divisions between the two. 　 
　 
The first half of the course discusses the role of nations and national cultures in the production, transmission, and consumption of media texts. Then, the course examines the complexities of community in the digital age, focusing on the spread of ideas across national and cultural borders through online participation. 

This course equips students with essential skills for effective communication and collaboration in diverse, global environments. The course explores various aspects of intercultural competence, from understanding cultural differences to fostering diversity in the workplace. Through readings, discussions, presentations, and projects, participants develop a nuanced understanding of cultural nuances and societal themes.

This course examines the topic of branding through the lens of Barcelona. It focuses on how Barcelona strategically crafted its brand identity and global image to become a beacon of innovation and culture. The course includes field trips to iconic landmarks, business, and cultural hubs in the city to complement class topics.

This international collaborative learning course is designed to develop practical and empathetic communication skills through group work and experiential practices in holistic communication. It focuses on enhancing one's self-awareness, interpersonal communication, and empathy by studying mindfulness, deep listening, and storytelling techniques.