ATS1279 Media and culture
Faculty of Arts
ATS1279 Media and culture is a level 1, 6-credit-point, undergraduate unit from the Faculty of Arts, offered in 2026 in Semester 1 at Caulfield and Clayton. It has no prerequisites.
- Credit points
- 6
- Offered in 2026
- Semester 1
- Caulfield, Clayton
- Assessment
- No exam
- 4 tasks
- Workload
- 144 hours
- per semester
This is the 2026 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.
Reviews
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Requisites
Before ATS1279
Prohibitions
You can't enrol if you have passed any of these.
After ATS1279
No unit lists ATS1279 as a prerequisite in the 2026 handbook.
Enrolment rules
Prohibition: ATS1277
Overview
In this unit you will explore the core concepts and theoretical traditions within media studies including political economy, textual analysis, empirical studies and cultural studies. You will consider these in alignment with historical and contemporary examples of social, economic and political debates about media industries and audiences. You will also examine the ways in which power and influence are exercised through media in cultural and social life.
Offerings in 2026
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| First semester | Caulfield | On campus |
| First semester | Clayton | On campus |
Assessment
- Forum postExercise10%
- Analytical exerciseWritten25%
- EssayWritten40%
- Analytical exerciseWritten25%
Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
Explain the relationship between media and culture using one of the main theoretical frames from the unit;
- 2
Apply one of the main research methods used in media studies;
- 3
Critically read academic articles and develop skills to paraphrase, summarise and reference others' ideas;
- 4
Analyse media texts and the affordances of digital and analogue media.
Workload and teaching
- Lectures12 hours
- Tutorials24 hours
- Workshops4 hours
- Teaching approachActive learning
Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.
Where it fits
ATS1279 is part of 2 areas of study in the 2026 handbook.
Contacts
- Chief Examiners
- Dr Paul Atkinson
- Unit Coordinators
- Dr Paul Atkinson
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for ATS1279?
ATS1279 has no prerequisites, but enrolment rules apply.
When is ATS1279 offered?
In 2026, ATS1279 runs in Semester 1 at Caulfield and Clayton.
How much work is ATS1279?
The handbook expects about 144 hours of study across the semester. No students have rated its difficulty yet.
Does ATS1279 have an exam?
No. ATS1279 has 4 assessment tasks and no exam.
Which majors and minors include ATS1279?
ATS1279 is part of Communications and media studies.