SOLUS is Queen’s Student On-Line University System. You’ll have access to a SOLUS account once you become a Queen’s student. You’ll use SOLUS to register for courses, add and drop courses, update your contact information, view financial and academic information, and pay your tuition.
Media & Popular Culture
FILM 240/3.0
This course on the dynamics between media and popular culture takes an interrogative approach. It is organized around a series of questions that will introduce students to a range of key concepts in media and mass communication studies, with the goal of providing a theoretical structure to support critical analysis of contemporary cultural trends.
Please note: This course is typically offered in the winter term
Learning Outcomes
After successfully completing this course, students will:
- be able to identify what makes an element of culture part of popular culture.
- when encountering a new element of popular culture for the first time, be able to decode what it is trying to say about the world, and what are the limitations and possibilities of that perspective on the world (analytical thinking).
- identify particular ways in which popular culture of various times and places in history reflect the representation (who can speak and be heard in society and who cannot) of those times and places.
- become more sensitive to and aware how the global circulation of culture changes the way they think about the world, their place in it and ultimately their own identity.
- identify how other individuals use popular forms and practices to construct identities and social affiliations that are different than theirs.
- be able to identify several resources (books, scholarly journals, websites) available to help them continue learning about the variety of strategies used by commercial industries for popular culture to enter the media stream, as technologies/new media are evolving.
Description
How does popular culture connect us and how does it shape the way we think? Is popular culture only a negative force or can it have a positive impact on people? What are those impacts (may they be positive or negative)? More precisely, why do people consume popular culture? And what do they consume exactly? In other words, what is popular culture? What do people talk about when they talk about popular culture? More importantly, who controls it? Is it the fans, the cultural industries or both?
These questions will be at the center of our concerns as I will attempt, during this course, to challenge your perspective on popular culture in order for you to have a better understanding of the major functions served by popular culture in contemporary societies. At the end of this course, you will possess a set of theoretical and methodological tools you can use to analyze and evaluate forms of popular culture you consume in order to form your own informed judgment and opinion.
Terms
Winter 2023
Course Dates:
Jan. 9 - Apr. 10, 2023
Exam Dates:
April 14-27, 2023
Evaluation
20% - Self-Assessment Quizzes x 10 (2%x10)
2% - Participation
48% - Mastery Questions (16% x 3 )
30% - Final Project
**Evaluation Subject to Change**
Instructor
Dr. Philippe Gauthier (philippe.gauthier@queensu.ca)
Textbooks and Materials
ASO reserves the right to make changes to the required material list as received by the instructor before the course starts. Please refer to the Campus Bookstore website at http://www.campusbookstore.com/Textbooks/Search-Engine to obtain the most up-to-date list of required materials for this course before purchasing them.
Required Textbook
- All required readings will be available within onQ.
Time Commitment
Students can expect to spend approximately 108 hours per term in study/practice and online activity for FILM 240.
Course Resources
About SOLUS
About OnQ
onQ is Queen's online learning platform. You'll log into onQ to access your course. All materials related to your course—notes, readings, videos, recordings, discussion forums, assignments, quizzes, groupwork, tutorials, and help—will be on the onQ site.
About Credit Units
Queen’s courses are weighted in credit units. A typical one-term course is worth 3.0 units, and a typical two-term course is worth 6.0 units. You combine these units to create your degree. A general (three-year) BA or BSc requires a total of 90 credit units.
Computer Requirements
To take an online course, you’ll need a high speed internet connection as well as a microphone and speakers to be able to watch videos, hear sounds, and participate in interactive online activities. A webcam is recommended but not necessary.
System Requirements:
Computer Specifications
- Windows 8.1 or newer
- OSX 10.13 (High Sierra) or newer
- Dual Core 2 GHz processor
- 4 GB RAM
- Soundcard
- USB Headset
- Webcam
Supported Browsers
- Chrome (preferred - latest version)
- Firefox (latest version)
- Safari is not recommended as it causes several known issues in onQ
- Edge is not recommended as it causes several known issues in onQ
Internet Connection
- Wired high speed access: Cable or better
- Wifi is not recommended
Java
- Latest version
Media Player
- Flash (latest version)
Adobe Reader
- Latest Version
Dates/Deadlines
The deadlines for new applications to Queen’s Arts and Science Online courses are in our Upcoming Application Dates section.
Grading Scheme
The information below is intended for undergraduate students in the Faculty of Arts and Science. Academic Regulations in other Faculties may differ.
| Letter Grade | Grade Point |
| A+ | 4.30 |
| A | 4.00 |
| A- | 3.70 |
| B+ | 3.30 |
| B | 3.00 |
| B- | 2.70 |
| C+ | 2.30 |
| C | 2.00 |
| C- | 1.70 |
| D+ | 1.30 |
| D | 1.00 |
| D- | 0.70 |
| F | 0.00 |
GPA Calculators
Have your SOLUS grade report handy and then follow the link to the Arts and Science GPA calculators.
How does this affect my academics?
See the GPA and Academic Standing page.
Follow the link above for an explanation of how the GPA system affects such things as the Dean’s Honour List, requirements to graduate, and academic progression.
Frequently Asked Questions on the Grading Scheme
Please follow this link to the FAQ's
Tuition Fees
Tuition fees vary depending when you start, your year, faculty, and program. Fees for Summer Term 2018 first-year Distance Career Arts & Science Domestic students are as follows: for a 3.0-unit course, $685.90; for a 6.0-unit course, $1371.80 See also Tuition and Fees.
Campus Bookstore
All textbooks can be purchased at Queen’s Campus Bookstore.
Non-Queen’s Students
All Queen’s Arts and Science Online courses are open to students at other universities. Before applying as a visiting student, request a Letter of Permission from your home university that states that you have permission to take the course and apply it to your degree. See also Apply.
Academic Integrity
Please see Queen’s policy statement on academic integrity for information on how to complete an online course honestly.
Delivery Mode:
Online
Testimonials:
I must shout this; I TRULY ENJOYED THIS COURSE!
It was my favourite class because of how wonderful the professor was throughout the entirety of the course. At first, I was hesitant to take this course since it was a subject matter I knew little about. However, professor Gauthier’s teaching method allows students to enjoy themselves while learning a great amount. I would recommend this course for all students who are looking for a laid-back atmosphere, but who are also willing to put in the work to further their knowledge on a subject they either are already well-informed on or know little about. I found that this course can be beneficial to students from varies fields. While the bonus is that this course has one of the kindest, funniest, and in my very strong opinion, a very knowledgeable professor. In addition, he is very accommodating when students require accommodations and he is a very passionate teacher. He is always there to help and answers all questions that students have, and his style of teaching (from my experience) really benefits and supports the student as it keeps them constantly engaged and interested throughout the course. He is truly concerned with helping his students excel and succeed in the course.
There are so many great things I could say about this course and about professor Gauthier. However, I will leave you all with this, I hope the few things I have mentioned are enough to encourage other students who see this review to take this class, trust me you won’t regret it!
- Janice Halabi (Winter 2019)
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