STRUCTURE & CONTENT
Structure and Content
Undergraduate Programme of Studies
The Department of Communication and Internet Studies offers a Bachelor of Arts in "Communication and Internet Studies". The degree is awarded upon completion of 240 ECTS (typically 48 courses of 5 ECTS).
Directions and Clusters
Students choose one of two specializations at the beginning of their studies. Within each specialization there are two clusters, and each student must complete the required courses of at least one of the clusters. Specializations are fields within the broader area of communication studies and Clusters are bundles of courses that converge thematically in a particular area of each Direction. The Directions and Clusters are as follows:
DIRECTION I – Internet and Society
Cluster I.Α. – Internet and Power
Cluster I.Β. – Journalism and Digital Media
DIRECTION ΙΙ – Information Technologies
Cluster II.A. – Design for Social Impact
Cluster II.B. – Internet and Web Technologies
Direction I (Internet and Society) focuses on the study of the Internet as a sphere of communication and social (cultural, economic, political, etc.) activity in an interdisciplinary manner. It could be described as a field of social sciences focused on the Internet, with research orientations that engage with, among other things, psychology, sociology, political science, journalism and cultural studies.
The Cluster I.A. - Internet and Power deals with the socio-political dimension of the Internet as a global mean of communication, with a focus on the study of the structures and power relations that govern contemporary digital reality. In this thematic area, teaching focuses on the impact of the Internet on democracy and politics and examines how digital technologies have transformed human societies. The subject area aims to bring together specific themes from psychology, sociology, communication studies regarding governance, civic participation, citizenship, social movements, conflict and change. Students choosing this module will also learn about fundamental concepts regarding the role and use of new technologies as instruments of democratization. The cluster emphasizes the development of independent and critical thinking through interdisciplinary research methodology and historical examples and contemporary empirical research. It aims to equip graduates with specialized knowledge of the cultural, economic and political dimensions of digital technologies in areas such as privacy and surveillance, the political economy of the Internet, digital politics, immaterial/digital labour, identity and representation in the digital environment, etc.
The Cluster I.B. - Journalism and Digital Media includes subjects covering contemporary journalism, both as a practice and scientific study subject. The cluster has been designed based on the fundamental premise that the study of Journalism and Digital Media today requires exposure to a broader framework of scientific knowledge combined with the possibility of acquiring skills that will allow the responsible and effective exercise of professional work. The cluster aims to provide scientific knowledge and professional skills and train students to critically grasp the role and function of journalism and digital media. A key objective is to promote the scientific study and exploration of the evolution and role of journalism and digital media in contemporary society and culture. By combining theory and practice, scientific knowledge and professional skills, an interdisciplinary approach and innovative technological applications, the cluster area aims at learning outcomes that contribute to the productive, socially responsible and creative presence of graduates in the various fields of public communication.
Direction II (Information Technologies) focuses on developing skills and knowledge about new communication technologies and their application for solving societal challenges or meeting needs at the individual or collective level (businesses, organizations, etc.).
The Cluster II.A. - Design for Social Impact starts from the assumption that Internet and Web Technologies are designed in response to specific social problems. This design can be reviewed if the solutions are unsatisfactory or socially acceptable. Therefore, with the courses offered, the subject area addresses issues that expose students to developing knowledge and skills for creating technological applications to enable human intervention to optimize the benefits of the final solution. In this context, emphasis is placed on developing design thinking to approach technology and the combined study of theory and practical application of various technologies to promote issues such as learning and health. Emphasis is also placed on the critical dimension of design as a means of empowerment or disempowerment in the context of dynamic interactions between the individual, society as a whole, and technology features. Students who choose this cluster will acquire skills that will help them to participate in the design of socio-technical projects, which may be implemented through software or through a combination of technological and non-technological solutions, to solve social challenges such as increasing physical activity, ecological approaches to environmental issues or acquiring learning skills for the 21st century.
The Cluster II.B. - Internet and Web Technologies addresses Internet and Web Technologies practically. The goal is for students to acquire programming skills in developing web applications in a wide range of areas of interest. In addition to basic programming principles and design skills for developing web applications, current technologies, programming tools and software for the Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence, retrieval and analysis of data from social media, and the creation and manipulation of interactive Digital Content in multimedia format are examined. These skills are necessary for the job market in related disciplines and for conducting original scientific research based on empirical studies.
Components and modules
Components and Modules
To complete the program and be awarded the BA degree, a total of 240 ECTS (typically 48 courses) must be acquired. These required 240 ECTS are allocated into four components as follows:
First Component:
Core Requirements (70 ECTS)
All students must complete 14 compulsory courses (5 ECTS each, total 70 ECTS), which constitute an introductory bundle of courses in the field of communication. The courses are as follows (the first digit of the numerical code indicates the level of the course and, typically, the corresponding year of study):
CIS 101 Introduction to Social Sciences
CIS 102 Communication Theory
CIS 103 Introduction to Νew Μedia
CIS 104 Social Psychology
CIS 107 Computer and Internet Technologies
CIS 109 Introduction Social Science Research Methods
CIS 164 Statistics for Social Sciences
CIS 166 Content Creation
CIS 205 Introduction to the Information Society
CIS 207 Research Methods in Communication I: Quantitative Analysis
CIS 208 Research Methods in Communication II: Qualitative Analysis
CIS 306 Search in the Internet and Social Media
CIS 309 Internship Program
CIS 407 Research Design
Second Component:
Language Courses (30 ECTS). All students must complete 6 language courses (5 ECTS each, total 30 ECTS), which are offered by the Language Centre of the University:
LCE 668 Greek for Academic Purposes
LCE 110 English for Communication Studies Ι
LCE 211 English for Communication Studies ΙΙ
LCE 212 English for Communication Studies ΙΙI
LCE
LCE
Third Component:
Cluster Courses (80 ECTS)
To complete this component, 16 courses (5 ECTS each, total 80 ECTS) are required. These courses are divided into compulsory and elective courses.
Compulsory Cluster Courses
For each specialization, there are 8 compulsory courses (5 ECTS each, total 40 ECTS) common to the two clusters of the specialization. Students in each specialization must take these 8 courses regardless of the Cluster they chose. These courses are:
SPECIALIZATION I – Internet and Society (Cluster I.Α. – Internet and Power & Cluster I.Β. – Journalism and Digital Media)
CIS 105 European History and Mass Communication History
CIS 203 Digital Communication Culture
CIS 206 Critical Media Theory
CIS 210 Introduction to Political Science
CIS 220 Principles of Journalism
CIS 303 Political Communication Strategy
CIS 320 Reporting and Writing Fundamentals
CIS 478 Public Opinion
SPECIALIZATION ΙΙ – Information Technologies (Cluster II.A. – Design for Social Impact & Cluster II.B. – Internet and Web Technologies)
CIS 108 Software and Problem Solving
CIS 202 Content Management
CIS 204 New Media, Design and Learning
CIS 240 Human-Centered Design
CIS 250 Scripting Languages with Python
CIS 340 Human-Computer Interaction
CIS 350 Web Design & Development
CIS 456 Information Retrieval and Search Engines
Cluster Electives Courses
For the completion of each cluster, the department offers 10-12 courses, 8 of which must be completed (5 ECTS each, apart from the Thesis, 15 ECTS, total 40 ECTS). These courses are different for each cluster.
Cluster I.Α. – Internet and Power
CIS 314 Politics and the Internet
CIS 316 Introduction to Cultural Studies
CIS 317 Social Movements
CIS 382 Social Problems
CIS 385 Internet and Society
CIS 416 Big Data and Algorithms: Social Implications and Research Methods
CIS 418 Political Parties and Elections
CIS 482 Social Deviance
CIS 486 Thematic Seminar Cluster Ι.Α.
CIS 491 Bachelor's Thesis Cluster Ι.Α.
Cluster I.Β. – Journalism and Digital Media
CIS 322 The Media in Cyprus
CIS 324 Data Journalism
CIS 327 Multimedia Journalism
CIS 329 Digital Journalism
CIS 372 Introduction to Sound Production
CIS 374 Alternative Media
CIS 383 Media Ethics and Regulation
CIS 426 Investigative Journalism
CIS 471 Radio Production – Digital Radio
CIS 487 Thematic Seminar Cluster Ι.Β.
CIS 492 Bachelor's Thesis Cluster Ι.B.
Cluster II.A. – Design for Social Impact
CIS 341 Digital Games and Communication
CIS 373 Visual Communication and Culture
CIS 375 Data Visualization
CIS 384 Creative Documentary
CIS 444 Literacy in the Digital Communication Environment
CIS 473 Collective Intelligence
CIS 474 Persuasive Technologies
CIS 488 Thematic Seminar Cluster ΙΙ.Α.
CIS 493 Bachelor's Thesis Cluster ΙI.A.
Cluster II.B. – Internet and Web Technologies
CIS 351 Object Oriented Programming
CIS 352 Advanced Programming Concepts
CIS 353 Interactive Multimedia I
CIS 354 Interactive Websites
CIS 416 Big Data and Algorithms: Social Implications and Research Methods
CIS 453 Interactive Multimedia II
CIS 454 Visual Content for the New Media
CIS 458 Internet of Things and Mobile Applications
CIS 459 Natural Language Processing
CIS 485 Social Network Analysis
CIS 489 Thematic Seminar Cluster ΙΙ.Β.
CIS 494 Bachelor's Thesis Cluster ΙI.B.
Fourth Component:
Other Elective Courses (60 ECTS)
To complete this component, students may choose courses from other departments of the University (up to 6 courses) and/or any courses coded CIS (courses offered by the Department of Communication and Internet Studies) or IMC (Integrated Marketing Communication courses offered by the Department of Public Communication). These courses are described as follows:
Limited Elective Courses: This category includes
(a) CIS courses that are compulsory in the specialization not followed, i.e., for students in Direction I, courses that are compulsory for specialization II and, for specialization II students, the courses that are compulsory for specialization I (see Third Component) and
(b) the following 10 Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) courses offered by the Department of Public Communication:
IMC 101 Principles of Marketing and Communication
IMC 106 Principles of Advertising and Integrated Communication
IMC 108 Integrated Marketing Communication
IMC 201 Consumer Behavior
IMC 204 Online Advertising and Communication
IMC 205 Introduction to Public Relations
IMC 322 Impression Marketing
IMC 324 Five Senses Marketing
IMC 325 Special Issues on Advertising
IMC 424 Electronic Marketing and Public Relations
Cluster Electives Courses: These are the Cluster courses that will not have been credited toward completing the requirements of the Cluster being pursued.
Free Electives: These courses may be used to complete a second Cluster within the same Direction (eight of these courses are sufficient toward this purpose as all students in each direction will have taken the eight cluster requirements which are common for both clusters in each direction). Alternatively, students can take courses in a specialization that they do not follow (but cannot complete a Cluster in that Direction) or any other CIS-coded courses or up to 6 courses from other Departments of the University (courses offered as electives from other Departments are announced each semester by the Office of Studies and Student Affairs).
SEMESTER MODULES
Semester courses
Distribution of Courses by Semester (Standard Route)
The normal course duration is 8 semesters with a load of 30 ECTS per semester. The study path includes compulsory courses offered in specific semesters and elective courses offered according to the available resources and the needs of the programme. The typical study path is as follows:
* Selection is limited to courses with codes CIS 1xx, CIS 2xx and IMC 1xx
*Selection is limited to courses with codes CIS 1xx, CIS 2xx, IMC 1xx and IMC 2xx
*Thesis (optional, 15 ECTS) replaces 3 Cluster Electives
* Selection is limited to courses with codes CIS 1xx, CIS 2xx and IMC 1xx
*Selection is limited to courses with codes CIS 1xx, CIS 2xx, IMC 1xx and IMC 2xx
*Thesis (optional, 15 ECTS) replaces 3 Cluster Electives
ENTRANCE EXAMS (NATIONAL EXAMS - COURSES)
TABLE 27
Staff
1. Yorgos Zotos, Professor
2. Eleni Kyza, Professor
3. Stelios Stylianou, Associate Professor
4. Lambros Lambrinos, Associate Professor
5. Dimitra L. Milioni, Associate Professor
6. Dionysis Panos, Associate Professor
7. Evangelos Karapanos, Associate Professor
8. Iolie Nicolaidou, Assistant Professor
9. Costas Djouvas, Assistant Professor
10. Paschalia Spyridou,Assistant Professor
11. Kostas Gemenis, Assistant Professor
12. Christiana Panayiotou, Assistant Professor
13. Venetia Papa, Assistant Professor
14. Theodoros Kouros, Assistant Professor
15. Giannis Georgiou, Lecturer
16. Euripides Antoniades, Special Teaching Staff
17. Konstantina Sofokleous, Special Teaching Staff
18. Markos Souropetsis, Special Teaching Staff
19. Zenonas Theodosiou, Special Teaching Staff
Module Descriptions:
CIS 101 Introduction to social sciences
Course Purpose and Objectives:
The course aims to familiarize students to sociological theory as part of social sciences and the fundamental approaches concerning both the macro- and micro-level of social theory.
Learning Outcomes:
1. Familiarization with the fundamental concepts and terminology of the Social Sciences
2. Understanding the basic theories of Social Sciences in a wide range of cognitive sub-fields
3. Familiarization with the basic approaches of Social Sciences on fundamental issues and social problems
4. Framing of Communication and Media Theories within the wider field of Social Sciences and understanding of their crucial role
Course Content:
Two are the main questions around which this course is organized: «what is society» and «what is the relationship between the individual and society». Through these questions students will become familiar with the main theoretical approaches and will discuss topics such as: social interaction, social stratification, power, social movements, and social organization (communism, capitalism, socialism, etc.), religion, social changes, media, technology, etc.
CIS 102 Communication Theory
Course Purpose and Objectives:
Familiarization with the foundations of Communication Theory. Introduction to the key models of Interpersonal and Mass Communication Theory.
Learning Outcomes:
Upon successful completion of the course, students are expected to:
1. having familiared themselves with fundamental concepts and terminology of Communication Studies
2. recognize and understand key communication models and the various approaches to the study of communication, as well as their objectives and application
3. apply this acquired theoretical knowledge and relate it to understanding everyday experiences and communication processes.
Course Content:
This course will provide students with a broad foundation in the study of communication. It will introduce students to fundamental concepts and principles of interpersonal communication and basic historical and normative dimensions of mass communication, such as the social role and the effects of the media, culture, and ethics. Special attention will be paid to the most significant models and theories of mass communication, from the early theoretical approaches to contemporary theories about media effects.
CIS 103 Introduction to new media
Course Purpose and Objectives:
The course objectives are to: a) critically examine the impact of new media on communication at a local and international level, and b) to provide communication skills through the use of new media, c) to identify characteristics of communication and the way these have been affected by and affect existing new technologies, and d) to identify ways in which new technologies have been affected by and affect society in the information age line tools.
Learning Outcomes:
After the end of this course, students are expected to
1. critically examine the impact of new media on communication,
2. understand the role of new technologies in communication at a local and international level
3. develop technical and communication skills through the use of new media for personal and professional purposes
Course Content:
This course is an introduction to the historical evolution and contemporary characteristics of the information age. Topics to be examined in the course include: important developments in media (telecommunication, television, radio, digitization, Communication and Information Technologies and the internet), the way mass media developed from a historical perspective, both at a national and international level, and the concept of a technology-mediated communication environment. In the last part of the course models of internet-mediated interaction (Web1.0, Web2.0 and Web3.0) will also be examined. The course includes a lab component, part of which takes place during one of the two weekly meetings.
CIS 104 Social Psychology
Course Purpose and Objectives:
The course aims to instill knowledge of the theoretical approaches, subjects of study, basic concepts and methodological principles of Social Psychology in order for the students to understand its contribution to the study of the individual, social and political phenomena relevant to the communication field.
Learning Outcomes:
Upon successful completion, students are expected to:
1. Understand the history of social psychology and its relation to other disciplines of the social sciences
2. Assess and discuss critical issues in defining the individual and social phenomena and their multiple interpretations
3. Identify and evaluate methodological approaches to Social Psychology
4. Combine theory with practical applications of everyday life
Course Content:
The course provides in-depth knowledge and discussion of the basic theories and empirical research that stand at the core of Social Psychology. Considering as dominant the relationship between the 'individual' and the 'social', the focus is on socio-psychological concepts and constructs that attempt to explain and interpret the behavior of individuals and social groups as well as the ways in which the individuals and groups build their social world. Through the study of socio-psychological interpretations students will come in contact with the multiple levels of analysis and interpretation that enable one to understand the individual through collective, the creation and functioning of social thought, collective behavior and ideology.
CIS 105 European History and Mass Communication History
Course Purpose and Objectives:
The course aims at familiarizing students with the main thematic areas of European History from the 18th century and in particular the substantive approaches to the contemporary relationship of European History and Media Communication with historical examples of the cultural currents that were prevalent at that time.
Learning Outcomes:
Upon successful completion of the course, students will
1. have understood the basic theories of European History on fundamental issues
2. have gained familiarity with the basic concepts and deep knowledge of the emerging field of European History and Media History.
3. be able to critically evaluate communication and mass media theories and to understanding their mission through historical examples of revolutions, World Wars and ideologies of that period.
Course Content:
An introduction to European history from the 18th century onwards. It will focus on the changes, in social, cultural, political and economic developments that have shaped and have been shaping Western societies in the last four centuries, with an emphasis on the twentieth century.
CIS 107 Computer and Internet Technologies
Course Purpose and Objectives:
This course aims to familirize students with the main components of a computer system, to create an understanding of the web technologies and to provide a hands-on practice developing HTLM pages
Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this course, students are expected to be able:
1. to refer to the main characteristics of computer systems
2. to identify the basic components of a computer system
3. to recognize the importance of the Von Neumann machine
4. to understand the way data is represented in a computer system
5. to differentiate between different types of software
6. to explain the role and functions of an operating system
7. to make use of their skills in using the internet for communication and presentation of information
8. to understand the main components of networks
9. to understand the basic internet principles
Course Content:
1. Introduction to computing systems
2. Layers of a computing system
3. Abstraction
4. Von Neumann model
5. Historical background
6. Data Representation
7. text representation
8. picture representation
9. sound representation
10. Computer Architecture
11. Types of computers
12. Basic functions and components of the Von Neumann machine
13. CPU
14. Fetch-decode-execute cycle
15. Memory organization
16. Hardware
17. Motherboard
18. Ports
19. BIOS, CMOS, RAM, ROM, Boot process
20. Input/Output Devices
21. Secondary memory devices
22. Number systems and arithmetic operations
23. Bases
24. Conversion between different bases
25. Basic arithmetic operations
26. Software
27. Types
28. Operating Systems
29. Basic Methods of Operating Systems Memory and Time Management
30. Networks
31. Basic network components
32. Network topologies
33. Types of networks
34. Speed of data transfer
35. Internet
36. Communication layers
37. Communication Protocols
38. Reference model OSI
39. Internet protocols TCP/IP
40. Domain names system
41. Programming Principles
42. HTML
CIS 108 Software and Problem Solving
Course Purpose and Objectives:
The Software and Problem Solving course aims to provide students with an in-depth analysis of the software development process and an introduction to problem solving techniques.
Learning Outcomes:
By successfully concluding this course the students should be able to:
1. Understand the major steps in the software development process: requirements analysis, design, development and testing
2. Apply problem-solving skills, especially in the use of computers to solve real-world problems
Course Content:
1. Software categories
2. Involves an analysis of the basic software categories (system software and application software) along with the basic programming principles and the process applied in software development. An introduction to open source software and its advantages / disadvantages is also included.
3. Algorithms and problem solving
4. Provides an overview of various problem solving techniques and a reference to the most popular algorithms (e.g. for sorting). This is complemented with various example problems from different domains.
5. Introduction to programming
6. Presents simple programming concepts along with a brief introduction to object oriented software.
CIS 109 Introduction to Social Science Research Methods
Course Purpose and Objectives:
The course is the first in a series of required methodological courses and it generally aims at cultivating the scientific way of thinking by exposing students to basic methodological concepts and by preparing them to use simple methodological tools and processes within the most commonly used methods of measurement and analysis in the social sciences.
Learning Outcomes:
At the conclusion of the course, students are expected to
1. have gained understanding of basic concepts and principles of the scientific method
2. have gained understanding of the role of existing knowledge in scientific research
3. be able to search for and evaluate bibliographical sources and to use them constructively and correctly based on the APA (6/e) publication manual.
4. have gained understanding of the connection between research questions and empirical investigation
5. be able to evaluate the appropriateness of operational definitions and their correspondence to abstract concepts
6. be able to identify the four levels of measurement
7. have gained understanding of the concepts of correlation and causation
8. be familiar with the eight basic sampling methods
9. have gained basic level understanding of quantitative measurement through questionnaires, experiments and quantitative content analysis
10. have gained basic level understanding of qualitative measurement through in-depth interviews, field observation and qualitative content analysis
11. have gained basic level understanding of quantitative and qualitative data analysis
12. have developed a positive attitude toward scientific research
Course Content:
In the first part of the course, students are introduced to the basic concepts of the scientific method. The course then turns to the methods of measurement and analysis most commonly used in the social sciences (surveys, experiments, in-depth interviews, field observation and (quantitative and qualitative) content analysis. In the lab sessions, students are given the opportunity to practically apply certain research processes, such as bibliographical searches, construction of standardized questionnaires, design and implementation semi-structured in-depth interviews and data analysis using SPSS.
CIS 115 Introduction to Cultural Studies
The course offers an overview of the basic theories and fields of study in Cultural Studies, drawing examples from visual culture and commercial music to digital media and cybercultures. It examines the historical development and significance of the term “culture” through classical social approaches, emphasizing the central concepts that are points of reference in Cultural Studies. The rest of the course consists of a mapping of the thematic areas covered by contemporary Cultural Studies, examining topics such as (new) media, gender and sexuality, social networking, subcultures, and others. The course aims to familiarize students with Cultural Studies and their main subfields. It also aims to help students develop critical thinking.
CIS 166 Content Creation
Course Purpose and Objectives:
This content appears in several forms: text (the basic component), vector graphics (logos, banners), images (photographs and other imaging material), audio (sounds, speech, interviews), video, and animation. The Content Creation course aims to familiarize students with the process of creating digital content for the Internet.
Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this course students will be able to:
1. Design graphics for visual communication
2. Design Websites with images and text
3. Produce high quality visual messages
4. Design internet projects using image and text editing software
Course Content:
1. Knowledge of the basic principles of design
2. Knowledge of the basic principles of typography
3. Familiarize with the main content creation tools
4. Ability to design web pages of high aesthetic value
5. Design and development of a portfolio website with selected projects
CIS 202 Content Management
Course Purpose and Objectives:
1. Understanding the characteristics, a CMS
2. Ability to develop a CMS basic functions
3. Familiarity with popular, open-source tools CMS
4. Familiarity with implementing a basic website using CMS
5. Changing / creating extensions in a CMS – based website
6. Integration of new functionality on a CMS using extension (e.g., modules, components, plug-ins, templates)
Learning Outcomes:
1. Familiarity with Content Management System (CMS)
2. Ability to implement CMS extensions
3. Implementation of advanced websites using CMS systems
Course Content:
The course explores modern web content management technologies. Understanding the key concepts of client-side & server-side web programming and dynamic web content development, students develop functional components of a web content management system (CMS) with web programming technologies (PHP / MySQL). The features of the most popular CMS open-source tools are then analyzed. The course covers all the phases of developing a dynamic website, from preparing multimedia content, web designing, implementing basic website functionality using CMS, and enhancing its functionality by integrating ready-made modules. Students are invited to design and develop a dynamic website using CMS software.
CIS 203 Digital Communication Culture
Course Purpose and Objectives:
Understanding the main characteristics and the shaping factors of the digital communication and the structural changes it has brought both to the whole spectrum of social life and also to the individual perception of Self and Identity.
Learning Outcomes:
1. Understanding the specific features and limtations of Web communication environment
2. Acquire knowledge of the basic concepts of "culture" and "cultural production"
3. To be able to judge, compare and distinguish different cultural parameters, whether they are "imported" by users on the Web or created within it.
4. Understand the effects and consequences of Web communication on a number of individual areas of human activity and everyday life.
Course Content:
The rapid growth of the Web and the other New Media of Communication Technologies have on the one hand, raised a number of questions about the perception of the human cultural environment and, on the other hand, have redefined to a large extent those very same consisting components of this environment. Web is no longer simply a "medium" but a distinct "communication space”, in which a large number of individual cultural components meet, "interact" and "co-operate" in the digital communication network, producing a new cultural effect, which is much more than the mere sum of the parts that make it up. This particular, cultural productive dynamics of Web communication in a number of individual areas of human activity is the core content of this course.
CIS 204 New Media, Design and Learning
Course Purpose and Objectives:
This course will introduce students to the basic theories of learning and will familiarize them with new and emerging learning technologies. Course activities will contribute to understanding the ways in which new and emerging media mediate learning in formal, informal, and non-formal environments for people of different ages (from children to the elderly) with a particular emphasis on lifelong learning and the development of skills for designing technology-mediated environments to promote learning.
Learning Outcomes:
1. Familiarization with the fundamental concepts and principles of contemporary learning theories
2. Understanding the ways in which the modern technological landscape has redefined learning
3. Familiarization with modern and emerging technologies and development of a critical approach to the possibilities, limitations and conditions necessary to support learning
4. Understanding of the potential contribution of new media to learning in people of different ages
5. Familiarization and understanding of key design principles for creating technology-supported learning environments
6. Development of design thinking skills for designing prototypes to promote learning in specific technological environments.
Course Content:
1. Introduction to the changing landscape of learning
2. Contemporary cognitive learning theories and new media
3. Socio-cultural learning theories and new media
4. Principles of lifelong learning
5. Familiarization with new and emerging learning technologies
6. Introduction to design thinking
7. Design frameworks for creating learning opportunities
8. Pedagogical strategies to support learning
9. Design principles for the creation of interactive learning environments
CIS 205 Introduction to the Information Society
Course Purpose and Objectives:
This course aims to clarify and critically approach the term "Information Society". Nowadays, the term "Information Society" (IS) is often discussed without being adequately explained or documented. The course offers a general introduction to the concept of IS and its main purpose is to familiarize students with the basic concepts related to IS, examining the changes in the structure of society in areas such as technological infrastructure, economy, social institutions, democratic expression, etc. Emphasis is placed on the potential contribution and practical applications of IS in various aspects of contemporary society.
Learning Outcomes:
By the end of the course, students are expected to be able to:
1. Reflect on key issues and debates of the Information Society
2. Explain how the advancements of information technology may serve as the backbone of the information society
3. Explain the impact of technological advancements on different societal sectors, societal practices, and interactions
4. Analyze statistical data and relate them to key Information Society topics
5. Collaborate effectively to research and present on the status of Information Society in specific contexts in Cyprus
6. Critically discuss the challenges, opportunities, and dilemmas that are introduced in the context of the Information Society.
Course Content:
1. Introduction to the Information Society
2. Basic Principles of the Information Society
3. The role of Information Technology in shaping the Information Society
4. Economy, Globalization, and the Information Society
5. E-commerce, the Internet, and the emergence of a new model of economic development
6. Democracy, social justice, and access to the Information Society
7. Social equality and digital divide
8. The impact of the Information Society on the modern state
9. E-government
10. Privacy, personal data, and challenges of the Information Society
11. Is Cyprus an Information Society?
CIS 206 Critical Media Theory
Course Purpose and Objectives:
Familiarisation with critical approaches to the study of the media. Development of critical thinking regarding all forms of contemporary media.
Learning Outcomes:
Upon successful completion of the course, students are expected to:
1. critically examine the media and analyze their interactions with society
2. evaluate the various media theories regarding their methods, objectives and usefulness for the study of communication
3. have developed the skills for designing and implementing a research project tackling key issues addressed by critical media theories.
Course Content:
This course offers an overview of the key critical approaches to media theory, focusing on analyzing the media as cultural texts, as social and economic institutions, as technologies with cultural extensions and as everyday practices. Key approaches that will be examined include, among others, the discussions of mass culture (Frankfurt School), political economy of the media, marxist and neomarxist approaches, the concept of ideology and hegemony (Gramsci and Althusser), cultural studies, semiotics, and reception studies. Students will develop knowledge of communication models and theoretical approaches and engage in critical analysis of the media and their interaction with society. Also, they will learn to form research questions and to critically review literature.
CIS 207 Research Methods in Communication I: Quantitative Analysis
Prerequisite Course: CIS 109 Introduction Social Science Research Methods
Course Purpose and Objectives:
Following CIS 109, this course is designed to familiarize students with basic methods of quantitative data analysis, with emphasis on both theoretical understanding and practical application. Quantitative data are a result of research methods such as survey research, experimental research and quantitative content analysis and they are coded in numbers. Their analysis uses mathematical procedures from the domain of statistics.
Learning Outcomes:
After the end of this course, students are expected
1. to know the basic principles for planning quantitative research
2. to distinguish between different measurement levels
3. to code quantitative data and perform statistical analyses
4. to choose the statistical tools needed for correlation analysis in the sample
5. to understand how to draw statistical conclusions
6. to apply in practice population parameter estimation and testing
7. to understand causality and its relation with hypothesis testing
8. to understand the use of multiple regression
Course Content:
1. Introduction to Quantitative methodology
2. Basic notions of research and statistics (population, sample, variables, parameters and statistics
3. Coding of quantitative data
4. Scales of measurement (nominal, ordinal, interval, ratio)
5. Reliability of measurements
6. Descriptive Statistics (frequency tables, graphs (histograms, barcharts)
7. Correlation analysis, contingency tables, measures of bivariate correlation)
8. Linear relations, contingency coefficients, Pearson’s correlation coefficient
9. Estimation of population parameters
10. Causality and Experimental planning
11. Hypotheses Testing
12. Linear and Multiple regression analysis
CIS 208 Communication Research Methods II: Qualitative Analysis
Course Purpose and Objectives:
The course is an introduction to qualitative analysis that is discussed both in terms of its epistemological dimension and the main methodological techniques.
Learning Outcomes:
Upon successful completion of the course, students are expected to:
1. have embedded the terminology and epistemological concepts of qualitative analysis.
2. Apply the knowledge for design and implementation of research proposals based on qualitative methodology
3. Select the relevant analysis software for coding and analyzing qualitative data.
4. Understand the ethics of quality research
5. Distinguish and evaluate the ethical criteria of qualitative research
Course Content:
The course is organized around the discussion of the basic theories and the philosophy of qualitative analysis as well as issues concerning the design of qualitative research and the role of the "interpretative" example in social sciences. At the same time, the basic methods of collecting and analyzing qualitative data and the ways of processing them through the use of special software will be presented and discussed in detail. Indicatively, some basic methods and techniques will include (participant) observation, interviews, focus groups, case studies, discourse analysis, etc. Issues related to the researcher's access to and involvement in the field of research, the demand for reflexivity as well as questions of ethics of the research process will also be discussed. Students will be required to design and implement a small research project in groups using different techniques of qualitative data collection and analysis.
CIS 210 Introduction to Political Science
Course Purpose and Objectives:
The main objective of the course is to provide an introduction to the various forms of political phenomena using basic concepts and theories of political science.
Learning Outcomes:
1. Understanding basic concepts of Political Science, such as democracy, political institutions, ideology, parties
2. Familiarization with the different approaches and analytical tools for the study of the political phenomenon
3. Knowledge of the theoretical and empirical background of a variety of topics, which are included in broad field of politics
4. Development of critical analytical skills for the understanding of the social and political world
Course Content:
The content of the course is to critically present basic concepts and models of Political Science so that students can be introduced into basic categories of political analysis, understanding and explanation of aspects of the political phenomenon in general. Following an introduction to the central question, "What is politics?, basic concepts such as "power", "political system", "democracy and institutions", "state", "civil society", "ideology", "nation" will be presented and discussed thoroughly in the course of lectures.
CIS 220 Principles of Journalism
Course Purpose and Objectives:
The module aims to introduce students to the object of journalism as an institution and as a profession using the basic concepts and theories of journalism studies
Learning Outcomes:
1. To understand the role of journalism in the contemporary communication environment and for democracy in general
2. To acquaint students with the basic theories of journalism students
3. To analyse critically the multiple factors that influence journalistic content
4. To evaluate different forms and genres of journalism
Course Content:
The course in an introduction to the field of journalism studies. It examines the basic concepts and theoretical regarding journalism as an institution and explores the relation of journalism with public opinion formation and democracy in general. Additionally, the course focuses on the concept of journalism culture and analyses critically the journalistic process and the factors which influence and shape the content of journalism. Finally, the course explores different genres of journalism such as “pease journalism”, “constructive journalism” and “advocacy journalism” as models which attempt to differentiate themselves from mainstram journalism.
CIS 240 Human-Centered Design
Course Purpose and Objectives:
The course objectives are summarized as follows:
1. To inquire into theoretical models of users’ cognitive functions and to apply them in the analysis of existing computing systems.
2. To gain knowledge on principles and methods of human centered design and to gain a good understanding of the importance of usability and user experience.
3. To acquiring practical experience in the evaluation of interactive technologies through different methods, such as questionnaires, heuristic evaluation, cognitive walkthrough and eye tracking.
Learning Outcomes:
Through the course activities students are expected to:
1. Be able to recognize and apply basic principles of typography and visual design in digital media.
2. Be able to recognize and implement the process as well as the methods of user-centered design methods when designing, developing and evaluating computer systems.
3. Acquire user interface design skills for a variety of environments, such as the internet, smart phones, smart watches and public displays.
4. Acquire an understanding of key research questions related to interaction design.
Course Content:
Basic concepts of visual design and typography are introduced and students acquire practical experience in designing user interfaces, using Adobe Photoshop & XD for environments, such as the Internet, smart phones, smart watches and public displays. Students gain introductory knowledge on the the design of user-friendly interfaces as well as the process and methods of user-centered design, while applying this knowledge in practice. Finally, we explore design issues tapping to each of the application fields through reading, discussing and critiquing contemporary research articles from each field.
CIS 303 Political Communication Strategy
Course Purpose and Objectives:
The aim of the course is to extend students' knowledge on "applied" aspects of Political Communication, focusing more on practical processes and the use of communication methods and techniques, oriented solely to the final outcome.
Learning Outcomes:
1. Comprehension of the concept of Applied Political Communication Strategy, mainly in the field of Political Marketing
2. Obtaining a comprehensive view on the evolution of the Applied Political Communication Strategy through studying and analyzing relative case-studies
3. Monitoring and analyzing individual actions of a Political Campaign and evaluation of their results
4. Familiarization with the steps and the required management actions, on Applied Political Communication Strategy projects
Course Content:
The course will examine on the one hand the classical issues of political communication, such as election campaigns, news and political message analysis, entrenched party systems and electoral preferences, limited number of media, and on the other hand new and emerging issues due to recent major changes in the wider political, socio-economic, and technological environment (e.g., loosening of party identities, fluidity of electoral preferences, new media, concentration of ownership, etc.). The course covers key issues concerning basic scientific, epistemological, methodological, and practical aspects of political communication in its evolution.
CIS 307 Quantitative Text Analysis
Quantitative text analysis is a family of statistical techniques for the content analysis of text, online and offline, such as newspaper articles, political party manifestos, posts and comments on social media (Twitter/X, YouTube), international treaties, debates, speeches, lectures, etc. The course will focus on the usefulness of quantitative text analysis for understanding phenomena in various scientific and professional fields (e.g. politics, journalism, marketing), in fundamental concepts of quantitative measurement such as reliability and validity, in the challenges of manual coding of text, and, primarily, on the computer-assisted statistical techniques for processing and analyzing text. To this end, the course will employ a series of practical exercises using open source software (R / R Studio), where students will become familiarized with techniques for sentiment analysis, topic modelling, machine learning, etc.
CIS 309 Internship Program
Prerequisites:
Completion of 3 years of study in the Department of Communication and Internet Studies. This course takes place at the end of the 6th semester (summer period - from the end of May to mid-July).
Course Purpose and Objectives:
The Department of Communication and Internet Studies (NAP) Internship Program aims to help students of the Department develop important professional skills that complement a strong scientific background provided by the curriculum. Students have the opportunity to integrate into a work environment in real working conditions. Through their participation in Internship Program, students can assess whether their work environment is relevant to their studies and prepare appropriately for their integration into the workforce after completion.
Learning Outcomes:
1. Gain personal work experience of the labor environments in which they will be placed, so that experience could be further useful in organizing their future professional plans in the best possible way.
2. Discover skills
3. Develop professional consciousness.
4. Enrich their CV
Course Content:
1. Internship for 8 consecutive weeks (Monday - Friday - Hours: 09: 00-18: 00)
2. Possibility for those who choose to conduct internships abroad through IAESTE and the Erasmus programs
3. CV and Interview Workshop
4. Participation in the one-day Internship Workshop (every November)
CIS 314 Politics and the Internet
Course Purpose and Objectives:
The main objective of the course is to provide a general overview of the most important issues in the relationship between the Internet and Politics
Learning Outcomes:
Upon successful completion of the course, students are expected to:
1. Discuss and describe theories on the functioning and governance of the Internet
2. Organize knowledge of the most fundamental issues related to Internet policy and policy making.
3. Examine a wider range of interdisciplinary literature and research in order to gain a better theoretical and empirical understanding of the interactions between technology and politics.
4. Organize and synthesize a variety of theoretical and research models in the social sciences, including law, sociology, psychology, history, technology, and international relations on the study of political phenomena on the Internet.
Course Content:
The content is structured around two general but interrelated questions: First, how has politics influenced the evolution of the internet both in the past and in the present? And second, how does the internet affect traditional forms of political action and mobilization? To this end, the course will focus on three fundamental areas: the governance of the Internet's technological architecture, the impact of the Internet on various policy areas (eg ways of communication and interaction between political representatives (parties, parliament, government) and the citizens; intellectual property rights, privacy, surveillance and security, the digital divide, etc.) and the use of the Internet as a dynamic tool for enhancing citizen participation, democratic governance and process (eg. electronic consultations, electronic voting, online social movements, etc).
CIS 317 Social Movements
Course Purpose and Objectives:
The main objective of the course is to present basic theoretical ideas that have been proposed for the explanation and interpretation of social movements in their historical context and to overview the relevant methodological approaches used for their study.
Learning Outcomes:
Upon completion of this course students are expected to:
1. have understood the basic theories of social movements and collective protest
2. have acquired the capacity to analyze the dynamics of social protest
3. have a comprehension of the consequences of social movements and collective protest as well as the impact on general governance and policy making.
Course Content:
The course examines collective action through social movements and their evolution through the use of new media. In particular, the aim is to analyze all the theories that explain the different aspects of social movements and the methodological approaches used to study them. The year 2011 has been a milestone for the exploration of social movements on the occasion of the 'Arab Spring', the indignant movements, etc. in conjunction with the use of social networks.Focusing on specific examples, the main objective of the course is to address questions about the interaction of the Internet, movements and social change and to negotiate dilemmas such as whether the Internet has changed key features of social movements (eg, mobilization, organization, structure, ideology, identity but also efficiency in achieving goals) or whether it has simply led to practical changes that do not lead to different and emerging types of movements.
CIS 317 Social Movements
Groups often mobilize to defend against or resist power when collective action is directed towards instigating or impeding social change, which has significantly influenced historical developments. The study of social movements represents a dynamic and integral field within sociological research. These movements, fundamental to classical theoretical frameworks, have increasingly become pivotal in understanding the unfolding and consequences of modern politics and culture. This course is designed to foster a deep understanding of the theories explaining collective action and the results of such movements. While social movements can be examined from various academic lenses, this course adopts explicitly a political sociology approach. Although most of our case studies will focus on social movements within the 20th and 21st century Europe and the United States, our objective is to derive broader principles applicable to movements globally due to the extensive research available in this area. Students are encouraged to examine various cases in their assignments and group work. We will utilize diverse resources throughout the semester to highlight how the study of political contention is closely linked to themes of power, justice, and human autonomy
CIS 320 Reporting and Writing Fundamentals
Course Purpose and Objectives:
The course aims to acquaint students with the good practices and techniques for producing journalism.
Learning Outcomes:
1. To argue and problematize about journalism’s content and how it shapes the concepts of the «informed, active and participative citizen»
2. To develop skills for seeking, gathering, evaluating and editing information in order to produce journalistic content
3. To synthesize and present information for different media
4. To acquaint students with diverse journalistic writing styles and techniques which comprise the basis in a constantly changing communication environment
Course Content:
The course comprises of three parts: The first one aims to acquaint students with the journalistic logic of diverse journalistic genres. The second part introduces students to the role and duties of professional journalists in the newsroom. The third part introduces students to the fundamentals of news writing, as well as the mainstream and alternative models of journalistic narration combining the theoretical exploration of the role of journalism in relation to journalism practice. The course emphasizes the tenets of accuracy, and the importance of locating the ‘risks’ of the journalistic process. At the same time, the course emphasizes the linguistic forms which strengthen accuracy and the contextualization of facts. Through the analysis of journalistic texts and exercises, students become acquainted with the fundamentals of collecting, evaluating and synthesizing information for journalistic purposes in various communication environments.
CIS 322 The Media in Cyprus
Course Purpose and Objectives:
The course aims at a comparative analysis of the structures and functioning of the media at Local and European level.
Learning Outcomes:
Upon successful completion of the course, students will
1. be able to understand the particular characteristics of communication systems
2. have gained knowledge of the basic concepts of "Public Television" and "Television and Radio Regulation Framework"
3. have understood the impact of communication systems on the overturning of social regimes and structures.
4. be able to judge and compare business systems and strategies as well as the strength of national, regional and local instruments
Course Content:
In this course students will be taught a comparative analysis of the structures and functioning of communication organizations, as well as the regulatory governmental body, in local and European level. Basic themes are how communication systems operate in different national states as well as new data emerging in their communication systems due to the development of the Internet. Particular emphasis is given to the characteristics of the Cypriot media and the conditions of the formation of the communication landscape in Cyprus.
CIS 324 Data Journalism
Course Purpose and Objectives:
To familiarize students with the use of data in order to produce journalistic stories
Learning Outcomes:
1. To acquaint students with methods and tools for analyzing data
2. To develop skills to produce journalistic content through data
3. To develop visualization skills
Course Content:
The course is an introduction to the production of journalism using data. Students will explore ways to obtain data, to use tools to analyze it and learn how to deploy it in their work. The course emphasizes the development of a mindset, which is not confined to the development of skills to analyses and edit data for journalistic purroses; it also focuses on the general idea regarding the role and use of data in order to attain transparency in public communication.
CIS 327 Multimedia Journalism
Prerequisite Courses:
1. CIS 220 Principles of Journalism
2. CIS 320 Reporting and Writing Fundamentals
Course Purpose and Objectives:
To acquaint students with designing and producing multimedia news content for multiple platforms
Learning Outcomes:
1. Develop skills for gathering, editing and presenting multimedia news content for multiple platforms
2. Understand the importance of good practices
3. Develop a creative, independent and critical mindset regarding local and international news
4. Develop skills to produce multimedia news stories with a beginning and an end.
Course Content:
This course aims to familiarize students with designing and producing multimedia news content. More specifically, the course focuses on acquainting students with the technologies and techniques for creating multimedia content; it also analyses the special traits of diverse platforms.
CIS 329 Digital Journalism
Prerequisite Courses:
1. CIS 220 Principles of Journalism
2. CIS 320 Reporting and Writing Fundamentals
Course Purpose and Objectives:
Critical analysis of the logic which characterizes web-related technologies and their impact on the role of journalism, the practices and journalistic content.
Learning Outcomes:
1. To understand the changing communication environment and the challenges faced by journalism
2. To understand the logic of web-related technologies and their impact on the profession of journalism, the journalistic process and final content produced
3. To critically understand the role of journalists in the emerging communication environment
4. To develop skills for designing an academic paper on the topic of journalism and new technologies
Course Content:
The course focuses on the relation of journalismm with web-related technologies. During the last decade, technological developments and the formation of a new communication ecosystem have had a significant impact on how news content is produced and consumed. Starting from theoretical perspectives that explain the influence of technology on the professional, organizational and economic framework of journalism, the course analyses how different technological affordances shape the practices, the content produced and the role of journalism. In particular adopting a critical perspective, the course explores the following questions: What has changed in the field of journalism? How is the identity of journalists changing? How are dominant practices changing and how do they influence content? How do social networks affect journalism? How algorithms are used in journalism? What does data journalism mean? Why “fake news” is increasing? Can web-related technologies enhance journalism in the direction of accuracy, pluralism, transparency and participation?
CIS 340 Human-Computer Interaction
Course Purpose and Objectives:
The aim of the course is to introduce students to main principles, models and methods of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and to increase their competencies in the design and evaluation of the usability of interactive computing systems.
Learning Outcomes:
Through the course activities students are expected to:
1. Be able to recognize the most important milestones and contributors to the development of interactive systems, as well as the contemporary challenges in the scientific field of Human Computer Interaction.
2. Be able to identify fundamental models of human-computer interaction, and further, to use them in analyzing the usability of computing systems.
3. Be able to recognize widespread usability assessment methods, select appropriate methods for different purposes, and implement them while following the appropriate sequence of steps in order to collect and analyze data and, finally, develop a coherent and structured usability assessment report.
4. Be able to evaluate the design choices of an interactive system and to design a user-friendly interactive system, following principles of user-centered design.
Course Content:
1. Introduction to HCI. The evolution of interactive computing and user interfaces. HCI as a scientific discipline. Definitions of usability, interactive systems, user-centered design. The evolution of HCI. Significant contributors and contributions to the field of HCI.
2. Theoretical grounding. The Human Information Processing Model. GOMS model. Laws of Hick-Hayman, Fitts, Miller.
3. Defining interaction. Mental models. Affordances. Metaphors. Mapping. Constraints. Signifiers. Norman’s seven-stages of action model. The gulf of execution/evaluation.
4. Usability. Definition. Principles. Hall of fame/shame. User experience. Methodological approaches.
5. Evaluating interactive systems. Formative/Summative. Heuristic Evaluation. Cognitive Walkthrough. Usability testing. Think-aloud protocol. Introduction to Psychometrics. Self-reporting instruments of user satisfaction. The use of eye-tracking and bio-signals in usability evaluation. Experimental design. Dependent and independent variables in usability testing. Hypothesis testing. The use of specialized software for usability evaluation. Data analysis.
6. User-centered design. Software development models. Research and requirement analysis. Design as a group activity. Ideation techniques. Modelling the user and the context of use. Prototyping.
7. Social Computing. The evolution of the field and important definitions. The 3C model. The time/space groupware matrix. Current research challenges in social computing. Cooperative systems in different contexts and according research challenges. Awareness systems. Crowdsourcing.
8. Ubiquitous computing. The evolution of the field. Proxemic interaction. Designing interaction with ubicomp systems through sensing technologies. The Arduino microprocessor.
CIS 341 Digital games and communication
Course Purpose and Objectives:
CIS 341 is an elective course with the general objective for students to critically examine and analyze the impact of society on game design and the impact of games on society, more specifically on communication, entertainment and learning.
Learning Outcomes:
After the end of this course, students are expected to
1. Describe the relation between digital games and society
2. critically and comparatively examine the impact of society on game design and the impact of games on society through the examples of specific games,
3. interpret and analyze games as a medium of communication and identify formation and
4. analyze games through experiential use in and out of class
5. collect and analyze data on players’ interaction with games on topics related to digital games and society.
Course Content:
Digital games have received great interest in recent years due to their broader appeal and to their role in technological and cultural developments. Research studies on the technical or non-technical characteristics of games attempt to shed light to our understanding of their effect on society and education. Many researchers are interested in exploring topics such as why do people play games, why are people attracted to specific games more than others, how do people interact in virtual environments. This course will examine digital games as a new medium for communication, socialization, expression and identity formation. Using an interdisciplinary approach, the course meetings will focus on the theoretical analysis of digital games and examine them through cultural, aesthetic, social, learning and economic lenses. The course will include a lab, which will provide students with the opportunity to review and analyze case studies of digital games through experiential play.
CIS 342 New Media and Learning: Design, Implementation, and Evaluation
In this course, students will have the opportunity to design, implement, and evaluate a technology-enhanced learning environment, with the goal of understanding how digital media and emerging learning technologies can shape effective learning experiences. Course sessions will combine theory and hands-on work, supporting students in the development of digital or hybrid learning environments that will be applied in real-world settings, with a target audience of their choice. Students can select which digital technologies to use, including web-based applications, virtual or augmented reality, digital games, and hybrid learning environments. The course draws on contemporary learning theories and covers the full design cycle: identifying a learning problem, developing a solution using digital tools, and evaluating its effectiveness with real users. By the end of the course, students will have created and piloted a working prototype and gained a deeper understanding of how digital technologies can meaningfully support learning.
The design, implementation, and evaluation of the learning environments will draw on knowledge and skills acquired in previous coursework (e.g., CIS 103, CIS 107, CIS 109, CIS 166, CIS 204, CIS 207, CIS 208, CIS 240, etc.).
Prerequisite: Successful completion of CIS 204 – New Media, Design, and Learning.
CIS 350 Web Design & Development
Course Purpose and Objectives:
The objective of the course "Web Design & Development" is to introduce students to the basic concepts and principles of design in a web environment, bridging the gap between technical and creative perspectives in design. Emphasis is placed on client-based technologies, and in particular CSS style sheets, which allow the organization of content layout in web pages and JavaScript that enables dynamic representation of information. The course also aims to cover topics and parameters that affect web design, such as usability, accessibility, multi-browser site control, web site validity and performance, search engine friendly website design, etc.
Learning Outcomes:
1. Familiarize with the basic design principles of web pages
2. Familiarize with the basic web development tools
3. Familiarize with web hosting parameters
Course Content:
Understanding the basic concepts of markup languages and the features of the XHTML language, the emphasis is on formatting, designing and layout layouts on web pages (both desktop and mobile devices) using CSS technology. Client-site programming using JavaScript is also emphasized. The principles of content organization, navigation systems, use of graphics and colors, web application ease of use are mentioned. It covers issues related to the operation and evaluation of internet search engines, as well as accessibility issues of websites. Finally, web hosting and maintenance are mentioned.
CIS 351 Object Oriented Programming
Course Purpose and Objectives:
The main goal of this module is to familiarize students with the main principles of software development. Using Java which is perhaps the most popular high level programming language, students will be taught about the object-oriented programming practices with particular emphasis placed on coherent software design, code reuse and the exploitation of existing libraries.
Learning Outcomes:
By successfully concluding this course the students will:
1. Gain problem solving and system design skills
2. Become familiar with programming in a high-level programming language
3. Understand object-oriented programming concepts such as ‘class’, ‘object’ and ‘inheritance’
4. Interact with a range of software development environments exploiting the libraries readily available
Course Content:
1. The software design and development process
2. Basic programming
3. Object oriented design
4. Basic programming principles
5. Data structures
6. Data input and output
7. Classes, objects, and inheritance
CIS 352 Advanced Programming Concepts
Prerequisite Course: CIS 351 Object Oriented Programming
Course Purpose and Objectives:
The Internet Applications Programming module enables students to extend their knowledge in Java and object-oriented programming techniques and obtain experience in designing and developing a complete networked system. Of particular interest are concepts such as inheritance and concurrent programming as well as the technologies used to access remote servers and databases. Moreover, students will design and develop a Graphical User Interface utilizing the Java software libraries readily available.
Learning Outcomes:
Through the module’s activities students will:
1. Understand the process of designing complex fully object-oriented systems
2. Become familiar with concepts such as object collections, inheritance and concurrency through an analysis of real-life systems
3. Gain knowledge on programming networked Java applications
4. Develop and application that provides remote access to a database
5. Design the graphical user interface of their program and utilise existing libraries for its implementation.
Course Content:
1. Applying object-oriented principles in system design
2. Java collections, concurrency, and inheritance
3. Networking techniques and remote database access
4. Designing and developing graphical user interfaces
CIS 353 Interactive Multimedia I
Course Purpose and Objectives:
The course aims to enable students to:
1. Know and apply the basic methodology of design and development of user interfaces for interactive multimedia.
2. Create compositions with high aesthetics and rich communicative content
Learning Outcomes:
1. Familiarize with the fundamental principles of interactive multimedia
2. Familiarize with the main tools for designing, animating and developing interactive multimedia
3. Ability to apply their knowledge in design, animation, and programming for developing interactive multimedia
Course Content:
The primary aim of this course is to familiarize students with the process of design and development of interactive multimedia content, and interactive websites. For this purpose (a) the basic characteristics of animated video are explained, (b) the students are introduced to the object oriented programming with the aid of Actionscript 3.0, (c) the basic principles of designing interactive multimedia applications are presented, and several ways of publishing interactive multimedia to the Web are given. The laboratory part of the course includes training on the usage of Adobe Animate for the creation of interactive animated video of high quality. Furthermore, the students are given mini projects throughout the course in order to master the theoretical material.
CIS 354 Interactive Websites
Course Purpose and Objectives:
The aim of the course Interactive Websites is to familiarize students with the fundamental principles of designing dynamic websites, the basic tools for developing dynamic websites and the parameters of hosting dynamic websites.
Learning Outcomes:
Upon completion of the course students should be able to:
1. Demonstrate the ability to model complex data structures as well as processes that are based on information systems-based services and organizations.
2. Know and apply the basic methodology of designing database-based web applications.
3. Demonstrate familiarity and ability to program using SQL.
4. Design and implement web-based information systems applications using MySQL, PHP.
5. Knowledge of basic database management systems.
6. In addition, they will have acquired the bases for their engagement with data modeling and management for research purposes at the research level
Course Content:
Modern society is an Information Society. Data of all forms are massively transmitted and managed increasingly critical to the proper functioning of social life. Traditional forms of information management have been enriched through Internet technologies and comprise a wide range of information systems. Interactive Web Sites: (i) A systematic data modeling and process methodology is presented which is an adaptation of the corresponding process developed over the years for traditional databases, (ii) In-depth database implementation techniques are studied. (iii) Make extensive use of software creation and database management over the Internet. Emphasis is placed on the MySQL database management platform and database programming and management languages through SQL and PHP, (iv) A systematic database design and development methodology is presented.
CIS 365 Citizen Science
Contemporary societies are increasingly called upon to address complex socio-environmental challenges such as climate change, health inequalities, and biodiversity loss. In this context, Citizen Science emerges as a dynamic tool for collaboration between scientists and citizens, promoting the active participation of the latter in knowledge production. Through participatory research practices, citizens are no longer passive recipients of science but active co-creators, significantly contributing to the understanding and resolution of various challenges at local, national, and global levels. This course offers an introductory overview of Citizen Science, emphasizing how it transforms the traditional scientific process. Specifically, students will explore a broad range of topics related to the field, including fundamental typologies and categories of citizen science projects, citizen engagement and participation motivations, methods for data collection and analysis aimed at ensuring data quality, as well as communication strategies and dissemination of findings to the wider public. Particular emphasis will be placed on the use of technology as a means to enhance all the above aspects — from participation and data management to knowledge dissemination — as well as on designing citizen science projects focused on creating positive social impact and empowering citizens as agents of change.
CIS 372 Introduction to Sound Production
Course Purpose and Objectives:
Through the “Introduction to Sound Production” Course, students are expected to understand the multidisciplinary field that forms the evolving field of Sound Studies, as well as the theoretical approaches on the study of sound and the sonic experience.
Learning Outcomes:
1. Understanding of the fundamental theoretical models around sound
2. Critical practice of the gained theoretical knowledge,within the class environment but also in any audiovisual environment.
3. Familiarization with the Music Industry functions
4. Composition of original sound content of broadcast quality, within the communication field.
Course Content:
The course focuses on the presentation of sound as a complex communication center, or a representational object of interaction between the individual and the society. Sound is studied as an interface between the listener and the environment, functioning as a path of interaction among the person, the society and the everyday life. Psychology theories regarding the sound experience are discussed, while issues regarding sound culture, acoustic communication and ecology are explored, both theoretically and experimentally. In the labs, students familiarize with sound editing methods and precise listening techniques, recording and sound design.
CIS 373 Visual Communication and Culture (Erasmus course, offered in English Language)
Course Purpose and Objectives:
Understanding of the basic theories and functions of Visual Communication and familiarization with the audiovisual production stages.
Learning Outcomes:
By completing the specific course, students are expected to
1. Have understood the basic theoretic models regarding Visual Communication
2. Have gained skills of original audiovisual material composition
3. Be able to analyze and cricically evaluate audiovisual content, based on Visual Communication Theory.
Course Content:
The course is one of the most practice-based courses of the program, and concerns the introduction to the basic techniques of analysing and composing image and video. The course consists of both theory and labs, and requires study and practice in a constant frequency during the week, also in hours other than the ones during the lectures. In the theoretical part, the basic tools of representation and its analysis are presented, as well as subjects concerning the history of video, and terms regarding visual communication and the narratives. The focus of the course is mostly on film, without disregarding other audiovisual productions. In this context, moving images are analysed, not only from films and documentaries, but also advertisements. During the lab hours, students are required to apply what they have been taught in theory, and create simple original video projects. They are also required to provide feedback to their colleagues' works, a process through which they are expected to gain knowledge.
CIS 374 Alternative Media
Course Purpose and Objectives:
Undestanding the nature, form and function of alternative media. Critical analysis of media messages.
Learning Outcomes:
Upon successful completion of the course, students are expected to:
1. have built conceptual frameworks for thinking about the meaning of alternative media practices and critically assessing media messages
2. understand the most important forms and projects of contemporary alternative media
3. put alternative media theory into practice, by analysing specific case studies
Course Content:
Alternative media are broadly defined as media practices falling outside of and/or directly opposing mainstream (corporate) media institutions – in terms of content, aesthetic codes, organization, production practices, norms and philosophy, and relations with audiences. At the core of the conceptualization of alternative media is the issue of power and the ways in which it is resisted, subverted or transformed by symbolic practices. The internet has reinvigorated the field of alternative media production, introducing new formats but also often blurring the lines between the ‘mainstream’ and the ‘alternative’ in novel ways. This course offers a conceptual overview of alternative media, following their historical development and examining current online alternative media forms – such as radical, social movement, activist, community, subcultural, citizens’ and participatory media.
CIS 375 Data Visualisation
Course Purpose and Objectives:
The aim of the course is to introduce students to basic principles and techniques for exploratory and explanatory data visualization, and to support them in gaining practical experience in data visualization with the use of different tools, such as Tableau, the Processing and R environments, as well as the D3 and ggplot2 libraries.
Learning Outcomes:
Through the course activities students are expected to:
1. Be able to recognize and apply principles of exploratory and explanatory data visualization
2. Be able to identify and apply the process of data visualization
3. Acquire skills in data visualization with the use of different tools, such as Tableau, the Processing and R environments, as well as the D3 and ggplot2 libraries.
Course Content:
1. Definitions. The importance of data visualization. Exploratory and explanatory visualization. A historical account of visualization. Tools for data visualization.
2. Data processing. Types of data. Open data. Logging personal data with the Aware framework. Data processing using MS Excel.
3. From data to narrative. Data visualization as an iterative design procedure. Sketching the idea on paper. Designing infographics using Canva.
4. Tools for data visualization. Introduction to SVG και D3.js. Data visualization using D3.js. Use of google charts και chartio. Use of Tableau for exploratory visualization. Designing interactive visualizations with Processing.
5. The psychology of visualization. Human perception and cognition. The physiology of the visual system. The processing of visual stimuli. Implications for data visualization.
6. Introduction to R for data visualization. The R and R Studio environments. Variables and vectors. Tables and data frames. Handling data with R. Introduction to ggplot2 και plot.ly.
CIS 376 Scripting Languages with Python
Course Purpose and Objectives:
The aim of this course is to familiarize students with the main structures and characteristics of the python programming language that makes it a popular and powerful programming language for problem solving and to prepare students for their future studies where knowledge of Python will enable them to understand and implement algorithms in Python in the context of subsequent semesters.
Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this course, students are expected to be able to use Python in the development of programs.
Course Content:
1. Introduction to the Python - its advantages, comparison with other programming languages
2. Basic input/output functions
3. Variables in Python and basic operators
1. Types and values
2. Variables and assignments
3. Boolean Expressions and operators
4. Arithmetic Expressions and operations
5. Strings (operators, methods, built-in functions,etc)
6. Basic data structures:
1. Lists
2. Dictionaries
3. Tuples
4. Sets
7. Conditional statements
1. environment, nesting
8. Control loops
9. Functions
10. Files
11. Class definition and Objects
12. Formatting
CIS 382 Social Problems
Course Purpose and Objectives:
The course aims at introducing students to the sociological way of thinking about social problems.
Learning Outcomes:
At the conclusion of the course, students are expected to
1. be able to juxtapose the objectivist to the constructionist approach in the conception of social problems
2. be able to apply the criteria for defining social problems on social conditions and phenomena that can be defined as such
3. be able to approach social problems from three theoretical perspectives: functionalism, conflict theory and symbolic interactionism
4. have gained understanding about how social organization and social structure (mainly socioeconomic inequalities and concentration of power) are related to the existence and prevalence of social problems
5. know the basic parameters of social problems related to gender, race, ethnicity, citizenship, the family, health and illness, organized violence, mass surveillance, population and the environment.
6. have developed a critical stance toward the above issues
Course Content:
In the first part of the course, we define the conceptual framework of the sociological study of social problems, with emphasis on the analytical definition of the term "social problem" and the juxtaposition of two assumptions: the assumption objective reality and the assumption of the social construction of reality. We then turn to sociological theories on social problems. The course then focuses on social organization and social inequalities to discuss how these elements are related to social problems, in general and specifically to those related to gender, race, ethnicity and citizenship. The last part of the course deals with specific contemporary social problems.
CIS 383 Media Ethics and Regulation
Course Purpose and Objectives:
Understand the context of the global debate on Media and Communication Ethics but also in its applied forms, such as Journalism, Marketing, Political Communication and Opinion Research.
Learning Outcomes:
1. Get in touch with key media regulatory approaches, both at National and European / international level
2. Understand the reasons that lead to the different regulatory approaches and the expected operating benefits of each one
3. Identify the points and ways in which the regulatory framework affects the functioning of the Journalistic profession
4. Shape a detail picture of Journalism as profession within a professional business organization such as the media
5. To gain an overall understanding of both the functioning of the media and the practice of Journalism, within the environment shaped by the dominance of the New Communication Technologies.
6. Through an in-depth analysis of specific case studies, to get a complete picture of all the key ethical issues and dilemmas of Journalism
7. Be adequately prepared to deal with similar problems and ambiguous situations at the the future level of a professional Journalist
Course Content:
This course examines the different formal regulatory approaches to the operation of the Mass Media and aims to analyse in depth all the important questions that arise from the applied forms of Communication, in terms of ethics and ethics.
CIS 384 Creative Documentary
Course Purpose and Objectives:
Understanding of production issues, but also issues of ethics which arise during a documentary production, and familiarization with the image & sound recording tools, and post-production techniques.
Learning Outcomes:
1. Understanding of the basic theoretical models regarding creative documentary.
2. Application of the theoretical knowledge, in a practical and creative level, for the organization and production of documentary films
3. Composition of a documentary film from the scenario stage
4. Critical evaluation and coding of the procedures regarding documentary productions.
Course Content:
The course examines various ways of documentary production and hybrid creative documentary practices, decoding the structure of such films, and also focusing on the organizational ways of information exposure. It focuses on social, political and cultural aspects of the documentary, while also examining on the contemporary screening conditions and their dynamics. Through the course, students are introduced to audiovisual narration, regarding documentary films, and acquire skills related to their production. They also become able to understand narration modes in documentary, and develop skills of using cinema gear. Throughout the course, they are taught issues of representation, truth, ethics and context, but also the responsibility of the director towards the audience. In the lab section, students are taught techniques regarding documentary production: research, scripting, but also audiovisual recording and editing.
CIS 385 Internet and Society (Erasmus course, offered in English Language)
Course Purpose and Objectives:
The course aims to introduce students to theoretical and empirical foundations of current Internet research and support students in a) critically and comparatively examining the impact of the internet on identity, community and social participation, as well as in b) critically and comparatively examining the use of new and emerging technologies in specific areas (e.g. education, communication, employment, entertainment etc.) through case studies at a local, European and international level.
Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this course, students will be able to
1. describe and analyze the impact of the internet on identity, community and social participation
2. critically and comparatively examine the use of new and emerging technologies in specific areas (e.g. education, communication, employment, entertainment etc.) through case studies at a local, European and international level
3. compare, interpret, synthesize and present data from topics relevant to the impact of the internet on society
4. use different online tools for the presentation of data and for the effective communication of evidence-based arguments on topics relevant to the impact of the internet on society.
Course Content:
The course combines theoretical and empirical analysis of the internet in contemporary society, focusing on its distinctive nuances in comparison with more traditional communication technologies and traditional media. The course introduces students to several key areas of research drawing from the interdisciplinary nature of Internet Studies, including research on areas such as: internet and learning, internet and games, internet and identity, and topics focusing on the way the internet affected people’s social networks, digital literacy, and employment, among other topics. The course aims to encourage student’ critical reflection both theoretically and empirically. A lab component, which is integrated in the course, aims at developing students’ technical skills with respect to their familiarization with different online tools.
CIS 407 Research Design
Course Purpose and Objectives:
The purpose of this course is to provide students with skills that will enable them to undertake undergraduate research work with sound methodology and scientific validity.
Learning Outcomes:
Upon completion, students are expected to:
1. Elaborate and critically analyse scientific articles
2. Identify and formulate research questions
3. Design and implement scientific research projects
4. Organise research results in a structured and valid format
5. Prepare a presentation of research projects according to existing research design and scientifically valid standards.
Course Content:
The course focuses on understanding and learning the basic principles and practices that will assist in the successful completion of the dissertation (if the students decide to undertake a thesis) and research proposals. During the course the students are trained in reading and analysing scientific articles, choosing and linking specific techniques of design and analysis of data and writing and presenting scientific papers.
CIS 416 Big Data and Algorithms Social Implications and Research Methods
Course Purpose and Objectives:
Understanding the nature, function and impact of Big Data on multiple aspects of social and political life. Familiarization with the theories and methods for the critical analysis of algorithmic systems.
Learning Outcomes:
Upon successful completion of the course, students are expected to:
1. understand the operation and impact of Big Data and algorithms on multiple aspects of social and political life
2. have been familiarized with the theoretical traditions that can be applied to analyze the parameters and effects of Big Data
3. apply methods for empirical critical analysis of algorithmic systems using Big Data
Course Content:
The course will focus on: (a) emerging scientific debates on the nature, significance and effects of "big data" and algorithms on the social, political and cultural life of contemporary societies; (b) the methods by which journalists, researchers and users can assess algorithms (auditing algorithms) and identify possible discrimination and inequalities as well as their ethical operating framework to ensure their social accountability; (c) the forms of negotiation and / or resistance of both "ordinary" users and "data activists" vis-à-vis algorithm operation; (d) the techniques used for mining and processing of "big data" and the use of these techniques to analyze the social impacts of the widespread use of "big data".
CIS 418 Political Parties and Elections
Prerequisite Course: CIS 210 Introduction to Political Science
Course Purpose and Objectives:
The aim is to introduce and familiarize students with the basic interpretative trends and the most important methodological approaches that analyze theoretically and empirically political parties as an institution.
Learning Outcomes:
Upon completion of the course, students are expected to:
1. Understand and delve into the concept of political parties as key institutions of the political and social system.
2. Predict the evolution of parties in connection with the change of the social and communicative system.
3. Identify and enhance knowledge of new and emerging forms of political institutions as a consequence of changing media landscape.
Course Content:
The course focuses on the theoretical and research study of political parties and party systems. Through the critical presentation of the main thematic areas identified by the relevant literature, the emphasis is on identifying the key role played by political parties in shaping and evolving modern political institutions and sociopolitical systems. The critical themes that are discussed during the course lectures concern the following themes:
1. The definition of a political party
2. The different types of party systems
3. The political parties in an ever-changing media landscape and an evolved system of electoral campaigns
4. Political parties and governments
5. Cyber-parties
CIS 426 Investigative Journalism
Prerequisite Courses:
1. CIS 220 Principles of Journalism
2. CIS 320 Reporting and Writing Fundamentals
Course Purpose and Objectives:
To develop skills regarding the conduct of investigative research for issues which are eliminated from the public sphere on purpose.
Learning Outcomes:
1. To understand the role and importance of investigative journalism, and to be able to detect relevant topics
2. To acquaint students with the methods and tools of collecting, evaluating and verifying information
3. To develop skills for organizing, synthesizing, and presenting large volumes of information through multiple narrative genres
Course Content:
The watchdog role of journalism refers to a fundamental role of journalism in regard to the democratic function. Rapid technological developments have rendered the traditional economic model of journalism ineffective and the widening culture of convergence promotes purely commodified journalistic paradigms. On the other hand, Snowden’s and Wikileaks’ revealations, and the efforts of professional journalists (mostly through collaborations and alternative media) have brought to the fore the importance of making stories pertaining to the public interest often excluded from public communication. The course focuses on the processes of researching, gathering and synthesizing content that falls into the logic of investigative journalism. The course combines theoretical toolsof research (the hypothesis reporting), the analysis of case studies and practice.
CIS 428 Artificial Intelligence and Journalism
The course ‘Artificial Intelligence and Journalism’ explores the rapid development and integration of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in the field of news and journalistic production. Through an interdisciplinary approach, the course introduces students to the fundamental concepts of AI, presents contemporary tools and applications (such as automated writing and image generation in journalistic practice), and investigates how these technologies affect both the quality of information and journalistic ethics. Beginning with the historical evolution of this relationship following the emergence of technologies, the course focuses on the changes and challenges in journalistic practice, norms, and values in the era of Web 2.0 and beyond. Its theoretical framework is grounded in critical media and technology theories, incorporating concepts such as algorithmic mediation and platformization of news in the context of the digital age. At the same time, the course addresses crucial issues such as algorithmic bias, transparency, accountability of technological systems, and the legal and ethical challenges facing journalists today.
The course showcases specific AI applications that contribute to the production, processing, and collection of journalistic content. On a practical level, students have the opportunity to work with AI tools for data analysis, content creation, storytelling, and information visualization. Emphasis is therefore placed on hands-on experience, data visualization, and the creation of multimedia journalistic content. Critical analysis of existing AI applications in the news industry is also encouraged, through case studies and hands-on exercises. The course aims to strengthen students’ ability to understand and use artificial intelligence creatively and responsibly, with the goal of preserving journalistic quality and democratic values in the digital era.
CIS 444 Literacy in the Digital Communication Environment
Course Purpose and Objectives:
The course examines the concept of literacy in modern society, focusing on the changes imposed by the new digital media.
Learning Outcomes:
Through the course activities it is expected that students will:
1. Achieve a functional definition of the concept of 'literacy'
2. Analyze the meaning of the term "literacy" in modern society
3. They can critically examine the concept of literacy in modern times
4. Understand the impact of digital technologies, and technology-mediated messages, on the contemporary citizen
Course Content:
According to the European Commission, Media Education aims to develop citizens' ability to access, analyse, communicate and evaluate the messages communicated by the media. These skills are considered to be very important for citizens' participation in the knowledge society. During the course students will critically analyse the concept of digital literacy according to the cognitive, communicative and technical skills required by every modern citizen. Theoretical discussions and practical debates will address the following topics: Understanding of the media and their function (e.g. are all press releases reliable?), critical examination of media literacy at European and international level and individual skills for critical analysis of media messages.
CIS 445 Design for Social Impact
The design of technological applications goes beyond the development of appealing and user-friendly interfaces; it also encompasses the responsibility of leveraging design as a tool for social impact. In the context of the course “CIS445 Design for Social Impact”, students will explore how the design of new technologies can play decisive role in addressing a range of social, ethical, and environmental issues, delving into design approaches such as participatory design, adversarial design, design for justice, and critical design. During the course, the students will study and analyze case studies focusing on how technology design can foster social change. Through the implementation of hands-on design projects, they will also have the opportunity to practically explore what it means to design with a social impact mindset. Overall, students will develop critical thinking regarding the role of the contemporary designer and will gain an understanding of the social and ethical dimensions of the design approaches they adopt and the technologies they create. Upon the completion of the course, students are expected to adopt a more reflective attitude towards the design process, considering the dimensions of ethics, justice, and positive social impact in their practice.
Prerequisite: Successful completion of CIS 240 – Human-centered design.
CIS 453 Interactive Multimedia II
Prerequisite Course: CIS 353 Interactive Multimedia I
Course Purpose and Objectives:
The Interactive Multimedia II course aims at the design and development of interactive websites and games.
Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this course students will be able to:
1. Develop interactive games for use in visual communication, entertainment and education
2. Add interactivity using the ActionScript 3.0 language
3. Create interactive applications of high aesthetic value and functionality
Course Content:
Following the CIS 353 Interactive Multimedia I course, this course focuses on object-oriented programming using ActionScript 3.0 to develop interactive multimedia applications.
CIS 454 Visual Content for the New Media
Course Purpose and Objectives:
The purpose of the course is, besides creation, to teach students to be able to art direct the digital content of their projects and thesis so that they are aesthetically of high value.
Learning Outcomes:
1. Design raster images using specialized software
2. Produce vector graphics using Creative Coding
3. Compose visual content for new media
Course Content:
1. The course focuses on the aesthetics of the new media, and on the design and editing of the visual content; static, animated, and interactive.
2. The first part of the course contains the principles of visual language within the new media. Vector graphics, raster images, infographics, and animated interactive and creative coding projects are studied.
3. The second part contains image design and editing software training, with emphasis on raster images, as well as Creative Coding with emphasis on interactivity and aesthetics.
CIS 456 Information Retrieval and Search Engines
Course Purpose and Objectives:
The aim of this cοurse is to build the theoretical and practical foundations underpinning the design, implementation, and evaluation of IR systems and Search Engines (SE) and to gain hands-on experience on the practical issues involved during the implementation of the major tasks of IR and SE applications.
Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this course the students are expected to know the basic processes and techniques used in the design of information retrieval systems and search engines and to be able to evaluate the performance of IR systems, and to implement text processing and representation tasks.
Course Content:
The course covers the following topics:
1. Introduction to Information Retrieval (IR)
2. The basic architecture of IR systems
3. Classical Models of IR
4. Performance Evaluation
5. Query Languages
6. Query processing
7. Term similarity, edit distance and dice coefficient
8. Text Indexing
9. Document Preprocessing
10. Web Search
CIS 458 Internet of Things and Mobile Applications
Course Purpose and Objectives:
The Ubiquitous Computing and the Internet of Things module aims to familiarize students with the technologies that form the building blocks of mobile computing systems and the Internet of Things. This knowledge will be acquainted through theoretical lectures complemented by extensive practical and hands-on sessions.
Learning Outcomes:
After completing the activities planned in this module, students will:
1. Gain knowledge on state-of-art technologies and the Internet of Things.
2. Become familiar with programming of micro-computers that will enable them to collect sensor data
3. Learn about practical uses of sensors and methods for sensor data transmission, processing and storage
4. Gain skills on designing systems targeted for use on mobile devices
5. Learn how to develop software for Android-based mobile devices
Course Content:
The course content is split in four sections:
1. The Internet of Things and its application domains
2. Programming of microcontrollers (Arduino, Raspberry Pi)
3. Network technologies for the Internet of Things
4. Mobile devices and application programming for the Android operating system
CIS 459 Natural Language Processing
Course Purpose and Objectives:
The aim of this course is to build the theoretical and practical foundations underpining the main principles and techniques involved in the automatic recognition, analysis, production and processing of natural language. Also, the practical implementation of natural language processing and analysis methods via the use of popular modules and tools in Python.
Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this course, the students are expected to know the main concepts and techniques underpinning the implementation of Natural Language Processing (NLP) systems and το be able to appreciate the use of NLP methods in contemporary NLP recognition and production technologies.
In particular, the students are expected:
1. to understand the foundamental principles and atributes of Natural Language
2. to understand the different levels of linguistic processing
3. to understand the techniques and importance of morphological parsing
4. to understand syntax parsing with context free grammars
5. to understand how the notion of ambiguity evolves at different levels of linguistic analysis
6. to understand the use of language models in the automatic production of natural language
7. to be able to use known python tools for natural language processing and analysis of text from available corpora and web pages
Course Content:
The course covers the following topcs:
1. Introduction to the principles and objectives of NLP
2. Morphological analysis
3. Pre-Processing
4. Spelling Correction and the Noisy Channel
5. N-gram Language Models
6. Collocations
7. Word Classes and Part-Of-Speech Tagging:
8. Parsing with context free grammars
9. Vector Representation of textual data
10. Lexical Semantics
11. Text Categorization
CIS 461 Multimodal Anthropology
Social anthropology is broadly defined as the study of the human condition. Multimodal anthropology studies the ways in which emerging technologies such as virtual reality, augmented reality, mobile phone applications, social media, digital games, visual culture, and art influence this condition. Furthermore, multimodal anthropology uses all of these technologies in its anthropological research, practice, teaching, and public engagement. As practice-based research has emerged as a vibrant mode of study situated between scientific methodologies and aesthetic experience, a simple modern mobile phone provides a multimodal documentation tool that changes the way ethnographers conduct field research, connect with interlocutors, and produce empirical results. Recognizing that the changing ecosystems of communication media and new technologies are radically transforming the research context as well as the relationships between field researchers, their collaborators, and the wider public, this course will provide a conceptual framework for exploring the possibilities of such initiatives through critical discussions on interdisciplinarity, art as practice-based research, practices of scientific validity and reliability, epistemology, etc. As a basis for discussion, students will be encouraged to experiment multimodally, for example through ethnographic drawing, geographic information systems (GIS), audio recordings, video, photography, and more. The course aims to familiarize students with anthropology and the ethnographic method in general, but also specifically with the “multimodal turn” in anthropology.
CIS 471 Radio Production – Digital Radio (Erasmus course, offered in English Language)
Course Purpose and Objectives:
Familiarization with the field of Radio Studies and the Digital Radio Production key aspects.
Learning Outcomes:
By completing the specific course, students are expected to be able to:
1. Understand the communication scheme focusing on Radio Theory
2. Familiarize with digital radio codes and the Radio Narratives
3. Familiarize with radio production in Cut-Radio Station, the University radio.
4. Compose original journalistic, advertising, artistic digital raido content
5. Meet the relation between the Music Industry and the Radio.
Course Content:
Through this course, students will gain knowledge related to the characteristics and codes of Radio, as well as its content and its development in the New Media Era, understanding their evolving dynamics, in relation to the traditional forms of communication. The relation between the Music Industry and Contemporary Radio is analysed, and the important factors that define their dyanamics. Also, during both the lectures and the labs, the fundamentals of Sound Art and Radio Art are explored. In the labs, students will get familiar with radio content technology in various stages of radio production. A particular focus is made in the Community Radio, as this is placed in the contemporary Media environment. Thus, a complete understanding is approached, regarding the way sound content should be treated in the Radio environment.
CIS 473 Collective Intelligence
Prerequisite Course: CIS 207 Research Methods in Communication I_Quantitative Analysis
Course Purpose and Objectives:
The course "Collective Intelligence" aims to familiarize students with techniques and tools for collecting and analyzing data from the Internet and to teach them in practice how to organize a project to collect collective knowledge/opinion. Familiarity with Recommendation Systems and techniques such as Collaborative Filtering will provide students with the ability to use collective knowledge and insights in modern digital marketing and intelligent systems applications.
Learning Outcomes:
By successfully concluding this course the students should be able to:
1. Understand and describe the notions of data science, crowdsourcing, collective intelligence and recommender systems.
2. Apply basic techniques for crawling and analysis of web data using R and Python.
3. Design projects for opinion using contemporary crowdsourcing platforms such as the figure eight (previously known as Crowdflower).
4. Describe and apply the basic principles of recommender systems, such as collaborative filtering and content-based recommendation, in real world problems.
5. Apply recommender systems techniques in digital and political marketing.
Course Content:
1. Basic concepts and theories of collective intelligence
2. retrieval and storage of web data
3. crowdsourcing and crowdsourcing platforms
4. machine learning: from data to intelligences
5. recommender systems
6. collaborative filtering
7. recommender systems in politics: the case of Voting Advice Applications.
CIS 474 Persuasive Technologies (Erasmus course, offered in English Language)
Course Purpose and Objectives:
This course is designed to:
1. introduce students to contemporary frameworks, theories and approaches to designing persuasive technology
2. help students identify those characteristics that make persuasive technologies succeed or fail
3. guide students in researching selected topics in the area of persuasive technology
4. develop students' critical thinking and writing, and presentation skills
Learning Outcomes:
After the end of this course, students are expected to be able to identify a broad range of strategies that interactive technologies may use to incur attitude or behavior change upon their users, and to apply them both in analyzing the efficacy of existing system as well as in designing new ones.
Course Content:
1. Introduction to Persuasive Technologies. Theoretical foundations: Persuasive Psychology, Behavior Change, and Behavioural Economics. Attitudes and behavior change. The MOA model. Fogg’s behavior model.
2. The functional triad. Persuasive technologies as tools. Seven strategies of persuasive tools.
3. Persuasive technologies as media. Construal Level Theory. Cause and effect simulations. Environment simulations.
4. Persuasive technologies as social actors. Elaboration Likelihood Model. Cialdini’s six principles of persuasion. Primary types of social cues (physical, psychological, language, social dynamics, social roles).
5. Michie’s taxonomy of behavior change techniques. Self-monitoring. Goal setting Theory. Quantified Self. Personal informatics.
6. Gamification. Definition. Gamification as an application of Behavioral Psychology. Self-Determination Theory.
7. Nudging. Brief introduction to the field of Behavioral economics. Dual-process theories of decision making. Heuristics and biases.
CIS 478 Public Opinion
Course Purpose and Objectives:
The course aims at introducing students to the concept of public opinion in democratic societies as well as to the most important related issues studied in sociology and political science, such as the role of public opinion in various normative models of democracy, methodological challenges in the measurement of public opinion, factors affecting the formation of public opinion and the impact of public opinion in politics.
Learning Outcomes:
At the conclusion of the course, students are expected to
1. have a thorough understanding of the concept of public opinion and the role of public opinion in democratic societies
2. know important features of attitudes, attitude formation and attitude change
3. be able to identify important methodological issues in the measurement of public opinion, including sampling issues, questionnaire design and question construction
4. be able to list and explain the most important factors that affect public opinion formation and change
5. be able to analyze the relationship between public opinion and political authority, using concepts such as trust and social capital
6. be familiar with and be able to use some of the major contemporary research programs that measure public opinion, such as the Eurobarometer and the European Social Survey
7. have gained experience in designing and implementing simple public opinion measurements
8. be able to critically interpret findings of public opinion surveys
Course Content:
The course deals with the history and different conceptions of public opinion, as well as with the relationship between public opinion, politics and the public sphere. It also examines methodological issues in public opinion surveys.
CIS 482 Social Deviance
Course Purpose and Objectives:
The course aims at introducing students to the sociological way of thinking about social deviance.
Learning Outcomes:
At the conclusion of the course, students are expected to
1. have gained understanding of the concepts "social deviance", "normative culture" and "social control".
2. be able to apply conceptions of deviance
3. be able to list types of deviance and examples for each
4. have gained knowledge about the most important theories of positivistic criminology and be able to apply them in studying the etiology of deviant behavior
5. be familiar with the concepts of the social construction of reality and deviance and approach issues of normative culture and social control based on it
6. be familiar with the functionalist and the conflict approaches to normative culture and social control
7. be able to approach certain types of social deviance analytically
8. have developed a critical stance toward simplistic, superficial, prejudiced and biased explanations of social deviance
Course Content:
The course includes a conceptual introduction to the sociological study of social differentiation, deviance and crime. It approaches social deviance theoretically both from the positivistic point of view ("who breaks the norms") as well as from the perspective of the sociology of normative culture ("who makes the norms") and it deals with specific forms of deviance, such as those related to physical characteristics, mental conditions, sexuality, drug use and the internet.
CIS 485 Social Network Analysis
Prerequisite Courses:
1. CIS 207 Research Methods in Communication I_Quantitative Analysis
2. CIS 208 Research Methods in Communication II_Qualitative Analysis
Course Purpose and Objectives:
The course "Analysis of Social Networks" seeks to describe computational forms of representing the morphological (structural) characteristics of networks in combination with computational procedures that support or simulate the behaviour of networks representing social phenomena.
Learning Outcomes:
By successfully concluding this course the students should be able to:
1. Recognize and explain the terms “influence” and “homophily” and and combine / correlate them with emerging techniques of digital marketing such as social media marketing, influencer marketing and recommender systems.
2. Explain the basic concepts and terms that are related / used in Social Network Analysis
3. Represent, with the aid of graphs, adjacency lists and adjacency matrices, modern social networks
4. Perform applied research on modern social networks with the aid of appropriate software such as Python’s NetworkX, UCINET and Pajek
5. Design basic quantitative research to investigate possible correlations between high level concepts, such as “influence”, and measures such as centrality.
6. Use tools provided by modern social media platforms (such as Twitter’s API) for mining information from social media networks.
Course Content:
Basic concepts and theories of Social Network Analysis, Collection and representation of relational data, Graph Theory and relevant Terminology, Personal (egocentric) social networks, Participatory (two-mode) networks – Construction of two-mode networks, Analysis of Social Networks: Holistic measures - centrality – brokerage - clustering, Equivalence & Blockmodelling, Large Social Networks, Hyperlink analysis: HITS and Pagerank.
CIS 486 Thematic Seminar
Course Purpose and Objectives:
The course objectives are summarized as follows:
1. To inquire into theoretical models of users’ cognitive functions and to apply them in the analysis of existing computing systems.
2. To gain knowledge on principles and methods of human centered design and to gain a good understanding of the importance of usability and user experience.
3. To acquiring practical experience in the evaluation of interactive technologies through different methods, such as questionnaires, heuristic evaluation, cognitive walkthrough and eye tracking.
Learning Outcomes:
Through the course activities students are expected to:
1. Be able to recognize and apply basic principles of typography and visual design in digital media.
2. Be able to recognize and implement the process as well as the methods of user-centered design methods when designing, developing and evaluating computer systems.
3. Acquire user interface design skills for a variety of environments, such as the internet, smart phones, smart watches and public displays.
4. Acquire an understanding of key research questions related to interaction design.
Course Content:
Basic concepts of visual design and typography are introduced and students acquire practical experience in designing user interfaces, using Adobe Photoshop & XD for environments, such as the Internet, smart phones, smart watches and public displays. Students gain introductory knowledge on the the design of user-friendly interfaces as well as the process and methods of user-centered design, while applying this knowledge in practice. Finally, we explore design issues tapping to each of the application fields through reading, discussing and critiquing contemporary research articles from each field.
CIS 487 Thematic Seminar
Course Purpose and Objectives:
The course objectives are summarized as follows:
1. To inquire into theoretical models of users’ cognitive functions and to apply them in the analysis of existing computing systems.
2. To gain knowledge on principles and methods of human centered design and to gain a good understanding of the importance of usability and user experience.
3. To acquiring practical experience in the evaluation of interactive technologies through different methods, such as questionnaires, heuristic evaluation, cognitive walkthrough and eye tracking.
Learning Outcomes:
Through the course activities students are expected to:
1. Be able to recognize and apply basic principles of typography and visual design in digital media.
2. Be able to recognize and implement the process as well as the methods of user-centered design methods when designing, developing and evaluating computer systems.
3. Acquire user interface design skills for a variety of environments, such as the internet, smart phones, smart watches and public displays.
4. Acquire an understanding of key research questions related to interaction design.
Course Content:
Basic concepts of visual design and typography are introduced and students acquire practical experience in designing user interfaces, using Adobe Photoshop & XD for environments, such as the Internet, smart phones, smart watches and public displays. Students gain introductory knowledge on the the design of user-friendly interfaces as well as the process and methods of user-centered design, while applying this knowledge in practice. Finally, we explore design issues tapping to each of the application fields through reading, discussing and critiquing contemporary research articles from each field.
CIS 488 Thematic Seminar
Course Purpose and Objectives:
The course objectives are summarized as follows:
1. To inquire into theoretical models of users’ cognitive functions and to apply them in the analysis of existing computing systems.
2. To gain knowledge on principles and methods of human centered design and to gain a good understanding of the importance of usability and user experience.
3. To acquiring practical experience in the evaluation of interactive technologies through different methods, such as questionnaires, heuristic evaluation, cognitive walkthrough and eye tracking.
Learning Outcomes:
Through the course activities students are expected to:
1. Be able to recognize and apply basic principles of typography and visual design in digital media.
2. Be able to recognize and implement the process as well as the methods of user-centered design methods when designing, developing and evaluating computer systems.
3. Acquire user interface design skills for a variety of environments, such as the internet, smart phones, smart watches and public displays.
4. Acquire an understanding of key research questions related to interaction design.
Course Content:
Basic concepts of visual design and typography are introduced and students acquire practical experience in designing user interfaces, using Adobe Photoshop & XD for environments, such as the Internet, smart phones, smart watches and public displays. Students gain introductory knowledge on the the design of user-friendly interfaces as well as the process and methods of user-centered design, while applying this knowledge in practice. Finally, we explore design issues tapping to each of the application fields through reading, discussing and critiquing contemporary research articles from each field.
CIS 489 Thematic Seminar
Course Purpose and Objectives:
The course objectives are summarized as follows:
1. To inquire into theoretical models of users’ cognitive functions and to apply them in the analysis of existing computing systems.
2. To gain knowledge on principles and methods of human centered design and to gain a good understanding of the importance of usability and user experience.
3. To acquiring practical experience in the evaluation of interactive technologies through different methods, such as questionnaires, heuristic evaluation, cognitive walkthrough and eye tracking.
Learning Outcomes:
Through the course activities students are expected to:
1. Be able to recognize and apply basic principles of typography and visual design in digital media.
2. Be able to recognize and implement the process as well as the methods of user-centered design methods when designing, developing and evaluating computer systems.
3. Acquire user interface design skills for a variety of environments, such as the internet, smart phones, smart watches and public displays.
4. Acquire an understanding of key research questions related to interaction design.
Course Content:
Basic concepts of visual design and typography are introduced and students acquire practical experience in designing user interfaces, using Adobe Photoshop & XD for environments, such as the Internet, smart phones, smart watches and public displays. Students gain introductory knowledge on the the design of user-friendly interfaces as well as the process and methods of user-centered design, while applying this knowledge in practice. Finally, we explore design issues tapping to each of the application fields through reading, discussing and critiquing contemporary research articles from each field.
CIS 491 Bachelor’s Thesis
Prerequisite Course: CIS 407 Research Design
Course Purpose and Objectives:
This course requires the development of a theoretical or applied undergraduate level research on a topic that is agreed with the supervising Professor.
Learning Outcomes:
Ability to propose, develop, write, and present innovative research.
Course Content:
In the context of this course, innovative research will be carried out on the basis of individual research proposal. The course is organized around individual study and research, combined with regular meetings with the supervising professor and the course instructor. The main objective of the course is to support the development of theoretical or empirical undergraduate level research.
CIS 492 Bachelor’s Thesis
Prerequisite Course: CIS 407 Research Design
Course Purpose and Objectives:
This course requires the development of a theoretical or applied undergraduate level research on a topic that is agreed with the supervising Professor.
Learning Outcomes:
Ability to propose, develop, write, and present innovative research.
Course Content:
In the context of this course, innovative research will be carried out on the basis of individual research proposal. The course is organized around individual study and research, combined with regular meetings with the supervising professor and the course instructor. The main objective of the course is to support the development of theoretical or empirical undergraduate level research.
CIS 493 Bachelor’s Thesis
Prerequisite Course: CIS 407 Research Design
Course Purpose and Objectives:
This course requires the development of a theoretical or applied undergraduate level research on a topic that is agreed with the supervising Professor.
Learning Outcomes:
Ability to propose, develop, write, and present innovative research.
Course Content:
In the context of this course, innovative research will be carried out on the basis of individual research proposal. The course is organized around individual study and research, combined with regular meetings with the supervising professor and the course instructor. The main objective of the course is to support the development of theoretical or empirical undergraduate level research.
CIS 494 Bachelor’s Thesis
Prerequisite Course: CIS 407 Research Design
Course Purpose and Objectives:
This course requires the development of a theoretical or applied undergraduate level research on a topic that is agreed with the supervising Professor.
Learning Outcomes:
Ability to propose, develop, write, and present innovative research.
Course Content:
In the context of this course, innovative research will be carried out on the basis of individual research proposal. The course is organized around individual study and research, combined with regular meetings with the supervising professor and the course instructor. The main objective of the course is to support the development of theoretical or empirical undergraduate level research.
IMC 101 Principles of Marketing and Communication
Course Purpose and Objectives:
The objective of the course is to introduce students to the basic principles of marketing and communication, examine their operation in today's economic reality, and explore their activities within the framework of a business or an organization.
Learning Outcomes:
At the end of the semester, students will be able to:
1. Define the new and updated Marketing perspectives
2. Understand the Strategic Marketing Plan
3. Understand Market segmentation
4. Define the four P's
5. Design a Marketing Plan
6. Evaluate the results of a Marketing Plan implementation
Course Content:
The course presents various approaches to marketing such as Service-Dominant Logic, Customer Dominant Logic and Service Logic, the components of the marketing mix and the information system. The basic concepts concerning consumer behaviour, market segmentation, communication, advertising and sales promotion are discussed. The content of the course is completed with the organization and implementation of a Marketing Plan.
IMC 106 Basic Principles of Advertising and Communication
Course Purpose and Objectives:
The course aims to present
1. the basic principles of Advertising,
2. its contemporary forms (such as print, radio, television, public spaces, direct, internet, mobile, interactive, three-dimensional, guerrilla, immersive, etc.),
3. classical and innovative techniques of strategic design, targeting, the development of creativity, and Advertising administration.
Also, the course cultivates a critical attitude towards
1. the political and cultural consequences of mass communication
2. the ethical dimensions of perception management, and
3. the aesthetic and social impact of advertising.
Learning Outcomes:
Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:
1. Understand the role of communication and advertising in running businesses and organizations.
2. Identify the basic approaches of managing the perceptions of the masses/consumers.
3. Design and implement effective mass communication strategies.
4. Understand the role that advertising and communication play in corporate strategy and in shaping the product and corporate image.
5. Understand the ethical aspects of corporate decisions about advertising, communication and branding.
Course Content:
1. Mass Business Communication Theory
2. Advertising management
3. Applications (FMSCGs, Luxury goods, Celebrity endorsements, Digital advertising, B2B, Stereotypes and advertising, Promotion of products to children, Gray ad, Product placement, Propaganda, Political advertising)
IMC 108 Integrated Marketing Communication
Course Purpose and Objectives:
Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) is an approach towards marketing communication that considers all its elements, such as public relations, social media, sales promotions, customer experience management or advertising, as a uniform system of building a brand. It utilises distinct media channels in an orchestrated way that delivers the ‘one vision, one voice’ organisational message. It allows public and private organizations and businesses to deliver an engaging and seamless consumer experience by optimising an organization’s image, reinforcing its positive reputation, and building sustainable relationships with stakeholders. The course introduces the principles and philosophy of IMC and familiarises participants with its tools.
Learning Outcomes:
Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:
1. Understand the role of IMC in running businesses and organizations.
2. Identify the tools of IMC, their role and limitations.
3. Combine the basic approaches of managing the perceptions of the masses / consumers with the principles and tools of IMC.
4. Design and implement effective IMC strategies.
5. Understand the basic techniques of IMC and how they contribute to the management of reputation and branding.
6. Identify and assess the social impact and ethical aspects of corporate decisions about IMC.
Course Content:
1. Definitions and key theories
2. The process and stages of Integrated Marketing Communication
3. The tools of Integrated Marketing Communication
4. IMC effectiveness
5. Ethical and social dimensions of IMC
IMC 201 Consumer Behavior
Course Purpose and Objectives:
The «Consumer Behavior» course aims at providing a thorough understanding of the actions (behaviors) taken by consumers in order to satisfy their needs and desires. The basic goal of the course is to enhance understanding of modern consumers on which marketing strategies and public policy can be based.
Learning Outcomes:
Upon successful completion of the course students are expected to fully:
1. understand the evolution of the marketing concept, what consumer behavior is, and the components of strategic marketing.
2. analyse the consumers process of buying
3. evaluate the fundamental functions of consumers perception, learning, and personal selection factors.
4. predict consumers attitude toward a brand and how to alter it.
5. understand the credibility and influence of reference groups.
6. understand the impact of self-image on consumer behavior.
7. understand consumers decision-making.
8. understand marketers’ social and ethical responsibilities.
Course Content:
1. What is Consumer Behavior
2. Internal influences on Consumer Behavior
3. Perception, Learning and Memory
4. Motivation and Affect
5. The Self: Mind, Gender, and Body
6. Personality, Lifestyles, and Values
7. Consumers in their Social and Cultural Settings
IMC 204 Online Advertising and Communication
Course Purpose and Objectives:
The course aims to examine online advertising on any type of platform, such as websites, search engine results pages and social media. Also, the aim is to present various methods and practices that can lead to successful online advertising.
Learning Outcomes:
At the end of the semester, students will be able to:
1. To define the environment of online advertising
2. To know and understand the typology of online advertising
3. Advertise in social media
4. Evaluate the benefits and disadvantages of Public Relations in the digital marketing context
Course Content:
The concepts that will be analyzed are the following: Online advertising, direct response advertising, brand advertising, pay per click (Pay Per Click), programmatic advertising, text-only ads, image-based ads, search advertising, advertising network, native advertising, mobile advertising and game advertising. Case studies and projects on advertising will lead to a deeper understanding of the subject.
IMC 205 Introduction to Public Relations
IMC 205 Introduction to Public Relations
Course Purpose and Objectives:
The aim of the course is the smooth introduction of the students into the concept of public relations and their communication function. The factual study as well as the final design of public relations programs will lead to a deeper understanding of the subject and the linking of public relations theory to their practical dimension.
Learning Outcomes:
Students should:
1. Understand the concept of public relations and the communication function they perform
2. Understand the link between public relations and marketing
3. Get updated on modern issues in public relations management
Course Content:
The course "Introduction to Public Relations" will analyze the meaning and role of public relations, identify the public groups and communication functions that can be implemented, with special emphasis on the relationship between marketing and public relations. The administrative function of public relations covers both the choice of means of communication, communication functions such as corporate identity, crisis management, sponsorship, corporate social responsibility, etc., as well as the completion of public relations activities with the other marketing communication functions.
IMC 322 Impression Marketing – Viral Campaigns
Course Purpose and Objectives:
The course aims for students to understand special communication practices and relatively new marketing strategies based on unusual and unconventional, often low-cost tactics to increase brand awareness and promote the product/service.
Learning Outcomes:
At the end of the semester, students will be able to:
1. Define Guerrilla marketing and its basic principles and understand its differences from traditional marketing.
2. To distinguish and interpret its various forms.
3. Recognize the importance of Guerrilla marketing in modern marketing.
4. Evaluate the benefits and disadvantages of the Guerrilla marketing application.
Course Content:
1. A complete program of special low-cost communication techniques - Guerilla marketing.
2. Basic concepts and historical background of low-cost communication techniques
3. Basic principles and goals of special low-cost communication techniques
4. Differences from traditional Marketing
5. A mix of Marketing and promotion of special low-cost techniques
6. Basic categories of special low-cost communication techniques definitions and examples (Viral Marketing, Ambush Marketing, Stealth Marketing, Buzz Marketing, Ambient Marketing, Ambush Marketing, Grassroot Marketing, Astroturf Marketing, Street Marketing)
7. Strategy for the application of special low-cost communication techniques
8. Advantages and disadvantages of applying special low-cost communication techniques
IMC 325 Special Issues on Advertising
IMC 325 Special Issues on Advertising
Course Purpose and Objectives:
The aim of this course is to enable students who are familiar with the basic principles of advertising to understand specific aspects and techniques that can be applied to contemporary trends in advertising industry. It is also attempts to expand students’ knowledge and understanding of advertising concepts, its evolution as a form of communication, embedded in an integrated marketing communication program that combines new and traditional media.
Learning Outcomes:
Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:
1. Understand the concept of advertising and its development over the years
2. Direct linking of advertising with integrated marketing communication
3. Understand the media and the internet (newsletter, social media etc.)
4. Be familiar with creativity in advertising as well as its creative elements
5. Know how emotional appeals and stereotypes can be used
6. Identify how indirect advertising works
7. Understand the concept of branding in advertising
8. Understand the cultural environment and international advertising
9. Realize how advertising effectiveness works
10. Comprehend social advertising and critique.
Course Content:
The course investigates the effects of cultural context on advertising design and implementation, putting emphasis on the use of gender stereotypes and emotional appeals (fear, humour, warmth, surprise, sexuality etc.), along with current issues and new trends in advertising (internet, interactivity, social networks etc.). Moreover, lectures attempt to familiarize students with the current communication environment, combining new and traditional media, in line with specific advertising approaches, such as integrated marketing communication program, celebrity endorsement, indirect advertising, social advertising and criticism, branding, advertising effectiveness etc.
IMC 424 Electronic Marketing and Public Relations
Course Purpose and Objectives:
Make a trip to social media in public relations and marketing and explore the dynamics in managing social media. It examines the impact of digital influence, the relationship between traditional and social media as well as some of the pitfalls in the use of social media.
Learning Outcomes:
1. Set measurable goals based on the company strategy.
2. Developing the company profile to the public with available resources.
3. Choosing topics is of interest to the common goal.
4. Dissemination of your digital message through search and social media.
5. Identifying opinion makers on key business issues.
6. Adopt social media to stream content.
7. Development of a digital PR program in online and offline data.
8. Diffusion of the program to the organization.
Course Content:
The program will cover all key aspects of Internet, social media and mobile marketing from the point of view of Integrated Marketing Communication:
1. Identify IMC data
2. Understand the digital marketing communication process 3. Underline the importance of the different types of strategies that can be used in digital marketing campaigns 4. Analyze the elements that make a successful movie in a digital communication campaign.
3. Underline the importance of the different types of strategies that can be used in digital marketing campaigns.
4. Analyze the elements that make a successful movie in a digital communication campaign.
5. Create control over the branding digital marketing strategy of a trademark.
6. Construct a website that uses the principles of digital marketing communication.
7. Create a digital communications campaign, such as online, digital and social media methods.
LCE 110 English fοr Communication Studies I
The course is mandatory for obtaining a degree and focuses on learning English for specialized academic purposes. The purpose of the course is to familiarize students with texts in the fields of Mass Media and the Internet as well as writing types (process description comparison and cause and effect analysis and classification). Students will also have the opportunity to develop their acoustic comprehension and oral speech by participating in discussions through oral presentations and other activities. Finally, another goal is to give students the opportunity to develop sufficient vocabulary, vocabulary control, and socio-linguistic perception so that they can express themselves with a sufficient degree of clarity and spontaneity.
LCE 211 English for Communication Studies IΙ
This course aims to reinforce English terminology in communication studies and to engage students in the production of various types of texts used in the media. Sources to be used include the internet, newspapers and television. Practicing in oral speech, students will be engaged in discussions on various topics as well as other activities that will include oral speech and communication through it (social dialogue, small groups, public speaking, news commentary and interviews).
LCE 212 English for Communication Studies IΙΙ
In this course students will further delve into the subjects taught in previous English courses. In addition, they will study various types of print media, write news articles, analyze coverage of national events, and author different types of written reports that are used in a variety of mass media or other forms of communication.
Presentation of the programme