Proof of Entry
One of the following tests:
- 06-Philosophy
- 11-History
- 18-Portuguese
The world does not stop and UAL follows suit. Because we know that the media sector in Portugal and in the world is in permanent transformation, we offer a multifaceted training in the areas of Journalism, Public Relations, Advertising and Marketing.
Our Degree aims to respond to an increasingly demanding job market and opens doors for graduates to work professionally in any of these areas of Communication.
We remain faithful to the rigor and quality that characterize us since, in 1989, we opened our doors for the first time. Our graduates arrived in the job market in 1994 and, since then, the Degree in Communication Sciences has trained hundreds of renowned professionals in different areas of Communication in Portugal and abroad. We continue to focus on quality in theoretical teaching supported by practice in a real work environment behind UALMedia, a multimedia platform fed daily by students of Communication Sciences.
We are in the heart of Lisbon, a stone's throw from Marquês de Pombal, with television and radio studios equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and multiplatform newsrooms.
The Board of Directors of the Higher Education Assessment and Accreditation Agency (A3ES) decided to accredit, for a period of 6 years, the Degree in Communication Sciences from the Autonomous University of Lisbon, with effect from 07/31/2019.
Case No: ACEF/1819/0207532. Publication date: 04/30/2020.
SYLLABUS
Sociology of Communication
6 ECTS
- Identify and interpret the main sociological postulates that have contributed to the understanding of communication as a social phenomenon.
- Interpret the formation of the communicative process, in its public and private dimensions, taking into account the role of the media as agents of socialization and mediators of sociability.
- Master the different methodological approaches of sociology in media studies, being able to perceive the limitations and potential of theoretical models and empirical formulations.
Skills to acquire:
- Know how to produce different types of text with grammatical correction, clarity and precision.
- Assess the functioning of the language from texts produced in the media (journalistic texts, advertising texts, etc.).
- Mastering argumentation strategies.
- Know how to characterize the Portuguese culture and language in the world.
Skills to acquire:
- Know how to identify the characteristics and functioning of the media industry.
- Understand the profound technological and regulatory changes that affect the media industry today.
- Understand the societal variables that affect the evolution of the media.
- Know how to characterize the current panorama of the national and international media industry.
- Contextualize media management in a changing world.
- Know the trends and emerging challenges in media management.
Scientific Work Methods
6 ECTS
Present and develop basic notions about the process of scientific research, making the student understand science as a process of production and communication of knowledge and recognize research planning as time savings, rationalization of resources and, above all, the exercise of scientific capacity -academic;
Provide tools for the student to know how to define their information needs, how to search for and have access to information, how to evaluate it, organize it and transform it into knowledge;
Provide methodological tools so that the student can write and present academic works with rigor, systematization and critical thinking, instilling notions of adequate writing and internal coherence of speech, encouraging the practice of standardizing criteria in the methodology of citation/referencing (sources documentary/bibliographic, electronic, etc.).
Political and Social Thought
6 ECTS
Skills to acquire
- Reflect and problematize political-social thought.
- Analyze the evolution of ideas and political and social thought.
- Interpret and comparatively comment on the ideas and thoughts of the different “men carriers of ideas”.
- Development of creativity and critical thinking.
Communication Theories
6 ECTS
Skills to acquire
- Master key concepts for understanding the theoretical debate in communication sciences.
- To characterize the main theories of communication from their perspectives on the effects and roles of the media in society.
- Critically analyze the main theories of communication.
- Contextualize the theories of communication in the historical, cultural, political and economic dimensions.
Media and Society
6 ECTS
Skills to acquire
- Know the major sociological paradigms on the role of the media in different historical moments, particularly since the advent of the 20th century.
- Understand the postulates and concepts of the most significant authors for each of the theoretical currents presented.
- To be able to produce a reasoned reflection on the role played by the media in recent history.
Introduction to Journalism
6 ECTS
Skills to acquire
- Critically analyze the role of journalism in democratic societies.
- Understand the different factors that condition the exercise of journalism: the political economy of the media, organizational culture, professional routines and the relationship between journalists and sources of information.
- Knowing the fundamental elements of journalistic language from the theoretical debate on what news is and the criteria for newsworthiness of events.
- Master basic techniques of journalistic writing.
Introduction to Advertising
6 ECTS
Skills to acquire
- Understand advertising communication as a fundamental aspect in organizations' marketing strategies.
- Understand the importance and effects of the persuasive component in the advertising message.
- Know the evolution of commercial advertising and its sociological, economic and cultural surroundings.
- Understand the current paradigms of involvement between brands and consumers.
Master the basic techniques of advertising production.
– Present and develop an overview of the political and social history of Europe and Portugal in the period of transition from Modernity to the Contemporary Period.
– Know comparatively European and Portuguese History.
– Provide historical elements to understand and interpret the political and social reality from the past to the present.
– Contribute to a better assessment and interpretation of historical facts.
— Interpret and comment on proposed documents.
– Promote interest in scientific reading, reflection and problematization, and stimulate critical thinking
– Provide bibliography to guide the student in the preparation of his study.
Skills to acquire
- Know the historical evolution and development of social psychology and organizational psychology, identifying the points of contact and intervention of the social psychology of organizations;
- Know the various sciences that interact with social and organizational psychology;
- Understand the contribution that the social psychology of organizations can bring at the individual level;
- Understand the added value that social and organizational psychology can bring to organizations and society in general;
- Develop knowledge and skills that allow them to act in terms of social psychology and organizations.
Communication Semiotics
6 ECTS
Skills to acquire:
- Recognize the role of language as a support for thought, acquisition and transmission of knowledge.
- Distinguish different types of semiological codes and their functioning.
- Decode and elaborate persuasive messages in different media.
- Know how to analyze and produce communicational objects from semiotics.
cyberculture
6 ECTS
Skills to acquire
- Knowing the interactive media scenario and mastering the languages, types, formats and techniques of digital content production
- Recognize the characteristics of the Information Society and know how to act in the face of new communication practices and new electronic social relationships
- Understand the logic of Digital Storytelling and know how to create cybernarratives and transmedia products
- Knowing the fundamentals of Blended Marketing, the new dynamics in the context of the network and knowing how to productively use digital consumption data collection tools
Visual communication
6 ECTS
Skills to acquire
- Identify the main theoretical framework of graphic, iconic and image communication
- Know and master digital image processing tools
- Master infographic composition/editing techniques
- Acquire and deepen conceptual, technical and narrative knowledge in the field of digital video editing
- Operationalize digital video editing strategies and tools
Skills to acquire
- Identify and distinguish journalistic genres. Adapt writing to each genre.
- Search, collect and validate information taking into account the objective, gender and environment.
- Understand and master journalistic writing techniques and their specificities.
- Knowing how to title and subtitle, taking into account the genre, the medium and the audience.
Study the origin and understand the evolutionary dynamics of international organizations
Systematize the characteristics of international organizations as a form of international cooperation, and as guarantors of global governance
Identify the main theoretical contributions to the study of international organizations
Know and analyze the decision-making process in international organizations
Reflect the relationship between the international reality and the functioning of International Organizations
Realize the importance of organizations in the multilateral political/diplomatic framework
Understand Portugal's role as a member of international organizations
Human Rights (optional)
6 ECTS
Skills to acquire
- Acquisition of fundamental concepts and knowledge of fundamental aspects of international human rights law, the most relevant legal instruments, and international humanitarian law and knowledge of the main international normative instruments.
- Comparative critical analysis of these two bodies of norms and definition of the articulation model between them in the context of armed conflicts.
- To stimulate greater articulation and interaction between the normative dimension of International Law and the dimension of international relations in the understanding of international processes and the limitations of effectiveness of international law itself.
- Critical reflection on the role of the media in the protection and prevention of human rights violations as well as in the prevention and resolution of armed conflicts.
Communication Psychology
6 ECTS
Skills to acquire:
- Know how to identify the forms and types of communication (verbal and non-verbal)
Understand the different models of communication and their applicability to the analysis of communication processes. - Understand the theoretical assumptions and the applicability of communication pragmatics.
- Know how to analyze communication in interpersonal and group contexts.
Skills to acquire
- Know what public opinion is.
- Pay attention to the care to be taken when conducting public opinion studies and in their practical interpretation.
- Distinguish the constraints to extrapolation of results to a wider population.
- Know the different methodologies that allow to know the public opinion.
Law, Ethics and Deontology
6 ECTS
Skills to acquire
- Know the national, European and international legal framework that regulates the activity of communication in its various aspects, including communication through new technologies, the regime of regulatory authorities, disciplinary, civil and criminal consequences of their action, with special emphasis on matters relating to fundamental rights, deontological and ethical rules governing the communication professions.
- To be able, in a specific case, to choose the appropriate solution, in strict compliance with the legal, ethical and deontological norms that regulate the area of communication.
Skills to acquire
Press workshop:
- Plan an editorial project.
- Pre-produce an editorial project: strategic and marketing planning.
- Search, collect and validate information. Deepen the writing of informative and opinionated journalistic genres.
- Edit an editorial project.
- Communicate and promote an editorial project with your target audience and/in the media (traditional, new and social).
Online Journalism Workshop:
- Explore the concepts that make up the notion of Cyberjournalism and Multimedia Convergence.
- Master concepts such as “participatory journalism” and recognize the mutations in the concept of “gatekeeping” and “agenda setting”.
- Develop skills for the production of cyberjournalistic products and understand the language of hypertextual narratives and interactive multimedia.
- Master Data Journalism techniques.
- Understand the ethical, legal and technical issues of Computer Aided Journalism.
Skills to acquire
- Mastering creativity tools and techniques
- Know how to produce creative, literary and non-literary texts
- Recognize the concepts and theories of visual narratives, narrative lines, image chains and interactivity
- Realize the theory and techniques of script writing
- Master the fundamental techniques of script writing and produce scripts for television, film and interactive storytelling
Skills to acquire
- Reflect on the contemporary and future dimensions of the different communication dynamics.
- A live model is proposed; that in each session articulate and develop active ideas, with a view to producing their own skills, for an adequate approach to the complexities of the new paradigms of current communication.
Skills to acquire
- Realize the importance of strategic and operational marketing for the development of innovation and communication.
- Know the characteristics of product, service, industrial and internal marketing, which allow a coherent image with different target audiences.
- Know how to structure strategic marketing thinking.
- Know how to carry out and analyze market studies, and how to apply the new knowledge obtained in innovation that allows the organization to be sustainable.
- Know how to develop a marketing and communication plan.
Radio Workshop I
6 ECTS
Skills to acquire
- Know how to design, perform and produce a radio program and audio content.
- Display audio or radio content.
- Compose for audio and radio.
- Edit and put audio on the web and social networks.
- Select, write and present news.
- Conduct reports and interviews.
- Design a spot or self-promotion.
Television Workshop I
6 ECTS
Skills to acquire
- Master the main techniques and concepts for the production, elaboration and presentation of a TV newsletter, a television live and a report.
- Know the main techniques and concepts for the production and elaboration of promotional and advertising content in the television context.
Skills to acquire
- To know the basic concepts indispensable to a definition of the newspaper's discourse and its transdisciplinary nature.
- To put into perspective the role of journalism and journalists in unequal contexts, particularly given the fact that they increasingly oscillate between the traditional (the «classic») and the alternative.
- Learning (and apprehending) the language of different (and unequal) media, be they newspapers, radio, television or the internet (in practice, written, audiovisual and digital journalism), always bearing in mind, however, the need to achieve identical objectives, irrespective of the means used.
- Identify the existing distinction between generalist journalism and specialty journalism.
- Understand what distinguishes national journalism from proximity journalism. The regional/local media, as a credible alternative (the «alternative rationality») and an instance of strengthening the identity of communities.
Understand the framework of Public Relations in the scientific field of Communication Sciences;
To frame the activity of public relations and press relations in the ethical-deontological framework (journalism vs public relations);
Define the concepts of organizational image and reputation;
Define a mapping and strategy of audiences/ stakeholders;
Design, plan and evaluate external communication plans;
Design, plan and evaluate a Press Office strategy;
Design, plan and evaluate a press office plan in the context of crisis;
Apply the main press office techniques, according to objectives and formats (press release/announcement, press conference, working lunch, briefing, event, etc.);
Understand the presuppositions of business and State protocol, in order to support press relations and event organization activities (priorities, placement of flags, delegations, telephone and written communication, clothing, meals, treatment, etc.);
Conceive, plan and manage a public relations event (institutional communication).
Political Communication
6 ECTS
Skills to acquire
- Know the genealogy of contemporary political communication.
- Identify the mechanisms of representation, their proportionalities and their limits.
- Recognize the ability offered to minorities to access public space through the media system.
- Understand the functioning of institutional State communication, marketing and political advertising, including their ethical and legal frameworks.
- Master the concept of public space.
Organizational communication
6 ECTS
Skills to acquire
- Reflect on the need for an effective, ethical and credible communication policy for a coherent and consistent positioning of institutions.
- Understand the logic and communication needs of organizations.
- Recognize the importance of persuasion in organizational communication.
- Understand the tension between “company communicators” and “press communicators”.
- Master the communication techniques and resources available to organizations.
Radio Workshop II
6 ECTS
Skills to acquire
- Know how to write a text according to the specifics of radio language;
- Produce and present news, pieces for news, reports and press magazines;
- Produce and conduct an interview;
- Produce and animate headings, programs and podcasts;
- Placing audio products on the internet;
- Create and produce radio advertising.
Television Workshop II
6 ECTS
Skills to acquire
- Knowing how to write a report: from television writing to text sound and video and audio editing.
- Master the techniques for the realization of a television live: the structure of the speech, improvisation, how to “face” a television camera, interviews with one or more actors.
- Knowing how to present a newsletter: editorial techniques, direct release and other content, studio interview techniques, proper attitude and body movement, improvisation techniques and teleprompt reading.
- Master the techniques for the production of audiovisual advertising content: writing, design, production, realization and editing of advertising and promotional spots.
Final Project
6 ECTS
Skills to acquire
- Master the concepts and practical applications of the contents learned throughout the course.
- Planning, elaborating, producing and finalizing communication projects according to the interests of each student, whether in terms of information (journalism), strategic (public relations or advertising and marketing), entertainment (educational, cultural or fictional products) or scientific research (monography).
- Plan and execute communication projects.
- At the end of the UC, each student should have built a portfolio with one or more communication products developed from fieldwork and in-depth research.