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Activity Name:
Introduction to Communication Science
University:
Latvijas Universitāte
Activity Type: Synchronous Course
Knowledge Category: Social Sciences, Journalism And Information
Language(s): English
Subtitles Language(s): ---
Estimated Workload (hours): 32
Max. Participants: 20
Teacher(s): Mārtiņš Pričins
Start Date: 19/04/26 23:00
End Date: 19/06/26 23:00
Enrollment Method: Open
Activity Type: Synchronous Course
Knowledge Category: Social Sciences, Journalism And Information
Language(s): English
Subtitles Language(s): ---
Estimated Workload (hours): 32
Max. Participants: 20
Teacher(s): Mārtiņš Pričins
Start Date: 19/04/26 23:00
End Date: 19/06/26 23:00
Enrollment Method: Open
Course Description:
Have you ever wondered how a single message can spark a movement, or why some advertisements stay with you for years while others are immediately forgotten?
How does news reported by professional journalists differ from information that goes viral on social media?
In an age of information overload and rapid digital transformation, understanding the "how" and "why" of human interaction is more critical than ever. This course invites you to look behind the scenes of everyday interactions and media content to explore the scientific foundations of communication.
What to Expect?
This is not just a theoretical deep dive; it is a toolkit for navigating the modern world. We move from the foundational definitions of communication as a science to the professional spheres of journalism, public relations, and advertising. We will examine key trends to better understand how to navigate today's communication challenges.
Our journey focuses on the analysis of communicators, messages, media, and audiences. You will learn classic communication theories – such as Social Judgment, Elaboration Likelihood, Cognitive Dissonance, Social Penetration, and Symbolic Interactionism – to understand how we influence one another. Additionally, we will tackle the most pressing issues of the 21st century: media literacy and the fight against disinformation and manipulation.
Learning by Doing
The course follows a rhythmic, practical structure with two sessions per week over eight weeks:
Lectures: Explaining theories, concepts, and practical phenomena.
Seminars: Where theory meets reality. Students work in groups to solve tasks related to specific weekly topics, such as identifying communication problems or analyzing media content.
Online sessions every Monday (20 April – 8 June) from 15:00–18:00 CET / 16:00–19:00 EET.
The course concludes with a comprehensive multiple-choice test covering both theoretical concepts and practical applications discussed during the lectures and seminars.
This 3 ECTS synchronous course will be delivered fully online, with course materials provided via the FORTHEM Digital Academy and live sessions conducted on Teams.
Note: Only students who have pre-registered till the 5 April 2026 may participate in the course.
Have you ever wondered how a single message can spark a movement, or why some advertisements stay with you for years while others are immediately forgotten?
How does news reported by professional journalists differ from information that goes viral on social media?
In an age of information overload and rapid digital transformation, understanding the "how" and "why" of human interaction is more critical than ever. This course invites you to look behind the scenes of everyday interactions and media content to explore the scientific foundations of communication.
What to Expect?
This is not just a theoretical deep dive; it is a toolkit for navigating the modern world. We move from the foundational definitions of communication as a science to the professional spheres of journalism, public relations, and advertising. We will examine key trends to better understand how to navigate today's communication challenges.
Our journey focuses on the analysis of communicators, messages, media, and audiences. You will learn classic communication theories – such as Social Judgment, Elaboration Likelihood, Cognitive Dissonance, Social Penetration, and Symbolic Interactionism – to understand how we influence one another. Additionally, we will tackle the most pressing issues of the 21st century: media literacy and the fight against disinformation and manipulation.
Learning by Doing
The course follows a rhythmic, practical structure with two sessions per week over eight weeks:
Lectures: Explaining theories, concepts, and practical phenomena.
Seminars: Where theory meets reality. Students work in groups to solve tasks related to specific weekly topics, such as identifying communication problems or analyzing media content.
Online sessions every Monday (20 April – 8 June) from 15:00–18:00 CET / 16:00–19:00 EET.
The course concludes with a comprehensive multiple-choice test covering both theoretical concepts and practical applications discussed during the lectures and seminars.
This 3 ECTS synchronous course will be delivered fully online, with course materials provided via the FORTHEM Digital Academy and live sessions conducted on Teams.
Note: Only students who have pre-registered till the 5 April 2026 may participate in the course.
