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Part-time courses for adults

The Media and Me: Gender, Sexuality and Identity

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Definitions of gender and sexuality are incredibly fluid and ever changing with the media playing a key role in shaping, representing and performing these definitions.

The variety of questions explored by this module range from:

  • Do men and women produce different kinds of news?
  • Are we currently experiencing a sexualisation of culture?
  • What does the construction of gender and sexuality in the media tells us about ourselves?

Its goal is to aid you in developing your awareness of a range of subjects relevant to media, gender, and sexuality. The module will cover issues such as gender in the news, masculinity in the movies, and the construction of gender roles in advertising.

This course is for anyone with an interest in studying media and culture and the enthusiasm to take that interest further.

This is part of the Pathway to a degree in Media, Journalism and Culture, and will equip you with the knowledge, understanding and skills that will help you to study other courses in the pathway. But it also operates as a standalone course offering the opportunity to think about the role of the media in our lives.

Learning and teaching

This course consists of nine units. Each unit comprises a two hour face-to-face session. These sessions will include lectures, class discussions and debates, pair-work and group-work, source analysis activities and exercises to develop your academic skills. There will also be a strong emphasis on learning outside of the classroom, facilitated by the university's Virtual learning Environment, Learning Central.

Coursework and assessment

This course has two short pieces of course work which together should add up to 1500 words. These pieces of work have been specifically designed to assist you in developing the skills and approaches for successful study. The first piece of work will help you put your ideas into writing, and the second piece of work will help you develop your skills of understanding. There will be a lot of support available to help you with these assignments.

Reading suggestions

  • Beynon, J. (2002) Masculinities and Culture, Buckingham: Open University Press. Carter, C.,
  • Steiner, L. and McLaughlin, L. (eds) (2014) The Routledge Companion to Media and Gender, London: Routledge.
  • Gill, R. (2007) Gender and the Media, Cambridge: Polity.
  • Pilcher, J. and Whelehan, I. (2004) 50 Key Concepts in Gender Studies, London: Sage.
  • Urwin, J. (2016) Man Up: Surviving Modern Masculinity, London: Icon Books.
  • Watson, E. (ed) (2009) Pimps, Wimps, Studs, Thugs and Gentlemen: Essays on Media Images of Masculinity, Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Co.

Library and computing facilities

As a student on this course you are entitled to join and use the University’s library and computing facilities. Find out more about using these facilities.

Accessibility

Our aim is access for all. We aim to provide a confidential advice and support service for any student with a long term medical condition, disability or specific learning difficulty. We are able to offer one-to-one advice about disability, pre-enrolment visits, liaison with tutors and co-ordinating lecturers, material in alternative formats, arrangements for accessible courses, assessment arrangements, loan equipment and dyslexia screening.