This module aims to extend student knowledge beyond ubiquitous and familiar social media by demonstrating that the World Wide Web is now largely characterised by social activity, enabled by a range of participatory technologies, giving rise to the Social Web. This module will facilitate students to critically examine these technologies and their uses, showing how individuals and institutions both influence and are influenced by these applications and tools. The module will encourage you to analyse and evaluate theoretical approaches to social media and to situate these within the larger context of media studies as a whole. You will be given the opportunity to test out your developing knowledge of these issues in live briefs designed to develop a clear understanding of the mechanisms involved in social media marketing, through planning and designing awareness campaigns, transmedia narratives, and branding strategies.

*Course content subject to change