Module manager: Lone Sorensen
Email: l.n.sorensen@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable
Year running 2025/26
| COMM3220 | Environment, Media and Culture |
| COMM5796M | Climate Communication |
This module succeeds COMM3970 Environmental Communication (started 2015). It is substantially different in design while having a similar focus. This module is for TPG.
This module is not approved as an Elective
Biodiversity loss, environmental destruction, and global warming demand knowledgeable and competent environmental communicators. In this module, students experience the variety of ways that Media and Communication researchers address these issues. This module is designed to make students better consumers, critics, investigators, producers and researchers of environmental communication. The module raises student awareness of how environmental issues, concerns, and concepts are conveyed in contemporary society. The following questions guide learning in the module: What is environmental communication? How do people communicate and think about the environment? What makes an environmental message comprehensible, meaningful and effective? How can environmental messages be crafted to change people’s attitudes and behavior? Why is environmental communication important? Please note this is an optional module and runs subject to enrolments. If a low number of students choose this module, then the module may not run and you may be asked to choose another module.
Environment, Media and Culture will introduce a wide range of debates about, and practical responses to, the challenge of communicating environmental crises and will help students to understand the place of the environment within culture. Through exposure to a diverse team of lecturers, students will gain knowledge of the variety of ways that Media and Communication researchers address these issues. Students will develop their abilities to analyse environmental
communications across a range of media genres and to explain the role of media in relation to environmental issues and environmentalism. They will assess the effectiveness of specific environmental communications products and design an environmental communication campaign supported by relevant theory. Finally, students in the module will be encouraged to reflect critically on their own knowledge of and attitude to environmental issues.
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject:
1. Analyse and critically evaluate environmental communications that have been shaped by different political forces and/or media platforms
2. Evaluate communication campaigns, showing critical understanding of theories of medium and audience.
3. Apply evidence-based arguments to Imagine sustainable environmental communication solutions.
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills learning outcomes: 4. Apply work ready skills of communication, and leadership, and create a strategic communication campaign. 5. Practice academic skills of presentation, research, writing, referencing, information literacy and reflection and demonstrate digital communication proficiency.
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supervision | 1 | 0.5 | 0.5 |
| Seminars | 10 | 1 | 10 |
| Lecture | 11 | 1 | 11 |
| Independent online learning hours | 30 | ||
| Private study hours | 248.5 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 21.5 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 300 | ||
Students will be encouraged to meet with the module leader at mid-semester to discuss their work on the first assignment and preparations for the second assignment. Students will be encouraged to meet in office hours with the specific lecturer who has addressed the topic area of their first assignment.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | Critical Evaluation | 40 |
| Coursework | Final group project | 60 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
*an alternative individual paper will be available to resit students
The reading list is available from the Library website
Last updated: 30/04/2025
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