The Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Vaasa offers Intercultural Studies (25 ECTS) for exchange students. This non-degree study programme is aimed at students who are interested in internationality and different cultures. The aim of the programme is to provide the students with information about different cultures and about the effects that different cultures have in people's thinking and their ways of communicating. Intercultural Studies aim to develop sensitivity to recognise cultural differences and will to acknowledge the existence of other cultures.
Courses 2011-2012
- Introduction to Intercultural Communication and Cultural Studies (5 ECTS)
- Culture, History and Identity (5 ECTS)
- Cultural Transfer in Literature and the Media (5 ECTS)
- Semiotics and Interpretation in Cultural Studies (5 ECTS)
- The Cultural Studies as a Discipline: A Survey (5 ECTS)
Additional course
- Finnish History and Culture (5 ECTS)
Course Descriptions 2011-2012
ICSC1001 Introduction to Intercultural Communication and Cultural Studies
Credits: 5 ECTS
Learning outcomes: The course introduces the basic concepts of both intercultural communication and cultural studies.
Content: Basic concepts and principles of intercultural communication: culture, ethnocentrism vs. cultural relativism, cultural values, stereotypes, culture shock etc.
Teaching methods: Lectures 20 hours.
Assessment:. Lecture journal and take-home exam. Pass / Fail
Literature:
- Ferraro G.: The Cultural Dimension of International Business. 1998.
- Handbook of International and Intercultural Communication. Editors William B. Gudykunst, Bella Mody. Thousand Oaks (Sage) 2002. (Selected chapters)
Time: Autumn semester
Contact person: ICS Lecturer
ICSC1002 Culture, History, and Identity
Credits: 5 ECTS
Learning outcomes: The course develops understanding of different cultures and their relation to cultural and historical backgrounds.
Content: The course introduces the concepts of culture, history, nationalism, and identity. We will begin with the birth of the modern individuality and nationalism, and examine the changes in the notion of identity over three hundred years with examples from all over the world.
Teaching methods: Lectures 20 hours
Assessment: Exam based on the lectures and literature. On the scale of 1-5/fail
Literature:
- Leerssen: National Thought and Europe. A Cultural History. 2007 or as instructed by the lecturer.
Time: Spring semester
Contact person: Lecturer, ICS
ICSC1003Cultural Transfer in Literature and the Media
Credits: 5 ECTS
Learning outcomes: The course enables the students to evaluate the impact of cultural differences to the supply and reception of foreign movies, music, art, history writing, and literature.
Content: Comparative literature; imagology; the origins and influence of ethnic, religious and other stereotypes. Cultural institutions (e.g. publication, circulation and criticism) and the mechanisms of cultural transfer.
Teaching methods: Lectures 16 hours
Assessment: Take-home exam or written assignment.
Literature:
- BASSNETT: Comparative literature: a critical introduction. Oxford (Blackwell). 1993. or
- CORBINEAU-HOFFMANN, A: Einführung in die Komparatistik. Berlin (Erich Schmidt). 2000. or
- AALTONEN, Sirkku: Time-Sharing on Stage. Drama Translation in Theatre and Society. Clevedon (Multilingual Matters). 2000.
Time: Spring semester
Contact person: Professor and Lecturer, ICS
ICSC1004 Semiotics and Interpretation in Cultural Studies
Credits: 5 ECTS
Learning outcomes: The course familiarizes the student with the central role of semiotics and discourse analysis across the field of cultural studies.
Content: An overview of the basic concepts in semiotics and of the major theoretical schools in the field with accompanying examples of different analytical approaches to art, popular culture, advertisements, cinema, the media, and political discourse.
Teaching methods: Lectures 20 hours
Assessment: Exam based on lectures and literature. On the scale 1-5 / fail
Literature:
- Chandler, Daniel: Semiotics. The Basics. Routledge 2002. Or
- Veivo & Huttunen: Semiotiikka. Merkeistä mieleen ja kulttuuriin. Helsinki 1999.
Time: Autumn semester
Contact person: Lecturer, ICS
Additional Information: ICS – Optional Module. The students may optionally choose 10 cr from the courses offered by the Finnish Network University of Semiotics.)
ICSC1005 The Cultural Studies as a Discipline: A Survey.
Credits: 5 ECTS
Learning outcomes: The course familiarizes the student with the field of cultural studies.
Content: A book exam with texts that give the student an overview of the main movements of cultural studies and on its interdisciplinary character.
Teaching methods: a book exam.
Assessment: A Book Exam on a set of assigned chapters of The Cultural Studies Reader and other articles. On a scale of 1-5 / fail
Literature:
- During, Simon (ed.) The Cultural Studies Reader. 2nd Edition. New York (Routledge).1999.
Prerequisites: The course is recommended to be taken only after the ICSC 1004
Time: The exam dates (and list of the assigned texts) can be found in WebOodi.
Contact person: Lecturer, ICS
ICSC1006 Finnish History and Culture
Credits: 5 ECTS
Learning outcomes: Introductory course (in English) on Finnish history, culture, and society. The course is particularly recommended to international students.
Content: The course (taught in English) will provide the student with an overview of Finnish history and culture, particularly from the time of autonomy (1809) onwards. The main focus will be on Finnish culture, identity, and the politics of the welfare-state.
Teaching methods: Lectures 16 hours
Assessment: Exam based on the lectures and literature.
Literature:
- Kirby, David: A Concise History of Finland. UK: Cambridge University Press, 2006
Time: Spring semester
Contact person: Lecturer, ICS
