Communication Management and Journalism AUTUMN

Exchange courses in Communication Management and Journalism

An English taught programme for international exchange students in communication management and journalism, on bachelor level. 

You should select courses from this list for a minimum of 24 ECTS. You can't combine them with courses from another programme. 

AUTUMN 2024           

* Course will take place during 2 weeks in the exam period in January

Language courses 

Course content 

For official course catalogue information check the course catalogue: Course Catalogue 2024-2025 (available from june 2024).

Below you can find a description of the course contents.

Performance Data Marketing  

Together with you, the aim is to train and strengthen the digital marketing skills of young potentials. During the program participants learn everything there is to know about Google Adwords, Google Analytics and general online marketing.

International Communication and Project

This course focuses on two pillars, the first of which is international communication. In this domain, you will further hone your presenting skills in a Pecha Kucha presentation, and (through self-study) further improve your knowledge of business English.

In teams consisting of both Belgian and international students you work on an international campaign for EdCom (Ad Venture), elaborating a full-scale campaign, doing a triple pitch and delivering a final presentation in addition to compiling a campaign dossier in professional English.

Please note that this course is part of the final year’s curriculum, meaning the bar is raised for all participating students. This is not a beginner’s course in English.

Omnichannel Retail 

In marketing PR, PR activities support the marketing objectives. In product and corporate PR, the main task is to create a favourable climate in society for the product and the company. Marketing PR goes further. There, the ultimate goal is to stimulate the sale of your products or services. Marketing objectives supported by Public Relations activities may include raising awareness, informing and educating, creating understanding, building trust, giving consumers a reason to buy, building 'rumour around the brand', and fostering favourable consumer attitudes.

Promotions, in-store communication and packaging

Consumers are constantly faced with a thousand and one stimuli. The flow of visual information alone is overwhelming. An overdose that our brain - fortunately - knows how to deal with selectively. So it is that some things penetrate more quickly, linger longer, make a stronger impression than others that we quickly forget, or simply do not even notice. For many companies, driven by the pursuit of commercial success, it is a matter of life or death to make their product catch the eye of the consumer, to seduce, to convince the brain that it is worth being seen. The appearance of the product therefore plays a decisive role. A striking promotion at the point of sale, a consistent, recognisable packaging line. These are undeniable factors that can make or break a brand.

Packaging is more than an attractive shell! It acts as an eye-catcher, provides essential product information and is an important marketing tool. Its development must therefore be carried out according to the rules of the game. Studies have long known that the consumer's purchase decision is increasingly made at the point of sale. Standing out on the shelf among the competition is very important. An eye for an eye... Just like good packaging, in-store communication can also influence the customer's choice.

In-store promotional material not only refers to a publicity campaign, but can also complement the products displayed on the shelves. It acts as an additional incentive when the packaging does not attract enough attention, is not informative enough, or is not powerful enough to convince people.

Campaign

This is not a weekly course. The entire course will take place during 2 weeks in January (exam period). Attendance is mandatory during the briefing and elaboration of the campaign. You will be supervised by lecturers. Those guidance sessions are also mandatory. You present the final result at the end of the two weeks.

Under intensive teacher guidance, students learn to draw up a communication plan and mix based on a preliminary study. This plan must offer a solution for a real question/problem of an external client. These assignments may come from the PR, advertising, events or interactive sector and from different types of organisations: profit, non-profit and government. The campaign project proceeds in successive phases: debriefing, research, strategy, concept and creation, media planning and presentation.

The practical exercise campaign is a product-oriented exercise.

The teachers involved provide a briefing in which the exact modalities regarding planning, supervision, content and evaluation of this project are outlined.

Digital Strategy and Webdesign Portfolio

You are able to assess existing digital strategies (via social media, internet platforms, apps,...) and to realise a fully-fledged online campaign yourself. You can integrate social media into an online marketing strategy, work out a website architecture, write efficient content, propose interactive tools, design banners, understand the components of an adword campaign and work it out pro forma, etc.

You understand the importance of e-mail marketing and newsletters in professional communication. You are ready to follow the shifts in the world of communication from mass media to one-to-one and become a player in it.

You are able to properly assess the role of conversation manager and content management. You are familiar with Web 2.0, 3.0 & beyond.

You have understood the privacy issue. You are familiar with the state of affairs of mobile marketing. The importance of building websites and understanding SEO is clear.

Masterclass Marketingcommunication

You will get an in-depth understanding of Integrated Communication, Conversation Marketing, B2C communication, B2B Communication and Image Building.

The following topics, among others, are covered:

• advertising techniques
• branding & positioning
• advertising strategies
• creative thinking
• storytelling
• copywriting
• media planning

Media in Belgium 

You will study the main evolution lines in media history. You learn how media companies are organized, how they expand their business model and adapt to evolutions. You learn how news media are made and news rooms are organised. You learn how media agencies, in between advertisers en media outlets, organize publicity campaigns and media planning in general. You get to understand the role of the government as a regulating and subsidizing body for the media business. You study the characteristics of each media type, and its strengths and weaknesses as an advertising medium. You consider the role and the methodology of Belgiums main media research institute.

You will also gain insight into the rapidly evolving world of media (in Belgium). You will analyze the major publishing companies and broadcasters in the Belgian media sector and - in an individual paper and class presentation - profile some of their main media brands (printed and digital publications and audiovisual channels) in terms of content and target group. You investigate the influence of new, disruptive media models and evolutions on the current state of the media worldwide, and particularly in Belgium.

Professional Communication 1

 This course focuses on professional communicative skills in English. In this domain, you will learn all about communication in English and improve your knowledge and understanding of business English. In addition, you will study a number of grammar and business vocabulary topics independently.

The main emphasis will be on oral, writing and listening skills, however, rather than vocabulary and grammar. We will cover a number of important business emails, and focus on the tools you need to write them. You will be working both independently and in teams/groups in class. We will focus on oral communication as well, in the form of group debates and an individual presentation about a business topic. Students are expected to actively participate in class and give peer feedback.

Topics covered include:

• Debate topics
• Grammar
• Commercial correspondence: enquiries + replies to enquiries
• TedX

Please note that this is not a beginner’s course in English. Students should know the basics of business correspondence,should be able to express themselves in English and have a normal conversation with their lecturer and fellow students. Basic grammar (present and past tenses, adjectives and adverbs, articles and noun, singular and plurals forms) should be previously mastered and used without difficulties.

English for Communication 1 

This course focuses on a variety of skills.  We will 

• learn to work with an explaining dictionary
• revise and practise the pronunciation rules
• learn to use the main conjunctions (linking words) in a sentence
• revise and practise the spelling rules
• freshen up and expand grammar
• extend general vocabulary
• extend training-oriented vocabulary

Note that this is not a beginner’s course! We expect you to be familiar with basic grammar items (tenses, modals, plural formation, …). You should be able to communicate fluently and clearly so your pronunciation is expected to be correct at all times.  

Spanish 1 – level A1 

This cours is a communication oriented course. An easy way to start making yourself understood in Spanish: when introducing yourself, at a hotel, in a café and when travelling. You will be guided through expressions, grammar and pronunciation step by step. The Spanish course is based on level A1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

Spanish 2  – level B1

This course focuses on acquiring/enhancing a variety of business skills and contains several modules, including:

1. Targeted vocabulary
2. Grammar: use of the tenses
3. How to make a telephone call
4. Introduction to correspondence (writing an e-mail)

The next steps for learners of Spanish: arranging to meet and asking how to get somewhere, ordering at a restaurant, reserving a hotel room and talking about your family and holidays. In this Spanish course, you will learn all the expressions you need as well as grammar and pronunciation.

The student will acquire more vocabulary and grammar for various situations such as going shopping, talking about feelings and everyday life, making a phone call. This course is based on level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

English for Journalism

Please note that this is not a beginner’s course in English. After this semester, you will be able to write an email and make a correct phone call.

Each week, you will have to prepare texts, audio(visual)fragments, … about various topics. During class, we will hold group conversations/discussions about these topics.

International Publishing 

In this practical course you have to write and publish (online) various types of journalistic copy: news story, reportage, review, portrait, column… All of them concerning subjects and interests of your host country.  Prior to it, you will conduct a thorough investigation, based on literature and media research, visits to events or locations, or interviews with relevant people.

In the meantime, you get guidance, tips and feedback on journalistic writing, editing and publishing. Your English language and writing skills need to be excellent in order to be succesful. Your final result will be determined by the sum of your various individual assignments.

European Integration – Belgium in Europe

In this course, we analyze the creation and development of the European Community and Union. We examine the institutions and political actors of the E.U., as well as its policies and policy processes. Special attention is attributed to recent developments.

Complementary students are briefly initiated into Belgium’s history. With its linguistic, religious and social crossings Belgium is often considered an embryo for the current Europeanization of other regions.

Radio and Television Journalism

You produce news items for radio and television in the form of tv reports (video) and podcasts (audio), as if you were a foreign correspondent based in Belgium.

You are supposed to know how to prepare and do interviews in English. You are also able to edit news items for radio, podcasts and television. The different exercises are always based on actual facts. You use English newspapers (LexisNexis), radio and television programs, YouTube and websites. You also do interviews about local habits, typical cultural activities and politics to learn about the way of living in Belgium.

You are supposed to be familiar with the use of audio recorders, cameras and editing software.

Your English is excellent (both in terms of vocabulary and pronunciation, so you can write and record voice-overs and podcasts that are ready to be broadcast.

International Media Landscape

This course provides a comparative overview of the media in several countries. You operate in small international groups, a mix of domestic and foreign students that present an international benchmark of a specific thematic part of the media landscape.

Survival Dutch

You will learn the basics of the Dutch language so you will be able to take the bus/train, find your way in Hasselt or order a pint in a pub.There is a strong focus on communication, listening to conversations by native speakers and understanding the (basic) contents. 

Subjects:

• Meeting and greeting, on the road
• In town: shopping - eating – drinking – washing clothes
• The alphabet, pronunciation
• Numbers, time, dates
• Going out, making an appointment
• Health, going to the doctor and pharmacy.

The lectures will take place during 9 weeks (sept-dec), this with a frequency of 3 hours (evening) a week. 

Summer School English

An intensive English language course (held before the start of the other courses) for incoming and outgoing PXL students (45 hours divided over 7 days, not on Saturday and Sunday).

In order to determine your level you'll have to complete a written intake and an oral intake interview before the start of the Summer School on 4/9 on campus in Hasselt. The written intake can also be done online in advance.

Using authentic material, this course gives you the best possible chance of making the most of your educational opportunities and it provides help in developing essential skills for your career. You'll also make a field trip to get to know Hasselt and your fellow students.

With the focus on general English you will be given the opportunity to practice on:

• Writing reports, essays …
• Giving presentations, seminar discussions …
• Taking notes on the main points of a lectures …
• Understanding main ideas in paragraphs and longer texts …
• Brief recapitulation of the main grammar items…

English for eXchange

In this course, students learn how to communicate in an international (professional) context. Students work on their general language skills as well as improve their language competences so that they can function in an international working environment.

This course is designed to practice the four communicative skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking by e.g.:

• reading newspaper articles and short stories and understanding the (basic) contents;
• deriving the meaning of selected vocabulary items from a text;
• writing formal/neutral (professional) and informal emails or letters;
• listening to conversations by native speakers and understanding the (basic) contents;
• watching short movie fragments and understanding the (basic) contents;
• expressing one's opinion about topics of general or professional interest;
• having everyday (professional) conversations/performing role plays.

The exact contents of the course is subject to change and is open to suggestions by students. Students extend their vocabulary by reading real life texts, listening to conversations by native speakers and by having conversations and playing role plays.

They study grammar items by doing exercises and will have to put these grammatical items into practice in conversations and in writing.

The lectures will take place during 9 weeks (sept-dec), this with a frequency of 3 hours (evening) a week.