Semiotics

Training objectives of the course

In line with the general goals of the degree course and the specific objectives of the Management of Communication Processes subject area, after this course, the student will be able to:
- understand and explain semiotic theories and narratology;
- critically reflect on how communication strategies and storytelling techniques shape the perceptions and actions of their selected audiences;
- discern how these theories (and their research methods) may be applied to the fields of advertising, marketing and corporate communication.

Course programme

The core course furthers the general goals of the degree and the specific objectives of the Management of Communication Processes subject area by covering:
• Part one: an introduction to the main theories and concepts of semiotics: sign, code, language, communication, interpretation, encyclopedia.
• Part two: an overview of some fundamentals of narratology: structural and interpretative analyses of narrative texts, both verbal and (audio)visual.
• Part three: a specific approach to the analysis of advertising, marketing and brand imaging.

Didactic Methods

Lectures, slides in power point and videos.
The course will use an online community to share information and materials.
Students will be asked to play an active role in the discussions and to take turns in delivering short reports on the topics covered in class. If technically possible, they will also be asked (during the third part of the course) to work in smaller groups on specific case studies.

Learning assessment procedures

The exam will consist of a written test for all students and a group assignment reserved for attending students only.
The written test is organized in the same way for both attending and non-attending students. It is a computer-based test consisting of 33 multiple choice questions covering all the topics studied during the course. Each correct answer is awarded 1 point; each wrong answer incurs a -0.25 point penalty.
This written test assesses the knowledge of theories, concepts, notions and related specialistic vocabulary.
Attending students only will carry out a group assignment to test their ability to apply the acquired knowledge and critically analyze the communication put in place by a company.
The group assignment is focused on the analysis of a specific case study.
Participation in the group assignment requires attendance at the lessons, during which details to conduct the assignment and group assistance are provided.
The group assignment is assessed on a scale from 0 to 3 points and contributes to the final grade.
Students with specific learning disorders and with disabilities are invited to contact the head of the course to agree on the examination methods on the basis of their personal documentation prepared by the DiversaMENTE Office.

Reference Texts

• LECTURE NOTES (available in course community)
• ECO, UMBERTO, Six Walks in the Fictional Woods, Harvard University Press, 1994

The course bibliography is the same for attending and non-attending students.

The exam program (and the additional points of the group project) will remain valid for all the current academic year examination sessions.