Master in Communication

1^st PART: FUNDAMENTALS OF COMMUNICATION

1. HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF COMMUNICATION

   This course aims to give the student the necessary knowledge to understand the process of information transmission, its origin, theories, and its evolution. At the same time, it seeks to develop skills in the competent management of the elements that intervene in this process; to understand how these elements have evolved, so that they can finally determine what the current communicative process is like, what its characteristics are and what its future projections are.

   Some of the topics seen in the course are:

   COMMUNICATION.

   ORIGINS AND EVOLUTION.

   THEORIES ON COMMUNICATION.

   PHILOSOPHY APPLIED TO COMMUNICATION.

   DIFFERENT THEORISTS, MODELS AND SCHOOLS.

   TOWARD A CHARACTERIZATION OF COMMUNICATION IN THE CURRENT ENVIRONMENT.

   CHANGES IN THE SCENARIO.

2. FUNDAMENTALS OF COMMUNICATION

   This subject aims to teach the participant on the manner of applying science to communicative processes, explaining the fundamental precepts of each school regarding the levels of communication, and the communicative spheres that vary according to the receiver’s characteristics. At the same time, it emphasizes the role that communication plays in society, and how the concept and treatment of information is conceived according to each communicative theory, and the variations it has undergone with the application of new technologies to this communication process.

   Some of the topics addressed in the subject are the following:

   ORIGIN, CONCEPTS AND MODELS OF COMMUNICATION.

   THE EPISTEMOLOGY OF COMMUNICATION

   COMMUNICATION THEORY SCHOOLS.

   CURRENT TENDENCIES OF THE COMMUNICATION THEORY.

   MEDIA AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION.

3. MEDIA ANALYSIS AND CRITIQUE

   This subject seeks to develop a critical awareness of the individuals with respect to the media and the role they play in society, the influence of a means and the ethical and social aspects with which a means manages the information.
   
   Some of the topics addressed in the subject are the following:

   INFLUENCE OF THE MEDIA IN TODAY'S SOCIETY.

   SOCIAL FUNCTION AND RESPONSIBILITY OF THE MEDIA.

   ETHICAL PROBLEMS IN MASS MEDIA.

   OPINION JOURNALISM

   KEYS FOR THE ARGUMENT.

   LITERARY CRITICISM.

   METHODOLOGIES FOR TEXT ANALYSIS.

4. COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNICATION

   This subject presents an organizational communication model that manages the overall communication actions of a company, considering them as a whole. In this sense, it contains guidelines for the management of internal, external, crisis and digital communication.

   Some of the topics addressed in the subject are the following:

   EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION

   INTERNAL COMMUNICATION

   ONLINE COMMUNICATION

   CRISIS COMMUNICATION

   LOBBIES

   PUBLICITY AND COMMUNICATION

5. DESIGN AND MANAGEMENT OF COMMUNICATION PROJECTS

   This subject covers the diverse activities that management of a project in communication includes, starting with the idea, planning and implementation of the project, and concluding with the analysis of the same. It also seeks to ensure that the participant develops the tools and learns the necessary models for making operational decisions throughout the project’s management.

   Some of the topics addressed in the subject are the following:

   STAGES FOR THE PROJECTS DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT.

   FROM THE IDEA TO THE PRODUCT.

   PLANNING AND PRODUCTION.

   EVALUATION AND FOLLOW-UP.

   PROJECT MANAGEMENT TOOLS.

6. ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT OF COMMUNICATION BUSINESSES

   This subject introduces to the students the concepts and techniques of company management and administration, so that they may understand the significance, nature and scope of the function of administering a company or managing one of its subsystems. It provides an overview of the company, its functions, processes and components, and enables understanding business and corporate language as adapted to the field of communication.

   Some of the topics covered in this subject are the following:

   MANAGEMENT SKILLS FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF COMMUNICATION COMPANIES.

   AREAS AND COMPETENCES FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF COMMUNICATION COMPANIES.

   PROCESSES AND TRENDS IN THE MANAGEMENT OF COMMUNICATION COMPANIES.

   ANALYSIS OF THE MEDIA INDUSTRY AND NEW BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES WITH ICT.

   SKILLS AND COMPETENCES IN THE MANAGEMENT OF ADVERTISING AND AUDIOVISUAL COMMUNICATION OFFICES AND AGENCIES.

7. CSR IN COMMUNICATION 

   This subject provides the main concepts for the student to master the importance and validity of Business Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility, recognizing them as an effective tool for achieving competitiveness. Students will learn the concept of ethics and social responsibility, its validity and universal character, as well as the ethical standards and their relationship with the business efficiency. It also addresses the relationship between business ethics, values, competitiveness, efficiency and effectiveness to achieve ethical and responsible performance.

   Some of the topics addressed in the subject are the following:

   FUNDAMENTALS OF BUSINESS ETHICS.

   THE NEED FOR BUSINESS ETHICS.

   FUNDAMENTALS OF CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION.

   CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY TOWARDS THE COMPANY'S STAKEHOLDERS.

   HUMAN FACTOR AS THE CENTRE OF BUSINESS ETHICS.

   APPLICATION OF CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY TO THE MEDIA.

   THE INDIVIDUAL SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY OF THE JOURNALIST.

2^nd PART: COMPETENCIES AND SKILLS OF THE COMMUNICATOR

1. MARKET RESEARCH AND AUDIENCE STUDIES

   This subject contemplates the changes and behaviors of today’s market and presents the methods and techniques of market research and audience studies, including the audience on the Internet and in digital media.

   Some of the topics covered in this subject are the following:

   QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE METHODS AND TECHNIQUES OF MARKET RESEARCH.

   TYPOLOGY, SEGMENTATIONS, DYNAMIC AND MARKET FORECAST.

   OTHER OPERATIONAL RESEARCH METHODS IN THE MARKET RESEARCH.

   METHODS AND TECHNIQUES TO DEFINE AND MEASURE MASS MEDIA AUDIENCE (TELEVISION, RADIO, PRESS, INTERNET AND NEW MEDIA) AND THE EFFECTS ON AUDIENCE BEHAVIOUR.

2. MARKETING DIGITAL AND E-COMMERCE

   This subject presents the necessary elements to set up an online sales website and several useful tools to make them visible on the Internet. It also provides the necessary elements to understand the scenario in which organizations are currently move about, by which you will learn to lead projects with an important digital component.

   Some of the topics covered in this subject are the following:

   ONLINE AND OFFLINE MARKETING.

   CONVERTING AN IDEA INTO A WEB BUSINESS.

   INTERNET SALES: E-COMMERCE.

   BRANDING.

   SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION.

   CUSTOMER LOYALTY.

   SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING.

   DIGITAL MARKETING PLAN.

3. ADVERTISING COMMUNICATION 

   As advertising is an information window of the product, this subject aims to teach the mechanisms through which the consumer is informed about said product in a persuasive manner, providing a series of tools that, once having analyzed the consumer’s behavior, make the product known and effectuate its purchase.

   Some of the topics covered in this subject are the following:

   INTRODUCTION TO ADVERTISING AND PROPAGANDA.

   ADAPTATION OF THE GENERAL PROCESS OF COMMUNICATION TO ADVERTISING AND PROPAGANDA.

   INFLUENCE OF ADVERTISING AND PROPAGANDA IN THE CONSUMER-CITIZEN BEHAVIOR.

   PROCESS OF CREATION AND PRODUCTION OF THE ADVERTISING MESSAGE.

   ADVERTISING MEDIA.

   ADVERTISING AND MEDIA RESEARCH.

4. COMMUNICATION AND PROTOCOL

   This subject aims to teach the set of behaviors, rules and social regulations that need to be understood and respected in the official acts in regards to media, such as managing the application of protocols within an organization to cover official events.

   Some of the topics covered in this subject are the following:

   PROTOCOL BASICS.

   THE PREPARATION AND ORGANIZATION OF EVENTS.

   RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PROTOCOL AND THE MEDIA.

   PROTOCOL AS A COMMUNICATION TOOL.

   INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION.

   LOCATION OF THE MEDIA IN THE EVENTS.

5. ICT AND MULTIMEDIA COMMUNICATION 

   Delving deeper in the knowledge of platforms, tools and instruments useful for creating multimedia products.

   Some of the topics covered in this subject are the following:

   DETAILED ANALYSIS OF THE MAIN TECHNIQUES IN THE PRODUCTION OF MULTIMEDIA PRODUCTS.

   PLATFORMS, TOOLS AND INSTRUMENTS USEFUL FOR THE COMMUNICATOR IN THE DESIGN, MANAGEMENT AND PRODUCTION OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF MULTIMEDIA CONTENTS.

6. INFORMATION SOCIETY AND COMMUNICATIONS AND ICT

   This subject proposes reflections on the information society and the impact of ICTs on the media and society in general, affecting business communication and the relationship between government and citizens.

   Some of the topics covered in this subject are the following:

   CURRENT ANALYSES AND PERSPECTIVES OF THE INFORMATION SOCIETY.

   CHANGES IN THE MEDIA ENVIRONMENT UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ICT.

   GOVERNMENT AND DEMOCRACY IN THE INFORMATION SOCIETY.

   ANALYSIS OF NEW PROBLEMS FOR A NEW SOCIETY.

   PERSPECTIVES OF MEDIA AND DIGITAL LITERACY.

3^rd PART: SPECIALTY

1. SPECIALIZATION IN JOURNALISM: FUNCTIONS AND MEDIA

   1. HISTORY AND GENRES OF JOURNALISM

      This subject shows the evolution of journalism and its main genres. It also teaches the major skills for creating news, the characteristics of information sources, as well as the genres, techniques and styles of writing newspaper articles, and the Internet as applied to this discipline.

      Some of the topics covered in this subject are the following:

      GENERAL THEORY OF JOURNALISM. CHANGES, EVOLUTION AND TRENDS. SCHOOLS OR TRENDS. JOURNALISM AT THE END OF THE 20TH CENTURY AND POSTMODERNISM. MEDIA AND READERS. VIEWERS AND LISTENERS.

      THE JOURNALISM OF INTERPRETATION. INFORMATION, DATABASE AND INTERPRETATION. HISTORICAL ANTECEDENTS AND IMPACT. DELIBERATION.

      SOURCES. CONFRONTATIONS.

      STYLES AND LANGUAGES.

      TECHNIQUES OF JOURNALISTIC WRITING: COLUMN, REPORT AND INTERVIEW.

      OPINION JOURNALISM.

      THE EDITORIAL.

      THE STYLE.

      TRANSFORMATION OF THE JOURNALISTIC GENRES ON THE INTERNET.

   2. INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM AND ICT

      It is that which seeks to reveal facts of public interest through journalistic investigations that delve into those facts that affect the common good, for which it is necessary to gather data, conduct interviews, contrast sources and have reliable background and documents that allow a report to be denounced or published, just as with the rest of journalism.

      Some of the topics covered in this subject are the following:

      WHAT IS AND WHAT IS NOT INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM?

      CHARACTERISTICS OF INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM.

      ELEMENTS THAT INFLUENCE INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM.

      TYPOLOGY OF INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST.

      HISTORICAL ANTECEDENTS OF INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM.

      RESEARCH PROCESS: WORK STRATEGY, METHODS AND TECHNIQUES.

      LEGAL LIMITS OF INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM.

      METHODOLOGIES FOR PLANNING AND DEVELOPING AN INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISTIC REPORT.

   3. PUBLIC OPINION AND POLITICAL PROPAGANDA
   4. SOURCES OF INFORMATION AND DRAFTING OF NEWS

      An information's origin is the backbone of all news, it is the manner in which the information is recognized, transforming a reporter’s notes into newsworthy material, by which such tasks carry social and legal implications. As such, this subject teaches the techniques for the validation and classification of any information obtained, as well as managing how the source of information is treated.

      Some of the topics covered in this subject are the following:

      DEFINITION ON THE CONCEPT OF THE SOURCE OF INFORMATION.

      CLASSIFICATION AND DEFINING FEATURES OF THE TYPES OF EXISTING INFORMATION SOURCES.

      TECHNIQUES FOR THE IDENTIFICATION, CONTRAST AND VALIDATION OF AN INFORMATIVE SOURCE.

      RULES OF CITATION.

      OFF THE RECORD: CONCEPT, METHODOLOGY AND APPLICATIONS FOR THE COMMUNICATOR.

      INFORMATION SOURCES ON THE INTERNET.

      CONCEPT OF NEWS.

      THE NEWS’ VALUES.

      INVERTED PYRAMID.

      NEWS ON THE INTERNET.

      STYLISTIC RESOURCES.

      CLASSIFICATION OF NEWS:

      THE NEWS HEADLINE: CONCEPT AND TYPOLOGIES.

      STRATEGIES FOR THE HIERARCHIZATION OF INFORMATION.

      MEDIA AND CURRENT NEWS.

   5. JOURNALISTIC INTERVIEW (WRITTEN PRESS, RADIO, TV)

      The journalistic interview as a means of acquiring and transmitting information through the resource of dialog entails a series of elements that must be taken into account at the time of conducting the interview; this subject aims to meet these requirements by teaching the professional strategies for conducting an interview in compliance with the established objectives and studying each of the variables in which it can be presented.

      Some of the topics covered in this subject are the following:

      DIALOG, CONVERSATION, DISCUSSION, EXAMINATION, QUESTIONNAIRE.

      ASKING, LISTENING, UNDERSTANDING, INTUITING, REPLICATING.

      OBJECTIVES OF AN INTERVIEW: TO ASK, TO KNOW, TO UNDERSTAND, TO DISCOVER. PRE-INTERVIEW QUESTIONS: WHAT I KNOW (AND WHAT I DON'T KNOW), WHAT I WANT TO KNOW (NOT KNOWING) AND HOW I CAN KNOW (KNOWING WHAT AND HOW TO ASK).

      OBJECTIVE AND STRATEGY OF THE INTERVIEW: PREJUDICES ABOUT THE ISSUE AND THE INTERVIEWEE, INFORMATION, DOCUMENTATION, HYPOTHESES; SCOPE OF THE INTERVIEW.

      TYPOLOGY OF AN INTERVIEW.

      PREPARING THE INTERVIEW.

      CARRYING OUT THE INTERVIEW.

      THE INTERVIEW IN AUDIO-VISUAL MEDIA: ADVANTAGES AND DANGERS OF A LIVE INTERVIEW.

      INTERVIEWS ON THE INTERNET.

   6. REPORTS AND DRAFTING (RADIO, TELEVISION, WRITTEN PRESS AND THE INTERNET)

      Reporting is a fundamental aspect for journalism, as report is the most common way in which the media presents the information. This subject aims to teach the structure of a report, its classification and the drafting techniques which vary according to the support of each media.

      Some of the topics covered in this subject are the following:

      REPORTING: TECHNIQUES FOR THE WRITTEN PRESS.

      AUDIOVISUAL MEDIA REPORT.

      PHOTOGRAPHIC REPORT.

      THE STORY THROUGHOUT VARIOUS MEDIA.

      TYPOLOGY OF REPORTS.

      REPORT DRAFTING TECHNIQUES.

      THE BIG REPORT.

      THE INFORMATION SOURCES IN THE REPORT.

      LITERARY RESOURCES IN THE REPORT.

      FORMAL GUIDELINES FOR PREPARING THE PRINTED, RADIO, TELEVISION AND MULTIMEDIA REPORT.

   7. CYBERJOURNALISM

      The Internet has become the platform for much of the media, by which these last have found the need to adapt to the requirements of such a network. As such, this subject aims to explain the most relevant online journalistic genres, the techniques for the management of digital media, and the new form of communication created with the emergence of blogs and social networks.

      Some of the topics covered in this subject are the following:

      THE CONCEPT OF THE INTERNET, ITS EVOLUTION AND CHARACTERISTICS.

      THE INTERNET AS A COMMUNICATION MEDIUM.

      CHARACTERISTICS OF ONLINE JOURNALISM. IMMEDIACY, MULTIMEDIA, PERSONALIZATION, INTERACTIVITY AND HYPERTEXTUALITY.

      EVOLUTION OF INTERNET JOURNALISM.

      FROM THE JOURNALISTIC GENRES TO THE CYBERJOURNALISTIC GENRES.

      TIPS AND TECHNIQUES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF ONLINE INFORMATIONAL MESSAGES.

      THE ROLE OF THE CYBERJOURNALIST: PROFILES, SKILLS AND COMPETENCES. WEB 2.0 AND JOURNALISM.

      THE PROCESSING AND PUBLICATION OF INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET THROUGH A SYSTEM OF ONLINE CONTENT MANAGEMENT.

      BLOGS AS TOOLS FOR THE PRACTICE OF JOURNALISM.

      SOCIAL NETWORKS AND CYBERJOURNALISM.

      GENERAL STRUCTURE OF ONLINE MEDIA. WEB 3.0 AND CYBERJOURNALISM.

2. SPECIALIZATION IN AUDIOVISUAL PRODUCTION

   1. DESIGN AND ORGANIZATION OF THE AUDIOVISUAL PRODUCTION

      This subject aims to instill the student with the necessary skills that will enable them to carry out tasks related to design, management and control of production, planning and the expressive realization and technical operation of image and sound during production processes, and serve as an introduction to the audiovisual project’s phases of development and editing.

      Some of the topics covered in this subject are the following:

      PRODUCTION AND THE PROCESS OF AUDIOVISUAL PRODUCTION.

      THE AUDIOVISUAL INDUSTRY.

      TYPOLOGY OF AUDIOVISUAL PROGRAMS.

      PROFESSIONS IN AUDIOVISUAL PRODUCTION.

      STUDY OF THE PROJECT, FINANCING AND MODES OF PRODUCTION.

      PREPARING THE PRODUCTION.

      PREPARATION: THE WORK PLAN AND BUDGET.

      PRODUCTION IN THE RECORDING STAGE.

      PRODUCTION IN THE FINISHING STAGE.

   2. AUDIOVISUAL LANGUAGE AND NARRATIVE

      Over time and due to the nature of the mechanisms used for this purpose, the audiovisual narrative has led to the use of a series of elements and conventions to reach the viewer and provide them with an understanding of the story that is being transmitted, creating a language specific to the medium. In this subject we will review the conceptual, physiological and aesthetic elements used by the audiovisual language.<>

      Some of the topics covered in this subject are the following:

      SHOT, TAKE, SCENE AND SEQUENCE.

      ON-SCREEN AND OFF-SCREEN.

      FRAGMENTATION OF THE STAGE SPACE.

      MOVEMENT.

      COMPOSITION.

      CONTINUITY.

      MONTAGE AND EDITING.

      SOUNDTRACK.

   3. AUDIOVISUAL AND MULTIMEDIA SCRIPT

      Every audiovisual product is a vehicle to connect with the viewer and deliver a message or tell a story. In this subject, focusing on narration in the form of a feature film, we will see the different phases that the story goes through, from the initial embryonic idea to a mature product, the fully developed story, which we will deliver to the viewer.

      Some of the topics covered in this subject are the following:

      PREVIOUS CONCEPTS.

      STRUCTURE.

      FEATURE MOVIE.

      SUBPLOTS.

      CHARACTER.

      STAGES IN THE SCRIPT DEVELOPMENT.

      THE IDEA.

      CONFLICT OR BASIC INTRIGUE.

      STRUCTURE OR STORY LINE.

      SYNOPSIS.

      FIRST DESCRIPTION OF CHARACTERS.

      TREATMENT.

      LITERARY SCRIPT

      DIALOG IN THE CREATION OF DRAMATIC ACTION.

      THE SCRIPT. TOOLS FOR PRODUCTION.

      THE MULTIMEDIA SCRIPT: TYPOLOGIES, TECHNIQUES AND PRODUCTION STAGES.

   4. SOUND COLLECTION, RECORDING AND POST-PRODUCTION

      As we all know, an audiovisual product would be incomplete without its soundtrack. As such, this subject examines the structure of sound, from its physical and physiological foundations up to their implementation into the audiovisual support through the mechanisms used for sound collection, storage and reproduction.

      Some of the topics covered in this subject are the following:

      BASIC PRINCIPLES OF SOUND.

      THE AMPLIFIER.

      SOUND COLLECTION.

      MAGNETIC SOUND RECORDING AND REPRODUCTION.

      ACOUSTIC SCREENS AND SPEAKERS.

      DIGITAL SOUND.

      OPTICAL SOUND RECORDING AND REPRODUCTION.

      SOUND RECORDING.

      SOUND POST-PRODUCTION.

   5. LIGHTING TECHNIQUES (PHOTO, VIDEO AND CINEMA)

      In this subject we will analyze the physical and physiological bases of light and color, as well as their applications in the audiovisual field and the most common techniques.

      Some of the topics covered in this subject are the following:

      THE NATURE OF LIGHT.

      CHARACTERISTICS OF LIGHT.

      LIGHTING EQUIPMENT.

      LIGHTING. BASIC LIGHTING SCHEMES. LIGHTING FOR A STATIC PERSON. LIGHTING FOR TWO PEOPLE. LIGHTING FOR A GROUP OF PEOPLE. LIGHTING FOR A PERSON IN MOVEMENT. LIGHTING FOR TELEVISION TYPOLOGIES.

      SPECIAL EFFECTS.

      PRACTICAL EXAMPLES OF LIGHTING.

   6. PHOTOGRAPHIC DIRECTION

      If we remember that cinematography is the fixation of movement on a support, it is not superfluous to review the foundations, elements, processes and techniques that enable an image to be fixed onto a chemical support, the objective for this subject.

      Some of the topics covered in this subject are the following:

      THE FILM.

      THE OBJECTIVES.

      THE FILTERS.

      THE CINEMATOGRAPHIC TAKE.

      THE LABORATORY.

      LIGHTING APPLIED TO THE DIFFERENT MOVIE GENRES.

   7. AUDIOVISUAL PRODUCTION TECHNIQUES

      In this subject, we will focus on how the director or the producer composes and organizes the different locations where the action of their audiovisual production takes place and the techniques used to manage in telling the story without disorienting the spectator. Case studies are also included: the video report, the television studio, the adaptation script.

      Some of the topics covered in this subject are the following:

      THE TELEVISION DIRECTOR.

      EXTRACURRICULAR PLACEMENT: CONTINUITY IN THE MOVEMENT OF A SUBJECT, IN THE SHOTS OF ONE AND TWO STATIC SUBJECTS AND IN THE CONTINUITY IN THE SHOTS OF TWO, THREE OR MORE CHARACTERS.

      CREATION OF INFORMATIVE, SPORT, LIVE AND RECORDED PROGRAMS.

      PRODUCTION OF DOCUMENTARY SERIES, SITUATIONAL COMEDIES.

      COMMUNICATION PRODUCTS AND INTERNET.

      MULTIMEDIA TELEVISION: TYPOLOGIES, FORMATS AND TRENDS.

4^th PART: FINAL PROJECT

1. METHODOLOGY OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

   This subject familiarizes the student with the scientific context of research and its conceptual and methodological requirements. The different stages of a research process are presented, by favoring the development of abilities and skills in the methodological design of the final project, as well as in the report or research report development.

   Some of the topics covered in this subject are the following:

   EPISTEMOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF THE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

   What is the epistemology? What is a paradigm? Knowledge and science. Positive empirical conception. Hermeneutic or interpretive conception. Poiesis and praxis: a key in understanding the paradigms.

   SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH PROCESS

   Stages. How to start an investigation? Project: starting point. Choosing a topic. Posing the problem. Posing the research questions. Definition of the objectives. Elaboration of hypotheses. Justification of the research. Definition of the title.

   CONSTRUCTION OF THE THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

   What is the theoretical framework? Literature review: documentation and search of information. What to look for? Primary, secondary, and tertiary sources. Where to look for? Physical and/or virtual location. What kind of literature should be seen in detail? Criteria for choosing. How to read academic texts? Reading and comprehension of written texts strategies. Reproducing/understanding a text: beyond everything or nothing. Useful advice for reading academic texts. How to register the information? Elaboration of the theoretical framework: guidelines.

   DESIGN OF THE METHODOLOGICAL STRATEGY.

   Definition of the type of research design. Classification of the variables. Operational definition of the variable. Sampling. Data collection techniques and tools. Participant observation. Nominal Group. Delphi technique. Interview in depth. Discussion groups. Life history. Procedures for the data analysis. Qualitative data analysis. Análisis de contenido. Discourse analysis.

   RESEARCH REPORT.

   Parts of a written research report. Formal aspects in developing scientific projects. Composition of written texts: the writing process. Textual issues. Basic textual properties. International regulations on bibliographic citations. General regulations for citations in the text. Bibliographical references at the end of the text. Some criteria to self-assess a research report.

2. FINAL PROJECT

   The Final Project of the Master's Degree (FP) is the development of an applied project, which provides novelty to the field of knowledge of the studies program. The FP should be prepared according to the guidelines and standards required for an activity of this kind. Throughout the whole process, the student can rely on the advice of academic staff, and on a director of FP, who is an expert in the object of study.

Note: The contents of the academic program may be subject to slight modifications, depending on the updates or the improvements made.