A core module in journalism. The aim of course is to introduce to students the role and responsibilty of journalism in democratic societies, and provide grounding in journalistic writing and editing skills. The module starts with discussions about the role the media has in democratic societies. Then the emphasis moves on to newswriting. Main concepts and methods of reporting are introduced, such as news values, news gathering, news structure and editing. Furthermore we will focus the presentation of news in different types of media, with an emphasis on online news.

Students write news stories and articles for the study program´s online news site.

The aim of this course is for students to gain an understanding of the role of the media in the communication, development, and protection of the Icelandic language. Students will be trained to write news texts and articles in good Icelandic and to use a variety of authors' aids. They also receive guidance in voice use and appearance. The use of words and concepts in a multicultural and diverse society will also be discussed.

In this course the focus is on the Icelandic media system and its development to the present day. The main characteristics of the Icelandic media system are examined and especially how it interacts with the political and economic systems. The main theories of media systems will be introduced and the development of the Icelandic media system will be put into context with developments in other countries. Among the questions addressed are those of the impact of ownership, competition and convergence on different types of media outlets in Iceland.

The course starts with a general introduction to political science, covering different analytical approaches (e.g. systems approach, functional approach, power approach), decision-making and policy formation (e.g. Simon, Lindblom, Richardson, et al.), comparative government (e.g. the nation state, cleavages, forms of government), political socialization and political culture. The latter part of the course concentrates more heavily on the Icelandic political system, covering the main features of the development of the political system in the 19th and 20th centuries (e.g. nationalism, cleavages, major periods of the politics of independence and modern politics), the constitution, political parties and elections (e.g. development of the franchise and electoral system, participation, party system, organization, voting behaviour), the legislature (Althingi), and the executive (e.g. president, government and the coalition system, the bureaucracy, relations to interest organizations, policy-making and local government).

This course addresses the main topics of gender and diversity studies in the light of critical multiculturalism and the diversity of modern societies. It explores the way in which social variables such as gender, sexuality, ethnicity, religion, disability, age and class differently affects people’s conditions and opportunities. It presents the main ideas of gender and diversity studies, such as gender, essentialism and social constructivism, and explores how social variables are interwoven into people’s lives. The emphasis is on how issues such as gender, multiculturalism, and diversity are related to Icelandic politics and society.

Students get a chance to stand up from the chair and try out various researches relating to media studies. Assesment is built on various projects and students will also read about classic and recent media researches.

Emphasis is on student engagement and activeness and the research projects will relate to all types of media.

This course builds upon what students learn in BLF101G Journalism I with a focus on the written press, print and digital. The aim is to train students further in reporting, writing and structuring news stories, and to explore different genre in journalism, e.g. in-depth stories, features, interviews, human interest stories. Special attention is given to layout, pictures and visualisation and to content presentation in different kinds of medium. Assignments. Students write news stories and articles for the study program´s online news site, and on occasion for other media.

The aim of this course is to train students in working with audio and visual media, including podcast and the use of smartphones to produce news. The nature of audio and visual media, their main characteristics, qualities and limitations are discussed. Student will learn to write and structure audio and visual news stories and to make use of the qualities of sound and pictures, in traditional broadcast media, online and social media. Students will be trained in basic recording and editing.

The aim of this course is to train students in pitching story ideas to editors and to take active part in editorial meetings. Possible stories will be critically discussed, what approach to use, and what information and sources are needed.

Data er increasingly important for political scientists, whether they are public servants, work in media or business, in social activities or research. Having data literacy and the ability to communicate quantitative information is, therefore, of fundamental importance for political scientists. In this course, students will gain an understanding of data and data analysis with the aim of making them confident and competent users of data. The main focus of the course will be on data visualization, with students being introduced to fundamental principles of how to communiate a variety of data visuallly. Students will gain hands on experience in working with common political science datasets and develop appropriate skills to find, work with, and communicate data with commonly used statistical software package.

The course is intended to introduce students to different theories and subjects within international politics, with a particular emphasis on the changing nature of international politics after the end of the Cold War. The course begins by addressing the nature of the international system, the state and its role within the system. The basic theories of international politics are introduced, as are the main branches within the field, such as international political economy and international security. International organizations, such as the United Nations, and their role are discussed. The latter part of the course is dedicated to the issues of international politics and covers among other things the environment, the role of non-governmental organizations, human rights, and more.

In the course, students are:
1) introduced to the basic theories of international politics, providing them with the basis for understanding contemporary political events
2) trained in analyzing critically concepts and theories relating to globalizations
3) introduced to the relationship between international events and theories of international politics

This course examines how political information spreads through the media and what this information dissemination means for our understanding of politics. The course combines theoretical insights and empirical information from the fields of media studies, political science and journalism. Topics covered in the course include digital politics and communication, how politicians and political parties use social media platforms, the crisis of politics and media in established democracies, mass media and the news production process, political parties and political marketing, election campaigns and politics as entertainment. Various case studies will be used to shed light on the topics under investigation, including how wars are depicted on social media, how Donald Trump has used social media in his communication with the world, how celebrities try to influence politics, how young voters use social media and recent examples from Icelandic politics. Much of the material for this module is highly contemporary so students are encouraged to maintain an awareness of current developments in political communication through diverse news outlets.

In this course we apply a sociological perspective to analyse themes in movies, tv-shows, popular music and other entertainment media. The course goals are for students to develop further understanding of how social structures and social interaction work and social change occur. This is to be achieved by allowing students to practice using the sociological perspective and sociological theories on mainstream issues in different social contexts, from popular culture media.

The aim of this course is to examine fake news, information disorder and politics. Different concepts and definitions of fake news, as well as how they have developed over time, will be analyzed and discussed. What are the possible consequences of fake news and information disorder and to what extent has false and misleading information been used as a strategic tool in political campaigns?

The course examines how false and misleading information is spread, specifically via social media, by whom and for what purposes, and how governments have responded to an increase in false and misleading information. In addition to this, the course examines how third parties have attempted to use fake news to impact elections and public opinion in modern democracies.

This course will also cover the main challenges politicians face today with changes in the media and communication landscape, where the speed and scale of information often limits the time for contemplation and strategies to respond. At the same time, the boundaries between private and public life have been blurred, and news about what politicians say and do can spread to a great number of people in a very short amount of time.

The aim of this course is to train students further in professional journalistic practice and methods. The emphasis is on methods and equipment in gathering, analysing and presenting information and data. Students will be introduced to the Freedom of Information Act and how to use it to get access to information. Students will have an option of specialising, by taking one of the following MOOC courses: Investigative journalism; visualisation of information and data or use of AI in newsrooms. The course will consist partly of short, open online courses for self learning (MOOC), discussions in class lessons.

This course will focus on digital media from multiple perspectives, with an emphasis on social media platforms. It will look at digital media in an historical context and how it has influenced users and professional media. The main theories linked to digital media will be discussed and explained and put in context with how digital media has developed. In the course, much emphasis will be placed on exploring examples of the main features of digital and social media. For example, the relationship to traditional media, artificial intelligence, digital media's business model, rules and regulation regarding social media, as well as influences on public debate and people's private life.

Why is public policy in economic and welfare matters so different across Western democracies? In this course, students become familiar with the main theories and research in political economy that shed light on this question. The course is divided into three main parts: First, we analyze how market economies are organized in different ways and how globalization and the international environment shapes domestic policy. Second, we examine why inequality and welfare policy varies across countries and how interests and political institutions shape each. Third, we analyze how governments try to influence the macroeconomy and what constraints markets and globalization place on them. Upon completion of the course, students should be well equipped to analyze topics in political economy based on the interests of individuals and groups, political institutions, and constraints on government decision-making.

Politics are about interactions between people, and as such, inevitably linked to psychology as it is the discipline of people's cognition, motivation, and behavior. In this course we will explore both how psychological factors impact political behavior as well as how political systems may impact people's cognition, emotion, and behavior. We will cover both classic and recent theories in political psychology. Emphasis will be on the following topics: Introduction to political psychology, personality and politics, media and the perception of politicians, ideology and political attitudes, emotions and politics, decision making, intergroup relations, prejudice and violence. Attendance is mandatory and active class participation is required.

The aim of this course is to train students in pitching story ideas to editors and to take active part in the editorial meetings, and lead the work of others. Students will lead editorial meetings with first year students. Possible stories will be critically discussed, what approach to use, and information and sources needed.

Students take a six week internship at a media company. They work there as a journalist and get acquainted with most aspects of work in an editorial office. At the beginning of the course students will work under guidance to prepare a CV and an application for an internship in the media. Then they do an internship in their chosen media company. At the end of the internship the following should be submitted to the supervisory teacher: A diary written by the student during their internship. The diary should include a weekly summary of main assignments and a reflection on the assignements and the work in in general. The course is not completed until the supervisor has verified the student's attendance and satisfactory results. The internship course concludes with a pass or fail. Students with considerable journalistic experience can apply to the Faculty of Political Science to be exempted from the course. The internship normally takes place in February – March in the spring semester of the last year of study.

The aim of this course is to give students an understanding of, and training in, professional journalistic practices. The course covers the laws and regulations that apply to the media and to the work of journalists, including freedom of expression, defamation, and the protection of sources. It examines media ethics, both the general code of ethics of the Icelandic Union of Journalists and the internal guidelines of individual newsrooms, and how these are applied in practice. The course also discusses relations between journalists, media owners, and advertisers, as well as the handling of sources and interactions with sources or other providers of information. In addition, the course addresses responsible reporting on sensitive issues and introduces, among other things, the recommendations issued by the Directorate of Health on responsible reporting of suicide.

The BA Project is an independent journalist work and a written report about the project. The project shall be produced in accordance with professional journalistic standards and ethics of fairness, accuracy and honesty. The project should display student’s ability to use the qualities of the medium chosen for the project. It can be a in-depth news story/feature for the written press (print or digital), for audio or visual media or multimedia project of some sort. In the accompanied report the student shall describe and explain the choice of subject and medium, the work process, information gathering and choice of sources, point of view and limitations.

The BA Project is an independent journalist work and a written report about the project. The project shall be produced in accordance with professional journalistic standards and ethics of fairness, accuracy and honesty. The project should display student’s ability to use the qualities of the medium chosen for the project. It can be a in-depth news story/feature for the written press (print or digital), for audio or visual media or multimedia project of some sort. In the accompanied report the student shall describe and explain the choice of subject and medium, the work process, information gathering and choice of sources, point of view and limitations.

The BA Project is an independent journalist work and a written report about the project. The project shall be produced in accordance with professional journalistic standards and ethics of fairness, accuracy and honesty. The project should display student’s ability to use the qualities of the medium chosen for the project. It can be a in-depth news story/feature for the written press (print or digital), for audio or visual media or multimedia project of some sort. In the accompanied report the student shall describe and explain the choice of subject and medium, the work process, information gathering and choice of sources, point of view and limitations.

Students can either do a journalistic project, about a chosen subject for publication in a media outlet, or to do a research and write an academic essay or report. The work will be done under the supervison of a senior teacher.

Students can either do a journalistic project, about a chosen subject for publication in a media outlet, or to a research and write an academic essay or report. The work will be done under the supervison of a senior teacher.

 Course description (Course subject and goals):

The aim of the course is to give students the opportunity to conduct a journalistic project, under the supervision of working journalist. The project can be a news story or a feature for the written press (print or digital) or for audio or visual media. Students will initiate the project and formulate it in cooperation with their supervisor.

The objective of the course is to introduce students to new research within gender studies, so that they gain insight into the wide scope of issues gender studies deal with, and understand the importance of theoretical debates within the field. The course is based on active participation and projects conducted in conjunction with conferences, seminars, workshops and lectures in the field of gender studies and equality over the course of a semester, at the University of Iceland or elsewhere.

Students can either do a journalistic project, about a chosen subject for publication in a media outlet, or to do a research and write an academic essay or report. The work will be done under the supervison of a senior teacher.

Students can either do a journalistic project, about a chosen subject for publication in a media outlet, or to a research and write an academic essay or report. The work will be done under the supervison of a senior teacher.

 Course description (Course subject and goals):

The aim of the course is to give students the opportunity to conduct a journalistic project, under the supervision of working journalist. The project can be a news story or a feature for the written press (print or digital) or for audio or visual media. Students will initiate the project and formulate it in cooperation with their supervisor.

The class is taught in Icelandic.  In this course, students get a chance to hone their writing skills. Students will hand in regular writing assignments where they practise different ways of presenting scholarly work in a creative manner, such as op-eds and creative nonfiction. Students will also write creative texts, such as short stories. Students can use material from their field of study but will also have to face new challenges. Classes will be in the form of lectures, discussions, and workshops. Assessment will be based on regular assignments, self-assessment, a midterm assignment, a final assignment, a portfolio, and attendance and participation. Attendance and participation make up 15% of the grade and is partly mandatory (8 out of 12 workshops). The course is open to all undergraduate students at the University of Iceland but students must themselves make sure that the course can be used for credit in their particular studies.

Online learning:

The course is organized as face-to-face learning but all lectures from teachers will be recorded. This is done to assure better access to the course. Students who do not attend class will listen to the lectures and write short reports. They also turn in assignments otherwise done in class.

The aim of the visit is to gain first hand knowledge of institutions and actors in the international system. The headquarters of the U.N. and the World Bank will be visited to learn about the role and activities of Iceland within the organizations. In addition the White House, and the Icelandic Embassy in D.C. will be visited in addition to other embassies and institutions. The visits introduce the institutions and their activities to the students from different points of view with the aim of aiding the students understanding of how the institutions function and how states' interestes are mediated within them. The field trip will offer the students a unique opportunity to bridge the gap between the scholarly study of these institutions and how the function from a practical perspective.

The goal of this course is to give students an opportunity to present their theoretical knowledge and research to listeners of the Icelandic Public Broadcasting Service (Ríkisútvarpið). Students will be introduced to public radio as a medium and trained in radio programming and in presenting theoretical material in simple manners suitable for broadcasting in public radio.

A core module in journalism. The aim of course is to introduce to students the role and responsibilty of journalism in democratic societies, and provide grounding in journalistic writing and editing skills. The module starts with discussions about the role the media has in democratic societies. Then the emphasis moves on to newswriting. Main concepts and methods of reporting are introduced, such as news values, news gathering, news structure and editing. Furthermore we will focus the presentation of news in different types of media, with an emphasis on online news.

Students write news stories and articles for the study program´s online news site.

The aim of this course is for students to gain an understanding of the role of the media in the communication, development, and protection of the Icelandic language. Students will be trained to write news texts and articles in good Icelandic and to use a variety of authors' aids. They also receive guidance in voice use and appearance. The use of words and concepts in a multicultural and diverse society will also be discussed.

In this course the focus is on the Icelandic media system and its development to the present day. The main characteristics of the Icelandic media system are examined and especially how it interacts with the political and economic systems. The main theories of media systems will be introduced and the development of the Icelandic media system will be put into context with developments in other countries. Among the questions addressed are those of the impact of ownership, competition and convergence on different types of media outlets in Iceland.

The course starts with a general introduction to political science, covering different analytical approaches (e.g. systems approach, functional approach, power approach), decision-making and policy formation (e.g. Simon, Lindblom, Richardson, et al.), comparative government (e.g. the nation state, cleavages, forms of government), political socialization and political culture. The latter part of the course concentrates more heavily on the Icelandic political system, covering the main features of the development of the political system in the 19th and 20th centuries (e.g. nationalism, cleavages, major periods of the politics of independence and modern politics), the constitution, political parties and elections (e.g. development of the franchise and electoral system, participation, party system, organization, voting behaviour), the legislature (Althingi), and the executive (e.g. president, government and the coalition system, the bureaucracy, relations to interest organizations, policy-making and local government).

This course addresses the main topics of gender and diversity studies in the light of critical multiculturalism and the diversity of modern societies. It explores the way in which social variables such as gender, sexuality, ethnicity, religion, disability, age and class differently affects people’s conditions and opportunities. It presents the main ideas of gender and diversity studies, such as gender, essentialism and social constructivism, and explores how social variables are interwoven into people’s lives. The emphasis is on how issues such as gender, multiculturalism, and diversity are related to Icelandic politics and society.

Students get a chance to stand up from the chair and try out various researches relating to media studies. Assesment is built on various projects and students will also read about classic and recent media researches.

Emphasis is on student engagement and activeness and the research projects will relate to all types of media.

This course builds upon what students learn in BLF101G Journalism I with a focus on the written press, print and digital. The aim is to train students further in reporting, writing and structuring news stories, and to explore different genre in journalism, e.g. in-depth stories, features, interviews, human interest stories. Special attention is given to layout, pictures and visualisation and to content presentation in different kinds of medium. Assignments. Students write news stories and articles for the study program´s online news site, and on occasion for other media.

The aim of this course is to train students in working with audio and visual media, including podcast and the use of smartphones to produce news. The nature of audio and visual media, their main characteristics, qualities and limitations are discussed. Student will learn to write and structure audio and visual news stories and to make use of the qualities of sound and pictures, in traditional broadcast media, online and social media. Students will be trained in basic recording and editing.

The aim of this course is to train students in pitching story ideas to editors and to take active part in editorial meetings. Possible stories will be critically discussed, what approach to use, and what information and sources are needed.

Data er increasingly important for political scientists, whether they are public servants, work in media or business, in social activities or research. Having data literacy and the ability to communicate quantitative information is, therefore, of fundamental importance for political scientists. In this course, students will gain an understanding of data and data analysis with the aim of making them confident and competent users of data. The main focus of the course will be on data visualization, with students being introduced to fundamental principles of how to communiate a variety of data visuallly. Students will gain hands on experience in working with common political science datasets and develop appropriate skills to find, work with, and communicate data with commonly used statistical software package.

The course is intended to introduce students to different theories and subjects within international politics, with a particular emphasis on the changing nature of international politics after the end of the Cold War. The course begins by addressing the nature of the international system, the state and its role within the system. The basic theories of international politics are introduced, as are the main branches within the field, such as international political economy and international security. International organizations, such as the United Nations, and their role are discussed. The latter part of the course is dedicated to the issues of international politics and covers among other things the environment, the role of non-governmental organizations, human rights, and more.

In the course, students are:
1) introduced to the basic theories of international politics, providing them with the basis for understanding contemporary political events
2) trained in analyzing critically concepts and theories relating to globalizations
3) introduced to the relationship between international events and theories of international politics

This course examines how political information spreads through the media and what this information dissemination means for our understanding of politics. The course combines theoretical insights and empirical information from the fields of media studies, political science and journalism. Topics covered in the course include digital politics and communication, how politicians and political parties use social media platforms, the crisis of politics and media in established democracies, mass media and the news production process, political parties and political marketing, election campaigns and politics as entertainment. Various case studies will be used to shed light on the topics under investigation, including how wars are depicted on social media, how Donald Trump has used social media in his communication with the world, how celebrities try to influence politics, how young voters use social media and recent examples from Icelandic politics. Much of the material for this module is highly contemporary so students are encouraged to maintain an awareness of current developments in political communication through diverse news outlets.

In this course we apply a sociological perspective to analyse themes in movies, tv-shows, popular music and other entertainment media. The course goals are for students to develop further understanding of how social structures and social interaction work and social change occur. This is to be achieved by allowing students to practice using the sociological perspective and sociological theories on mainstream issues in different social contexts, from popular culture media.

The aim of this course is to examine fake news, information disorder and politics. Different concepts and definitions of fake news, as well as how they have developed over time, will be analyzed and discussed. What are the possible consequences of fake news and information disorder and to what extent has false and misleading information been used as a strategic tool in political campaigns?

The course examines how false and misleading information is spread, specifically via social media, by whom and for what purposes, and how governments have responded to an increase in false and misleading information. In addition to this, the course examines how third parties have attempted to use fake news to impact elections and public opinion in modern democracies.

This course will also cover the main challenges politicians face today with changes in the media and communication landscape, where the speed and scale of information often limits the time for contemplation and strategies to respond. At the same time, the boundaries between private and public life have been blurred, and news about what politicians say and do can spread to a great number of people in a very short amount of time.

The aim of this course is to train students further in professional journalistic practice and methods. The emphasis is on methods and equipment in gathering, analysing and presenting information and data. Students will be introduced to the Freedom of Information Act and how to use it to get access to information. Students will have an option of specialising, by taking one of the following MOOC courses: Investigative journalism; visualisation of information and data or use of AI in newsrooms. The course will consist partly of short, open online courses for self learning (MOOC), discussions in class lessons.

This course will focus on digital media from multiple perspectives, with an emphasis on social media platforms. It will look at digital media in an historical context and how it has influenced users and professional media. The main theories linked to digital media will be discussed and explained and put in context with how digital media has developed. In the course, much emphasis will be placed on exploring examples of the main features of digital and social media. For example, the relationship to traditional media, artificial intelligence, digital media's business model, rules and regulation regarding social media, as well as influences on public debate and people's private life.

Why is public policy in economic and welfare matters so different across Western democracies? In this course, students become familiar with the main theories and research in political economy that shed light on this question. The course is divided into three main parts: First, we analyze how market economies are organized in different ways and how globalization and the international environment shapes domestic policy. Second, we examine why inequality and welfare policy varies across countries and how interests and political institutions shape each. Third, we analyze how governments try to influence the macroeconomy and what constraints markets and globalization place on them. Upon completion of the course, students should be well equipped to analyze topics in political economy based on the interests of individuals and groups, political institutions, and constraints on government decision-making.

Politics are about interactions between people, and as such, inevitably linked to psychology as it is the discipline of people's cognition, motivation, and behavior. In this course we will explore both how psychological factors impact political behavior as well as how political systems may impact people's cognition, emotion, and behavior. We will cover both classic and recent theories in political psychology. Emphasis will be on the following topics: Introduction to political psychology, personality and politics, media and the perception of politicians, ideology and political attitudes, emotions and politics, decision making, intergroup relations, prejudice and violence. Attendance is mandatory and active class participation is required.

The aim of this course is to train students in pitching story ideas to editors and to take active part in the editorial meetings, and lead the work of others. Students will lead editorial meetings with first year students. Possible stories will be critically discussed, what approach to use, and information and sources needed.

Students take a six week internship at a media company. They work there as a journalist and get acquainted with most aspects of work in an editorial office. At the beginning of the course students will work under guidance to prepare a CV and an application for an internship in the media. Then they do an internship in their chosen media company. At the end of the internship the following should be submitted to the supervisory teacher: A diary written by the student during their internship. The diary should include a weekly summary of main assignments and a reflection on the assignements and the work in in general. The course is not completed until the supervisor has verified the student's attendance and satisfactory results. The internship course concludes with a pass or fail. Students with considerable journalistic experience can apply to the Faculty of Political Science to be exempted from the course. The internship normally takes place in February – March in the spring semester of the last year of study.

The aim of this course is to give students an understanding of, and training in, professional journalistic practices. The course covers the laws and regulations that apply to the media and to the work of journalists, including freedom of expression, defamation, and the protection of sources. It examines media ethics, both the general code of ethics of the Icelandic Union of Journalists and the internal guidelines of individual newsrooms, and how these are applied in practice. The course also discusses relations between journalists, media owners, and advertisers, as well as the handling of sources and interactions with sources or other providers of information. In addition, the course addresses responsible reporting on sensitive issues and introduces, among other things, the recommendations issued by the Directorate of Health on responsible reporting of suicide.

The BA Project is an independent journalist work and a written report about the project. The project shall be produced in accordance with professional journalistic standards and ethics of fairness, accuracy and honesty. The project should display student’s ability to use the qualities of the medium chosen for the project. It can be a in-depth news story/feature for the written press (print or digital), for audio or visual media or multimedia project of some sort. In the accompanied report the student shall describe and explain the choice of subject and medium, the work process, information gathering and choice of sources, point of view and limitations.

The BA Project is an independent journalist work and a written report about the project. The project shall be produced in accordance with professional journalistic standards and ethics of fairness, accuracy and honesty. The project should display student’s ability to use the qualities of the medium chosen for the project. It can be a in-depth news story/feature for the written press (print or digital), for audio or visual media or multimedia project of some sort. In the accompanied report the student shall describe and explain the choice of subject and medium, the work process, information gathering and choice of sources, point of view and limitations.

The BA Project is an independent journalist work and a written report about the project. The project shall be produced in accordance with professional journalistic standards and ethics of fairness, accuracy and honesty. The project should display student’s ability to use the qualities of the medium chosen for the project. It can be a in-depth news story/feature for the written press (print or digital), for audio or visual media or multimedia project of some sort. In the accompanied report the student shall describe and explain the choice of subject and medium, the work process, information gathering and choice of sources, point of view and limitations.

Students can either do a journalistic project, about a chosen subject for publication in a media outlet, or to do a research and write an academic essay or report. The work will be done under the supervison of a senior teacher.

Students can either do a journalistic project, about a chosen subject for publication in a media outlet, or to a research and write an academic essay or report. The work will be done under the supervison of a senior teacher.

 Course description (Course subject and goals):

The aim of the course is to give students the opportunity to conduct a journalistic project, under the supervision of working journalist. The project can be a news story or a feature for the written press (print or digital) or for audio or visual media. Students will initiate the project and formulate it in cooperation with their supervisor.

The objective of the course is to introduce students to new research within gender studies, so that they gain insight into the wide scope of issues gender studies deal with, and understand the importance of theoretical debates within the field. The course is based on active participation and projects conducted in conjunction with conferences, seminars, workshops and lectures in the field of gender studies and equality over the course of a semester, at the University of Iceland or elsewhere.

Students can either do a journalistic project, about a chosen subject for publication in a media outlet, or to do a research and write an academic essay or report. The work will be done under the supervison of a senior teacher.

Students can either do a journalistic project, about a chosen subject for publication in a media outlet, or to a research and write an academic essay or report. The work will be done under the supervison of a senior teacher.

 Course description (Course subject and goals):

The aim of the course is to give students the opportunity to conduct a journalistic project, under the supervision of working journalist. The project can be a news story or a feature for the written press (print or digital) or for audio or visual media. Students will initiate the project and formulate it in cooperation with their supervisor.

The class is taught in Icelandic.  In this course, students get a chance to hone their writing skills. Students will hand in regular writing assignments where they practise different ways of presenting scholarly work in a creative manner, such as op-eds and creative nonfiction. Students will also write creative texts, such as short stories. Students can use material from their field of study but will also have to face new challenges. Classes will be in the form of lectures, discussions, and workshops. Assessment will be based on regular assignments, self-assessment, a midterm assignment, a final assignment, a portfolio, and attendance and participation. Attendance and participation make up 15% of the grade and is partly mandatory (8 out of 12 workshops). The course is open to all undergraduate students at the University of Iceland but students must themselves make sure that the course can be used for credit in their particular studies.

Online learning:

The course is organized as face-to-face learning but all lectures from teachers will be recorded. This is done to assure better access to the course. Students who do not attend class will listen to the lectures and write short reports. They also turn in assignments otherwise done in class.

The aim of the visit is to gain first hand knowledge of institutions and actors in the international system. The headquarters of the U.N. and the World Bank will be visited to learn about the role and activities of Iceland within the organizations. In addition the White House, and the Icelandic Embassy in D.C. will be visited in addition to other embassies and institutions. The visits introduce the institutions and their activities to the students from different points of view with the aim of aiding the students understanding of how the institutions function and how states' interestes are mediated within them. The field trip will offer the students a unique opportunity to bridge the gap between the scholarly study of these institutions and how the function from a practical perspective.

The goal of this course is to give students an opportunity to present their theoretical knowledge and research to listeners of the Icelandic Public Broadcasting Service (Ríkisútvarpið). Students will be introduced to public radio as a medium and trained in radio programming and in presenting theoretical material in simple manners suitable for broadcasting in public radio.

A core module in journalism. The aim of course is to introduce to students the role and responsibilty of journalism in democratic societies, and provide grounding in journalistic writing and editing skills. The module starts with discussions about the role the media has in democratic societies. Then the emphasis moves on to newswriting. Main concepts and methods of reporting are introduced, such as news values, news gathering, news structure and editing. Furthermore we will focus the presentation of news in different types of media, with an emphasis on online news.

Students write news stories and articles for the study program´s online news site.

The aim of this course is for students to gain an understanding of the role of the media in the communication, development, and protection of the Icelandic language. Students will be trained to write news texts and articles in good Icelandic and to use a variety of authors' aids. They also receive guidance in voice use and appearance. The use of words and concepts in a multicultural and diverse society will also be discussed.

In this course the focus is on the Icelandic media system and its development to the present day. The main characteristics of the Icelandic media system are examined and especially how it interacts with the political and economic systems. The main theories of media systems will be introduced and the development of the Icelandic media system will be put into context with developments in other countries. Among the questions addressed are those of the impact of ownership, competition and convergence on different types of media outlets in Iceland.

The course starts with a general introduction to political science, covering different analytical approaches (e.g. systems approach, functional approach, power approach), decision-making and policy formation (e.g. Simon, Lindblom, Richardson, et al.), comparative government (e.g. the nation state, cleavages, forms of government), political socialization and political culture. The latter part of the course concentrates more heavily on the Icelandic political system, covering the main features of the development of the political system in the 19th and 20th centuries (e.g. nationalism, cleavages, major periods of the politics of independence and modern politics), the constitution, political parties and elections (e.g. development of the franchise and electoral system, participation, party system, organization, voting behaviour), the legislature (Althingi), and the executive (e.g. president, government and the coalition system, the bureaucracy, relations to interest organizations, policy-making and local government).

This course addresses the main topics of gender and diversity studies in the light of critical multiculturalism and the diversity of modern societies. It explores the way in which social variables such as gender, sexuality, ethnicity, religion, disability, age and class differently affects people’s conditions and opportunities. It presents the main ideas of gender and diversity studies, such as gender, essentialism and social constructivism, and explores how social variables are interwoven into people’s lives. The emphasis is on how issues such as gender, multiculturalism, and diversity are related to Icelandic politics and society.

Students get a chance to stand up from the chair and try out various researches relating to media studies. Assesment is built on various projects and students will also read about classic and recent media researches.

Emphasis is on student engagement and activeness and the research projects will relate to all types of media.

This course builds upon what students learn in BLF101G Journalism I with a focus on the written press, print and digital. The aim is to train students further in reporting, writing and structuring news stories, and to explore different genre in journalism, e.g. in-depth stories, features, interviews, human interest stories. Special attention is given to layout, pictures and visualisation and to content presentation in different kinds of medium. Assignments. Students write news stories and articles for the study program´s online news site, and on occasion for other media.

The aim of this course is to train students in working with audio and visual media, including podcast and the use of smartphones to produce news. The nature of audio and visual media, their main characteristics, qualities and limitations are discussed. Student will learn to write and structure audio and visual news stories and to make use of the qualities of sound and pictures, in traditional broadcast media, online and social media. Students will be trained in basic recording and editing.

The aim of this course is to train students in pitching story ideas to editors and to take active part in editorial meetings. Possible stories will be critically discussed, what approach to use, and what information and sources are needed.

Data er increasingly important for political scientists, whether they are public servants, work in media or business, in social activities or research. Having data literacy and the ability to communicate quantitative information is, therefore, of fundamental importance for political scientists. In this course, students will gain an understanding of data and data analysis with the aim of making them confident and competent users of data. The main focus of the course will be on data visualization, with students being introduced to fundamental principles of how to communiate a variety of data visuallly. Students will gain hands on experience in working with common political science datasets and develop appropriate skills to find, work with, and communicate data with commonly used statistical software package.

The course is intended to introduce students to different theories and subjects within international politics, with a particular emphasis on the changing nature of international politics after the end of the Cold War. The course begins by addressing the nature of the international system, the state and its role within the system. The basic theories of international politics are introduced, as are the main branches within the field, such as international political economy and international security. International organizations, such as the United Nations, and their role are discussed. The latter part of the course is dedicated to the issues of international politics and covers among other things the environment, the role of non-governmental organizations, human rights, and more.

In the course, students are:
1) introduced to the basic theories of international politics, providing them with the basis for understanding contemporary political events
2) trained in analyzing critically concepts and theories relating to globalizations
3) introduced to the relationship between international events and theories of international politics

This course examines how political information spreads through the media and what this information dissemination means for our understanding of politics. The course combines theoretical insights and empirical information from the fields of media studies, political science and journalism. Topics covered in the course include digital politics and communication, how politicians and political parties use social media platforms, the crisis of politics and media in established democracies, mass media and the news production process, political parties and political marketing, election campaigns and politics as entertainment. Various case studies will be used to shed light on the topics under investigation, including how wars are depicted on social media, how Donald Trump has used social media in his communication with the world, how celebrities try to influence politics, how young voters use social media and recent examples from Icelandic politics. Much of the material for this module is highly contemporary so students are encouraged to maintain an awareness of current developments in political communication through diverse news outlets.

In this course we apply a sociological perspective to analyse themes in movies, tv-shows, popular music and other entertainment media. The course goals are for students to develop further understanding of how social structures and social interaction work and social change occur. This is to be achieved by allowing students to practice using the sociological perspective and sociological theories on mainstream issues in different social contexts, from popular culture media.

The aim of this course is to examine fake news, information disorder and politics. Different concepts and definitions of fake news, as well as how they have developed over time, will be analyzed and discussed. What are the possible consequences of fake news and information disorder and to what extent has false and misleading information been used as a strategic tool in political campaigns?

The course examines how false and misleading information is spread, specifically via social media, by whom and for what purposes, and how governments have responded to an increase in false and misleading information. In addition to this, the course examines how third parties have attempted to use fake news to impact elections and public opinion in modern democracies.

This course will also cover the main challenges politicians face today with changes in the media and communication landscape, where the speed and scale of information often limits the time for contemplation and strategies to respond. At the same time, the boundaries between private and public life have been blurred, and news about what politicians say and do can spread to a great number of people in a very short amount of time.

The aim of this course is to train students further in professional journalistic practice and methods. The emphasis is on methods and equipment in gathering, analysing and presenting information and data. Students will be introduced to the Freedom of Information Act and how to use it to get access to information. Students will have an option of specialising, by taking one of the following MOOC courses: Investigative journalism; visualisation of information and data or use of AI in newsrooms. The course will consist partly of short, open online courses for self learning (MOOC), discussions in class lessons.

This course will focus on digital media from multiple perspectives, with an emphasis on social media platforms. It will look at digital media in an historical context and how it has influenced users and professional media. The main theories linked to digital media will be discussed and explained and put in context with how digital media has developed. In the course, much emphasis will be placed on exploring examples of the main features of digital and social media. For example, the relationship to traditional media, artificial intelligence, digital media's business model, rules and regulation regarding social media, as well as influences on public debate and people's private life.

Why is public policy in economic and welfare matters so different across Western democracies? In this course, students become familiar with the main theories and research in political economy that shed light on this question. The course is divided into three main parts: First, we analyze how market economies are organized in different ways and how globalization and the international environment shapes domestic policy. Second, we examine why inequality and welfare policy varies across countries and how interests and political institutions shape each. Third, we analyze how governments try to influence the macroeconomy and what constraints markets and globalization place on them. Upon completion of the course, students should be well equipped to analyze topics in political economy based on the interests of individuals and groups, political institutions, and constraints on government decision-making.

Politics are about interactions between people, and as such, inevitably linked to psychology as it is the discipline of people's cognition, motivation, and behavior. In this course we will explore both how psychological factors impact political behavior as well as how political systems may impact people's cognition, emotion, and behavior. We will cover both classic and recent theories in political psychology. Emphasis will be on the following topics: Introduction to political psychology, personality and politics, media and the perception of politicians, ideology and political attitudes, emotions and politics, decision making, intergroup relations, prejudice and violence. Attendance is mandatory and active class participation is required.

The aim of this course is to train students in pitching story ideas to editors and to take active part in the editorial meetings, and lead the work of others. Students will lead editorial meetings with first year students. Possible stories will be critically discussed, what approach to use, and information and sources needed.

Students take a six week internship at a media company. They work there as a journalist and get acquainted with most aspects of work in an editorial office. At the beginning of the course students will work under guidance to prepare a CV and an application for an internship in the media. Then they do an internship in their chosen media company. At the end of the internship the following should be submitted to the supervisory teacher: A diary written by the student during their internship. The diary should include a weekly summary of main assignments and a reflection on the assignements and the work in in general. The course is not completed until the supervisor has verified the student's attendance and satisfactory results. The internship course concludes with a pass or fail. Students with considerable journalistic experience can apply to the Faculty of Political Science to be exempted from the course. The internship normally takes place in February – March in the spring semester of the last year of study.

The aim of this course is to give students an understanding of, and training in, professional journalistic practices. The course covers the laws and regulations that apply to the media and to the work of journalists, including freedom of expression, defamation, and the protection of sources. It examines media ethics, both the general code of ethics of the Icelandic Union of Journalists and the internal guidelines of individual newsrooms, and how these are applied in practice. The course also discusses relations between journalists, media owners, and advertisers, as well as the handling of sources and interactions with sources or other providers of information. In addition, the course addresses responsible reporting on sensitive issues and introduces, among other things, the recommendations issued by the Directorate of Health on responsible reporting of suicide.

The BA Project is an independent journalist work and a written report about the project. The project shall be produced in accordance with professional journalistic standards and ethics of fairness, accuracy and honesty. The project should display student’s ability to use the qualities of the medium chosen for the project. It can be a in-depth news story/feature for the written press (print or digital), for audio or visual media or multimedia project of some sort. In the accompanied report the student shall describe and explain the choice of subject and medium, the work process, information gathering and choice of sources, point of view and limitations.

The BA Project is an independent journalist work and a written report about the project. The project shall be produced in accordance with professional journalistic standards and ethics of fairness, accuracy and honesty. The project should display student’s ability to use the qualities of the medium chosen for the project. It can be a in-depth news story/feature for the written press (print or digital), for audio or visual media or multimedia project of some sort. In the accompanied report the student shall describe and explain the choice of subject and medium, the work process, information gathering and choice of sources, point of view and limitations.

The BA Project is an independent journalist work and a written report about the project. The project shall be produced in accordance with professional journalistic standards and ethics of fairness, accuracy and honesty. The project should display student’s ability to use the qualities of the medium chosen for the project. It can be a in-depth news story/feature for the written press (print or digital), for audio or visual media or multimedia project of some sort. In the accompanied report the student shall describe and explain the choice of subject and medium, the work process, information gathering and choice of sources, point of view and limitations.

Students can either do a journalistic project, about a chosen subject for publication in a media outlet, or to do a research and write an academic essay or report. The work will be done under the supervison of a senior teacher.

Students can either do a journalistic project, about a chosen subject for publication in a media outlet, or to a research and write an academic essay or report. The work will be done under the supervison of a senior teacher.

 Course description (Course subject and goals):

The aim of the course is to give students the opportunity to conduct a journalistic project, under the supervision of working journalist. The project can be a news story or a feature for the written press (print or digital) or for audio or visual media. Students will initiate the project and formulate it in cooperation with their supervisor.

The objective of the course is to introduce students to new research within gender studies, so that they gain insight into the wide scope of issues gender studies deal with, and understand the importance of theoretical debates within the field. The course is based on active participation and projects conducted in conjunction with conferences, seminars, workshops and lectures in the field of gender studies and equality over the course of a semester, at the University of Iceland or elsewhere.

Students can either do a journalistic project, about a chosen subject for publication in a media outlet, or to do a research and write an academic essay or report. The work will be done under the supervison of a senior teacher.

Students can either do a journalistic project, about a chosen subject for publication in a media outlet, or to a research and write an academic essay or report. The work will be done under the supervison of a senior teacher.

 Course description (Course subject and goals):

The aim of the course is to give students the opportunity to conduct a journalistic project, under the supervision of working journalist. The project can be a news story or a feature for the written press (print or digital) or for audio or visual media. Students will initiate the project and formulate it in cooperation with their supervisor.

The class is taught in Icelandic.  In this course, students get a chance to hone their writing skills. Students will hand in regular writing assignments where they practise different ways of presenting scholarly work in a creative manner, such as op-eds and creative nonfiction. Students will also write creative texts, such as short stories. Students can use material from their field of study but will also have to face new challenges. Classes will be in the form of lectures, discussions, and workshops. Assessment will be based on regular assignments, self-assessment, a midterm assignment, a final assignment, a portfolio, and attendance and participation. Attendance and participation make up 15% of the grade and is partly mandatory (8 out of 12 workshops). The course is open to all undergraduate students at the University of Iceland but students must themselves make sure that the course can be used for credit in their particular studies.

Online learning:

The course is organized as face-to-face learning but all lectures from teachers will be recorded. This is done to assure better access to the course. Students who do not attend class will listen to the lectures and write short reports. They also turn in assignments otherwise done in class.

The aim of the visit is to gain first hand knowledge of institutions and actors in the international system. The headquarters of the U.N. and the World Bank will be visited to learn about the role and activities of Iceland within the organizations. In addition the White House, and the Icelandic Embassy in D.C. will be visited in addition to other embassies and institutions. The visits introduce the institutions and their activities to the students from different points of view with the aim of aiding the students understanding of how the institutions function and how states' interestes are mediated within them. The field trip will offer the students a unique opportunity to bridge the gap between the scholarly study of these institutions and how the function from a practical perspective.

The goal of this course is to give students an opportunity to present their theoretical knowledge and research to listeners of the Icelandic Public Broadcasting Service (Ríkisútvarpið). Students will be introduced to public radio as a medium and trained in radio programming and in presenting theoretical material in simple manners suitable for broadcasting in public radio.