The course will be delivered through sessions combining theoretical content and applied activities. Lectures will focus on explaining the core concepts of media policy and their application, primarily through large-group dynamics. Practical sessions will adopt various formats, including case study analysis, hands-on exercises, debates, and oral presentations. In some activities, a flipped classroom methodology will be employed.

The course content will be sensitive to gender perspectives and the use of inclusive language.

A detailed calendar outlining the content of each session will be presented on the first day of class. It will also be available on the Virtual Campus, where students will find detailed descriptions of assignments and practical work, a range of teaching materials, and any other information required for successful course completion. In the event of a change in teaching modality due to force majeure, as determined by the relevant authorities, instructors will communicate any adjustments to the course schedule and teaching methods.

Annotation: within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Assessment

The course follows a summative assessment model based on continuous monitoring of the proposed activities. To receive a final grade, students must complete all assessment activities and obtain a minimum score of 10 points in the content exam.

The assessment components and their respective weightings are as follows:

A. Practical assignments and case analysis (50%): These are tasks carried out individually or in groups under the guidance or supervision of the instructor. Each practical assignment or case study will be graded independently.

B. Content exam (30%): A written test designed to assess students’ knowledge of the course’s theoretical concepts. The total score for the content exam is 30 point and a minimum of 10 points is required for this component to be included in the final grade calculation.

C. Group participation dynamics (20%): Active participation in activities conducted during lectures, such as current affairs quizzes, debates, or opinion collection exercises.

Attendance at assessment activities is mandatory for all students. However, duly justified exceptions (e.g. illness, surgery, the death of a close family member) will be considered. In such cases, students must provide official documentation and inform the instructor via the Virtual Campus before the scheduled activity or as soon as possible thereafter.

Participation in plenary sessions: To earn marks for active participation in plenary group activities, students must attend at least 80% of sessions. If this threshold is not met, the activity will not be graded, but it will be considered completed for the purposes of continuous assessment.

Missed activities due to justified reasons: Assessment activities not completed due to properly justified reasons will not be rescheduled during the semester. However, they may be retaken in January 2027, with the specific date announced on the first day of class.

Submission and grading of assignments: All assignments must be submitted within the specified deadlines and comply with the formal requirements outlined in the respective guidelines. Late submissions will not be accepted to ensure timely grading and feedback.

Grade publication and review: Grades will be published on the Virtual Campus. Students will have a period of 10 calendar days after publication to request clarifications or lodge appeals.

Tutorials: Each instructor will offer office hours for addressing questions and providing personalized academic support.

Attendance control: Attendance will be recorded in theoretical sessions to calculate participation percentages, which are necessary for the evaluation of group dynamics.

Reassessment

The course offers two reassessment options:

1. Reassessment of theoretical component (content exam):

Students who do not achieve the minimum of 10 points in the content exam must take a reassessment exam in January 2027. This exam will cover the full syllabus. The seminar activity grades (worth 50%) will be retained, and the final grade will be the sum of the reassessed theoretical exam and the previously obtained seminar grades.

2. Comprehensive reassessment of the course:

Students whose combined scores from all continuous assessment activities do not reach the passing grade (5 out of 10) but have obtained more than 3.5 points overall may take a comprehensive reassessment exam. This exam will consist of two parts:

• A theoretical component covering the entire syllabus
• A practical component based on seminar activities
• The final grade will be the score obtained in this comprehensive exam and will replace the previous grade.

Plagiarism

Any academic misconduct (copying, plagiarism, identity fraud, etc.) will result in a grade of 0 for the affected activity. If multiple incidents occur, the final grade for the course will also be 0.

Use of Artificial Intelligence

The use of AI technologies is permitted only for support tasks, such as information or bibliography searches, text editing, translation, or in specific cases indicated by the instructor. Students must clearly indicate which parts were generated using AI, specify the tools used, and include a critical reflection on how these tools influenced their work. Failure to disclose AI use transparently will be considered a breach of academic integrity and may result in partial or full penalties or, in severe cases, formal sanctions.

Irregularities

The performance of any irregularity in an evaluation act (academic fraud, plagiarism or improper use of AI, unless this use is expressly authorized by the teaching guide), which may lead to a significant variation in the grade, assumes that this act will be graded with a 0. In the event that the teaching guide foresees that in order to pass the subject it is an essential requirement to have obtained a minimum grade in this evaluation act or that there are several irregularities in the evaluation acts of the same subject, the final grade of this subject is 0. Apart from this, a disciplinary process may

Suspicious Performance

Any student suspected of submitting assignments that have been generated by AI, written by others or copied; include unattributed AI-generated content, or fall outside the permitted scope, may be asked to provide the preliminary work or other materials that can demonstrate it is original work and the result of their own authorship. They may also be asked to separately explain or justify their work. Teachers may also use AI detection systems or carry out any verification tasks they deem appropriate. If, after review, the instructor detects irregularities, the assignment may be graded zero, and the student may be subject to further disciplinary action.

Second Enrolment

In the case of a second enrolment, students may opt to take a single synthesis exam, consisting of a content exam and practical exercises. The final course grade will correspond to the grade obtained on this synthesis exam. Students intending to take this option must notify the course coordinator in writing.

Single Assessment

Students choosing the single assessment option will be evaluated as follows:

• 50%: Theoretical exam on course content
• 30%: Written exam involving the resolution of three case studies
• 20%: Oral presentation analyzing and discussing one of the communication policies covered in the course

The final grade will be the sum of the grades from these three components. Dates for the single assessment will be announced at the beginning of the course in the course calendar.

Single assessment reassessment will consist of a synthesis exam combining multiple-choice content questions, case study resolution, and an oral presentation. Only students whohave taken the single assessment and obtained a minimum overall grade of 3.5 will be eligible. The date will be announced at the beginning of the course.