Dr Ray

Come in. Oh hello Jack. Have a seat. Right … you said you wanted to see me to talk about your options next semester?

Jack

That’s right. We have to decide by the end of next week. Really, I’d like to do all five options but we have to choose two, don’t we.

Dr Ray

Yes, but the choice depends on your major to some extent. You’re majoring in Communication Studies, aren’t you?

Jack

That’s right.

Dr Ray

So for example the Media Studies Option will cover quite a lot of the same area you did in the core module on mass communications this semester – the development of the media through the last two centuries, in relation to political and social issues.

Jack

Mmm. Well that was interesting, but I’ve decided I’d rather do something completely new. There’s a Women’s Studies option, isn’t there?

Dr Ray

Yes, ‘Women and Power’ – again it has a historical focus, it aims to contextualise women’s studies by looking at the legal and social situation in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries …

Jack

So it would be useful if I intended to specialise in women’s studies … but I’m not sure I do actually.

Dr Ray

Well, it might still be useful to give you an idea of the issues involved. It’s taught by Dr Steed.

Jack

Oh, really? I’ll sign up for that, then. What about the option on Culture and Society?

Dr Ray

That addresses the historical debate on the place of culture since the Industrial Revolution in Britain.

Jack

So a historical focus again …

Dr Ray

Do I get the message you’re not so keen on history?

Jack

Well, it’s just we seem to have done quite a lot this semester …

Dr Ray

If you’re interested in a course focusing on current issues there’s the option on Identity and Popular Culture – that approaches the subject through things like contemporary film, adverts, soap operas and so on.

Jack

Oh? That sounds interesting. Can you tell me who runs it?

Dr Ray

Well, it’s normally Dr Stevens but he’s on sabbatical next semester, so I’m not sure who’ll be running it. It should be decided by next week though.

Jack

Right, well I might wait until then to decide … And the last option is Introduction to Cultural Theory, isn’t it. I’m quite interested in that too

– I was talking to one of the second year students, and she said it was really useful, it made a lot of things fall into place.

Dr Ray

Yes, but in fact in your major, you’ll have covered a lot of that already in Communications 102, so that might be less useful than some of the others.

Jack

Oh, I’ll forget about that one, then.

Dr Ray

Now while you’re here, we could also discuss how you’re getting on with your Core Module assignment …