Universität Wien

220022 VO SPEZI: VO SOME A Theories and Practices of Social Media Communication A (2026S)

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).

Details

Language: German

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

  • Thursday 26.03. 09:45 - 11:15 Hörsaal 3 2A211 2.OG UZA II Geo-Zentrum
  • Thursday 16.04. 09:45 - 11:15 Hörsaal 3 2A211 2.OG UZA II Geo-Zentrum
  • Thursday 23.04. 09:45 - 11:15 Hörsaal 3 2A211 2.OG UZA II Geo-Zentrum
  • Thursday 30.04. 09:45 - 11:15 Hörsaal 3 2A211 2.OG UZA II Geo-Zentrum
  • Thursday 07.05. 09:45 - 11:15 Hörsaal 3 2A211 2.OG UZA II Geo-Zentrum
  • Thursday 21.05. 09:45 - 11:15 Hörsaal 3 2A211 2.OG UZA II Geo-Zentrum
  • Thursday 28.05. 09:45 - 11:15 Hörsaal 3 2A211 2.OG UZA II Geo-Zentrum
  • Thursday 11.06. 09:45 - 11:15 Hörsaal 3 2A211 2.OG UZA II Geo-Zentrum
  • Thursday 18.06. 09:45 - 11:15 Hörsaal 3 2A211 2.OG UZA II Geo-Zentrum
  • Thursday 25.06. 09:45 - 11:15 Hörsaal 3 2A211 2.OG UZA II Geo-Zentrum

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

The course provides students with a comprehensive introduction to the practical dimensions of social media communication. Its aim is to develop well-founded knowledge of platforms, strategies, and technologies that play a central role in today’s digital communication mix. The course covers the following topics:

- Social media platforms in the online media mix: how social media functions as a traffic channel and how it is integrated into the broader context of online communication.
- Platform-specific characteristics: analysis of the core building blocks of platforms and how they operate.
- Big data, privacy, and the GDPR: responsible data practices in social media communication, including legal and ethical considerations.
- Social media algorithms: signal-based vs. interest-based networks; AI as a distribution filter.
- Social media advertising: the trade in attention and data in advertising contexts, and the dynamics of paid media strategies.
- Platform overview: analysis of the most relevant platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, WhatsApp, YouTube, X, and others.
- Storytelling: foundations of an effective social media content strategy, with a focus on narrative techniques and editorial planning.
- LinkedIn: personal branding and career planning for students.
- Social media video and livestreaming: fundamentals of video production and the use of live formats.
- Social media listening and monitoring.
- Influencer marketing.
- Approaches to social media regulation in international comparison.- AI and Social Media: Areas of Application, Potential Conflicts, and Future Scenarios
- The social media manager profession: requirements, competencies, and career pathways.

All sessions (recordings and slides) are made available via Moodle.

Methods:
- Lectures in the lecture hall
- Interactive livestream sessions.
- Optional exercises to deepen understanding and support practical application.

Overall, the course prepares students to address the challenges and opportunities of social media communication and offers practice-oriented insight into a dynamic professional field.

Assessment and permitted materials

The exam consists of 50 multiple-choice questions (25 each from SOME-A and SOME-B), where exactly one answer is correct and three are incorrect (single choice).

Each correct answer is worth 2 points, for a total of 100 points. A minimum of 50 points is required to pass the course.

Additionally, 4 optional assignments are offered per semester (2 each for SOME-A and SOME-B), which can be submitted via Moodle.

Each submitted assignment earns 2.5 bonus points, which are valid for all four exam dates. These maximum 10 bonus points correspond to one grade level.

Permitted aids during the exam: None

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

- Passing Grade: At least 50 points required.- Bonus: 2.5 points per submitted assignment.

Grading Scale:
100,00% - 87,00 % - 1
86,99% - 75,00% - 2
74,99% - 63,00% - 3
62,99 - 50,00 - 4
49,99% - 0,00% - 5

Examination topics

Exam Content: The entire content of the lecture (SOME-A and SOME-B) as documented on Moodle (recordings, summaries, and additional links, unless stated otherwise).

The questions are designed to assess understanding of the material; detailed numerical data (e.g., user figures and similar statistics) is not relevant for the exam.

Reading list

- Kumar, Subodha and Qiu, Liangfei: Social Media Analytics and Practical Applications: The Change to the Competition Landscape, Routledge 2022
This book provides a framework to understand and analyze the impact of social media across various industries, illustrating how social media analytics can help firms build transformational strategies.
- Luttrell, Regina: Social Media: How to Engage, Share, and Connect, Rowman & Littlefield 2021
This book offers practical guidance on effectively using social media platforms for engagement and connection, making it a valuable resource for understanding contemporary social media strategies.
- Fuchs, Christian: Social Media: A Critical Introduction, Sage Publications 2021
While offering a critical perspective, this book also delves into the practical implications of social media in today's digital landscape, making it relevant for both theoretical and applied studies.
- Humphreys, Ashlee: Social Media: Enduring Principles, Oxford University Press 2016
This text provides a comprehensive overview of social media, blending theoretical concepts with practical applications, suitable for academic study.
- Meikle, Graham: Social Media: Communication, Sharing and Visibility, Routledge 2016
This book examines the roles of communication, sharing, and visibility in social media, offering practical insights into how these elements influence user interaction and content dissemination.
- Sheldon, Pavica, Rauschnabel, Philipp, and Honeycutt, James: Social Media: Principles and Applications, Taylor & Francis 2019
This comprehensive guide covers the foundational principles of social media and explores their practical applications in various contexts, making it suitable for academic curricula.
- Kelly, David: Social Media: Strategies to Mastering Your Brand, Independently Published 2016
Focusing on brand management, this book offers practical strategies for leveraging social media to enhance brand presence and engagement.
- Amerland, David: The Social Media Mind: How Social Media Is Changing Business, Politics, and Science, New Line Publishing 2012
This book explores the transformative impact of social media on various sectors, providing insights into its practical applications in business, politics, and science.
- Neal, Diane Rasmussen: Social Media for Academics: A Practical Guide, Chandos Publishing 2012
This guide provides an overview of social media technologies in the context of practical implementation for academics, offering strategies for utilizing a wide spectrum of social media tools in professional, teaching, and research endeavors.
- Hong, Tzung-Pei, Serrano-Estrada, Leticia, Saxena, Akrati, and Biswas, Anupam: Deep Learning for Social Media Data Analytics, Springer 2022
This edited volume covers ongoing research in both theory and practical applications of using deep learning for social media data, addressing challenges emerging from the volume of social media content.

Further reading tips: See Moodle.

Association in the course directory

Last modified: Mo 09.03.2026 13:27