The latvian academy of culture

The Latvian Academy of Culture

BA Study Subprogramme in the Sociology of Culture and Public Relations

SELF-ASSESSMENT

The title of the study programme:

• 
  Kultūras socioloģija un sabiedriskās attiecības (in Latvian)
  
• 
  Sociology of Culture and Public Relations (in English)
  
• 
  Kultursoziologie und Oeffentlichkeitsarbeit (in German)
  

The authors of the subprogramme: Sociology of Culture and Public Relations:

Prof. P.Laķis, Dr.habil.Artis, and Ass.Prof. S.Seņkāne, Dr.Soc.

I CONCEPTION, OBJECTIVES AND TASKS OF THE STUDY PROGRAMME

The Latvian Academy of Culture provides higher education according to classical education criteria (the so-called Liberal Arts) and at the same time specialises in the theory (the theory of culture, the sociology of culture) and practical aspects (international cultural relations, drama actors, TV and cinema directors, cameramen, choreographs of modern dance etc.). Since the academic year of 1997/98 the Academy has offered the subprogramme Sociology of Culture and Public Relations in which students are enrolled biannually.

Enrolment:

	1. SCA	2. SCA	3. SCPR	4. SCPR	5. SCPR
94/95	1.year
95/96	2.year	1.year
96/97	3.year	2.year
97/98	4.year	3.year	1.year
98/99		4.year	2.year
99/2000			3.year	1.year
2000/01			4.year	2.year
2001/02				3.year	1.year

CSA – Sociology of Culture and Administration

CSPR – Sociology of Culture and Public Relations
The need to offer this Bachelor’s study programme has arisen due to the following considerations:

• 
  the specialisation in the Sociology of Culture has proved its viability: the ability of the BA graduates to be competitive in today’s complicated employment environment of Latvia (information has been summarised on further studies and career opportunities for the previous two BA groups of graduates);
  
• 
  considering the currently empty niche – the growing demand for professionally qualified public relations offers in Latvia and the potential of the Latvian Academy of Culture to prepare if not better, then in no case theoretically and practically worse educated PR officers. Several educational models for PR specialists are offered in Latvia:
  
• 
  at the University of Latvia and P. Stradiņš University as part of Communications Science studies with a specialisation in journalism;
  
• 
  at the Vidzeme College with a basic emphasis on psychology;
  
• 
  the Bachelor’s degree programme of Political Science at the University of Latvia with a focus on politics.
  

The development of Public Relations study programme of the LAC is based on the following premises:

• 
  the necessity to take into consideration suggestions by the US and European PR specialists to support educational specialisation in public relations on the basis of Liberal Arts .
  
• 
  it is impossible to directly take over the theoretical and the practical experience of the USA and Europe and apply it to the conditions in Latvia without a consideration of the influence of the specific cultural, historical and social environments; these specialists should be trained in Latvia;
  
• 
  graduates of the BA degree with sufficient theoretical and research knowledge and skills in the sociology of culture will be able to systematically develop public relations in Latvia in practice and in theory.
  

Therefore, the following approaches have been used for the development and implementation of the programme:

• 
  PR as a section of applied sociology;
  
• 
  PR as a practical aspect of the sociology of culture.
  

I I THE CONTENTS AND ORGANISATION OF THE COURSE

Requirements for the studies:
 the duration of studies for the Bachelor’s (B) Level: 4 years;

 Level B: an integrated acquisition of the sociology of culture and public relations at the basic level.

The organisation of studies:
In order to achieve Level B:

• 
  receive the number of credit points envisaged for compulsory basic courses during the 4-year study programme (receive the credit points by complying with the compulsory requirements);
  
• 
  receive the required number of credit points envisaged for the compulsory courses over 4 years;
  
• 
  receive the required number of credit points envisaged for the optional courses over 4 years;
  
• 
  pass the BA examination;
  
• 
  work out and present the BA Paper.
  

When carrying out Level B, it is necessary to observe the succession in the acquisition of study programmes by terms. Students may attend optional courses in other higher educational establishments and research institutions.

The contents of studies :

Academic studies for BA degree are delivered in the day department in accordance with the regulatory documents of the study process, which are approved by the Senate of the Latvian Academy of Culture.

Enrolment Regulations:

Students are enrolled in the study programme in the day department in accordance with the LAC Enrolment Regulations and other regulatory documents of the study process, approved by the Senate of the LAC.