Masters Degrees (Digital Media)

The MA in Digital Media is unique in its combination of practical and theoretical approaches to contemporary media and technology- http://www.gold.ac.uk/pg/ma-digital-media-technology-cultural-form/

The established and exciting degree is designed to help you understand digital transformations in media, culture and society and apply this understanding in practice, in the media and creative industries and in further research. You will be equipped with skills that can be applied to current and future developments in digital media, social media, computing and other aspects of technology.

The MA in Digital Media educates aspiring media practitioners and academics as well as early and mid-career professionals who seek to reflect on their roles in a structured and stimulating learning environment designed to give all students up-to-the-minute knowledge of digital media and the skills to apply that knowledge to future developments.

The MA offers two pathways:

-Pathway 1 is a theory programme where you learn about developments in digital media and technology from a wide range of perspectives

-Pathway 2 is a theory and practice programme where you improve your skills, understanding and experience in one of the following areas:

Documentary
Image making
Journalism
Writing

Acclaimed academics and practitioners

Benefit from the experience and expertise of one of the world’s leading media and communications departments. You'll be taught by theorists and practitioners of international standing: Sarah Kember, Joanna Zylinska, Graham Young, Tony Dowmunt, Angela Phillips, Julian Henriques and David Morley.

Work placements and internships

The MA in Digital Media regularly attracts offers of work placements and internships. Recently these have come from Google, The Science Museum and N1creative.com.

Facilities

Our students have access to state-of-the-art facilities including well-equipped lecture and seminar rooms, exhibition spaces, computer facilities and digital media suites.

The department is also currently host to the renowned philosopher of media and technology, Bernard Stiegler and students will have access to his modulein Media Philosophy as well as priority access to the innovative and popular option After New Media. Designed to complement the MA in Digital Media, this course provides a framework for thinking about the current media environment as well as future forms of human and computer interaction.

An established record

The MA in Digital Media has been redefining media theory and practice since 2004. Our students become proficient in:

the history, sociology and philosophy of digital media
the application of critical conceptual skills to specialist areas and future forms of media
multimedia skills in image making (photography, video, animation, graphic art) script writing, journalism and documentary
MA Digital Media students have access the pioneering option ‘After New Media’, a non-assessed online module which explores the themes of self mediation, ethical mediation and intelligent mediation, and develops a framework for thinking about 'life' after new media. As befits a course of this kind we will be combining media, and exploring their pedagogic potential – uniting digital-online technologies with more traditional teaching formats, such as reading groups, seminars and an end of year symposium.

Contact the department

If you have specific questions about the degree, contact Dr Sarah Kember.

Modules & Structure

The programme consists of:

Two compulsory core modules
Pathway 1 - between two and four option modules (worth 60 credits) OR
Pathway 2 - a two-term practice block (worth 30 credits) and either one or two option modules (worth 30 credits)
The dissertation or the practice/theory project

Assessment

Seen take-home paper; essays; dissertation or practice/theory project and other production work in the area of documentary, image-making, journalism or fiction.

Programme overview

This is an exciting programme which offers a critical, contextual and practical approach to digital media and technology. It problematises approaches to the 'new' media in academic and professional debate, especially those which overemphasise the potential for radical social change led by a homogenised technology itself.

The programme is defined by its resistance to technological determinism and its insistence on the importance of addressing the social and historical contexts within which a range of media technologies are employed. In order to provide a contextual framework and facilitate the conceptualisation of digital media and technologies as fully cultural forms and processes, the programme will draw on a range of disciplines including: media and cultural studies, sociology, anthropology and philosophy. However, the programme will remain focused on key contemporary concerns about the potential role of digital media in society and on refiguring the contours of the 'new' media debate.

The programme offers two pathways. Pathway 1 addresses central theoretical and conceptual concerns relating to digital media. Pathway 2 combines theoretical analysis and practical work, offering students the opportunity to explore new media theories and concepts in practice. Pathway 2 is primarily aimed at students who already have some experience in one of the areas on offer: documentary; digital photography and image making; journalism; writing. It is meant to appeal to media industry professionals who are keen to reflect critically on their practice within a structured learning environment, graduates of practice-based courses but also those who have gained their practical experience in documentary; digital photography and image making; journalism or writing in informal settings.

Programme structure

The first compulsory core course is Digital Media - critical perspectives and this is taught in a small workshop format in the Autumn term. This course functions as a foundation for the second core course and offers students a map of the key debates in digital media. The course is taught in ten two hour workshop sessions and is supported by the provision of one-to-one tutorials.

The second compulsory core course is Technology and Cultural Form - debates, models, dialogues and this develops questions of technology, power, politics and subjectivity which were introduced in the first core course. The first part of this course highlights the key conceptual concerns of a contextualised approach to digital media plus the relevant debates and models formulated by key figures in the field. The second part of this course aims to generate a dialogue between theoreticians and practitioners around some of the most intellectually stimulating, contentious and contemporary ideas in the field without necessarily seeking a resolution. This course is taught in ten two hour workshop sessions during the Spring term and is supported by the weekly provision of one-to-one tutorials.

Students are required to take options from the lists provided by the Media and Communications, Anthropology, Comparative Literature and Sociology Departments as well as the Centre for Cultural Studies. Examples might include: After New Media, Nature and Culture, Cultural Theory, Globalisation, Risk and Control, Embodiment and Experience, Political Communications. Options are taught primarily through lectures and seminars and take place in the Autumn or Spring terms.

Each student's option profile is discussed with the programme convenor in order to ensure that the balance of subject-specific topics is appropriate for the individual concerned. Option courses are taught primarily through lectures, seminars and tutorials and take place in the Autumn or Spring terms.

All students are required to produce either a 12,000 word dissertation on a topic agreed by the student and supervisor or a practice/theory project in the area of documentary, photography and image making, journalism or fiction. The length of the practical element is dependent on the media and the form used and will be agreed in advance with the supervisor. It will, however, be comparable with practical projects undertaken in practice MA programmes in the relevant field. Students undertaking the practice/theory project will also be expected to submit a 3-4000 word analysis of their practice which locates it within the theoretical debates explored in the MA as a whole. This essay may be presented as a separate document or as an integral part of the project depending on the nature of the project and by a agreement with both theory and practice supervisors.

Programme outcomes

The programme's subject specific learning outcomes require students to analyse and contextualise developments in digital media and technology with reference to key debates in the history, sociology, anthropology and philosophy of the media. Students who opt for the practice/theory pathway will also be required to produce material of publishable or broadcast standard and to evaluate the ways in which theoretical and practical insights intersect. All students will develop a wide range of transferable qualities and skills necessary for employment in related or unrelated areas. These are described by the Quality Assurance Agency as: 'the exercise of initiative and personal responsibility, decision-making in complex and unpredictable situations, and the independent learning ability required for continuing professional development'.

By the end of the programme students will be able to:

-Map and critically evaluate key debates in the field of new media
-Analyse and contextualise current and future developments in digital media and technology
-Evaluate and articulate key historical, sociological, anthropological and philosophical approaches to the study of digital media and technology
-Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of at least four differing areas of inquiry
-Demonstrate an advanced level of conceptual knowledge and (where relevant) practical skill appropriate for a sustained piece of work in the field
-Prepare and deliver clearly argued and informed work
-Locate, retrieve and present relevant information for a specific project
-Manage a complex array of competing demands and work effectively to a deadline
-Work resourcefully and independently
-Think critically and/or work practically within a given context

Skills

We provide graduates with skills that are cutting edge: in the critical analysis and/or creative production of digital media; in the disciplinary knowledge and conceptual frameworks necessary for current and future forms of media and technology; in the awareness of how digital media and technologies are re-shaping society from the ways we communicate (through social media and web 2.0) to the increasingly ‘smart’ environments in which we live.

Careers

Our programme provides a theory and practice pathway and prepares students for work in the following areas:

-media and creative industries; advertising, marketing and PR (graduates of the MA Digital Media have found work with Virgin Media, Google, the BBC and other leading organisations worldwide)
-research and academia (graduates from this programme have gone on to study for PhD degrees in higher education institutions around the world and also here with us)
-media production and new media art (graduates have exhibited, published and produced work in photography, journalism, TV, documentary, film and multimedia)

Graduate Ekaterina discusses her career:

"I work for a company, called Visual DNA, which already sounds like life happening After New Media. The company is the largest data provider in Europe and is totally multinational. We actually try to analyse human visual DNA, you memories, feelings, thoughts about the future, anticipations, etc by creating personality quizzes where instead of verbal answers we tend to use images.

My role is as Creative Developer. It involves working with images from concept to finding/shooting and post-production. My qualifications perfectly matched what they’ve been looking for, Digital Media rocks!

My tip for the new-to-be-graduates is this: physically go to places and companies and talk to people. It really opens up loads of possibilities, and when I tell someone where I’ve graduated from they look impressed, and there is some sort of respect coming from them."

Funding

Please visit http://www.gold.ac.uk/pg/fees-funding/ for details.

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Visit our website for more information on fees, scholarships, postgraduate loans and other funding options to study Digital Media at Swansea University - 'Welsh University of the Year 2017' (Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2017).

The MA in Digital Media offers an innovative interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approach to contemporary technology and new media, drawing upon expertise in Media and Communication Studies.

Key Features of MA in Digital Media

The MA in Digital Media examines some of the key issues confronting twenty-first century global societies through a dynamic programme that combines theoretical and applied perspectives.

Digital Media students will be encouraged to apply media theory, political and social theory and research tools in analysing and understanding digital media. The MA in Digital Media explores key historical, policy and practice dimensions of new media as well as focusing on research methodologies for those undertaking research on digital media and technology.

The Digital Media course is split across the year. Students will take three modules in each academic semester (a total of six modules) and then complete a dissertation over the summer. The dissertation component allows you to write a 16,000 word dissertation, which will draw on issues and themes developed throughout the year.

Modules

Modules on the MA in Digital Media typically include:

• Thinking About Digital Media

• The Digital Edge

• PR Branding and Promotion

• The Business and Politics of Digital Media

• Global Media

• Professional and Promotional Writing

• Digital Skills and Defence

• Online Journalism

Who should Apply?

Students interested in digital media and new media technologies, from a media studies, politics and international relations, humanities, social science, computer science or related background. Professionals interested in the challenge of digital media both in terms of their professional practice, but also related to fields in policy research and public administration. Students interested in

preparation for postgraduate research, MPhil or PhD, or who wish to develop skills and knowledge related to digital media.

Digital Media Programme Aims

-To enable you to develop an advanced understanding of digital media, through contemporary theories and advanced research work.

-To help you to understand the development of digital media and technology historically, through a number of theoretical perspectives, which give a context to contemporary discussions and controversies in the field.

-To appreciate the role of digital media technology within wider social, political and economic contexts, including the implications for policy formation.

-To enable you to acquire research skills enabling you to conduct thorough research into digital media; also to enhance your critical, theoretical and analytical abilities, and your written and oral communication.

Careers

Career expectations are excellent for Digital Media graduates. Companies, nonprofit organisations, government and the public sector value the fact that our students have developed a range of critical abilities, a creative and innovative approach to problem solving, and skills in detailed analysis and presentation of research. Our Digital Media Graduates go on to work in journalism, broadcasting, web-design, advertising, publicity, arts and cultural bodies, or even to go on to study a PhD.

Student Quote

“I thoroughly enjoyed studying the MA in Digital Media. The course and its faculty have broadened my horizon not only in new media but other subjects, such as computer science and politics. If I haven’t yet succeeded in making the reader envious and inspired to take this course, I would only conclude by mentioning that you would miss out on lectures worth experiencing.”

Tejeswini Krishnan, Digital Media, MA

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Over the past few years, career opportunities in the digital media sector have increased dramatically. The interactive media industry is reaching maturity and needs qualified professionals able to offer a diverse range of expertise. This course addresses those needs and is designed to provide you with skills in interactive media content creation, interactive design, digital media production,social media management, digital media project and account management. In the most recent (2014-15) Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) survey, 100% of graduates from this course were in work or further study within six months.

More about this course

This professionally-oriented course will appeal to graduates with an interest in digital media, experienced professionals from the design, media, public relations and marketing sector wishing to retrain for a career change or promotion, and those wishing to progress towards research and PhD studies. The Masters in Digital Media addresses issues in interactive design, interactive media, the internet and its applications, digital solutions for the industry and the public sector, usability design, effective digital media project management, digital audiences and audience research, social media management, digital media strategy, digital interactive television, mobile communications, and new media ownership. The course will provide skills in the relevant multimedia software.

You will learn how to:
-Assess and select the appropriate tools to produce a digital media project
-Produce digital media projects using the appropriate software applications
-Research and analyse the current issues and future developments in digital media, social media, media communications and e-solutions
-Manage digital media projects and production teams
-Produce digital media and social media strategies
-Appreciate the complexity of the international digital media and creative industries and communicate effectively in a media professional environment
-Apply research, design and management skills to the production of new media projects

Assessment methods include interactive projects, design portfolios, presentations, essays, examinations and reports.

Modular structure

The modules listed below are for the academic year 2016/17 and represent the course modules at this time. Modules and module details (including, but not limited to, location and time) are subject to change over time.

Year 1 modules include:
-Digital Media Project Management (core, 20 credits)
-Principles of Digital Media (core, 20 credits)
-Digital Media Dissertation (alternative core, 60 credits)
-Digital Project (alternative core, 60 credits)
-Accredited Work-Based Learning in the School of MCC (option, 20 credits)
-Advanced English for Masters Studies (option, 20 credits)
-Digital Media Strategy and Consultancy (option, 20 credits)
-Digital Storytelling (option, 20 credits)
-Digital Video Production (option, 20 credits)
-Globalisation (option, 20 credits)
-Interaction Design (option, 20 credits)
-Multimedia Journalism (option, 20 credits)
-Web Design (option, 20 credits)

After the course

The course is particularly suited to students looking to work in: web design; UX design, interactive media production; digital video production; new media project management and account handling; consultancy and policy advice in the area of digital media and communication technology; social media management; digital media strategy, training and research in related fields; electronic publishing; online journalism and broadcasting; administration, management and research in digital media, digital advertising and marketing and digital information industries.

Moving to one campus

Between 2016 and 2020 we're investing £125 million in the London Metropolitan University campus, moving all of our activity to our current Holloway campus in Islington, north London. This will mean the teaching location of some courses will change over time.

Whether you will be affected will depend on the duration of your course, when you start and your mode of study. The earliest moves affecting new students will be in September 2017. This may mean you begin your course at one location, but over the duration of the course you are relocated to one of our other campuses. Our intention is that no full-time student will change campus more than once during a course of typical duration.

All students will benefit from our move to one campus, which will allow us to develop state-of-the-art facilities, flexible teaching areas and stunning social spaces.

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Visit our website for more information on fees, scholarships, postgraduate loans and other funding options to study Digital Media at Swansea University - 'Welsh University of the Year 2017' (Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2017).

Digital Media at Swansea has research strengths in media and cultural theory, the history and philosophy of media technology, and contemporary developments in digital media in the UK, the European mainland, the USA and China.

The Digital Media programme is part of the Department of Languages, Translation and Communication which boasts a dynamic research and teaching environment which has already won attention and funding from outside bodies such as the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol, the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), Wellcome Trust and the EU. We are home to the Centre on Digital Arts and Humanities (CODAH), which connects researchers in Arts and Humanities, Computer Science, and other fields.

Key Features of Digital Media, MA by Research

An MA by Research in Digital Media gives you the chance to pursue a project based around your own passions and interests in Digital Media, leading to a qualification which can open the door to an academic career or boost employment prospects outside academia (typically in the private sector, the Civil Service, or education).

The Digital Media MA by Research programme will give you the freedom to explore a topic of your choosing and develop a methodology under the close supervision of two experienced academics but without attending regular classes as required in taught programmes.

As a student on the MA by Research Digital Media programme you will be supervised closely by two experienced academics in your field. Typically, you will meet them fortnightly in the first term and at regular intervals thereafter. Meetings are logged and goals agreed each time.

All research students in Digital Media are required to attend skills and training courses at College and Institutional level. They give presentations to other research students and staff at departmental seminars and the annual departmental postgraduate symposium in June and the College of Arts and Humanities conference in October. Advanced research students in Digital Media may have opportunities to teach undergraduate tutorials and seminars. You have a budget (currently £200 per year) to attend conferences outside Swansea.

MA by Research in Digital Media typically lasts from one year (full-time study) to two years (part-time study).

Research proposals on Digital Media are invited on any topic on which staff can provide supervision. It is advisable to email a member of academic staff in the appropriate area before applying. For informal enquiries regarding the MA by Research in Digital Media please contact Professor Julian Preece ([email protected]).

Staff Expertise on Digital Media

Staff expertise in Digital Media lies in the following areas, among others: media history; media pedagogy; media ethics; war and media; mass media and identity in small nations; Welsh-language digital media; media and health; digital and data journalism; computational media; post-broadcast digital media ecology; gender and media; transnationalism and media; international journalism; European comparative media. In addition, there is expertise in media and digital culture among research staff in Languages and Translation as well as in other COAH departments: History, Political and Cultural Studies and English Language and Literature.

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Master of Digital Media Program in Vancouver

The MDM is Canada's first professional graduate program in digital media focusing on the creation of digital media solutions for real world problems. Students come from a variety of backgrounds including filmmaking, engineering, game design, business analysis, architecture, software engineers, artists, primatology, biology, and advertising to name a few.

Housed at the Centre for Digital Media in Vancouver BC, this intensive 12-month program engages students through coursework and projects to develop essential communication, collaboration & leadership skills. The unique curriculum meets the needs of the new and expanding digital media markets across all business verticals including but not limited to healthcare, education, business and the entertainment industry.

Guided by top-level faculty and industry mentors, students work closely with clients and peers on team-based, industry supported digital media projects.This experience allows graduates the know-how and confidence to work at the highest level across all sectors as creators, producers, innovators or entrepreneurs.

Graduates gain the skills and knowledge that help them to:

Collaborate and communicate effectively in multidisciplinary teams.
Create comprehensive business strategies and manage development projects.
Design and deliver innovative, high-grade products to clients on time and on budget.

The program also helps develop six core competencies valued in the digital media industry:

Self-Awareness
Articulation
Design process
Time management
Information literacy
Teamwork

Scholarship Opportunities

The Master of Digital Media program has a strong scholarship support. In the September 2014 intake, +58% of students received scholarships or other funding assistance.

Where Alumni Work

Students graduate from the MDM program with the skills to work in the top jobs in the digital media industry as creators, producers, designers, managers, art directors and entrepreneurs.

What is Digital Media

Digital Media blends many media forms and requires working in multi-skilled teams. The MDM program teaches people from different backgrounds and with different skill sets to understand each other, work together and execute a digital media project with a cohesive vision.

Master of Digital Media students come from all over the world and from all professional and educational backgrounds, such as engineering, fine arts, design, architecture, film, history and business.

Alumni

"My two years at the MDM have shaped me in more ways than ever imagined. It gave me a reason to step outside my creative comfort zone and surround myself with new ideas, technologies and most importantly with a group of wonderful and immensely talented people."
Karin Schmidlin, Manager Virtual Incubation Program, CONRAD Business Centre, University of Waterloo

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The Master of Digital Media program (MDM) is an internationally recognized, research informed, and industry relevant professional graduate program that engages students in the development of digital media products.

The MDM is Canada’s first professional graduate program in digital media focusing on the creation of digital media solutions for real world problems. Students come from a variety of backgrounds including filmmaking, engineering, game design, business analysis, architecture, software engineers, artists, primatology, biology, and advertising to name a few.

Housed at the Centre for Digital Media in Vancouver BC, this intensive 12 month program engages students through coursework and projects to develop essential communication, collaboration & leadership skills. The unique curriculum meets the needs of the new and expanding digital media markets across all business verticals including but not limited to healthcare, education, business and the entertainment industry.

Guided by top-level faculty and industry mentors, students work closely with clients and peers on team-based, industry supported digital media projects. This experience allows graduates the know-how and confidence to work at the highest level across all sectors as creators, producers, innovators or entrepreneurs.

Graduates gain the skills and knowledge that help them to:
- Collaborate and communicate effectively in multidisciplinary teams.
- Create comprehensive business strategies and manage development projects.
- Design and deliver innovative, high-grade products to clients on time and on budget.

The program also helps develop six core competencies valued in the digital media industry:
- Self-Awareness
- Articulation
- Design process
- Time management
- Information literacy
- Teamwork

WHAT IS DIGITAL MEDIA?

Digital Media blends many media forms and requires working in multi-skilled teams. The MDM program teaches people from different backgrounds and with different skill sets to understand each other, work together and execute a digital media project with a cohesive vision.

Quick Facts

- Degree: Master of Digital Media
- Specialization: Digital Media
- Subject: Information Technology
- Mode of delivery: On campus
- Program components: Coursework only
- Faculty: Faculty of Arts

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The Master of Arts in Composition, Rhetoric, and Digital Media program is built with students’ long-term success and employability in mind. Graduates with an M.A. in Composition, Rhetoric, and Digital Media from NSU will be prepared to pursue doctoral studies as well as a variety of careers in publishing and/or education. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, demand for editors and writers will keep pace with other professions over the next several years, while demand for certain specialties, such as technical writing, will increase 10% faster than the average for all occupations from 2014-2024. Further, the mandatory composition course requirement of most colleges and universities nationwide ensures the continued demand for qualified faculty in composition and rhetoric. As part of the program, students have the opportunity to contribute to Digressions, the student-run literary magazine.

M.A. in Composition, Rhetoric, and Digital Media graduates:

• Teach rhetoric, composition, and related courses at universities, colleges, tech schools, and high schools
• Work as professional writers and editors
• Work in web design and development
• Work for professional organizations, such as the National Council of Teachers of English and the College Board
• Work as researchers and technical writers for private sector, non-profit, and/or political organizations

Program Format

The Master of Arts in Composition, Rhetoric, and Digital Media program is offered weeknights on NSU's main campus.

Learning Outcomes

The successful M.A. in Composition, Rhetoric, and Digital Media graduate is expected to:

• Demonstrate advanced knowledge of what effective writing is in a variety of rhetorical contexts.
• Evaluate writing curricula and pedagogical practices.
• Design successful digital media using rhetorically appropriate strategies.
• Produce and present original research based on the theories and methods applicable to composition, rhetoric, and digital media.

Curriculum

The Master of Arts in Composition, Rhetoric, and Digital Media will educate students about the history and theory of composition, rhetoric, and digital media, providing students with a foundation for conducting and presenting research, applying rhetorical theories, teaching writing, and producing digital media. Through specialised coursework and experiential learning, students will develop expertise researching and teaching composition while practising writing in a variety of professional genres. Students will prepare for careers in writing, publishing, and teaching and will be prepared to pursue a variety of Ph.D. programs, including those in Composition and Rhetoric.

Core courses (12 credits)

• WRIT 5010 - Research Methods
• WRIT 5100 - Teaching Writing
• WRIT 5120 - Theories of Composition
• WRIT 5340 - Studies in Multimodality and Digital Media

Elective Courses (12 credits)

• WRIT 5000 - Professional and Public Writing
• WRIT 5140 - Writing Center Praxis
• WRIT 5160 - Teaching Writing Online
• WRIT 5200 - History of the English Language
• WRIT 5320 - Advanced Writing with Technologies
• WRIT 5400 - Technical Writing
• WRIT 5550 - Feature Writing
• WRIT 5620 - Rhetorical Traditions in Writing Studies
• WRIT 5650 - Rhetorical Criticism
• WRIT 5800 - Editing, Layout, and Design
• WRIT 5900 - Special Topics

Thesis (6 credits)

• WRIT 6000 - Master’s Thesis

Types of Theses

The thesis may take one of the following forms:

Research Thesis: Student designs, conducts, and reports findings from qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods research projects.

Theoretical Thesis: Student examines a well-focused question or problem through an informed context that is critical, theoretical, and/or historical.

Digital Media Thesis: Student designs a piece of digital media, such as a website or app.

Technical Thesis: Student produces a substantial manual, guidebook, scholarly or professional Web site, white paper, report, or grant proposal.

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-Digital Media Arts provides an opportunity to study one or more digital specialisms including video, kinetics, animation, sound, games, photography, social and interactive media
-Experiment and explore emerging technologies and develop innovative and effective combinations of practices and media
-Develop high-level skills in your chosen specialisms or areas of interest supported by expert tutors.
-Project-based work where the emphasis is on the creative, informed application of new technologies and devices to produce compelling user experiences
-You will be able to produce a substantial self-initiated digital media project supported by excellent resources and expertise

Why choose this course?

Digital Media are everywhere in the modern world, affecting all aspects of our lives, our work, leisure and social and personal relationships. The MA Digital Media Arts award allows students to gain practical experience and knowledge of the ways that a range of contemporary digital media are produced and used, both alone and in combination. Working in one or more specialisms which can include video, kinetics, animation, games, photography, social and interactive media, students are encouraged to experiment with combinations of media through digital ‘sketches’ and then, through developing more extended works informed by their individual interests, to pursue a substantial, practical enquiry into an original creative application of digital media in a major project.

Students typically explore areas such as interactive advertising, responsive objects and environments, networked information and social-media systems, interactive video, live performance technology and digital art installations.

Careers

Interactive Advertising production, Digital strategists, Multimedia producers for TV and Radio, Media designers for Museums and public information systems, Games developers, VJ for live performances, Digital Activism, User Experience innovators, digital entrepreneurs.

Teaching methods

The course is delivered through a mix of seminars, lectures and tutorials by an expert, specialist, teaching team. As a Digital Media Arts student, you will produce a range of practical projects and gain skills in a variety of technologies and systems while at the same time developing your knowledge of current developments and practices across the digital media field. For your master’s degree project, you will specify and then produce a substantial digital media artefact which reflects your own interests and career plans. We particularly encourage experimentation and cross-disciplinary projects including those that seek to redefine the ambitions, functions and social organisations that digital media can support. During the course, some students will participate in selected undergraduate technical classes in addition to their masters study so that they can update or develop specific skills. Professional, theoretical and critical skills are also taught alongside the technical and design content through the use of academic blogs and presentations.

All students on this programme engage in an interdisciplinary project as a part of their MA study, giving them an opportunity to work with students from other disciplines in an experimental and creative way.

Work Placement

There are work related learning opportunities on this course, all students complete a live external brief as part of their coursework.

Structure

Core Modules
-Creative Economies
-Major Study: Digital Media Arts
-Media Discourses
-Practice 1: Media
-Practice 2: Media
-Research and Enquiry

Optional
-Creative Economies (Online)
-Research and Enquiry (Online)

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The recent growth in new media management has seen a rise in and demand for skilled creative media management professionals, who are not only confident in deploying media technologies and platforms but also in management practices, methods and experience to drive forward the latest media advances.

Your studies are based in our modern media labs in the Department of Media Arts and Communication. Many of our academic staff bring industry experience to their teaching. The course also includes a regular programme of industry speakers and client based projects, as well as a foundation for those wishing to move into media management roles within organisations, recognise existing skills and knowledge through a formal qualification, or start their own media business.

The course is made up of eight taught modules, plus a major linked project where you could work with or within an organisation. All modules are mandatory and have been tailored to match the in demand skills and experience of the creative media industry. The vast majority of teaching is in small groups (typically less than 20) allowing for bespoke delivery.

Students will gain an understanding of how to exploit the latest digital media technologies and platforms, across interactive, social and mobile content, as well as the management of digital media businesses, organisations and teams. The course uses industry-standard software and hardware tools such as Adobe and Apple software in well-equipped media studios and associated lab facilities. The course is designed to develop business awareness, entrepreneurial skills, management confidence and a portfolio of industry experience through client based media projects, industry networking and digital media industry insight.

You study a range of modules designed to prepare you for real world challenges. Typical projects may include • management of communication channels for promotion and marketing • creation of digital marketing campaigns • management of software solutions to engage audiences • management of knowledge dissemination across organisations • mobile media, social media and app design • insight into industry best practice • management of media people and teams • entrepreneurship and business skills.

The course has been designed in conjunction with industry professionals and aims to give you real world experience through working on live client briefs. You also work with the award winning Venture Matrix to enhance your employability and enterprise skills. Assessment is based primarily on individual project work, as well as team based projects and presentations. These projects allow students to access industry, network and build a portfolio of client based work.

Work based learning is also encouraged as part of the degree. Module teams will support students who wish to apply their studies directly to the work place. The Digital Media Management Project module in particular allows students to work with or within organisations on projects to enhance a company or organisation.

A number of industry days and events are also held on campus and within the Sheffield Cultural Industries Quarter where students can take part in workshops, talks, and exhibitions held by creative media industry representatives, professionals, and companies/ organisations. These activities give a window to the world of work and opportunities that lie ahead. They provide students with direct access to industry and exposure to opportunities within the industry.

Course structure

Postgraduate certificate

• Digital Media Management
• Digital Innovation
• Design Thinking
• Communicating Research

Postgraduate diploma

• Digital Media Ecosystems
• Strategic Digital Marketing
• Digital and Mobile Technologies
• Enterprise and Entrepreneurship

MA

• Digital Media Management Project

Assessment

Coursework

Employability

The creative industries sector is vibrant, fast growing and brings immense benefit to developed economies. In the UK alone, the creative industries are worth over £77 billion a year and account for 5% of the economy, with exports of over £17 billion per annum. Skilled digital media management professionals are in demand to meet this phenomenal growth.

Typical careers would involve • managing or consulting on social media • digital PR • marketing • projects • products • digital media • communication strategies • entrepreneurship and digital innovation. In addition, students may find roles as • digital media designers • analysts • digital change leaders and innovators.

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Do you want to catalyse the success of media businesses?

The growth of digital media has opened up new opportunities for growth, innovation and enhanced customer service across different industries. How can media businesses capitalize on digitalisation and create innovative products and solutions? How can digital media be applied on diverse use cases in the digital age? These questions are the focus of the Master’s programme in Digital Media Business.

Communication today is dominated by digital media. How we work, how we live and consume services is also increasingly characterized by digital media and technologies. Therefore, beyond just media companies, the significance of digital media is high across all types of industries. The strategic usage of digital media can be a key element for success today for all types of companies. Social media has become an inseparable aspect of how companies connect with their customers. At the same time, digital apps, smartphones and Virtual Reality are rising as the new point of contacts and service points unlike never before.

The Master’s programme in Digital Media Business combines a strong foundation in business management with a thorough understanding of digital media and different types of web 2.0 services like apps, social media and so on. Through projects, case studies and carefully designed modules, you will gain the necessary market knowledge enabling you to develop a thorough understanding of digital media, customer behavior and content strategy for a digital age. You will acquire the comprehensive strategic, technical and business skills to work with diverse media and content formats at a high project-managerial level. You will critically analyse different types of web 2.0 services, especially social media, apps and other mobile services (including augmented reality features) and are trained to analyse and develop business models in this context.

Interested? Contact us to learn more.

Practice-led Learning

With a large network of more than 500 partner companies, our students have unmatched proximity to the media and design industry. Through exciting practice-projects with our partners, students have the opportunity to gain real work experiences while studying. See what kind of exciting projects our students get to work on here: http://www.macromedia-university.com/projects.html 

The benefits of choosing Macromedia University 

• Top position in CHE Ranking 2014/15, globally recognized degrees accredited by FIBAA 

• Small classes with intensive, individual supervision 

• Campuses in Berlin & Munich: two of the Top 10 “Best Student Cities 2017” worldwide 

• Authentic, practice oriented projects with over 500 well-known companies 

• Highly qualified professors and industry insiders as lecturers 

• International students from all continents 

• Career perspectives in Germany: 18 months visa after successful graduation 

• Master’s degree over three days a week (e.g. from Thursday to Saturday) 

• Pre-Semester course available online 

• Buddy network for international students 

• Campus locations situated in the very centre of Germany’s industrial locations 

• Worldwide network of Partner Universities 

Registration deadline

Summer term: Non-EU 15.01 / EU 15.02 

Winter term: Non-EU 15.07 / EU 15.08 

Contact us

Our Student Advisors are always happy to answer any questions you may have. You can use our online chat or contact us via WhatsApp to talk to us. You can also give us a call or use the information request form on our international website http://www.macromedia-university.com. 

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In contrast to traditional methods of communication, digital media channels facilitate greater consumer interactivity and empowerment. In a highly competitive and connected global marketplace the unique properties of digital media communication can therefore present both opportunities and challenges for firms. Increasingly, communication professionals are expected to embrace digital media to encourage customer and partner engagement. Equally, professionals in technical roles are now required to apply their knowledge of digital media more strategically to drive business value.

Recognising the vital role of digital media for effective organisational and business communication, and the growing importance of open, collaborative working practices, this course combines expertise from both technical and communication disciplines to provide an enriching and multidisciplinary learning environment.

Visit the website: https://www.ulster.ac.uk/course/msc-digital-media-communication-ft-bt and for part-time option visit: https://www.ulster.ac.uk/course/msc-digital-media-communication-pt-bt

Course detail

- Description -

Specifically, this course will provide you with the opportunity to:

- critically assess the changing communication and technology landscape to establish strong foundations and confidence in decision making in an ever changing digital environment

- compare and contrast a variety of online digital media communication tools and techniques

- apply the latest online digital media communication tools and services to achieve business communication objectives in support of organisational goals.

- Purpose -

The purpose of this programme is to enable both practicing and aspiring professionals in the business, communication and information technology sectors to better understand how to leverage digital media technologies and platforms to achieve competitive advantage.

- Teaching and learning assessment -

Learning and teaching will take place through a series of lectures; seminars (both face to face and online); industry guest speakers; group work and case-integrated learning.

Assessment Methods: 100% coursework which includes: class presentations; group work; critical analysis, strategy development, and campaign development reports.

Career options

This course enables both practicing and aspiring professionals in the business, marketing, communication and information technology sectors to better understand how to leverage digital media technologies and services to achieve competitive advantage.

How to apply: https://www.ulster.ac.uk/apply/how-to-apply#pg

Why Choose Ulster University ?

1. Over 92% of our graduates are in work or further study six months after graduation.
2. We are a top UK university for providing courses with a period of work placement.
3. Our teaching and the learning experience we deliver are rated at the highest level by the Quality Assurance Agency.
4. We recruit international students from more than 100 different countries.
5. More than 4,000 students from over 50 countries have successfully completed eLearning courses at Ulster University.

Flexible payment

To help spread the cost of your studies, tuition fees can be paid back in monthly instalments while you learn. If you study for a one-year, full-time master’s, you can pay your fees up-front, in one lump sum, or in either five* or ten* equal monthly payments. If you study for a master’s on a part-time basis (e.g. over three years), you can pay each year’s fees up-front or in five or ten equal monthly payments each year. This flexibility allows you to spread the payment of your fees over each academic year. Find out more by visiting https://www.ulster.ac.uk/apply/fees-and-finance/postgraduate

Scholarships

A comprehensive range of financial scholarships, awards and prizes are available to undergraduate, postgraduate and research students. Scholarships recognise the many ways in which our students are outstanding in their subject. Individuals may be able to apply directly or may automatically be nominated for awards. Visit the website: https://www.ulster.ac.uk/apply/fees-and-finance/scholarships

English Language Tuition

CELT offers courses and consultations in English language and study skills to Ulster University students of all subjects, levels and nationalities. Students and researchers for whom English is an additional language can access free CELT support throughout the academic year: https://www.ulster.ac.uk/international/english-language-support

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Our Digital Media Arts MA is taught both at the University of Brighton and at Lighthouse. The Lighthouse is a digital culture agency where a key part of its work is education and professional development (PPD). Through short technology labs and courses they help empower the digital artists and creative engineers of tomorrow.

We have developed the course in the context of Brighton’s status as one of the main centres of the media economy, adopting an interdisciplinary approach that allows you to use and develop your existing skills in an environment that encourages both innovation and high-quality production.

The course provides excellent training for artists, designers and arts professionals wishing to seek a career in the creative industries, offering expert education in the areas of interaction design, social media, programming, digital film, installation, public art and interactive art. You will learn core digital media production skills, explore a broad range of creative digital practices, and access the most up-to-date developments and critical debates in the discipline.

While our professional studio environment enables you to explore the full creative potential of digital media arts practices, we also encourage live project work so that you gain direct experience and develop valuable links to the digital media and wider cultural industries.

The course offers a suitable route and an appropriate academic grounding for PhD study, as has been evidenced by recent student progression on to PhD programs at the University of Sussex, Goldsmiths, Plymouth University and The University of Auckland in New Zealand.

Areas of study

The course is designed to support your individual development and creativity as an artist and producer and is based around an essential core of practice-based learning, underpinned by a programme of theoretical lecture series, artist talks, seminars, workshops, tutorials and independent study.

You will learn core digital media production skills. Specialist workshops have included processing, motion graphics and sound art.

The course supports an interdisciplinary approach that enables you to develop existing skills and experiences in an environment that encourages both innovation and high quality production. Live project work in modules throughout the course will help you gain direct experience and develop valuable links in the digital media industries and wider cultural industries.

Modules will be relevant and up-to-date in this fast changing and evolving digital climate, allowing for flexibility to expand into new areas of development. Examples of theses areas include screen based web design, social media and interactive installations and also including using data analytics, coding, programming and hacking.

You will be taught by a diverse and experienced lecturing team, all of whom are creative practitioners.

The course offers a flexible mode of study for students, either as a part-time route (two years) or full time (one year).

Modules:

Cultures of Media Authoring and Web Design
Virtual Culture and Network Practices
Practice based Research Methods
Beyond the Screen: Interactive Installations
Presenting a Body of Work
Critical Theory: Media Concepts Research Paper

There will be an increasing emphasis on engaging with script and code, which is particularly pertinent to practical modules as they include the building blocks of developments for creative design, and web applications. These include the following languages - CSS, Flash, Processing, Pure Data, ActionScript 2.0 and 3.0, Wordpress, PHP, HTML5, Javascript, jQuery. MFC, C, OpenGL, Java and Lingo.

We encourage students to create work through the use of open source data and engaging with hacker ethics, which are concerned primarily with sharing, openness and collaboration, rather than using commercial software.

Student work

The Digital Media Arts MA at Brighton develops your production skills and unique artistic approach. Over the course, you will build a substantial body of digital artwork that will help you get ahead in the fast-moving and competitive new media industries.

You will create your art and design work using a range of digital technologies, producing screen-based work, interactive installations, social media interventions and soundscapes. All students produce work for the assessment show towards the end of the course.

Careers and employability

The Digital Media Arts MA is a practical course that teaches a range of skills in digital development and design that you can apply outside of university. The course aims to empower digital artists and critical engineers of tomorrow, in exploring the creative thinking that is critical to working effectively with technology.

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The emergence of new digital communication platforms has had significant impacts. Audiences are transforming into media producers; new business models are emerging; social media campaigns create new forms of politics; digital culture highlights practices of sharing and participation; and data collection and analytics affect an increasing part of our lives.

This offers new possibilities for digital citizens, but it also raises new questions regarding classic notions of privacy and freedom of expression, and it renders information and digital infrastructure a key resource.

The MA Digital Media and Society addresses current challenges of online communication and internet studies. It enables you to develop specialist knowledge in areas such as social media, big data, citizen journalism, digital culture, the creative industries, internet governance, and digital rights. It also provides a theoretical and methodological grounding in media and communication studies.

This course provides you with a thorough understanding of the current transformations and with the analytical skills to investigate digital media in the context of social, political and economic change. We ask how online communication is shaped by users, states and businesses, and how our society is, in turn, affected by digital media.

This course draws on the strength and diversity of Cardiff University’s staff, giving you a unique opportunity to work with academics whose research explores issues such as citizen journalism, online activism, big data, internet surveillance, internet governance and digital rights.

You can get involved in our Research Group Digital Media and Society and thus become part of a dynamic research environment.

Please note this course focuses on academic research and does not provide extensive practical training.

Distinctive features

• Enables you to develop an in-depth understanding of digital media and their implications for the social, political, economic and cultural environment.

• Conveys specialist knowledge that addresses current areas of concern, such as social media use, big data, the sharing economy, privacy and surveillance, internet governance, digital rights, and citizen journalism.

• Empowers you to assess how technological change is linked to forces of globalisation, political institutions, and historical developments, and how it affects democracy and social change.

• Equips you with a thorough theoretical and methodological grounding in media and communication studies.

• Allows you to apply up-to-date research skills to carry out your own original research for the dissertation and beyond.

• Produces reflective and well-trained graduates who understand the multiplicity of social, cultural, political and technological complexities of digital media and who will be able to solve complex problems and make informed decisions in their future careers.

Structure

This is a one-year full-time course, combining core and optional modules. Over the course duration you will study modules totalling 180 credits.

Core modules:

Politics of Global Communication
Putting Research into Practice I
Putting Research into Practice II
Understanding Digital Media
Citizen Journalism and Digital Publics
Project Based Dissertation

Optional modules:

Media Law
Reporting Business, Finance & Economics
Reporting the Middle East
Insurgency into the 21st Century
Citizen Media
Global Crisis Reporting
In The Editor's Chair
Reporting Health and Science
Electoral Behaviour, Public Opinion and the Media
Social Media and Politics
Governing the Internet: Digital Freedoms and Restrictions
Big Data, Society and Everyday Life

Teaching

You will be taught through a mixture of lectures and seminars, which complement the academic nature of the course.

Assessment

You will be assessed through a range of formative and summative assessments throughout the course. The main method of assessment on this programme is course work.

Career prospects

Graduates of MA Digital Media and Society are employed in a range of occupations, including the non-profit sector, digital business, online journalism, and regulatory institutions. They take on leading roles in social media campaigns, internet policy, human rights organisations, journalism, and creative industries.

As an academic course focusing on critical analysis, this programme also provides a perfect starting-point for PhD research and prepares you for careers in research institutions, both at university and other public or private institutions.

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Why take this course?

If you have a background in computing and wish to develop your knowledge and progress in the area of creative digital technologies, this course is ideal.

It considers the theoretical, practical and technical aspects of media production and offers specialised topic choices for you to tailor the course to your personal strengths and future career plans.

What will I experience?

On this course you can:

Get to grips with the cutting-edge, industry-standard software housed in our computer and multimedia laboratories
Use our purpose-made TV studios and photographic studios to build and test your digital creations
Have the opportunity to engage in a real-world, client-based problem in order to develop portfolio pieces

What opportunities might it lead to?

From the web and computer games, to mobile technologies and social media, digital consumerism continues to grow and develop, both in the UK and internationally. This course provides expertise in digital media production and will enable you to find employment in a range of creative industry roles which incorporate the design and use of new media technologies.

Here are some routes our graduates have pursued:

Computer game development
Multimedia production
Animation
Graphics and video editing
Digital video film-making

Module Details

On this course we emphasise the implementation, evaluation and reflection of subject-related issues, whilst building creative and technical visual computing expertise. It provides you with the opportunity to research a unique aspect of the use of digital media.

Here are the units you will study:

Professional, Academic and Research Development: This is a taught unit covering planning and managing development projects.

Graphics Applications and Creative Technologies: explore the production of three-dimensional graphics and their relevance to digital media applications, such as animation, interactive applications and the post-production stages of generating media composites and digital effects. The unit develops the technical, creative and cognitive skills required to create three-dimensional assets, such as modelling, texturing and animation, and demonstrate proficiency and professionalism in their construction.

Masters Application of Creative Technologies: This project unit offers you the opportunity to apply the taught material from the earlier stages of the course in the solution of a client led practical, creative, or research problem directly related to Digital Media. It also supports you to enhance your technical and intellectual skills in research methods, scholarship and critical analysis, as well as the consideration of the professional issues related to your work.

Web Asset and Application Development: this unit will prepare you for creating, editing and publishing digital media content with specific reference to the web, both on PC and mobile devices. You will build digital assets that will be deployed as part of an interactive, dynamic website aligned with the latest trends in web development.

[[Programme Assessment[[

You will experience a variety of teaching through lectures, seminars, tutorials, laboratory sessions and project work.

Assessment is 100% coursework based which will be a combination of individual projects and group projects.

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This MA gives you the opportunity to combine theoretical and practical approaches to digital media. Taught by some of the most influential researchers in the field today, you’ll develop the skills, knowledge and expertise needed to produce excellent research-led work.

You’ll gain experience of designing and developing digital media products, using industry-standard equipment and authoring tools. You’ll also learn about:
-The history of digital media
-The key concepts shaping current thinking about digital media
-The intellectual debates framing our understanding of digital culture

This course is associated with the Centre for Material Digital Culture.

How will I study?
In the autumn and spring terms, you take part in weekly lectures, seminars and hands-on workshops. These are highly interactive and taught in small groups. Assessment is varied and includes term papers and practical assignments.

In the summer, you build on this earlier learning in order to plan, execute and document your own research-based project. This project can take the form of a standard dissertation, a multimedia project or a work placement.

Scholarships
Our aim is to ensure that every student who wants to study with us is able to despite financial barriers, so that we continue to attract talented and unique individuals.

Chancellor's International Scholarship (2017)
-25 scholarships of a 50% tuition fee waiver
-Application deadline: 1 May 2017

HESPAL Scholarship (Higher Education Scholarships Scheme for the Palestinian Territories) (2017)
-Two full fee waivers in conjuction with maintenance support from the British Council
-Application deadline: 1 January 2017

USA Friends Scholarships (2017)
-A scholarship of an amount equivalent to $10,000 for nationals or residents of the USA on a one year taught Masters degree course.
-Application deadline: 3 April 2017

Faculty
Our researchers produce internationally recognised creative and critical practice through a range of media, including film, television, radio, photography and new and interactive forms.

They specialise within three interlocking themes:
-Cultural histories/cultural politics
-Resistant images
-Hybrid forms, media and genre

Careers
Our graduates have gone on to pursue careers in journalism, PR, marketing, web design, education and consultancy. Some have also gone on to further study or to work in academia.

Employers include:
-BBC
-Cogapp
-Digital Media Lab at Universidad Diego Portales, Chile
-Makemedia

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