Masters Degrees (Media And Cultural Studies)

This course allows you to examine the construction of meanings, experiences, identities and relationships in various contexts of social life, through advanced study of media practices and consumption.

Course overview

This course is for people who want to explore the nature of the media and cultural power at an advanced level. There is a high level of engagement with theories of contemporary society, including cultural theory, modern television and popular culture.

Given the importance of theory, an important attraction of this Masters is Sunderland’s research specialisms. These include media power, sexualities, identities, and how technology changes the way we experience the world, as well as performance and distribution.
The MA is taught at the David Puttnam Media Centre on our Sir Tom Cowie Campus at St Peter’s by staff from Sunderland’s Centre for Research in Media and Cultural Studies (CRMCS), which promotes a lively and inclusive research environment. As part of the course, you will have the opportunity to attend CRMCS’s regular research seminar series, which hosts both visiting and internal speakers discussing their latest research. You will also have the opportunity to benefit from the centre’s annual programme of national and international conferences, symposia and other research events.

You will focus on areas that you find particularly fascinating while contextualising your interests within the wider field of film, media and cultural studies. The course culminates in a dissertation on a topic that you negotiate with tutors.

Throughout the course, you will refine your powers of analysis and communication. These skills are highly valued by employers and will boost your employability. On average, postgraduates tend to find jobs more easily than people whose highest qualification is an undergraduate degree. They also achieve higher total earnings in the long-run.

Course content

The content of the course is shaped by your personal interests with guidance and inspiration from Sunderland's supportive tutors. Modules on this course include:
Media and Cultural Studies 1 (60 Credits)
-Engaging with Theory: Key Thinkers, Texts and Contexts (30 Credits)
-Research Methods in Film, Media and Cultural Studies (30 Credits)

Media and Cultural Studies 2 (60 Credits)
-Consumption and Everyday Life (30 Credits)
-Special Topic: Film, Media and/or Cultural Studies (30 Credits)

Media and Cultural Studies 3 (60 Credits)
-You will complete a supervised dissertation on a topic of your choice.

Teaching and assessment

All modules are team taught, drawing on the wide range of research specialisms of our staff.

Co-taught with MA Film and Cultural Studies, this MA enables you to contextualise your own work within the wider field of film, media and cultural studies, as well as pursue your own specific interest in a particular area of the media. This approach is excellent preparation if you are thinking of continuing on to PhD level. You will also be able to specialise and pursue your own specific interests film via choice of assignment questions on the taught modules and via negotiation of topics in the Special Topic and Dissertation modules.

Compared to an undergraduate course, you will find that this Masters requires a higher level of independent working.

We use a wide variety of teaching and learning methods which include lectures, seminars, workshops and group work. Via CRMCS’s research seminar programme, these are supported by a range of guest speakers from diverse academic and industry backgrounds. From stage 2 you will be expected to engage in a greater degree in self-directed study in preparation for the stage 3 dissertation. You will also have high levels of contact with tutors who give regular feedback and support.

Assessment methods include essays, projects, presentations, and a dissertation.

Facilities & location

Our David Puttnam Media Centre is home to the Centre for Research in Media and Cultural Studies (CRMCS), which engages in world leading research, as well as hosting international visiting scholars, conferences, external speakers and two international refereed research journals.

Teaching rooms
We have well-equipped lecture and seminar rooms, with overhead projection and full internet access.

Cinema
There is a 203-seat cinema with full HD projection, 7.1 surround sound facility and the capability to play 3D feature films. We have a live Sky feed and off-air recording facility, including DVD and Blu-ray recording, plus extensive footage archive/library.

University Library Services
We’ve got a wide range of books, journals and e-books on relevant topics, with many more available through the inter-library loan service. The library buildings provide a variety of study spaces, IT facilities and experienced library staff during core hours, with online services and support available at any time off-campus. In addition, both the St Peter’s and Murray libraries offer 24/7 access during main teaching weeks.

TV studios
We have two TV studios complete with green rooms and control rooms. Equipment includes four Steadicam rigs plus dolly, track and mini crane. We also have over 40 full HD tapeless field camera systems, comprising Sony EX1 and EX3 models, with associated location kits, lighting, field monitors and audio mixers.

Digital editing
There are 70 workstations with state-of-the-art HD Edit systems, including Final Cut Pro, Avid and Media Composer. There is also a digital audio postproduction area with four voiceover booths.

Radio studios
We have five radio studios including a transmission suite for Spark FM, our student-run community radio station. It broadcasts 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with a target audience of 15-24-year-olds.

Employment & careers

Postgraduates are highly employable and, on average, earn more than individuals whose highest qualification is an undergraduate degree. On completing this course you will be equipped for a range of roles in the media and cultural industries.

A Masters degree will also enhance career opportunities within Higher Education and prepare you for further postgraduate studies.

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Communication and Media Studies at Lancaster is ranked first in The Times and the Sunday Times Good University Guide Subject Rankings, 2016. This degree provides students with the theoretical and methodological grounding they need to carry out independent research in media and cultural studies.

The course introduces you to the key texts, debates and thinkers in media and cultural studies, ranging from the work of classical cultural theorists through to contemporary writing on new media, globalised culture, science and technology studies, and queer theory.

You will be encouraged to reflect critically on the role of popular media in structuring our everyday lives. The course examines the role of media in reproducing, disseminating and challenging hegemonic power relations, as well as thinking through the ways in which gender, sexuality and ‘race’ are constructed in global media cultures.

This is not a vocational or practice-based degree. However, it is a degree that will teach you skills in critical thinking, independent research, and analysis highly relevant for development and innovation in the cultural and media sectors.

Course Structure

You will study a range of modules as part of your course, some examples of which are listed below.

Core

• Critical Methods in Media and Cultural Studies
• Critical Debates in Media and Cultural Studies
• Dissertation

Optional

• Women's Studies Research Project
• Feminist Media and Cultural Studies
• Debates in Gender Research
• Gender, Sex and Bodies
• Gender and Violence
• Capitalism and Crisis
• Environment and Culture
• The Social Life of Science and Technology: Theories and Debates
• Social and Cultural Theory
• Cybercultures
• Research Projects in Practice: From Design to Dissemination
• Contemporary Debates in Sociology
• Methods in Science and Technology Studies
• Mobilities, Society & Change

Information contained on the website with respect to modules is correct at the time of publication, but changes may be necessary, for example as a result of student feedback, Professional Statutory and Regulatory Bodies' (PSRB) requirements, staff changes, and new research.

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This is the unique Masters-level programme offered that specifically addresses Critical Media and Cultural Studies of the non-Western world. The degree introduces students to the key contemporary issues discussed in Asian and African media and provides them with the opportunity to engage directly in research on an aspect of these media. It has a strong theoretical element, equipping students with the intellectual tools to consider the production, distribution and reception of non-Western media in new ways and to challenge the English-language, Eurocentric approach of most media studies scholarship.

While media studies degrees usually concentrate on media production, distribution and reception in North America and Western Europe, this programme considers critical issues in media and cultural studies in their full global complexity, with a focus on the cultures and societies of Asia and Africa and their diasporas. The degree is distinctive in the depth of theoretical and cultural background to contemporary media processes that it provides. Optional courses offer a range of approaches to the critical study of Asian and African discourses, from cinema to music, comparative literature to language, gender, religion, art and archaeology.

The programme is designed for students with an interest in critical theory; media professionals seeking alternative ways of understanding the media and culture industries; and those in NGOs and government organizations interested in challenging the hegemony of media corporations. It is well suited to students wishing to proceed to MPhil/PhD research in media or cultural studies, visual cultural studies, urban studies, sociology and anthropology.

Email: [email protected]

Visit the website http://www.soas.ac.uk/media-studies/ma-critical-media-and-cultural-studies/

Structure

Each student takes 4 units in total: the Compulsory Course (1 unit), the Dissertation (1 unit), two half units from list 3 and one unit of options of their choice.

In choosing their courses, MA students are advised to pay careful attention to the balance of coursework across the two terms. In particular it is important to ensure that each term you have three taught courses. However much you might wish to take a mixture of courses that requires more coursework in one term than the other, it is most unwise to attempt to take four courses in one term and two in the other. Experience has shown that students simply cannot manage the load during the heavy term with the result that they either do very badly, fail or are unable to complete the courses in question. As a result Directors of Studies for the degrees and the Faculty staff will not approve a selection of courses which results in an imbalanced workload. An imbalance of courses between terms is only possible with the written permission of the convenor of the degree .

Destinations

An MA in Critical Media and Cultural Studies from SOAS gives students expertise in media and communications as well as the ability to identify and analyse critical issues in media and cultural studies in their full global context. It is a valuable experience that provides students with a body of work and a diverse range of skills that they can use to market themselves with when they graduate.

Students develop a portfolio of transferable skills which employers seek in many professional and creative capacities including communication skills, interpersonal skills,
team work, flexibility and dedication.

For more information about Graduate Destinations from this department, please visit the Careers Service website (http://www.soas.ac.uk/careers/graduate-destinations/).

Find out how to apply here - http://www.soas.ac.uk/admissions/pg/howtoapply/

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Undertaking an MPhil in media and cultural studies provides you with access to a wide range of professional and academic opportunities including quality-assured supervision and regional, national and global links with creative and cultural industries.

You will become part of the Media and Cultural Studies team contributing to a vibrant learning community. During your studies you will have the opportunity to present papers at conferences, write articles for academic journals and contribute articles to edited collections alongside other publications. Additionally, you will have the opportunity to enrol on a nationally recognised Teaching in Higher Education qualification, allowing you to host undergraduate and postgraduate seminars.

We are a leading research unit at Newcastle University with a strong PhD culture. Our research environment supports world-leading, internationally excellent scholarship. Our approach is distinct and interdisciplinary, focusing across theoretical and applied areas.

Delivery

This programme is taught on the Newcastle campus. Attendance is flexible and agreed between you and your supervisors depending on the requirements of the research project.

Facilities

As a postgraduate research student in media and cultural studies you will benefit from dedicated research suites within the School of Arts and Cultures.

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Who is this programme for?:

A wide range of students with different interests and backgrounds come to this programme from world over in order to explore why media matter. They are highly qualified with very diverse international interests. It is particularly suitable for:

- Students with a degree in media or cultural studies
- Students with a degree in the social sciences or humanities wishing to acquire a broad understanding of media and cultural studies with special reference to Asia or Africa
- People with professional experience in film, television, journalism, advertising or public relations
- Students with a degree in social anthropology wishing to pursue more specialist media-related topics along with regional or language-based study
- Students without a previous degree in Anthropology looking for an MA conversion degree to serve as a qualification for pursuing a further research degree in anthropology

Our world is inescapably and continuously transformed through a proliferation of media. The MA in Anthropology of Media at SOAS takes up the challenge of understanding how and why media matter. The programme uniquely combines anthropology, media and cultural studies with specific regional expertise in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. It provides students with critical skills, research methods, a wide-ranging understanding of media and the opportunity to pursue original research projects. The MA in Anthropology and Media is the first and still the only programme in Europe that specialises in bringing together contemporary anthropological concerns with media and cultural studies.

The MA in Anthropology of Media is a recent and rapidly growing field within the larger academic discipline of Anthropology. It both incorporates and challenges the well-established anthropological concerns with visual culture and ethnographic film through a more extensive examination of contemporary media practices. Along with the parallel disciplines of media and cultural studies, Anthropology of Media is now widely recognized as playing an increasingly important and critical role in current debates about media. It provides an alternative approach, which puts the emphasis upon studying the multiple relationships between people and media and thus seeks to anthropologise media and cultural studies. More than just focussing on media texts or technology, Anthropology of Media is marked by the centrality of people and how they relate to media.

The SOAS programme in Anthropology of Media is designed to provide a detailed introduction to the study of media in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and their diasporas. We also use the theoretical and methodological contributions of Anthropology to build upon and challenge Euro-American media and cultural studies. The programme stresses ethnographic approaches to media as cultural practices in social and political contexts where people inhabit, create and engage with media worlds.

Special Features

The Department cultivates several specialist strengths which distinguish it from other anthropology departments in the UK. The most obvious of these is that all members of the Department are specialists on Africa and Asia. Particular attention is given to teaching and researching regional ethnographic areas of expertise. All staff members are simultaneously attached as anthropologists to this Department and as regional specialists to their appropriate regional studies centre within the School.

SOAS also offers strong interdisciplinary support for the study of media including the Centre for Media and Film Studies and a highly regarded Department of Music. We have a dedicated multi-media suite, a radio station and satellite access to a wide range of world television. Further, the Library houses a major collection of books and journals on world media as well as extensive audio-visual materials.

Visit the website http://www.soas.ac.uk/anthropology/programmes/maanthofmedia/

Programme Overview

The programme consists of four units in total: three units of taught examined courses and a one unit dissertation of 10,000 words. Some courses may be taught in other departments in the school.

Core Courses:
- Comparative Media Studies - 15 PAN C009 (1.0 unit).

- Dissertation in Anthropology and Sociology - 15PANC999 (1.0 unit). This is a 10,000 word dissertation on a topic agreed with the Programme Convenor of the MA Anthropology of Media and the candidate’s supervisor.

- Additionally all MA Anthropology students 'audit' the course Ethnographic Research Methods during term 1 - this will not count towards your 4 units.

Foundation Course:
- Theoretical Approaches to Social Anthropology - 15PANC008 (1.0 unit). This is compulsory only for students without a previous anthropology degree.

Option Courses:
- The remaining unit(s) of your programme, either 1 unit of option courses (if taking Theoretical Approaches to Social Anthropology) or 2 units (if exempted from Theoretical Approaches to Social Anthropology), may then be selected from the Option Courses list below.

- Your 1 or 2 total units may be made up of any combination of 0.5 or 1 unit option courses.

- However, courses without a "15PANxxxx" course code are taught outside of the Anthropology Department. No more than 1 unit in total of these courses may be selected.

- Alternatively, one language course may be taken from the Faculty of Languages and Cultures.

Programme Specification 2012/2013 (pdf; 119kb) - http://www.soas.ac.uk/anthropology/programmes/maanthofmedia/file39767.pdf

Destinations

A Masters in the Anthropology of Media at SOAS develops students’ understanding of the world, other peoples’ ways of life and how society is organised. This programme will endow students with specialist understanding of producers, audiences, and other cultural and social aspects of mass media. Over the years the SOAS department has trained numerous leading anthropologists who have gone on to occupy lectureships and professorships throughout the world. Equally, students gain skills during their degree that transfer well to areas such as information and technology, government service, the media and tourism.

Postgraduate students leave SOAS with a portfolio of widely transferable skills which employers seek, including analytical and critical skills; ability to gather, assess and interpret data; high level of cultural awareness; and problem-solving. A postgraduate degree is a valuable experience that provides students with a body of work and a diverse range of skills that they can use to market themselves with when they graduate.

For more information about Graduate Destinations from this department, please visit the Careers Service website (http://www.soas.ac.uk/careers/graduate-destinations/).

Find out how to apply here - http://www.soas.ac.uk/admissions/pg/howtoapply/

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This course allows you to explore a wide range of films, contextual studies and critical debates, as well as the politics and cultural power of other media forms and institutions.

Course overview

This Masters is for people who want to study films and culture at an advanced level. There is a high level of engagement with theories and practices of film studies and cultural studies, as well as a strong emphasis on rigorous research skills.

Given the importance of theory, an important attraction of this Masters is Sunderland’s research specialisms. These include star studies, performance, distribution and national cinemas, as well as sexualities, identities and how technology changes the way we experience the world.

The course is taught at the David Puttnam Media Centre on our Sir Tom Cowie Campus at St Peter’s by staff from Sunderland’s Centre for Research in Media and Cultural Studies (CRMCS), which promotes a lively and inclusive research environment. As part of the course, you will have the opportunity to attend CRMCS’s regular research seminar series, which hosts both visiting and internal speakers discussing their latest research. You will also have the opportunity to benefit from the centre’s annual programme of national and international conferences, symposia and other research events.

You will focus on areas that you find particularly fascinating while contextualising your interests within the wider field of film, media and cultural studies. The course culminates in a dissertation on a topic that you negotiate with tutors.

Throughout the course, you will refine your powers of analysis, research and communication. These skills are highly valued by employers and will boost your employability. Postgraduates earn more, on average than individuals whose highest qualification is an undergraduate degree.

Course content

The content of the course is shaped by your personal interests with guidance and inspiration from Sunderland's supportive tutors.

Modules on this course are:
-Film and Cultural Studies 1 (60 Credits)
-Engaging with Theory: Key Thinkers, Texts and Concepts (30 Credits)
-Research Methods in Film, Media and Cultural Studies (30 Credits)

Film and Cultural Studies 2 (60 Credits)
-Consumption and Everyday Life (30 Credits)
-Special Topic: Film, Media and/or Cultural Studies (30 Credits)

Film and Cultural Studies 3 (60 Credits)
-You will complete a supervised dissertation on a topic of your choice.

Teaching and assessment

All modules are team taught, drawing on the wide range of research specialisms of our staff.

Co-taught with MA Media and Cultural Studies, this MA enables you to contextualise your own work within the wider field of film, media and cultural studies, as well as pursue your own specific interest in film. This approach is excellent preparation if you are thinking of continuing on to PhD level. You will also be able to specialise and pursue your own specific interests film via choice of assignment questions on the taught modules and via negotiation of topics in the Special Topic and Dissertation modules.
Compared to an undergraduate course, you will find that this Masters requires a higher level of independent working.

We use a wide variety of teaching and learning methods which include lectures, seminars, critiques and workshops. Via CRMCS’s research seminar programme, these are supported by a range of guest speakers from diverse academic and industry backgrounds. From stage 2 you will be expected to engage in a greater degree in self-directed study in preparation for the stage 3 dissertation. Your tutors will also give regular feedback and support.

Assessment methods include essays, projects, presentations, and a dissertation.

Facilities & location

Our David Puttnam Media Centre is home to the Centre for Research in Media and Cultural Studies (CRMCS), which engages in world leading research, as well as hosting international visiting scholars, conferences, external speakers and two international refereed research journals.

Teaching rooms
We have well-equipped lecture and seminar rooms, with overhead projection and full internet access.

Cinema
There is a 203-seat cinema with full HD projection, 7.1 surround sound facility and the capability to play 3D feature films. We have a live Sky feed and off-air recording facility, including DVD and Blu-ray recording, plus extensive footage archive/library.

University Library Services
We’ve got a wide range of books, journals and e-books on relevant topics, with many more available through the inter-library loan service. The library buildings provide a variety of study spaces, IT facilities and experience library staff during core hours, with online services and support available at any time off-campus. In addition, both the St Peter’s and Murray libraries offer 24/7 access during main teaching weeks.

TV studios
We have two TV studios complete with green rooms and control rooms. Equipment includes four Steadicam rigs plus dolly, track and mini crane. We also have over 40 full HD tapeless field camera systems, comprising Sony EX1 and EX3 models, with associated location kits, lighting, field monitors and audio mixers.

Digital editing
There are 70 workstations with state-of-the-art HD Edit systems, including Final Cut Pro, Avid and Media Composer. There is also a digital audio postproduction area with four voiceover booths.

Radio studios
We have five radio studios including a transmission suite for Spark FM, our student-run community radio station. It broadcasts 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with a target audience of 15-24 year olds.

Employment & careers

Postgraduates are highly employable and, on average, earn more than individuals whose highest qualification is an undergraduate degree. On completing this course, you will be equipped for a range of roles in the media and cultural industries. A Masters degree will also enhance career opportunities within Higher Education and prepare you for further postgraduate studies.

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Bridging the arts and social sciences, this course enables you to engage critically with key thinkers, traditions and debates in media and cultural studies.

You study the media as institutions, texts and systems of representation and explore the media’s political, social and cultural power in a variety of contexts. You will:
-Develop a skills portfolio in critical analysis, creative thinking and research methods
-Choose from a wide variety of options, allowing you to set your own intellectual agenda
-Gain methodological tools to research a wide range of media

How will I study?
As this is not a practice-based course, teaching is through lectures, small-group seminars and individual tutorials.

This MA is structured around core modules and options in the first two terms. In the final term, you undertake a supervised research-led dissertation on a topic of your choice.

Modules are assessed by term papers. You also submit a 15,000-word dissertation.

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 internationally respected research explores questions around the materialities, technologies and politics of cultural forms and formations.

Our work engages with a range of media – film, television, radio, photography and digital forms – from a range of perspectives.

We specialise within three interlocking themes:
-Cultural histories/cultural politics
-Media technology, form and experience
-The politics of representation

Careers
Our graduates have gone on to pursue careers in:
-Media and cultural industries
-Publishing
-Research
-Teaching
-Journalism
-PR
-Development work.

Some of our graduates also go on to further study.

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Our MPhil/PhD research degree programme offers you:

Wide variety of research interests
The Institute of Humanities & Creative Arts has a strong mix of academics with a high degree of professional and personal experience, enabling you to get the most out of your programme. Our staff have expertise in environmental representation in the media and popular culture, and gender, children, and television.

Excellent supervision
Benefit from a professional and challenging relationship with your supervisory team, drawn from experienced academics working at the forefront of their disciplines.

Resources
With study space and IT provision in the Research Office, and access to the University of Worcester’s virtual resources and state of the art library facilities, the Media and Cultural Studies team at Worcester have an excellent range of resources to support your learning and research project.

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The Lincoln School of Film and Media offers a collaborative environment in which to undertake research at doctoral level.

As a researcher in the School, you can engage in a structured programme of training which provides the opportunity to develop the practical and critical skills necessary for your study.

You can work with an experienced supervisory team who can offer support and guidance on your research, funding opportunities, attending conferences and publishing your work in recognised journals.

You can benefit from the School’s research expertise in a variety of media and culture-related topics, including digital culture, media ethics, Latin American cinemas, technological change and screenwriting practice.

You will join a vibrant research community where regular research seminars, such as the media research and the 21st Century Research Group seminars, provide the chance to advance your understanding and skills.

Research Areas, Projects & Topics

Specialist areas include:
-Film, media and cultural theory
-Digital cultures and media
-Latin American cinemas
-Television and history
-The epic and historical film
-Media ethics
-Photography, design and digital media practice
-Screenwriting practice
-Radio, film and TV practice
-Gender and culture in the context of East Central Europe
-European cinema
-Contemporary popular cinema
-Technological change
-Documentary film and TV

How You Study

Students receive regular supervisions from a Director of Studies, supported by second supervisor.

Due to the nature of postgraduate research programmes, the vast majority of your time will be spent in independent study and research. You will have meetings with your academic supervisor, however the regularity of these will vary depending on your own individual requirements, subject area, staff availability and the stage of your programme.

How You Are Assessed

A PhD is awarded based on the quality of your thesis and your ability in an oral examination (viva voce) to present and successfully defend your chosen research topic to a group of academics. You are also expected to demonstrate how your research findings have contributed to knowledge or developed existing theory or understanding.

Special Features

Regional and national film, newspaper and digital archives are held at the University for use by research students. The School also hosts research seminars at which students are encouraged to present their original work.

Career and Personal Development

Graduates may progress their careers in roles in the media and creative industries. A postgraduate research degree can be an important foundation for a career in academia or research.

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Course summary

This course is designed to help you to develop careers as an academic or as a professional cultural or media worker. The course has emerged out of the Birmingham Centre for Media and Cultural Research and focuses on the expertise of scholars actively involved in a range of live research projects. You’ll be encouraged to develop as an internationally-minded research professional.

You will have the opportunity of becoming involved in live research projects and scholarly activities within Birmingham Centre for Media and Cultural Research. Areas of expertise include Jazz and Aesthetics working with the London Jazz Festival; Evaluating Cultural Leadership and Diversity; audience engagement projects funded by Nesta.

Course structure

You will receive training through workshops, seminars, group and individual tutorials, to assist in identifying specialist areas for research, research methods, and project and time management. You are expected to work independently, applying knowledge gained in response to assignments using your initiative to identify pertinent issues within the field (in relation to your own practice/specialism) and to propose innovative solutions.

Modules include:
Cultural Theory
Creative Industries and Cultural Policy
Professional Development
Researching Media Cultures
Research in Practice
Professional Practice
Major Project (MA by Practice or MA by Dissertation)

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The programme brings together our 25 years of experience in delivering highly regarded MBA programmes and the School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies’ internationally renowned expertise in journalism and media.

You will study core modules exploring key elements of business management, supplemented by a range of options enabling you to study media issues in depth. Unique modules such as Digital Media Management and Branding and the Media will explore the very latest developments in this dynamic industry.

The programme combines the core ingredients of the long established MBA programme with the opportunity to understand the management challenges of the media industry, which is vital to the success of many advanced and emerging creative economies.

You will gain sufficient knowledge of business, management and the media to help you secure management positions in media organisations.

This programme provides personal, academic and professional development experience relevant to those seeking a career in media management.

Distinctive features

• You will be part of a community which is committed to delivering social improvement alongside economic development in the world’s first Public Value Business School.

• You will study at a Business School ranked 1st in the UK for research environment and 6th for research excellence (REF 2014) and at the School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies, ranked 2nd in the UK for research excellence.

• You will be a student of the only business school in Wales accredited by AACSB international (and one of only 5% worldwide) and in a School ranked 1st in the Guardian’s University Guide for Journalism and Public Relations.

• You will gain a degree which delivers a solid background in business management theory and practice along with specialised media knowledge and skills.

Structure

There are three stages to the MBA Media Management: Foundation, Application and Specialisation.

You will take six modules in each of the Foundation and Application stages; each module is compulsory and carries 10 credits. Subject to satisfactory completion of these stages, you will progress to the Specialisation phase during which you will take a further three 10-credit elective modules and a 30-credit major project.

You will study core modules exploring elements of business management, supplemented with a range of options enabling you to study media issues in depth. Unique modules such as Digital Media Management and Compliance, Regulation and the Law will explore the very latest developments in this dynamic industry.

In addition to the core MBA modules, you are able to choose from several optional modules from the MA programmes in International Journalism, International Public Relations, Political Communications, and Journalism.

Please visit the website to see the modules taught on this course:

http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/taught/courses/course/media-management-mba

Teaching

Teaching in both Cardiff Business School and the School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies is heavily informed by research and combines academic rigour with practical relevance. Our internationally leading faculty consists of academics who are at the forefront of knowledge within their field. They bring the lessons learnt from their most recent research into the classroom, giving you access to up to date real life examples and scenarios and critical business thinking.

Your teaching and learning resources will be provided and we will be responsive to your needs and views. For your part, you will need to put in the necessary amount of work both during and outside formal teaching sessions, and to make good use of the facilities provided.

Assessment

Assessment methods vary from module to module but, across your degree scheme as a whole, you can expect a mixture of exams, coursework, essays, practical work, presentations, and individual and group projects.

Career Prospects

We recognise that the majority of our students undertake postgraduate qualifications to improve their prospects in the job market. The MBA is widely regarded as the necessary business qualification to develop the skills that modern business managers need. The vast majority of our graduates go on to employment or further study after leaving us and many of our graduates hold key positions in major corporations across the globe, including management positions in the media or other creative industries.

Major firms regularly visit the School to recruit students. Whilst studying with us you will be able to attend recruitment fairs and presentations, see our team of specialist careers advisors and gain help with CV writing, interview skills and aptitude tests, to name a few.

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The field of media is constantly shifting and in the last decade the changes have been rapid, and a new media landscape has emerged. Digital media of today are characterised by participation and cooperation; media are wholly collaborative, in terms of both production and consumption. 

The master’s programme in Media and Communication studies gives you advanced knowledge of digital media through practical approaches in the field. You will work creatively and in an explorative manner with different types of media, while learning to evaluate them from a critical perspective.

What is collaborative media?

The field of media is constantly shifting. In the last decade the changes have been rapid, and a new media landscape has emerged – forever reshaping not only the consumers but also the creators and distributors of media. Digital media of today are characterised by participation and cooperation; media are wholly collaborative, in terms of both production and consumption – and this is what is meant by the term ‘collaborative media.’

What will I learn?

The one-year master’s programme in Media and Communication Studies – Culture, Collaborative Media, and Cultural Industries – will equip you with advanced knowledge of digital media. The programme is oriented towards practical approaches to the field. You will work creatively and in an explorative fashion with different types of media while you learn to approach them from a critical perspective.

During the programme you will develop three primary skill sets: the ability to analyse and strategically approach media and its impact on society; the capability to work with media and communication both methodologically and systematically; the knowledge required to produce media texts, both individually and collaboratively. Compared to bachelor-level degrees, this advanced programme has a clear focus on the development of strategic expertise, a skill crucial for those intending to pursue a professional career in media and communication. During the year, you will furthermore obtain an in-depth knowledge of the workings of the creative industries.

The programme is developed alongside and conducted in collaboration with Media Evolution, a media cluster with over 350 member companies based in Malmö. This facilitates a crossover between the academic and professional worlds and allows you as a student to develop skills in both areas throughout your studies. Throughout the duration of the programme you will get the chance to meet a number of international guest lecturers from universities all across the world, further adding to the global relevance of the programme.

The first and second semester

The first semester focuses on examining key themes in communication studies and on how the creative industries of today are operated. During the second semester you will learn more about the possibilities with collaborative media. The year ends with a (one-year, 15 credits) master's thesis.

Malmö University also offers the two-year master's programme Media and Communication Studies: Culture, Collaborative Media and Creative Industries, 120 credits. Read more

The pedagogical approach

The programme, which is web-based and full-time, makes education available to students globally and offers a unique blend of distance and campus based learning. The seminars are compulsory, and you can either attend in Malmö or online. This approach makes it possible for international students to enrol in the programme without having to relocate, leading to a diverse and intercultural student body that increases the opportunities for students to form transnational networks and to benefit from international lecturers.

The programme is hosted on an online platform through which communication between students and lecturers takes place and where student projects are uploaded. As the main theme of the programme is collaborative media, this pedagogical approach leaves room for experimentation, and students are encouraged to use collaborative media during this process.

What can I do with my degree?

After graduating, you will have the qualifications necessary to work in media and communication. The skill set and knowledge you develop during your studies are valuable to the fast-growing creative indutries. Companies, government, and organisations are other possible employers as they become increasingly dependent on communication and media in their business. This programme is for those of you who want to take an active role in the development of the media field. It also provides a foundation for further post-graduate studies.

Learning outcomes

After completing the programme students should be able to: 

Knowledge and understanding 

1) demonstrate knowledge and understanding of media and communication studies, including both an overview of the field and deeper knowledge of specific parts of the field as well as insight into current research and development work 

2) demonstrate specialised methodological knowledge in media and communication studies 

Competence and skills 

3) demonstrate the ability to integrate knowledge and to analyse, assess and deal with complex phenomena, issues and situations even with limited information 

4) demonstrate the ability to independently identify and formulate issues and to plan and, using appropriate methods, undertake advanced tasks within predetermined time frames 

5) demonstrate the ability verbally and in writing to report clearly and discuss his or her conclusions and the knowledge and arguments on which they are based in dialogue with different audiences 

6) demonstrate the skills required for participation in research and development work or employment in some other qualified capacity 

Judgement and approach 

7) demonstrate the ability in media and communication studies to make assessments in relation to relevant disciplinary, social and ethical issues and also to demonstrate awareness of ethical aspects of research and development work 

8) demonstrate insight into the possibilities and limitations of research, its role in society and the responsibility of the individual for how it is used 

9) demonstrate the ability to identify the personal need for further knowledge and take responsibility for his or her on going learning

Degree

Master's Degree (60 credits).

Degree of Master of Arts (60 credits) in Media and Communication Studies

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The MA in Cultural Policy, Relations and Diplomacy is a trans-disciplinary programme that addresses the theory and practice of cultural policy, cultural relations, and cultural and public diplomacy.

This broad area of study and the terminology applied to it is fluid and expanding. Having culture as the underlying thread, the programme explores areas such as:

• arts policy and management
• globalisation
• cultural relations
• public diplomacy
• cultural and arts diplomacy
• external communications
• place branding 

This will provide a unique perspective into this field of study, and will examine topics such as mobility of cultural practitioners, cultural identity, intercultural dialogue, mutuality, propaganda, soft power, hegemony, influence and perceptions.

Goldsmiths' location provides you with a unique experience of living in a multicultural world city, which is of great relevance to the study of cultural policy, relations and diplomacy.

You'll study in the Institute for Creative and Cultural Entrepreneurship (ICCE). ICCE's individual and institutional links with an extensive network of organisations, policy advisors and cultural practitioners in those areas in London and in Europe allow you to experience exceptional research and study resources.

Industry links

ICCE’s established organisational links include, for example, the British Council, Visiting Arts, EUNIC London Hub and Demos. ICCE is also a member of ENCATC (the leading European network on Cultural Management and Cultural Policy education). The Institute is also responsible for fostering the sharing of information and discussion of issues related to international cultural relations across disciplines on the JISCMail list cultural-relations-diplomacy.

Expert staff and invited professionals

Our staff and invited academic and professional experts will enhance your learning. They'll discuss relevant literature and will present case studies and practical examples with local, national and global dimensions involving a range of individuals and organisations, including corporations, governments, international bodies and NGOs.

Modules & structure

Overview

This MA is a 180-credit programme consisting of four 30-credit modules and a 60-credit dissertation. 

The three main modules of the programme, Cultural Policy and Practice, Cultural Relations and Diplomacy I: Foundations and Cultural Relations and Diplomacy II: Explorations provide a strong basis to explore the complexity of this area of study, which is complemented by a varied module offer from across College that brings to the fore related and intersecting themes.

The fourth module of the programme is an option from a selection of modules covering arts engagement, media, business, languages and politics - this is designed to allow you to tailor the programme to your own particular skills and/or interests. 

The teaching methodologies used in these modules will be conducive to creative and independent in-depth and collaborative learning. They'll culminate in the production of a final dissertation in which you will explore in detail a topic building on your interests and knowledge.

The programme allows and encourages you to engage in work placements while attending the modules. These are not a formal part of the programme, but some support will be provided building on ICCE’s extensive experience of internship management and network of contacts.

Core modules 

• Cultural Policy and Practice
• Cultural Relations and Diplomacy I: Foundations
• Cultural Relations and Diplomacy II: Explorations
• ICCE Dissertation

Option modules

• Contemporary Issues in Cultural Policy
• Cultural and Creative Tourism
• Culture, Tourism and Regeneration
• Entrepreneurial Modelling
• Enterprising Leadership: An Introduction to the Discourse of Contemporary Leadership, Enterprise, and Innovation Theory
• Interpretation, Education and Communication in the Art Museum
•  Museums and Galleries as Creative Entrepreneurs
• Museums and Galleries as Creative Entrepreneurs – Communicating Culture
• Tourism in Asia

Skills

 Graduates of this programme develop a wide range of skills and competencies.

Knowledge and understanding

You'll be able to:

• Describe and understand a range of practices, policies, structures and systems in the cultural policy and international cultural relations areas involving a variety of stakeholders (individuals, NGOs, foundations, corporations, governments, international and supranational organisations)
• Define and understand the use of theories and key concepts in cultural policy, cultural relations and cultural and public diplomacy, such as culture, identity, globalisation, soft power, hegemony, influence, propaganda, mutuality, trust, intercultural dialogue, nation building/branding
• Discuss the importance of cultural policy in relation to international cultural relations
• Understand the diverse and changing relationships between culture/arts, politics and international relations
• Build on your existing experience and/or interest to develop knowledge within cultural policy and international cultural relations

Cognitive and thinking skills

You'll be able to:

• Analyse and evaluate the role of the 'actors' and their practices, as well as the structures and systems framing cultural policy and international cultural relations
• Discern how to apply a range of trans-disciplinary concepts and theories to the understanding of policies, practices, structures and systems in the areas of cultural policy, cultural relations and cultural diplomacy
• Identify and critically analyse contemporary issues
• Build on your existing experience and/or interest to further develop analytical, critical and conceptual skills within cultural policy and international cultural relations

Practical skills

You'll be able to:

• Analyse public policies in the areas of culture and international cultural relations at micro and macro levels
• Devise, develop, conduct and deliver an independent piece of research relevant to cultural policy and international cultural relations, using a self-reflective approach
• Demonstrate the origins of your thinking in cultural policy and international cultural relations by adequately referencing sources that have been evaluated for credibility, objectivity, accuracy and trustworthiness
• Communicate effectively and succinctly through oral presentation and express yourself in writing for academic and other audiences, employing when necessary the appropriate ICT tools and skills

Key transferable skills

You'll be able to:

• Share and exchange expertise and skills with other students and the tutors on the course employing effective written and oral communication skills
• Demonstrate you are an independent and creative learner able to exercise initiative and personal responsibility for your own learning and planning processes
• Conduct research methodically to find an answer that is complete, accurate and authoritative
• Work effectively as part of a team

Find out more about employability at Goldsmiths. 

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Overview

Media and Cultural Studies at Keele is an exciting and developing discipline that draws together theories and practices from a range of traditional disciplines such as English, Sociology, Geography, Music and Visual Arts. It involves three main aspects:
- The study of theories and ideas about media and cultural production in a global context
- The critical analysis of cultural texts and practices from around the world
- Engagement in practical creative production

The MA in Global Media and Culture seeks to explore the relationship between these three areas and to show how knowledge of each informs and influences the others. In addition, it aims to provide the skills necessary for academic study at an advanced level either for those wishing to go on to further academic research, or as an advanced preparation for those interested in pursuing careers in a range of media and culture industries.

See the website http://www.keele.ac.uk/pgtcourses/globalmediaandculture/

Course Aims

The aim of the Programme is to enable students to:

- Think, talk, and write at an advanced level about global media and culture and the ways in which cultural and media organisations intersect with general political and economic processes.

- Understand, evaluate and apply a range of theories about culture and media production, especially those associated with globalisation and postcolonialism.

- Engage in comparative analysis of media and cultural production from different areas of the world.

- Pursue options in developing creative skills and practices involved in media and cultural production at a level commensurate with postgraduate study.

- Critically engage in analysing the ways in which questions of cultural value are experienced and understood, within the context of globalisation and postcolonialism.

- Pursue critical approaches and methodologies practised in media and cultural studies, especially those associated with postcolonialism and globalisation.

- Develop research skills commensurate with postgraduate study in the field of media and cultural studies.

- Obtain the knowledge, skills and personal qualities necessary to find a fulfilling and rewarding career, and become informed and active citizens with a lifelong interest in studying and/or practicing in the fields of global media and culture.

Teaching sessions and timetable

The main contact time for teaching takes place on between 5-7 pm on Tuesday and Thursday evenings in both semester 1 and semester 2. Details of times, dates and locations will be provided in the handbooks for individual modules.

In addition to the core teaching sessions there are three morning sessions in semester 1, which form part of the core module Research Methods in the Humanities. Details of times, dates and locations will be provided in the Research Training Handbook.

Semester 1 runs from the end of September to the end of January, with an assessment period in January.

Semester 2 runs from the last week of January to the middle of June, with the assessment period in June.

Semester 3 involves the production of the dissertation or media project and runs from June to the end of September. There will be no formal group classes during this period, but students may arrange individual consultation with their supervisors.

Additional Costs

Apart from additional costs for text books, inter-library loans and potential overdue library fines we do not anticipate any additional costs for this post graduate programme.

Find information on Scholarships here - http://www.keele.ac.uk/studentfunding/bursariesscholarships/

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The MA in Gender and Women’s Studies and English combines teaching and scholarship in Gender and Women’s Studies and in English Literature. This is a unique MA for students interested in Gender and Women’s Studies who want to pursue literary studies or who have a particular interest in women’s literature or feminist literary theory.

Students take core courses in each of the disciplines and can choose from a range of optional courses in addition to these. This combination is administered from the Centre for Gender and Women’s Studies - one of the largest centres in the UK for feminist research, gender studies and women’s studies.

Taught jointly with the http://www.lancaster.ac.uk/english-and-creative-writing/, the programme is run by the http://www.lancaster.ac.uk/sociology/research/research-centres/centre-for-gender-and-womens-studies/, part of the Sociology Department at Lancaster and one of the largest centres in the UK for feminist research, gender studies and women’s studies.

As an MA student, you will be immersed in the busy academic and social life of the centre, and part of a supportive and dynamic community of students and researchers from across the world. It is an ideal environment in which to learn and carry out research – and allows you to meet other scholars and activists, take part in seminars and workshops, and exchange ideas and insights with world-leading feminist and literary academics.

Graduates from this MA are now working in universities throughout the world, having used the programme as a springboard to PhD study. Others have gone on to work in local and national government, in public-sector, non-governmental or voluntary organisations, or are teaching in schools and colleges.

Find out more about the http://www.lancaster.ac.uk/sociology/research/, research centres and conferences that make studying in the Sociology Department at Lancaster so stimulating.

Course Structure

You will study a range of modules as part of your course, some examples of which are listed below.

Core

• Debates in Gender Research
• Gender, Sex and Bodies
• Dissertation

Optional

• Nineteenth Century Literature: Place - Space - Text
• Emotional Geographies in Early Modern Literature
• Modernisms
• Consumer Society
• Feminist Media and Cultural Studies
• Women's Studies Research Project
• Feminist Technoscience Studies
• Gender and Violence
• Capitalism and Crisis
• Environment and Culture
• The Social Life of Science and Technology: Theories and Debates
• Social and Cultural Theory
• Cybercultures
• Research Projects in Practice: From Design to Dissemination
• Contemporary Debates in Sociology
• Critical Methods in Media and Cultural Studies
• Methods in Science and Technology Studies
• Mobilities, Society & Change
• Critical Debates in Media and Cultural Studies
• Contemporary British Fiction
• Romance and Realism
• Premodern Bodies
• Fusions
• Writing the Nineteenth Century City
• Contemporary Gothic: Text and Screen

Information contained on the website with respect to modules is correct at the time of publication, but changes may be necessary, for example as a result of student feedback, Professional Statutory and Regulatory Bodies' (PSRB) requirements, staff changes, and new research.

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