Masters Degrees (Media Practice)

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

The MA in Communication, Media Practice and Public Relations (PR) is designed for students who want to focus their energy on the dynamic world of social media, develop their creative practice and professional writing skills or are looking to work in an entrepreneurial environment.

Key Features of Communication, Media Practice and Public Relations (PR)

The MA in Communication, Media Practice and Public Relations (PR) offers syllabus-based practice in professional, contemporary media skills, taught by industry professionals with academic backgrounds. The Communication, Media Practice and Public Relations (PR) programme includes modules in Professional Writing/Journalism, Visual Communications and Media Design, Video and Documentary Making and Public Relations (PR), Branding and Promotion. Other modules in communication, theory, film and history are also available.

The Communication, Media Practice and Public Relations (PR) programme allows graduates to add valuable and desirable professional media skills for careers in business, journalism, public and media relations, broadcasting, advertising and marketing and industry professionals to acquire new media skills and qualifications that will enhance their continuing professional development.

The full-time MA in Communication, Media Practice and Public Relations (PR) course is split across the year with three modules offered in each academic semester (a total of six modules in part one) and then a dissertation or professional media practice project over the summer (part two).

The part two component allows students in the Communication, Media Practice and Public Relations (PR) programme to either write a 16,000 word dissertation or undertake the professional media project which incorporates the practical elements of the course and a short unpaid work placement.

MA in Communication, Media Practice and Public Relations (PR) Aims

To research and develop stories in an online, multi-media environment.

To present the principles, theories and techniques surrounding video making.

To develop practical skills and conceptual knowledge of digital publishing, visual communication and media design.

To provide a critical overview of the role of public relations (PR) and promotional practice.

To develop writing skills in a wide range of genres.

Modules

Modules on the MA in in Communication, Media Practice and Public Relations (PR) typically include:

• Visual Communication and Media Design

• Video and Documentary Making

• Public Relations (PR), Branding and Promotion

• Reporting Terrorism

• Global Media

• Risk Reporting

• The Business and Politics of Digital Media

• Development Communications

• Online Journalism

• The Digital Edge

Careers

Career expectations are excellent for Communication, Media Practice and Public Relations (PR) graduates. Media Companies, non-profit organisations, global business, government and the public sector value the fact that our Communication, Media Practice and Public Relations (PR) Graduates have developed a range of critical and theoretical abilities and a creative and innovative approach to media practice. Our Graduates go on to work in business, marketing and Public Relations (PR), journalism, broadcasting, web-design, advertising, publicity, arts and cultural bodies.

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This exciting new multidisciplinary master's programme is fully designed to reflect the needs of contemporary interactive media industries, bringing together creative technologies, interactivity and design practices within digital cultures with the user in mind.

Interactive Media Practice combines a wide range of digital creative technologies primarily combining digital literacies design, technology and interaction, through user centred design for commercial outputs to an industry standard.

Interactive Media Practice places the user at the centre of the experience and focuses on design and content creation in areas such as: mobile app development, wearables, games, rich media websites, interactive guides and installations, immersive VR, next generation advertising and virtual and augmented reality systems, through to social media powerful eMarketing and entrepreneurship through innovation protocol.

According to the late CEO of Apple, Steve Jobs, the app industry "is worth several billion pounds annually and employs around 40,000 people, representing approximately ten per cent of the total audio-visual workforce. Sectors such as sound-driven games and apps show an even wider growth where providers such as Apple have paid a total of two billion dollars to apps within the US alone".

Adobe Systems (UK) fully support the programme with high recommendation, based on the development and key principles the course offers, which is rare and unique. We embrace excellent contracts within the interactive media and games industries, including regular visits and master classes from industry professionals at the top of their game from Adobe to Sony.

Adobe Systems (UK), said: “This Interactive Media degree offers an ideal grounding for those wishing to work in the digital media industries, which increasingly require people who work with technology from a creative perspective. This is the course that will create the next generation of interactive media stars…! ”

The course embraces a hackathon culture with specialist hack labs boasting newly designed flexible learning spaces for students to work more collaboratively on innovation protocols fostering cross-pollination of new ideas creatively. Many students will be working on live industry briefs as well as their own projects independently within and outside our course clusters. This collaborative approach to learning and research often leads to successful projects, which are commercially viable, and quickly gain industry recognition through our end of year show.

“It’s a really multi-faceted MA, bringing together creativity, technology skills and digital media, with an entrepreneurial thread.” – 2015 Graduate.

Our students learn to examine the communication of ideas in a networked world through our entrepreneurship incubator programme and consider the many impacts of digital media in everyday life, for commercial trajectories through practiced based projects.

As one of the top 100 international universities in the world, the University of Westminster's School of Media, Arts and Design currently boasts a series of professional recording studios, a new teaching recording studio, professional technology labs and access to an array of post-production, and multimedia facilities built and equipped to the highest standards.

Using the leading industry software, you will be involved in designing and making interactive digital media content for delivery over the Internet, on tablets and mobile devices and for installations to designing compelling user interfaces creating a great user experience, this also extends to the development towards creating content for the ‘internet of things’.

The MA in Interactive Media Practice course will prepare you for this sector, by leveraging and integrating the fine blend between creativity and technical capacities. You will also benefit from having access to a range of highly regarded industry practitioners who will offer you exceptional insight and working knowledge within the field, both challenging and encouraging your technical and creative fair. On this master's degree you will develop commercial-level interactive media and digital content production skills.

Course content

This multidisciplinary course prepares you to work in a wide range of industry combining theory, practice, and bringing together technical, creative perspective on new media systems, interactive technologies and digital culture as well as exploring new emerging creative technologies, producing an industry professional who can produce as well as explore future creative technologies.

Students are encouraged to work with technology experimentally in a creative way, collaboratively, and to apply emerging and existing technology in new and innovative ways, research and the experimental application. You will also have hands-on experience creating content for, iPad, iPhone, iPod, Playstation , Xbox, Oculus Rift and content rich media websites, advanced web production and design, design for interface all of this with the user in mind. The course will provide skills in the relevant multimedia software, media rich web production, Unity, UdK, website design and development to mobile app development. You will be taught creative coding, interfaces and the course encourages the use a wide range of programming languages delivered by industry practitioners. We also have accreditation opportunities within Adobe and Apple for those students wanting to develop their skills more prolifically within select software.

These include mobile apps, mainstream games, interactive installation, sonic media and eMarketing, with an emphasis on core creative skills. The course also prepares and enhances your ability in producing interactive media, methodologies and production workflows, supported by a robust understanding of the technologies and theories involved.

The Interactive Media Practice degree offers an ideal underpinning for those seeking employment in the digital media industries, which increasingly require people who work with technology form a creative perspective. This is the course that will create the next generation of interactive media talent who are both enterprising and creative.

Our approach on the course is implemented through hackathon culture as seen in technology start up sectors, where cross collaboration through interdisciplinary approach is very welcomed. Students are encouraged to apply from design, non-programming or non-technical backgrounds as well as technical backgrounds.

Modules

-Applied Innovation and Interactive Design
-Mobile Apps and Wearable Devices
-Entrepreneurship and Project Management for Creative Industries
-Social Media and E-Marketing
-Hack Lab and Creative Technologies
-UX Design and Development
-Major Project

Associated careers

There are many highly desirable careers that students from this course can go on into such as: interactive media, app development, new media production, interactive development, advanced web producer, content manager, UX designer, project management, media, digital marketing, media design, online branding, interactive game design, web production, game designer, media advertising, information design, digital production, strategic development, online advertising, UX architect, digital SAM, mobile UX, front end development, wen development, email marketing executive, ecommerce digital marketing manager, .net developer, UX designer academic publisher, UX researcher, social media executive, digital designer, digital advertising, SEO consultant, content marketing specialist, interaction designer, digital project manger, optimisation manager and digital content production. Digital marker, creative technologist, rich media website developer, games producer, social media manger, museum installation, VR gaming, VR advertising.

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The Master of Media Practice focuses on media industry content production, in a rapidly changing, increasingly global context. Areas of study include writing for media, media liaison, broadcast and online journalism, ethical and legal issues in the media, and international media practice.

This course will broaden your written and spoken communication skills, as well as your production skills in print, broadcast and online media. You will also develop a sophisticated understanding of the media industries, audiences and global media environments.

The Graduate Diploma and Graduate Certificate in Media Practice provide shorter avenues to update and extend your professional skills, or to explore new career directions.

To ask a question about this course, visit http://sydney.edu.au/internationaloffice/

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Delivered by expert practitioners and aimed at graduates from various disciplines and industry professionals wishing to broaden their skills across film, digital, media, photography, writing and performance. This programme equips you for a creative media career, offering network contacts, an impressive portfolio and essential practical skills.

About the programme

This unique programme will help you explore and consolidate your creative identity, working with others from diverse creative backgrounds to nurture your creative potential and create new opportunities to help sustain your career.

Informed by research excellence and expert professional practice, the programme will bring out your creative potential, while providing the critical focus essential to respond flexibly to new opportunities and sustain your career.

Practical experience

The Pg Diploma and Masters programmes offer work-related learning through the module Creative Skills 2, either as a placement in the screen and broadcast industries and/or work on a professional project.

Your learning

There are three stages:

- Postgraduate Certificate (60 credits):
Core modules (20 credits each at SCQF 11 unless otherwise noted) include:
• Creative Skills 1 – introducing new creative skill areas in short creative projects

• Critical Media Contexts – an essential overview of contemporary critical debate

• Creative Media Practice – intensive CPD workshops with reflective analysis

Students choose one option including:
• Motion Graphics (SCQF 10)
• Producing for Film & Television (SCQF 10)
• Producing Factual Formats (SCQF 10)
• Writing the One Act Play (SCQF 10)
• Music Film and Sound Aesthetics (SCQF 10)
• Podcasting and New Media (SCQF 10)

- Postgraduate Diploma (120 credits):
• Creative Skills 2 – a placement in the screen and broadcast industries and/or work on a professional project

• Collaborative Project – a previous venture won the 2013 BAFTA New Talent Award

• Research: Critical Development – introduction to research methods associated with creative practice and preparation of a creative research proposal

- MA (180 credits):
A substantial practice-led research project, e.g. production of a feature screenplay, a documentary or digital media project. Previous successful Masters creative projects include an e-publishing project for fairy stories which was subsequently funded by Creative Scotland.

Our Careers Adviser says

Graduates have found roles such as independent producer; scriptwriter; TV development producer; documentary maker; and digital media producer/ developer. For graduates of design for the moving image, careers include artist filmmaker and motion graphics designer.

Financial support

In session 2015/16 the Postgraduate Diploma element of this programme carried SAAS postgraduate loan funding for eligible students. Check http://www.saas.gov.uk for 2016/17 loan info.

Great facilities

Accreditation by Creative Skillset, the Sector Skills Council for Creative Media, has led to the creation of the UWS Creative Media Academy. Operating across our campuses and through the UWS Glasgow Creative Enterprise Cluster, the Academy offers:
• A wide range of practice-led programmes

• First-rate facilities including an £81million investment in our new campus at Ayr

• Teaching in skills which are in demand by the creative industries

Research excellence

Our vibrant research culture spans a wide range of areas, including:
• providing advice on the cultural and educational aspects of the Olympic and Commonwealth Games

• student and industry collaboration on the creation of transmedia projects that offer real research and development potential and generate new online experiences for mobile and tablet users

• practice-led research in popular music, theatre, broadcasting and the visual arts

• new media art, ethics and emerging media technologies

• collaboration with leading arts festivals and venues including CCA Glasgow and Film City Glasgow

• creative writing for fiction, film, theatre and TV, working with leading broadcasters and arts companies

• cultural policy, cultural practice and cultural economy in Scotland and Europe, from small island communities to large urban areas

• participatory arts and media practice, community regeneration and public art

• journalism, politics and media representation

• the future of journalism and social media

• independent film and new media

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The MA in 21st Century Media Practice (formerly Media Production MA) aims to provide the ground for producing new and innovative forms of practice in media production that are socially, politically, economically and ethically engaged with everyday life. Joining a participatory and engaged community of practice is what makes the course a special and stimulating experience.

WHY CHOOSE THIS COURSE?

The MA is committed to opening up media education and practice to current debates and the massive changes occurring within the media landscape.

You will be involved in practical hands-on projects throughout the course using our extensive media resources.

Projects are based on a structured approach to research, writing, presentation and production.

WHAT WILL I LEARN?

Skye plus video Students are taken seriously as media producers. The course offers a creative space in which experimental and innovative ways of working can be accommodated.

It is based in critical practice and invites the students to respond to the problems of media production now and how it has been shaped by key historical practitioners.

By making students as much aware of the historical contingencies as they are of the latest practical, technological and theoretical developments within the profession, the MA in 21st Century Media Practice seeks to equip them with the means to construct new forms of material imagination.

This imagination is, by definition, a form of shared social and political engagement with the world.

Modules
-Critical Media Praxis
-Emergent Media Praxis
-Sensory Praxis
-Narrative Forms
-Final Project

HOW WILL THIS COURSE ENHANCE MY CAREER PROSPECTS?

With its emphasis on media futures and media business, this MA is ideal for you whether you are a graduate continuing from your BA or someone in the industry who wants time and space in a supportive yet rigorous atmosphere to look at where and how you want to work next.

GLOBAL LEADERS PROGRAMME

To prepare students for the challenges of the global employment market and to strengthen and develop their broader personal and professional skills Coventry University has developed a unique Global Leaders Programme.

The objectives of the programme, in which postgraduate and eligible undergraduate students can participate, is to provide practical career workshops and enable participants to experience different business cultures.

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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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This programme aims to deepen student’s knowledge of media and practice, by allowing them to conduct research in the field of media theory, communication and media forms. Drawing on a wide range of expertise within the school, you will have the opportunity to develop, sustain, consolidate and resolve a self-directed programme of work in the field of media, either creative or theoretical, over an extended period of time. The module is divided into two taught modules and a substantial independent piece of work, supervised by specialist professional staff in the field. Successful applicants for this programme will have an excellent first degree in a relevant discipline or equivalent practical/industrial experience, and a demonstrated ability to work independently to bring a self-directed project to completion.

Modules:

Media, Culture, and Creativity Theory: This module builds on one of the School of Creative Studies and Media Department’s greatest strengths, by bringing students together with other practitioners and researchers from other fields of study in a forum for a wider discourse about current research in the media and creative industries. The module will provide a systematic overview of major 20th and 21st century critical schools and theoretical approaches, which are key for an advanced understanding of how to read and analyse creative, cultural and media artefacts such as fiction, non-fiction, poetry, drama, film, video games and other new media texts.

Research Methods: This module equips you with an understanding and critical overview of key methodological issues associated with various types of research in the Media, Cultural and Creative Industries, in preparation for the dissertation.

MRes Humanities Dissertation: With guidance from academic staff, students following the MRes Humanities Dissertation module will be asked to choose a topic of their own, for further research. Students will be expected to produce an independently researched piece of work which will reflect the knowledge and skills acquired from the taught modules. The topic chosen may be specific to one culture or comparative.

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Social media, citizen journalism, activist media, participatory media and specialised broadcast media are successfully used to inform and engage audiences outside established channels of communication for issues such as:
-Social inequality
-Human rights
-Gender issues
-Environmental change

This course combines a critical analysis of development, democratisation processes and social change with the acquisition of creative and technical media production skills.

You focus on media as a tool for social and political change in the context of (international) development and social change. There is a strong emphasis on the role of civil society in effecting social change in this MA.

How will I study?
You’ll learn in small groups with fellow students from around the world. You’ll acquire a range of practical media skills and can specialise in photography, film or multimedia.

You can also focus on topic-based fields such as poverty, environmental change, media regulation or migration.

Assessment consists of:
-A variety of practical media projects
-Critical reflection reports
-Presentations
-Essays

The final project (work placement, independent media project or written dissertation).

Placement
Your final project can be an independent media project shot anywhere in the world, a written dissertation or a work placement. Work placements take the form of an eight-week work experience in a charity, NGO or media company. Previously, placements have been at institutions such as Oxfam, Unicef and the United Nations.

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

Careers
Civil society institutions, social movements and international development agencies increasingly require skilled and creative people to apply digital media technologies in enhancing their capacity to communicate, interact and influence within and across borders.

This MA has been developed specifically for those seeking employment in:
-Global or national media industries
-NGOs and the international voluntary sector
-International development institutions
-Independent media production companies

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Social media, citizen journalism, activist media, participatory media and specialised broadcast media are successfully used to inform and engage audiences outside established channels of communication for issues such as:
-Social inequality
-Human rights
-Gender issues
-Environmental change

This course combines a critical analysis of development, democratisation processes and social change with the acquisition of creative and technical media production skills.

You focus on media as a tool for social and political change in the context of (international) development and social change. There is a strong emphasis on the role of civil society in effecting social change in this MA.

How will I study?

You’ll learn in small groups with fellow students from around the world. You’ll acquire a range of practical media skills and can specialise in photography, film or multimedia.

You can also focus on topic-based fields such as poverty, environmental change, media regulation or migration.

Assessment consists of:
-A variety of practical media projects
-Critical reflection reports
-Presentations
-Essays
-The final project (work placement, independent media project or written dissertation)

Placement

Your final project can be an independent media project shot anywhere in the world, a written dissertation or a work placement. Work placements take the form of an eight-week work experience in a charity, NGO or media company. Previously, placements have been at institutions such as Oxfam, Unicef and the United Nations.

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

ESRC 1+3 and +3 Scholarships (2017)
-A number of ESRC-funded standalone PhD and PhD with Masters scholarships across the social sciences.
-Application deadline: 30 January 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

You will be taught by faculty from the School of Media, Film and Music and also by faculty from the School of Global Studies.

Careers

Civil society institutions, social movements and international development agencies increasingly require skilled and creative people to apply digital media technologies in enhancing their capacity to communicate, interact and influence within and across borders.

This MA has been developed specifically for those seeking employment in:
-Global or national media industries
-NGOs and the international voluntary sector
-International development institutions
-Independent media production companies

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We are living through an era of tumultuous change in how politics is conducted and communicated. The great digital disruption of the early 21st century continues to work its way through media systems around the world, forcing change, adaptation, and renewal across a whole range of areas: political parties and campaigns, interest groups, social movements, activist organisations, news and journalism, the communication industries, governments, and international relations.

In the New Political Communication Unit at Royal Holloway, University of London, we believe the key to making sense of these chaotic developments is the idea of power—how it is generated, how it is used, and how it shapes the diverse information and communication flows that affect all our lives.

This unique new Masters degree, which replaces the MSc in New Political Communication, is for critically-minded, free-thinking individuals who want to engage with the exciting intellectual ferment that is being generated by these unprecedented times. The curriculum integrates rigorous study of the very best academic research with an emphasis on making sense of political communication as it is practiced in the real world, in both "old" and "new" media settings.

While not a practice-based course, the MSc Media, Power, and Public Affairs is perfect for those who wish to build a career in the growing range of professions that require deep and critical insight into the relationship between media and politics and public communication more generally. These include advocacy, campaign management, political communication consultancy, journalism, government communication, policy analysis, public opinion and semantic polling, and public diplomacy, to name but a few. Plus, due to its strong emphasis on scholarly rigour, the MSc in Media, Power, and Public Affairs is also the perfect foundation for a PhD in political communication.

You will study a mixture of core and elective units, including a generous choice of free options, and write a supervised dissertation over the summer. Teaching is conducted primarily in small group seminars that meet weekly for two hours, supplemented by individual tuition for the dissertation.

This course is also offered at Postgraduate Diploma level for those who do not have the academic background necessary to begin an advanced Masters degree. The structure of the Diploma is identical except that you will not write a dissertation. If you are successful on the Diploma you may transfer to the MSc, subject to academic approval.

See the website https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/politicsandir/coursefinder/mscpgdipmediapowerandpublicaffairs.aspx

Why choose this course?

- be taught by internationally-leading scholars in the field of political communication

- the curriculum integrates rigorous study of the very best academic research with an emphasis on making sense of political communication as it is practiced in the real world, in both "old" and "new" media settings

- perfect for those who wish to build a career in the growing range of professions that require deep and critical insight into the relationship between media and politics and public communication more generally

- a unique focus on the question of power and influence in today’s radically networked societies.

On completion of the programme, you will have:
- advanced knowledge and critical understanding of key concepts, theoretical debates, and developments in the field of political communication

- advanced knowledge of the texts, theories, and methods used to enhance understanding of the issues, processes, and phenomena in the field of political communication

- advanced knowledge and critical understanding of research methods in the social sciences

- a solid foundation for a career in the growing range of professions that require deep and critical insight into the relationship between media and politics and public communication more generally, or for a PhD in any area of media and politics.

Department research and industry highlights

- The New Political Communication Unit’s research agenda focuses on the impact of new media and communication technologies on politics, policy and governance. Core staff include Professor Andrew Chadwick, Professor Ben O’Loughlin, Dr Alister Miskimmon, and Dr Cristian Vaccari. Recent books include Andrew Chadwick’s The Hybrid Media System: Politics and Power (Oxford University Press, 2013), Cristian Vaccari’s Digital Politics in Western Democracies: A Comparative Study (Johns Hopkins University Press), and Alister Miskimmon, Ben O’Loughlin, and Laura Roselle’s, Strategic Narratives: Communication Power and the New World Order (Routledge, 2013). Andrew Chadwick edits the Oxford University Press book series Oxford Studies in Digital Politics and Ben O’Loughlin is co-editor of the journal Media, War and Conflict. The Unit hosts a large number of PhD students working in the field of new political communication.

Course content and structure

You will study four core course units (chosen from a total of six options), two elective units, and write a dissertation over the summer. Course units include one of three disciplinary training pathway courses, a course in research design, analysing international politics, and specialist options in international relations.

Students studying for the Postgraduate Diploma do not undertake the dissertation.

Core course units:
Media, Power, and Public Affairs: You will examine the relationship between media, politics and power in contemporary political life. This unit focuses on a number of important foundational themes, including theories of media effects, the construction of political news, election campaigning, government communications and spin, media regulation, the emergence of digital media, the globalisation of media, agenda setting, and propaganda and the role of media in international affairs. The overarching rationale is that we live in an era in which the massive diversity of media, new technologies, and new methodologies demands new forms of analysis. The approach will be comparative and international.

Internet and New Media Politics:
 Drawing predominantly, though not exclusively, upon specialist academic journal literatures, this course focuses on a number of important contemporary debates about the role and influence of new technologies on the values, processes and outcomes of: global governance institutions; public bureaucracies; journalism and news production; representative institutions including political parties and legislatures; pressure groups and social movements. It also examines persistent and controversial policy problems generated by digital media, such as privacy and surveillance, the nature of contemporary media systems, and the balance of power between older and newer media logics in social and political life. By the end of the course students will have an understanding of the key issues thrown up by the internet and new media, as well as a critical perspective on what these terms actually mean. The approach will be comparative, drawing on examples from around the world, including the developing world, but the principal focus will be on the politics of the United States and Britain.

Social Media and Politics: This course addresses the various ways in which social media are changing the relationships between politicians, citizens, and the media. The course will start by laying out broad arguments and debates about the democratic implications of social media that are ongoing not just in academic circles but also in public commentary, political circles, and policy networks—do social media expand or narrow civic engagement? Do they lead to cross-cutting relationships or self-reinforcing echo chambers? Do they hinder or promote political participation? Are they useful in campaigns or just the latest fashion? Do they foster effective direct communication between politicians and citizens? Are they best understood as technologies of freedom or as surveillance tools? These debates will be addressed throughout the course by drawing on recent empirical research published in the most highly rated academic journals in the field. The course will thus enable students to understand how social media are used by citizens, politicians, and media professionals to access, distribute, and co-produce contents that are relevant to politics and public affairs and establish opportunities for political and civic engagement.

Media, War and Conflict:
The post-9/11 global security situation and the 2003 Iraq war have prompted a marked increase in interest in questions concerning media, war and conflict. This unit examines the relationships between media, governments, military, and audiences/publics, in light of old, new, and potential future security events.

Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods in Politics and International Relations:
 You will be provided with an introduction to core theories and qualitative approaches in politics and international relations. You will examine a number of explanatory/theoretical frameworks, their basic assumptions, strengths and weaknesses, and concrete research applications. You will consider the various qualitative techniques available for conducting research, the range of decisions qualitative researchers face, and the trade-offs researchers must consider when designing qualitative research.

Dissertation (MSc only): The dissertation gives you the opportunity to study an aspect of Media, Power, and Public Affairs in depth. You will be assigned a dissertation supervisor and the length of the piece will be 12,000 words.

Elective course units:
Note: not all course units are available every year, but may include:
- Politics of Democracy
- Elections and Parties
- United States Foreign Policy
- Human Rights: From Theory to Practice
- Theories and Concepts in International Public Policy
- Contemporary Anglo-American Political Theory
- Transnational Security Studies
- Conflict and Conflict Resolution in the Middle East
- The Law of Cyber Warfare
- Comparative Political Executives
- European Union Politics and Policy
- International Public Policy in Practice
- Sovereignty, Rights and Justice
- Theories of Globalisation
- Introduction to Quantitative Research Methods in Politics and International Relations

Assessment

Assessment is carried out by coursework and an individually-supervised dissertation.

Employability & career opportunities

Advocacy, campaign management, political communication consultancy, journalism, government communication, policy analysis, public opinion and semantic polling, public diplomacy, PhD research.

How to apply

Applications for entry to all our full-time postgraduate degrees can be made online https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/studyhere/postgraduate/applying/howtoapply.aspx .

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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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About the course

This course examines the role of public relations in shaping media output both within media organisations themselves and in relation to the external impact of PR on the media.

The field of public relations has grown dramatically in the past 20 years and this has had profound implications for the media and other institutions that rely on the media to disseminate knowledge.

This course will investigate the rise of public relations and its links with global media institutions from historical perspectives and in relation to the contemporary media landscape. It will offer a critical examination of the role of PR in the mediation of power as well as the role of public relations in a range of media arenas.

You will be encouraged to reflect critically and theoretically on the function of PR in relation to: the role of the media in political communication, media policy, celebrity culture, film marketing, alternative media, media campaigning, and new media technologies.

You will be offered the opportunity to plan PR campaigns and reflect on their role in the knowledge economy.

This combination will provide you with the opportunity to examine the context in which PR practice takes place and to develop the knowledge and skills needed to work ethically in PR at an international level.

Aims

You will gain an advanced knowledge of the relevant theories of public relations which explain and debate its significance.

You will learn about the history of the role of public relations in the media.

You will acquire an advanced understanding of the functioning of public relations in the contemporary media.

You will gain the knowledge and skills necessary to undertake advanced scholarly research in the field of media and public relations.

You will be able to reflect critically on public relations practices within media organisations and to reflect intellectually on their PR practice.

You will develop the knowledge and skills necessary for the ethical development of your career in Media PR.

Course Content

The MA consists of both compulsory and optional modules, a typical selection can be found below. Modules can vary from year to year, but these offer a good idea of what we teach.

Compulsory modules:

Public Relations Propaganda and Spin
Key Issues in Media and Public Relations
Building a PR Campaign
Media Marketing and Public Relations

Optional modules:

Media and Public Relations Major Project 1
Media and Public Relations Major Project 2

Teaching

The Media and Public Relations MA is taught through lectures, seminars, workshops, screenings and industry speakers.

Assessment

The MA will be assessed through a combination of essays, reports, case studies, campaign design and a dissertation.

Special Features

The academic study of public relations and the media is very new and this MA puts us at the forefront of this development. Most of the MAs in Britain either focus on corporate public relations and are either predominantly practical or are theoretical courses that sit within more traditional mass communications curriculum and focus on the important area of political communications and the news media. Our
MA is innovative because it combines theory and practice.

Also innovative is our combined examination of the impact of public relations on the media and the use of public relations practices within media organisations including film, TV and other news organisations, with particular reference to their promotional cultures. This provides students with a broad and advanced understanding of the relationship between public relations and the media.

We have experts teaching on the course with both theoretical and practical experience.

This programme has grown out of the research interests and expertise of the team, giving it a distinctive character.

The focus on PR within the media will range from that of large corporations to smaller-scale, alternative forms including ‘DIY’ practices employed directly by lower-budget producers via social media and other online channels, key areas of contemporary development in PR and marketing more generally.

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The MSc in Filmmaking and Media Arts is designed to deliver a portfolio of skills required in contemporary screen-based production contexts. If you are a filmmaker, freelance media producer, or an independent media artist seeking to develop advanced skills and learn key industry practices for building your career, the MSc in Filmmaking and Media Arts has been specifically designed for you. Through practical workshops, industry master classes, and history and theory courses you will have the opportunity to learn from industry professionals, media artists, and world leading academics in film, television and digital media theory.

Why this programme

-Through practical workshops, industry master classes, and history and theory courses you will have the opportunity to learn from industry professionals, media artists, and academics in film, television and digital media theory.
-Glasgow offers a vibrant context for filmmaking and media arts practice. Key cultural events include the Glasgow Film Festival and Glasgow International(a biennial international festival of contemporary art).
-This broad-based and flexible programme allows you to work across a variety of platforms.
-Recognising that the programme will attract a diverse range of creative individuals, we offer a variety of software and hardware options. Our purpose designed Media Lab is equipped with Avid, Adobe Creative Cloud (including Premiere Pro, After Effects, Photoshop, Dreamweaver) and Final Cut Pro. We are able to equip students for projects with a range of cameras and sound and lighting equipment.
-The city is the home of BBC Scotland, STV and a lively community of independent media producers (television companies, sound studios and design companies) and numerous micro-businesses in the creative industries. It is also home to the internationally significant Glasgow Museum of Modern Art as well as venues renowned for exhibitions of emerging and established screen-based artists such as Tramway, The Centre for Contemporary Art and The Arches. In addition, the city is famous for its live music venues, galleries and artist run studio spaces offering an excellent and supportive environment for creative artists.
-The programme is taught in the Gilmorehill Centre which offers a purpose built Media Lab, its own cinema as well as a Media Archive which has more than 6,000 holdings, complementing the Library’s extensive collection of film, television and media art books and periodicals. The Centre is home to the international journal Screen and hosts the journal’s annual conference every summer, attracting leading names in film and television studies from across the world. You will have the opportunity to participate in the conference as well as to engage with guest speakers from the academy and media industries throughout the year.

Programme structure

The programme will offer a combination of formal lectures, practitioner led workshops, seminar discussions, screenings and one-on-one tutorials.

The practical elements of the course will feature high levels of support and direction in relation to pre-production materials, including developing pitches and storyboards as well as hands on support in relation to delivery of the individual film/media art projects.

Industry workshops are designed to give you the skills and knowledge needed in contemporary screen-based media contexts, while history and theory courses are offered to link industry practice with cutting edge theory in the field.

The programme has 4 components:
-Two core practical workshops: Running in Semester 1 and Semester 2, these are led by a practitioner in our purpose built Media Lab and are designed to provide hands on support in the production of your film or media art projects. They also incorporate sessions led by industry professional that are designed to pass on key industry experiences and skills vital to a successful career in the industry.
-The core academic option Experimental Art and Media: This course covers the history and theory of experimental art and filmmaking, including the topic of practice-as-research. It is designed to provide a critical foundation for your filmmaking and/or media arts practice.
-You will also choose one course, selected from a range of academic options that draw on the research expertise of the subject team.
-A practice-based dissertation, where you have the opportunity to develop, with support from technical and academic supervisors, a large-scale film or media arts self-directed project.

Career prospects

The programme will equip you with the ability to develop a career as a media producer, with a particular focus on low-budget productions for film and television. You will have the opportunity to explore and develop freelance industry practices and a portfolio of skills enabling you to work as an independent practitioner in today’s creative industries.

It is an innovative programme that teaches artistic, technical and professional skills and is designed to support graduates that are interested in working for large media companies or who may wish to pursue their own independent filmmaking and/or media arts practice. The programme also offers the research preparation necessary to successfully pursue a practice-based PhD.

You will learn things such as how to make films or media art pieces on low-budgets, how to take an idea from pitch to production, how to manage and sustain workflows, the processes involved in applying for arts funding, how to enhance your public profile and the processes involved in administering a start-up company.

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The MSc in Filmmaking and Media Arts is designed to deliver a portfolio of skills required in contemporary screen-based production contexts. If you are a filmmaker, freelance media producer, or an independent media artist seeking to develop advanced skills and learn key industry practices for building your career, the MSc in Filmmaking and Media Arts has been specifically designed for you. Through practical workshops, industry master classes, and history and theory courses you will have the opportunity to learn from industry professionals, media artists, and world leading academics in film, television and digital media theory.

Why this programme

-Through practical workshops, industry master classes, and history and theory courses you will have the opportunity to learn from industry professionals, media artists, and academics in film, television and digital media theory.
-Glasgow offers a vibrant context for filmmaking and media arts practice. Key cultural events include the Glasgow Film Festival and Glasgow International(a biennial international festival of contemporary art).
-This broad-based and flexible programme allows you to work across a variety of platforms.
-Recognising that the programme will attract a diverse range of creative individuals, we offer a variety of software and hardware options. Our purpose designed Media Lab is equipped with Avid, Adobe Creative Cloud (including Premiere Pro, After Effects, Photoshop, Dreamweaver) and Final Cut Pro. We are able to equip students for projects with a range of cameras and sound and lighting equipment.
-The city is the home of BBC Scotland, STV and a lively community of independent media producers (television companies, sound studios and design companies) and numerous micro-businesses in the creative industries. It is also home to the internationally significant Glasgow Museum of Modern Art as well as venues renowned for exhibitions of emerging and established screen-based artists such as Tramway, The Centre for Contemporary Art and The Arches. In addition, the city is famous for its live music venues, galleries and artist run studio spaces offering an excellent and supportive environment for creative artists.
-The programme is taught in the Gilmorehill Centre which offers a purpose built Media Lab, its own cinema as well as a Media Archive which has more than 6,000 holdings, complementing the Library’s extensive collection of film, television and media art books and periodicals. The Centre is home to the international journal Screen and hosts the journal’s annual conference every summer, attracting leading names in film and television studies from across the world. You will have the opportunity to participate in the conference as well as to engage with guest speakers from the academy and media industries throughout the year.

Programme structure

The programme will offer a combination of formal lectures, practitioner led workshops, seminar discussions, screenings and one-on-one tutorials.

The practical elements of the course will feature high levels of support and direction in relation to pre-production materials, including developing pitches and storyboards as well as hands on support in relation to delivery of the individual film/media art projects.

Industry workshops are designed to give you the skills and knowledge needed in contemporary screen-based media contexts, while history and theory courses are offered to link industry practice with cutting edge theory in the field.

The programme has 4 components:
-Two core practical workshops: Running in Semester 1 and Semester 2, these are led by a practitioner in our purpose built Media Lab and are designed to provide hands on support in the production of your film or media art projects. They also incorporate sessions led by industry professional that are designed to pass on key industry experiences and skills vital to a successful career in the industry.
-The core academic option Experimental Art and Media: This course covers the history and theory of experimental art and filmmaking, including the topic of practice-as-research. It is designed to provide a critical foundation for your filmmaking and/or media arts practice.
-You will also choose one course, selected from a range of academic options that draw on the research expertise of the subject team.
-A practice-based dissertation, where you have the opportunity to develop, with support from technical and academic supervisors, a large-scale film or media arts self-directed project.

Career prospects

The programme will equip you with the ability to develop a career as a media producer, with a particular focus on low-budget productions for film and television. You will have the opportunity to explore and develop freelance industry practices and a portfolio of skills enabling you to work as an independent practitioner in today’s creative industries.

It is an innovative programme that teaches artistic, technical and professional skills and is designed to support graduates that are interested in working for large media companies or who may wish to pursue their own independent filmmaking and/or media arts practice. The programme also offers the research preparation necessary to successfully pursue a practice-based PhD.

You will learn things such as how to make films or media art pieces on low-budgets, how to take an idea from pitch to production, how to manage and sustain workflows, the processes involved in applying for arts funding, how to enhance your public profile and the processes involved in administering a start-up company.

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This is an advanced practice-based research programme for students wishing to extend their research into the areas of film, photography and electronic arts- http://www.gold.ac.uk/pg/mres-filmmaking-photography-electronic-arts/

The programme is particularly relevant for students who have an MA degree and are looking to postion and develop their research and practice work.

It will be tailor-made to your individual research area and practice, giving you the opportunity to develop research skills and pursue your own area of interest.

You'll work closely with a personal supervisor to develop your work in the areas of filmmaking, photography and digital arts.

You’ll also receive training and guidance in ethical and legal obligations, and be encouraged to accommodate feminist, anti-racist, decolonising and other appropriate approaches to your chosen subject.

The programme meets the needs of two groups:

students who have completed an MA in Filmmaking, Photography, or Electronic Arts and cognate programmes (for example, our MA in Photography: The Image & Electronic Arts)
film, photography and electronic arts professionals who wish to extend their research-based practice

Contact the department

If you have specific questions about the degree, contact Sean Cubitt.

Structure

A personalised programme
The programme is personalised for each student, and is based on your individual research into your chosen practice. It gives you the opportunity to develop appropriate research skills and to pursue a research practice project of your own design, developed and reworked in discussion with a personal supervisor.

The curriculum is personalised for individual students, but all students will share a common curriculum and receive training and guidance in ethical and legal obligations, and be encouraged to accommodate feminist, anti-racist, decolonising and other appropriate approaches to their chosen subject.

The course will add value to recent MA practice graduates and to film, photography and electronic arts professionals by giving a deeper and more specialised engagement in a major research project supervised by staff experienced in both creative and professional research. Research training will give you the skills to design and complete your own research and to work to research briefs.

All students undertake the Practice-Based Research Methods Seminar in the first term, producing a detailed 5000 word project outline at the end. They will also take in the second term one of a selected range of optional modules to help develop their critical and theoretical awareness. In the first term, they begin work with their personal supervisor on the design and execution of their project. Supervision will determine the specific means used: some students will embark directly on a single piece of work; others may undertake a series of workshop-based activities.

Aims

The programme's subject-specific learning outcomes require you to think critically about a range of issues concerning the media, understood in the widest sense, and to be able to justify their views intellectually and practically. The central outcome will be to design and conduct a substantial practice-based research project.

As appropriate to each individual project, you will be encouraged to analyse, contextualise, historicise, and theorise your chosen medium with reference to key debates in history, sociology, anthropology and philosophy of film and the media. You will learn to produce high quality research under time constraints, by working independently.

All students will develop a range of transferable qualities and skills necessary for employment in related 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’. You will be guided to work independently and to think through the intellectual issues.

Progress is carefully monitored, to make sure that you are making progress towards the achievement of the outcomes. Different kinds of practical and intellectual skills are required for each part of the programme. In consultation with supervisors, you will be guided to the most appropriate practical and intellectual approaches, and to the most appropriate technical and critical sources.

Structure

You take the following modules:

Practice-Based Research Methods (30 credits)
This module provides research methods training for the MRes in Film Photography and Electronic Arts, and may be taken by practice-based students in the MPhil programme in Media and Communications. In all years it will address the legal and ethical constraints operating on research by practice. In any given year, the syllabus will address such topics as technique (colour, composition, editing, post-production, sound-image relations, text-image relations), anti-racist, feminist and decolonial critique; hardware and software studies; environmental impacts of media production, dissemination and exhibition; media critical approaches to art, political economy, and truth. The interests of students and supervisors will guide the selection of specific content of the course in its delivery, whose aim is to inculcate advanced thinking on the making, delivery and audiences for research-based practice.

Research Project (120 credits)
The project in the MRes Film, Photography and Electronic Arts comprises a portfolio of practical work (such as photographs, video, film, installation, websites or other digital/print material) alongside a textual component. The work submitted should be original, and be as integral to the research aims, processes and outcomes of the project as the textual component. The final project as a whole will therefore demonstrate the integration of its practical and research components, so that text and practice reflect critically on each other. The length of the textual element should normally be between 5,000 and 10,000 words. The practical component should be a ‘substantial’ body of work. Given the potential range of media that can be used, and their differing potential relationships with the research process and the textual component, it is impossible to be precise. In the case of film/video it would normally entail the submission of a work (or works) of about 25 minutes in length (or more), but detailed requirements will be worked out on a case-by-case basis.

Students will undertake to design and conduct a substantial practice-based research project in collaboration with their supervisor. The project will be informed by research, as appropriate, into the materials, techniques and critical contexts of production, distribution and exhibition in audiovisual, electronic image and allied arts. As appropriate to each individual project, students will be encouraged to analyse, contextualise, historicise, and theorise their chosen medium with reference to key debates in history, sociology, anthropology and philosophy of film and the media, especially in relation to anti-racist, decolonial, feminist, environmental and other key ethical and political dimensions of their aesthetic practice. They will learn to produce high quality research under pressure, by working independently. The exact conceptual and methodological direction of the research must initially come from the student, though this will be developed and reworked in discussion with the personal supervisor. Areas of research can be drawn from a wide remit, including the full range of media and cultural forms of contemporary societies and may be theoretical or empirical; technically- or more academically-based. Projects which are conceptually coherent, and practicable in their aims and methods can be considered, subject only to the in-house expertise of staff. The module encourages the development of knowledge and skills specific to the production, distribution and exhibition of contemporary media.

Assessment

There are two assessment points:

A: You are required to write one 5,000 word essay linked to the Practice-Based Research Methods seminar. The exact theme and title will be decided in discussion between you and your supervisor and relate to your specialist field of research, but as a guide it will demonstrate your readiness to undertake the project through critical evaluation of legal, ethical, critical and reflexive parameters and functions of practice-based research.

In addition, you will be assessed in the option module you undertake during the Spring Term.

B: The project in the MRes Film, Photography and Electronic Arts comprises a portfolio of practical work (such as photographs, video, film, installation, websites or other digital/print material) alongside a textual component. The work submitted should be original, and be as integral to the research aims, processes and outcomes of the project as the textual component. The final project as a whole will therefore demonstrate the integration of its practical and research components, so that text and practice reflect critically on each other.

Department

We are ranked:
22nd in the world for communication and media studies**
1st in the UK for the quality of our research***

**QS World University Rankings by subject 2015
***Research Excellence Framework 2014, Times Higher Education research intensity subject rankings

We’ve also been ranked by LinkedIn as one of the top graduate universities for media professionals, because so many of our graduates go on to find jobs in the industry.

The department includes some of the top academics in the world for this discipline – the pioneers of media, communications and cultural studies. They actively teach on our programmes, and will introduce you to current research and debate in these areas. And many of our practice tutors are industry professionals active in TV, film, journalism, radio and animation.

We also run EastLondonLines.co.uk – our 24/7 student news website – which gives students the opportunity to gain experience working in a real-time news environment.

And we run regular public events featuring world-renowned writers and practitioners that have recently included Danny Boyle, Gurinda Chadha, Noel Clark and Tessa Ross. So you’ll get to experience the latest developments and debates in the industry.

Skills & Careers

The course is designed to support students who wish to strengthen their opportunities in professional media, including the media industries and creative practice, private sector firms, public sector institutions and civil society organisations with communications departments.

We envisage that a small proportion of graduates will seek careers in teaching, including secondary and higher education, in which case their projects and supervision will be tailored to that end.

Funding

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

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