Masters Degrees in Communication & Media Studies, Ireland

Overview

Students are provided with a flexible and tailored structured research programme within the Centre for Media Studies, including the development of transferable research skills, specialist knowledge and professional practices. Upon completion of this programme, students will have achieved competence in relevant areas of research, and demonstrated specialist knowledge and skills in their own area of research as well as in knowledge transfer and effective academic communication. This programme will equip them with the professional skills necessary to pursue academic and research careers.

An applicant wishing to undertake a research degree should submit a research proposal in writing, and consult with the Centre on the general suitability of the research topic and on the availability of an appropriate supervisor before submitting an application.

Closing date:
Rolling. Applications are welcomed throughout the year, for registration in September and January of each academic year.

Course Structure

A range of modules, in the form of MA in Radio and Television Production modules, research seminar presentations, conference presentations, language school participation and summer school participation will be offered. Some of these modules may not be available every year, and students will be advised by their supervisor on which modules will be the most appropriate for them, and at what stage of their studies. Appropriate modules offered by other departments/schools within MU will be regarded as Transferable Skills Modules and students will be encouraged to take any such modules that their supervisor deems helpful and appropriate.

MLitt students must take a minimum of 10 credits in taught modules (at least 5 in generic/transferable modules and at least 5 in subject specific/advanced specialist modules) from the Structured PhD programme.

Career Options

A research degree in the Centre for Media Studies provides the opportunity for an academic career teaching and researching in Media Studies, Digital Media and associated disciplines. It also provides an excellent platform (depending on precise specialisation) for a career in policy development or within the varied media industries themselves.

Find out how to apply here https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/media-studies/our-courses/mlittresearch-6#tabs-apply

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Overview

This one year (full-time) MA advances practical, research, and writing skills while deepening creative and critical engagement with media of all kinds. The core module in Critical and Creative Media Research develops transferable research, writing, and analytical skills, while optional pathways take students through Irish media history and contemporary media archives; creative interactive computing and digital identities, and writing for screen media and screen production.
Students will be offered the flexibility to pursue traditional scholarly and practice-based research, with most modules permitting a combination of critical and creative assessment options. Electives in Digital Humanities, Sociology, Law, English, and History are available for students keen to explore the interdisciplinary character of media.

Course Structure

A single compulsory module, Critical and Creative Media Research, lays the foundation for the programme in Semester One. Students have the freedom to select individual pathways that combine critical media studies and practical work, honing creative computing, audio-visual production, and screenwriting skills. Modules in Irish Media History, Media Archives, and Identity Technologies explore media in cultural and historical context across formats and platforms, from print to celluloid to digital. The MA programme culminates with a supervised individual thesis project that may assume a variety of forms, from scholarly essay to a practice-based project, where creative outcomes are contextualised and framed theoretically. A Postgraduate Diploma is available to students who do not wish to complete a thesis.

Career Options

This programme offers practical training and transferable skill development for individuals from a variety of educational and experiential backgrounds in humanities, social sciences, and IT fields. It is designed for students who aspire to careers in creative and research-driven areas within media industries such as Marketing, TV, Film and Web Production, and user design, as well as for those who intend to pursue doctoral research in Media Studies or Digital Arts and Humanities.

How To Apply

Online application only http://www.pac.ie/maynoothuniversity

PAC Code
MHS58

The following documents should be forwarded to PAC, 1 Courthouse Square, Galway or uploaded to your online application form:

Certified copies of all official transcripts of results for all non-Maynooth University qualifications listed MUST accompany the application. Failure to do so will delay your application being processed. Non-Maynooth University students are asked to provide two academic references and a copy of birth certificate or valid passport.

Find information on Scholarships here https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/study-maynooth/postgraduate-studies/fees-funding-scholarships

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Overview

This one year (full-time) MA advances practical, research, and writing skills while deepening creative and critical engagement with media of all kinds. The core module in Critical and Creative Media Research develops transferable research, writing, and analytical skills, while optional pathways take students through Irish media history and contemporary media archives; creative interactive computing and digital identities, and writing for screen media and screen production.
Students will be offered the flexibility to pursue traditional scholarly and practice-based research, with most modules permitting a combination of critical and creative assessment options. Electives in Digital Humanities, Sociology, Law, English, and History are available for students keen to explore the interdisciplinary character of media.

Course Structure

A single compulsory module, Critical and Creative Media Research, lays the foundation for the programme in Semester One. Students have the freedom to select individual pathways that combine critical media studies and practical work, honing creative computing, audio-visual production, and screenwriting skills. Modules in Irish Media History, Media Archives, and Identity Technologies explore media in cultural and historical context across formats and platforms, from print to celluloid to digital. The MA programme culminates with a supervised individual thesis project that may assume a variety of forms, from scholarly essay to a practice-based project, where creative outcomes are contextualised and framed theoretically. A Postgraduate Diploma is available to students who do not wish to complete a thesis.

Career Options

This programme offers practical training and transferable skill development for individuals from a variety of educational and experiential backgrounds in humanities, social sciences, and IT fields. It is designed for students who aspire to careers in creative and research-driven areas within media industries such as Marketing, TV, Film and Web Production, and user design, as well as for those who intend to pursue doctoral research in Media Studies or Digital Arts and Humanities.

How To Apply

Online application only http://www.pac.ie/maynoothuniversity

PAC Code
MHS59

The following documents should be forwarded to PAC, 1 Courthouse Square, Galway or uploaded to your online application form:
Certified copies of all official transcripts of results for all non-Maynooth University qualifications listed MUST accompany the application. Failure to do so will delay your application being processed. Non-Maynooth University students are asked to provide two academic references and a copy of birth certificate or valid passport.

Find information on Scholarships here https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/study-maynooth/postgraduate-studies/fees-funding-scholarships

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The course is a unique opportunity to embark upon a detailed investigation into the intellectual currents and aesthetic concerns surrounding the study and practice of film. From the outset, questions of history, theory and context are brought to bear on issues of close analysis and interpretation. Elective modules in Screenwriting, Creative Documentary Practice and Editing allow students to balance film theory with practice. At every step of the way your progress will be informed by an emphasis on independent study and critical thinking. In addition, the course aims to develop the key transferable skills required for postgraduate study. These include dissertation preparation, time management and oral and written presentation.


The course consists of six taught modules and a Dissertation module that includes Research Methodologies.

Dissertation and Research Methodologies
This module prepares students for the formal processes of research and writing at M.Phil. level. Classes will cover library use, archival skills, electronic resources, use of Endnote, research skills, note taking, writing and oral presentation and power-point techniques. Students will write a dissertation of approximately 12,000-15,000 words on an approved topic to be supervised by an appropriate member of staff.

In addition, students choose six of the elective modules listed below:

Aesthetics of Digital Cinema
This course traces the history of the development of the digital image with specific reference to its application to filmmaking. We will look at the analogue origins of the digital image and discuss the aesthetic implications of the shift to digital film. Further we will discuss developing models of criticism and their application to the digital cinematic image. We will be drawing examples from Western (Hollywood, Danish, British) cinemas and non-Western (Iranian) cinemas as well as from other outputs, such as YouTube.

Cinema and Ireland

This course will explore the history of Irish cinema from the 1930s to the present. It will also cover such areas as state film production policies, film censorship, and the history of Irish film distribution and exhibition. In addition, it will trace how British and American cinemas have represented Ireland and the Irish, and it will examine representations of political violence, history, gender and the cinema of the Celtic Tiger years, as well as current trends in Irish film production.

Current Trends in European Cinema
This course will look at and examine the changes taking place in cinema in Europe in the latter part of the twentieth century and the beginning of the twenty-first century. This was a period that saw enormous transformation throughout the continent - both East and West - when the post World War II political dispensation collapsed and Cold War divisions crumbled. The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the break-up of the Soviet Union in 1991 and the subsequent overthrow of the remaining Stalinist regimes in Eastern and Central Europe, the emergence of the European Union as a transnational political entity in 1992, and the globalisation of the world economy all impacted on the way in which films were made and the type of themes they explored and topics they tackled.

Cult Cinema
This module will examine a number of films that have acquired 'cult status' for a variety of reasons. It will pay particular attention to the ways in which these films have circulated in popular and academic discourses and the various attempts to identify 'cult' qualities and qualifying practices.

Melodrama
This module will consider a wide range of variations on the ‘melodramatic mode’, including examples from early cinema, classical Hollywood cinema, as well as current American and European cinema.Â

Editing
This module will introduce students to the craft of editing, giving students an understanding of the essential technical and creative skills involved: how a scene is assembled and seamlessly put together, cutting dialogue, creating tension and drama using editing, using pacing, editing to rhythm, cutting to music and beats. It will also provide students with a through knowledge of the editing software, Final Cut Pro X, covering all aspects of the software, from capture and system-settings, editing tools and shortcuts, to effects, transitions and colour correction. The overall aim is to give students the knowledge, tools and confidence to complete their own work to a professional standard.

Creative Documentary Practice
The aim of this module is expose students to the possibilities of creative documentary film making with a strong emphasis on learning thorough practical application. The module will take a critical look at current practices in the genre with an emphasis both on the techniques of documentary filmmaking and the practicalities of how films are made.

Screenwriting
This module will introduce students to the techniques and conventions of screenwriting. Class exercises will involve the analysis of screenplays and short films, and the course will cover both the conventional three-act structure and other models of screenwriting.

Please note: all modules are subject to change and/or availability. Students must take three modules in Michaelmas term and three modules in Hilary term, subject to timetabling.

Assessment is by a combination of coursework and dissertation:

Each module will be assessed by a combination of written and/or practice based assignments as appropriate and class participation. Total ECTS: 60
Dissertation of approximately 12,000-15,000 words and Research Methodologies assessment. Total ECTS: 30
Postgraduate Diploma

A Postgraduate Diploma in Film Theory and History may be awarded in certain circumstances on the basis of coursework alone (60 ECTS). Entry is the same as for the M.Phil. programme.

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Starting in the academic year 2012-13, the music department will be offering a one-year M.Phil. in Music Composition to cater for the growing demand for graduate studies of international standing in the area. Apart from one-on-one mentorship in composition itself, students will take courses in among others, music composition, experimental music theatre and opera, film music aesthetics, advanced orchestration (using technology as an assistant), and composition for mixed media. This proposed M.Phil. course will provide a backbone of activity for the new centre of Composition and Contemporary music, part of Trinity’s new initiative in Creative Arts, Technology and Culture. The course director is the composer Donnacha Dennehy, and the composer Dr. Evangelia Rigaki is the course coordinator. Course Content: The course consists of three elements:

4 compulsory taught modules spread across two semesters (40 ECTS). Each compulsory module is worth 10 ECTS. The compulsory modules are Advanced Orchestration, Contemporary Music Studies, Composition I and Composition II.
2 optional taught modules, selected from a choice of 4 (20 ECTS). Each optional module is worth 10 ECTS. The optional modules available are (i) Composition for Mixed Media, (ii) Music Cognition and Design, (iii) Experimental Music Theatre and Opera, and (iv)Theory, Aesthetics and Analysis.
Dissertation Module. The dissertation module consists of two components: (a) final portfolio of composition, and (b) an accompanying thesis of between 10,000 and 15,000 words. The final portfolio of compositions must have a performing duration of between 20-35 minutes. Portfolios with longer performance times will also be accepted, but these must be agreed in advance with the course director.

Students will work on developing their portfolio and accompanying thesis in conjunction with an assigned supervisor. The accompanying thesis should deal with the structure, aesthetics and methods used by the candidate in the act of composition. The thesis should demonstrate a good knowledge of the context surrounding the candidate’s work, and in doing so should engage with history, criticism

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The programme familiarises students with current issues and developments in Irish and international mass media and mass media theory, situating the analysis of Irish media within the context of post-Independence Irish society, culture and identity. It develops students’ abilities to analyse structures, trends and developments in Irish media, enables students to undertake research on key aspects of media production, texts and consumption, and seeks to equip students with the knowledge and skills required to advance to doctoral degree studies.

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PROGRAMME DESCRIPTION

This MSc course prepares students for a career in dynamic food businesses to play a lead role in the analysis of key sectorial issues and strategic management of the food industry. The balance of modules on this programme reflects the global nature of the food industry. Students will expand their knowledge of food, the food consumer, innovation in food and the decision-making processes in companies that develop, brand, distribute, and sell food products. Through practical application, this programme will equip graduates with analytical, communication, business and presentation skills, which are required and highly valued by the industry. Graduates from the MSc in Food Business and Innovation course pursue employment opportunities in the food sector (international corporations, SMEs, start-ups and food agencies) and non-food sector (banks, market research firms and higher education) as the skills acquired are highly transferable.

The MSc in Food Business and Innovation is delivered over 12 months and includes a Food Industry Centered Research Project. 

UNIQUE ASPECTS OF THE PROGRAMME

A central part of the MSc in Food Business and Innovation is a Food Industry Centred Research Project with the opportunity to work in a food firm, food agency, university, bank or related establishment, where students gain valuable work experience and apply the theoretical skills developed through lectures and capstone style seminars. Additional unique features of the MSc in Food Business and Innovation programme include: an in-depth introduction to the national and international food sectors; a unique blend of relevant courses that are relevant to both established food firms and start-ups; and an introduction to leading edge food research issues, innovative teaching methods (including boot-camps) and exposure to digital marketing methods.

SKILLS AND CAREERS INFORMATION

The Programme provides the graduate with the expert skills to analyse the key issues impacting on food chains: changing consumer demands and demographics; food supply chain management and structural changes at retail level; food safety and consumer behaviour; consumer acceptance of novel foods; new food product development opportunities; the evolution of functional foods and the marketing of health-enhancing foods. The course is ideally suited to graduates who seek employment opportunities in Market Research, Consumer Research, Food Business Management, Product Marketing and Brand Management, New Product Development, Food Retail Organisations, the Financial Sector as Food Analysts, Research Institutions and Policy Organisations, and organisations that support food firms nationally and internationally. 

What can I do after I graduate with a MSc in Food Business and Innovation?

Problem solving, creative thinking, communications, strategic thinking, entrepreneurship skills

Occupations associated with MSc in Food Business and Innovation

Food Sector: Market Research, Consumer Research, Food Business Management, Product Marketing and Brand Management, New Product Development.

What are our Graduates Doing?

Graduates on sister programmes have secured employment in international food and non-food firms (Glanbia, Ornua, Kerry, Britvic, Danone, Aldi, Dawn, AIB, LinkedIn), banks, food agencies (Bord Bia, UK Home-Grown Cereals Authority, Teagasc), brand management and marketing departments (Kerry Foods, Musgrave Group, Nestle), non-food agencies (Enterprise Ireland, IBEC, Bord Bia), market research firms (AC Nielsen, Spark Market Research, Dunhumby) and in Higher Education (CIT, WIT, University of Lancaster).

PLACEMENT AND STUDY ABROAD OPPORTUNITIES

Participants can complete their placement either in Ireland or abroad, depending on their interests

LEARNING OUTCOMES

On successful completion of the MSc in Food Business and Innovation, students should be able to:

• Communicate and work effectively to a high professional standard;
• Demonstrate advanced analytical and problem solving skills associated with effective practice;
• Engage in the application of advanced frameworks and techniques in organisational settings;
• Demonstrate advanced analytical skills associated with the key challenges and decisions facing those along the food supply chain;
• Demonstrate research and professional proficiency through the completion of an independent industry centred research project.

 

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PRACTICALITIES & ASSESSMENT

PRACTICALITIES

The MSc in Food Business and Innovation is a full-time 12 month programme. In Part I, you will need to be available to attend classes and seminars from Monday to Friday (inclusive). During Part II of the programme, you will complete a full-time Applied Food Industry Centred Research Project under the guidance of an academic and industry mentor.

The MSc in Food Business and Innovation programme is taught by academic staff of the Department of Food Business and Development and Management and Marketing. In addition, invited guest lecturers, adjunct professors and experts with a broad range of national and international experience will also contribute to the programme.

ASSESSMENT

You will be assessed by examinations, continuous assessment and a Food Industry Centred Research Project report.

WHO TEACHES THIS COURSE

The MSc in Food Business and Innovation programme is taught by academic staff of the Department of Food Business and Development and Management and Marketing. In addition, invited guest lecturers, adjunct professors and experts with a broad range of national and international experience will also contribute to the programme.

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PROGRAMME DESCRIPTION

The MSc in Innovation, Commercialisation and Entrepreneurship, known as the MSc(ICE), is a one-year, taught, multi-disciplinary master’s programme. The MSc(ICE) will provide you with an integrated professional practice skil- set in the theory and practice of innovation, technology commercialisation and entrepreneurship.

This programme, offered through UCC’s College of Business and Law, has been developed to meet the emerging opportunities presented by new technologies, growth in knowledge-based and service-based sectors, globalisation, and the increased focus on outsourcing by traditional enterprise. The MSc(ICE) programme allows you to consider, create and grow entrepreneurial ventures, both within existing organisations and in high-tech start-ups.

UNIQUE ASPECTS OF THE PROGRAMME

This course offers you the chance to improve your entrepreneurial skills. Two students from the inaugural intake of the MSc(ICE) have been highly commended at the recent Intel Challenge held in Poland.

MSc(ICE) students Gillian Barrett and Brian Corish produced the business plan for Zooplar which was the Irish nominee for the Intel completion. This followed their success at the Enterprise Ireland ‘Think Outside the Box’ Competition earlier in 2012.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

For MSc (Innovation, Commercialisation and Entrepreneurship) (NFQ Level 9, Major Award)

On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:

• Communicate and work effectively to a high professional standard;
• Demonstrate advanced analytical and problem solving skills associated with effective practice;
• Engage in advanced application of frameworks and techniques in organizational settings;
• Conduct research for business/policy sponsors and academic audiences;
• Self-direct career development;
• Understand the nature and processes of organisational innovation, technology commercialisation and venture creation.

For Postgraduate Diploma in Innovation, Commercialisation and Entrepreneurship (NFQ Level 9, Major Award)

On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:

• Communicate and work effectively to a high professional standard;
• Demonstrate advanced analytical and problem solving skills associated with effective practice;
• Engage in advanced application of frameworks and techniques in organizational settings;
• Conduct research for business/policy sponsors and academic audiences.

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