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Postgraduate Programs in Media Studies

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Find postgraduate programs in MEDIA STUDIES

Media Studies involves the study of the mass media. Think about Bill Turnbull, Richard and David Attenborough, Reeta Chakrabati, Luc Besson and Roman Polanski – what do they all have in common? They are famous names in the European media industry.

There are a large amount of people who want to become journalists, TV presenters, directors and broadcasters in Europe, and all of these professions are within the mass media. So if you want to get yourself on the forefront of these jobs, a postgraduate course in media studies is the best route for you to take, and with a huge selection of different media and cultures, Europe is definitely the place to be.

Here we give you a roundup of some of the more popular fields of study within Media Studies, including some example of some of the best Media Studies postgraduate programs that are available in the UK and Europe. Remember, this is simply a small selection of the courses available and there are thousands of media postgraduate courses in Europe. Use our A-Z search facility and work out what is the right one for you!

Media & Communication

This involves the history and most recent development of the media, giving an insight into the theory as to how media developed, as well as how it has grown across the globe. A masters in Media & Communication will give you a deeper understanding into this subject area and will also give you experience about how to work in the media.

London School of Economics

Postgraduate programmes in media

The London School of Economics in the UK is a renowned institution and has an acclaimed Media & Communications MSc program. This course subject involves a lot of theory and is limited on practical work.

Suzie Blaszkiewicz, recently graduated from LSE having studied Media & Communications, she says, “It’s interesting to be in a city like London studying media because it has a very rich history of media and a very strong relationship with the government, which I think is important when studying this subject.”

Goldsmiths College

Goldsmiths College, also in London, offers an MA program in Media and Communications that looks at all aspects of the media, including sociological, economical and cultural theories of the media.

Jennifer Izaakson, who studied media studies at Goldsmiths explains, “The teaching was fantastic the degree makes you realise the role media plays in wider society.”

Find postgraduate programs in COMMUNICATIONS STUDIES

Bournemouth University

Bournemouth is located in the south west of the UK and is renowned for its beautiful beaches, it’s a great tourist destination. Bournemouth University is well known for arts and is home to Bournemouth Skillset Media academy, which is the largest centre in the UK to study media and arts. This is ideal for helping students to learn about media and also gives them the skills to work in the industry such as radio or TV presenting skills.

University of Amsterdam

The University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands offers a Research Media Studies MA. This course is a multi-disciplinary course that is both theoretical and practical. The masters explores the effects of technology, society and institutions within media in contemporary culture. It also analyses the historical context of media studies.  The practical side of this MA encompasses the use of film, television and digital media to give you the all-round knowledge needed to explore this industry further.

Find postgraduate programs in JOURNALISM

Journalism

Journalism has become a really popular career path in last few years and studying it at postgrad level gives you the skills you need to go out and find news stories, as well as how to write and present them.

City University London

City University London is renowned for its MA journalism programs, and boasts of providing students with all the necessary practical skills they will require to be a journalist. It’s a hands-on course in which the students are treated as journalists being given the task of finding a news story or a feature article topic in a certain number of hours. This course also teaches students about the software programs used in journalism today, such as Adobe InDesign or Audition. It has a whole department dedicated to journalism that is filled with a TV studio, radio station rooms and iMac computers. And let’s not forget, as the City University is based in London, it is surrounded by many of the UK’s news and media headquarters making it a great place to study.

Cardiff University

Cardiff University in Wales also has a prominent reputation for postgraduate journalism courses. Its approach is similar to that of City University, as it also throws students into the deep end of journalism, encouraging them to write on a regular basis. Cardiff is a popular city for students to study and live in, and the university also has a wide range of social activities to do and clubs to join.

Find postgraduate programs in PUBLIC RELATIONS

Public Relations (PR)

Many people often get confused as to what Public Relations is – so here’s our explanation, PR involves managing information for a client or brand to the public. It’s an area that can take you into many different industries such as entertainment, technology and education. PR is a great postgraduate course and career choice for those who have the gift of the gab.

Westminster University

Westminster University in London has an established Public Relations MA that will challenge your ideas and thoughts on PR. It involves a mixture of both practical and academic study to give students a deeper understanding into the media industry and how important PR is for various brands and companies.

Business School in Barcelona

At Business School in Barcelona, Spain, students can get qualified in an MBA in Communications and Public Relations. This course is aimed at those who wish to embark on a career in PR, advertising or marketing. This course teaches students about the ins and outs of the PR business, which involves how to negotiate a deal, perfect public speaking and communications, whilst also learning about media strategy and ethics.

Find postgraduate programs in FILM STUDIES

Film Studies

Ever wanted to be the next James Cameron or Martin Scorsese? If so then a postgraduate programme in film studies is the way to go as this study option will teach you all about becoming a director or screenwriter.

King's College London

King's College London is ranked number 1 in The Guardian’s university guide for film studies in the UK. And with a reputation like that, why wouldn’t you want to study at King’s? The Film Studies MA analyses both the film industry and the film culture globally. This course is more theoretical than practical but does allow students to study the making of a film and what it incorporates, which is useful for any Baz Luhrmann wannabes.

Find your PERFECT POSTGRAD PROGRAM

Types of postgrad qualifications

There are a variety of postgrad qualifications you can do in media studies.

The postgrad qualifications you can do include Masters of Arts, Science or Business Administration, PG Diploma and PhDs. For PhD study, you will first require a masters qualification.

Entry requirements for postgraduate programs in Media Studies

To pursue postgrad studies within the UK, you will be required to have done an undergraduate degree, in which you have obtained 2:1. Some places may not require a 2:1 but generally for postgrad study it is the norm. If you are an international student you will also need to have taken an English fluency course such as IELTS or TOEFL. You should email the course administrator at the institution you are interested in to enquire further.

For postgraduate study in the rest of Europe, you will also be required to have taken English fluency tests such as IELTS, the International English Language Testing System and achieve a certain score to study a masters degree. Please go to the university website for further details on this. 

For some postgraduate courses such as MA Journalism, a portfolio of your journalistic work will need to be provided along with proof of journalistic work experience.

Career prospects

Here’s a summary of some career paths you may be able to follow after doing a postgraduate program in Media Studies.

PR officer

To become a PR officer a masters degree will be a huge benefit and proof of work experience placements done in this area. PR officers work with a list of their company’s clients, who they represent in terms of public interaction. Work will include creating press releases of any new products or services being offered and organising events to launch these products. 

Film/TV director

Directors are the main people who direct and lead actors and the production team in the making of films, TV programs, plays, musicals or music videos. Being a director involves deciding how the shot should be filmed and how the actors should act. It’s a job that needs creativity and tenacity.

Media analyst

This job involves analysing current trends in the industry on both an international and nation scale. Media analysts also forecast any future trends, which may appear. The role will entail examining the interaction between organisations and the media.

Find your PERFECT POSTGRAD PROGRAM