MA Media, Culture and Society
Key Details
- Attendance
- Full Time
- Award
- Degree of Master of Arts
- Course Length
- 1 years
- Course Start Date
- September 2024
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Course Overview
If you’re interested in learning more about how changing technology impacts our culture and society, or what role the digital sphere plays in culture and communication, we invite you to join us on this MA.
Studying and working in the media requires an acute awareness of the way media and culture shape people’s understanding of - and responses to - their world. Making sense of such a fast-moving area all depends on knowledge of the social, economic, political and legal factors that help in the production, distribution and consumption of media content. This, in turn, relies on an understanding of the arts and humanities and the social sciences, economics, politics and the law, and media and cultural studies.
Our MA will help you investigate and reflect upon the linkages between media, culture, and society. With a wide range of optional modules, you’ll be able to tailor your study to topics that interest you most.
UEA’s MA Media, Culture & Society is a vibrant, interdisciplinary course where you’ll develop theoretical knowledge and in-depth understanding of a range of key issues related to the impacts of media on culture and society. For example, you’ll be able to examine the role of media in global citizenship or understand the workings of media law and economics.
You’ll study contemporary media and culture from a variety of perspectives and disciplines, and you’ll be taught by leading experts in the fields of media and cultural studies, journalism, politics, economics, law and international development.
Through your choice of optional modules, you’ll be able to tailor your degree to meet your interests, focusing on the aspects of media and society that you feel are most important and most fascinating. In your Master’s dissertation, you’ll take the exploration of your interests even further.
Over the course of your MA you’ll develop a variety of useful, transferable skills, including the ability to provide clear and stimulating presentations, to analyse and defend a point of view, to conduct research, and to present ideas lucidly and logically. We’ll also help you to develop research skills, enabling you to write a high-quality dissertation.
As a member of our postgraduate community, you’ll have the opportunity to attend numerous events and talks during your time here. We regularly attract distinguished lecturers, with previous guests including Gary Gibbon, Political Editor for Channel 4 News; Anne McElvoy of The Economist; Owen Jones, author and columnist for The Guardian; Shami Chakrabarti, former director of Liberty; Michael Cockerell, BBC documentary film-maker; and John Bercow, Speaker of the House of Commons.
Visit our website to find out more about our postgraduate community and experience some of these lectures.
Study and Modules
Structure
Your MA will last one year, and throughout the year you’ll study fundamental questions about the relationship between media and society, and how each shapes the other. You’ll develop research skills, gain understanding of core issues ranging from the digital divide and the new global media political economy to the media industry, and how it is organised and managed.
You’ll also be able to choose from a wide range of optional modules, through which you can focus on areas that interest you.
You’ll complete your Master’s with your dissertation, which will be written in the summer. This is an excellent opportunity to delve deeper into a subject that interests you, as you put your research skills into practice and carry out an in-depth enquiry into a topic of your choice.
Compulsory Modules
Optional A Modules
(Credits: 20)Optional B Modules
(Credits: 40)Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.
Teaching and Learning
Teaching
You’ll be taught by experts in fields such as digital media, communications, media and cultural studies, and public policy. Our teaching is research-led, in that we ask the same questions of our students as we do in our research. This means that you can be sure your learning is at the cutting-edge of the discipline. The majority of your teaching takes the form of seminars. You’ll have lectures too, as well as workshops and one-to-one tutorials. You may also be required to prepare presentations and undertake group work, as well as a range of other teaching and learning methods.
Independent study
Developing your ability to conduct independent study is absolutely central to this course. This includes preparation for seminars and assessments, but will be best exemplified by your Master’s dissertation. You will be allocated an academic supervisor to give advice on all aspects of writing and researching it. You will also take part in our dedicated Postgraduate Day and training, where all MA students meet to discuss their research and the progress they are making.
How you'll spend your time during semester 1 and 2:
Teaching: 25%
Independent Learning: 75%
Assessment
You’ll be assessed in a variety of ways, mostly through your essays, but also through presentations, course tests and occasionally an exam.
Entry Requirements
- Degree Classification
- Bachelors (Hons) degree - 2.2 or equivalent
- Degree Subject
- Humanities or Social Sciences
- English Foreign Language
Applications from students whose first language is not English are welcome. We require evidence of proficiency in English (including writing, speaking, listening and reading):
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IELTS: 6.0 overall with minimum 6.0 in Writing and Speaking and 5.5 in Listening and Reading
Test dates should be within 2 years of the course start date.
We also accept a number of other English language tests. Review our English Language Equivalencies for a list of qualifications that we may accept to meet this requirement.
If you do not yet meet the English language requirements for this course, INTO UEA offer a variety of English language programmes which are designed to help you develop the English skills necessary for successful undergraduate study:
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- Intakes
This course is open to UK and International applicants. The annual intake for this course is in September each year.
Additional Information or Requirements
If you have alternative qualifications that have not been mentioned above then please contact the university directly for further information.
If you do not meet the academic requirements for this course, you may be able to study the International Pre-Masters programme offered by our partner INTO UEA. This programme guarantees progression to selected Master's degrees if students achieve the appropriate grade. For more details, please click here:
International Pre-Masters in Business, Economics and Social Sciences
Admissions Policy
Our Admissions Policy applies to the admissions of all postgraduate applicants.
Fees and Funding
Tuition fees for the Academic Year 2024/25 are:
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UK Students: £9,975 (full time)
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International Students: £21,200 (full time)
If you choose to study part-time, the fee per annum will be half the annual fee for that year, or a pro-rata fee for the module credit you are taking (only available for Home students).
We estimate living expenses at £1,023 per month.
Further Information on tuition fees can be found here.
Scholarships and Bursaries
The University of East Anglia offers a range of Scholarships; please click the link for eligibility, details of how to apply and closing dates.
Course Related Costs
Please see Additional Course Fees for details of course-related costs.
How to Apply
Applications for Postgraduate Taught programmes at the University of East Anglia should be made directly to the University.
To apply please use our online application form.
FURTHER INFORMATION
If you would like to discuss your individual circumstances prior to applying, please do contact us:
Postgraduate Admissions Office
Tel: +44 (0)1603 591515
Email: admissions@uea.ac.uk
International candidates are also encouraged to access the International Students section of our website.
Employability
After the Course
In conjunction with UEA’s Careers Central service, we host dedicated events for students on our media, culture and politics programmes. At these events you’ll hear from alumni and professionals working in the fields of media, culture and politics, and benefit from their experience, insight and advice.
Recent graduates from this course have taken up jobs in a wide variety of fields, including business, teaching, public relations, research and journalism, as well as national and international organisations.
Careers
A degree at UEA will prepare you for a wide variety of careers. We've been ranked 1st for Job Prospects by StudentCrowd in 2022.
Example of careers that you could enter include:
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Research
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Social media
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Journalism
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Public relations
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Business
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Teaching
Discover more on our Careers webpages.