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Postgraduate Taught

MA Media and Communications

Please note: The below is for 2025 entries. Click here for 2024 entries.
UCAS code 1234
Duration 1 year full time
2 years part time
Entry year September 2025
Campus Streatham Campus
Discipline Media and Communications
Contact

Programme Director: Alexander Taylor and Neil Ewen
Web: Enquire online
Phone:
0300 555 6060 (UK)
+44 (0)1392 723044 (non-UK)

Typical offer

View full entry requirements

2:2 Honours degree

Contextual offers

Overview

  • Media and Communications is a broad interdisciplinary field, bridging elements of theory and practice, and sitting at the intersection of cultural studies, sociology, social anthropology and business studies
  • Our MA has been designed with flexibility in mind, providing students with the opportunity to customise their degree depending on their career goals or interests
  • It provides students with the advanced level foundation for the next generation of communications professionals, media researchers and educators
  • Gain hands-on experience and training within our unique and world-leading research facilities, such as the Digital Humanities Lab and the Bill Douglas Cinema Museum
  • Research-inspired learning through unique modules led by staff research expertise, including video games and social media management-focused modules

Apply online

View 2024 Entry

Fast Track (current Exeter students)

Open days and visiting us

Get a prospectus

Contact

Programme Director: Aditya Deshbandhu

Web: Enquire online

Phone: +44 (0)1392 72 72 72

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Top 15 in the UK for Communication and Media Studies

14th in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024

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Home to the Bill Douglas Cinema Museum

The biggest film-related archive in the UK outside the British Film Institute

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Develop transferable skills and specialist knowledge through interdisciplinary teaching

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Varied graduate careers

Entry requirements

We will consider applicants with a 2:2 Honours degree with 53% or above, or international equivalent, in a relevant subject that includes some coverage of media studies or other theory-focused media-related course, cultural studies, sociology (or a social science course), history, politics, literature, philosophy.

We will also consider applicants with a degree in a non-related subject providing you have at least one year's experience within the fields of media and/or the cultural industries. Additional information may also be requested to consider these applications.

Entry requirements for international students

English language requirements

International students need to show they have the required level of English language to study this course. The required test scores for this course fall under Profile B2. Please visit our English language requirements page to view the required test scores and equivalencies from your country.

Course content

The MA Media and Communications will provide students with an internationally exceptional educational experience, by providing them with hands on experience and training within our unique and world-leading research facilities such as the Digital Humanities Lab and the Bill Douglas Cinema Museum.

  • It will enable them to make a positive difference in the world by fostering advanced level transferable skills in analysis, communication, and research applicable beyond academia alone.
  • It will deliver research-inspired learning through unique modules led by staff research expertise.
  • Our graduates will be highly skilled with key transferable skills in research and analysis, opportunities to acquire social media expertise, leaving them well-placed to pursue a high-level academic career in the field or to move into professional communications roles.
  • It will empower and engage learners by offering them practical as well as theoretical learning opportunities through hands-on work within our research facilities and the ability to choose their own direction of study and expertise through the Media and Communications Dissertation module.

The modules we outline here provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand.

90 credits of compulsory modules, 90 credits of optional modules

 

Compulsory modules

CodeModule Credits
CMMM001 Media and Communications: Theory and Concepts 30
CMMM007 Dissertation 60

Optional modules

CodeModule Credits
Media and Communications term 1 option 2024-5
CMMM002 Social Media: Management and Strategy 30
CMMM003 Gaming in Everyday Life: A Global Perspective 30
EAFM088 Sense, Sensation and Cinema 30
EAFM910 Stars, Stardom and Celebrity From the Classical Era to the Contemporary 30
CMMM012 Selling the Self: Influencer Culture and Digital Capitalism 30
Media and Communications term 2 option 2024-5
CMMM005 Social Media and Migration 30
CMMM006 Soft Power and International Communications 30
EAFM081 Hearing Film: Film Sound and Music 30
CMMM010 Promotional Cultures in Consumer Society 30
CMMM004 Investigating Media Infrastructure 30

I chose the MA in Media and Communications because of my background in Fashion and Apparel Design. I wanted to expand my knowledge of how to help brands with promotion. Additionally, the Social Media: Management and Strategy module was particularly appealing to me. It offers insights into brand management strategies and theories, which will be practically useful for my career. What I’ve enjoyed most so far is that professors, including Dr. Zizheng who teaches this course, offer many opportunities for internships and participation in seminars organized by brand managers. This has truly provided me with valuable insights and opportunities to break into the industry.

Yue

MA Media and Communications

Fees

2025/26 entry

UK fees per year:

£12,500 full-time; £6,250 part-time

International fees per year:

£25,300 full-time; £12,650 part-time

Scholarships

We invest heavily in scholarships for talented prospective Masters students. This includes over £5 million in scholarships for international students, such as our Global Excellence Scholarships*.

For more information on scholarships, please visit our scholarships and bursaries page.

*Selected programmes only. Please see the Terms and Conditions for each scheme for further details.

Teaching and research

Students will receive an internationally exceptional education, including hands-on experience and training within our unique and world-leading research facilities, such as the Digital Humanities Lab and the Bill Douglas Cinema Museum.

Our MA Media and Communications will empower and engage learners by offering you practical as well as theoretical learning opportunities through hands-on work within our research facilities, and the ability to choose your own direction of study and expertise through the Media and Communications Dissertation module

Research-led teaching ensures module content includes the latest trends in Media and Communication Studies. Our research areas include: contemporary media and culture, data, technology, futures, outer space, techno-apocalyptic narratives, digital preservation, slow computing, digital sustainability, and pre-digital nostalgia.

Guest speakers will give you a starting point to develop your own broad network of professional contacts and to identify key practitioners within your chosen specialism. Throughout the MA, you will also be engaged in a critique of the industry and a debate about its future opportunities and development possibilities.

Facilities

We are exceptionally lucky to have some fantastic facilities and resources on the Streatham Campus.

Digital Humanities Lab

Digital Humanities is increasingly important in all areas of humanities research, including history, archaeology, literatures and languages. This research space enables the examination, preservation and analysis of historical, literary and visual material. Facilities in the lab include:

  • a flagship seminar room equipped with a 4.2-metre video wall, encouraging interactive engagement in a shared display space
  • two state-of-the-art photography labs, including provision for the 2D digitisation of heritage material and primary sources
  • an audio-visual lab with a recording studio and sound editing suite
  • a MakerSpace equipped with 3D scanning and printing equipment

The Bill Douglas Cinema Museum

The Bill Douglas Cinema Museum holds a wide-ranging collection of more than 70,000 film related artefacts and is the largest research archive in any British University. The collection is available for all students to use as a research and study resource, giving students a highly distinctive and valuable experience of studying and researching film using primary materials, documents and artefacts. State-of-the-art equipment in our Digital Humanities Lab enables the examination and analysis of these materials.

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Careers

MA Media and Communication students will acquire valuable transferable skills in advanced research, writing, communication and project management.

You'll be prepared for professional opportunities in research-led careers, education, academic careers, media and cultural industries, national and international policy and production sectors, commercial and public service organisations, NGOs, as well as charitable organisations and the third sector. Above all, you will have the critical skills necessary to evaluate and understand media in a range of professional and private spheres.

The innovative open nature of the programme structure is designed to accommodate a wide range of specialist interests within the broad spectrum of careers that are available within the field of media and communications. These range from leadership roles such as account handler, project manager or event manager through to creative roles such as concept or brand designer, or content or idea strategist.

Optional modules will help you gain specialist roles and careers in areas of digital marketing or social media management, strategy and/or consultancy. This also includes skills to develop strategic and successful media campaigns.

Guest speakers will give you a starting point to develop your own broad network of professional contacts. Throughout the MA, you will also be engaged in a critique of the industry and a debate about its future opportunities and developments possibilities.

Key areas in which our graduates could work include:

  • Advertising and market research/analytics
  • Media/Social media management/Strategy/Consultancy/Content creation/Campaigning
  • Management consultancy activities
  • Media campaigns
  • Media policy/education
  • Computer programming and consultancy
  • Video, television and music production and publishing
  • Education
  • Charities/NGOs

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