Global Media and Culture - MA
- Mode of study
- Full time, Part time
- Start date
- October 2021
- Duration of Study
- 1 Year full-time or 2 years part-time
- Subject Area
- Media Studies
- FEES (2021/22 academic year)
- UK - FT £8,000 / PT £4,400
- EU/International - £16,000
Course Overview
Media and Cultural Studies is an exciting and developing discipline that draws together theories and practices from a range of disciplines such as Media Studies, Film and Television Studies, English and Sociology.
Adam Grüning, MA Global Media and Culture student
"I love how independently led the MA is, you can steer it to find and suit your own research interests" - read more about Adam Grüning, MA Global Media and Culture student
About the course
Overview
The course involves three main aspects:
- the study of theories and ideas about media and cultural production in a global context
- the critical analysis of cultural texts and practices from around the world
- engagement in practical creative production.
The MA in Global Media and Culture seeks to explore the relationship between these three areas and to show how knowledge of each informs and influences the others. In addition, it will provide you with the skills necessary for academic study at an advanced level, either for those wishing to go on to further academic research, or as advanced preparation for those interested in pursuing careers in a range of media and culture industries.
The emphasis of the programme is the critical and analytical study of the contemporary global framework of media and cultural studies, the production and continuation of localised cultural identities within a global context, and a theoretically-informed approach to the creative production of media texts.
The Global Media and Culture programme at Keele University represents the multidisciplinary coming together of academics and practitioners from a range of fields. The distinctive nature of Keele as a pioneer for interdisciplinary academic study provides the Global Media and Culture Programme with an ideal basis for the development of cross-subject study.
Teaching facilities
The programme is taught in specialist facilities dedicated to the Media & Management programmes. Students will have 24/7 access to the Media Building which houses extensive digital media production facilities including film and photography studios and digital post-production labs. You also have access to professional media production equipment and software as part of the programme (no additional costs are involved).
Course structure
How the course is taught
The Programme is able to draw from academic expertise in Media, Communication and Culture, Film Studies and English, providing a wide range of modules that cover areas from critical theory and analysis to creative practice. The Masters programme comprises core modules in Research Skills and Doing Media Research, Mediated Communications: Theory and Practice and Globalisation, Media, Culture, and optional modules in Creative Media Practice, Dissent Studies. Following the taught element of the course you can choose to pursue either a dissertation topic or an advanced media project under the supervision and guidance of a relevant member of the teaching team.
Assessment
The MA has a range of assessments, with options to specialise in the 2nd half of the year depending your own skills and strengths, or whether you want to focus on media analysis (producing an original dissertation) or creative practice (producing a short film, photography exhibit, or installation). Other assessments include posters, portfolios, presentations, essays, annotated bibliographies, and the creation of marketing campaigns.
Taught Modules
The list of modules below are offered in the 2018/19 academic year. We expect to offer the same modules in the future but this may change due to staff availability. If the modules change we will inform you during the admissions process.
Core Taught Modules
Doing Media Research
The purpose of this module is to provide students with a Masters-level introduction to methodological issues in the discipline of media and cultural studies. As such, the module considers notions of method and methodology, explores the construction of meaning in texts, and practices literary and film analysis. Moving beyond these methods, the module looks at ethnographic approaches to research, interviewing, and addresses issues of ethics. Finally, the module provides guidance on doing literature searches and surveys and explains the mechanics of writing a Masters level thesis.
Globalisation, Culture, Media
This module focuses on the impact of the processes of globalisation on contemporary culture and society. It will give you the skills and knowledge to analyse critically a variety of theoretical perspectives on processes of globalisation, and enable you to apply cultural theories of globalisation to a variety of substantive examples. The specific topics that are studied on the module may include diaspora and diasporic culture; the rise of alternative media politics; the cultural politics of globalisation through an exploration of everyday life; anti-capitalist culture; and the rise of fundamentalism.
Mediated Communications: Theory and Practice
This module focuses on the dynamics promotional communication employing different media. It will give you the skills, knowledge and understanding to devise and execute promotional communication campaigns using a variety of different media. The module systematically examines the advantages and limitations of key media forms such as photography, TV and new media in relation to promotional communication; you will do this by critically examining advertising case studies. We will also be examining historical shifts in the global media landscape, focusing on the recent emergence of hybrid media forms and convergent media systems and how these developments affect promotional communication.
Optional Modules
In semester 2, you can choose to take either:
Creative Media Practice* or
Dissent Studies
If English is not your first language, you may opt to take two 15-credit modules across semesters 1 and 2:
- Academic English for Postgraduate Students
- English for Media Professionals
In semester 3, you will study either a:
- Media Project or
- Dissertation
*Please note that students wishing to do the Media Project in semester 3 must take Creative Media Practice in semester 2.
Media Project or Dissertation
In semester 3, students undertake either a Media Project or Dissertation
Media Project
The media project involves the creation of a substantial media artefact; this could be a film, photographic work or an installation. You will be assigned a supervisor based on the medium in which you wish to work. You and your supervisor will agree upon a topic and you will work under their supervision to realise the project.
You will be assessed on the quality of the media artefact and a written catalogue where you document the aims and research informing the project and critically reflect on your media practice.
Examples of media projects by previous students include:
- Hong’s Kitchen: Documentary film portraying the life of Hong, a female Chinese migrant to the UK who now runs a Chinese restaurant in Newcastle-under-Lyme. Produced by Yufan Xie, Shuang Zhao & Zhijian Hu (2018).
- Photographic installation examining the camera as a tool for spectacle. Produced by Adam Gruning (2018).
- World of Wedgwood- A series of six short promotional films. Produced by Jen Darby (2018).
Dissertation
The dissertation is a formal written academic project of 15,000 words maximum.
You will agree your dissertation topic with your supervisor who will guide and support you through the project. It will be based on your own research interests that you develop during taught modules. Supervisors will be assigned to you by the programme director who will match your interests with the academic expertise of staff in the School of Humanities and the Keele Management School .
Examples of dissertation projects by previous students include:
- Beyoncé’s Lemonade: The Complexities of Race in Post-feminist Media Discourse, Camille Lummis, 2018
- An insight into audience reactions to four popular advertisements aired during the Super Bowl and the FIFA World Cup, Jonathan Aldridge, 2018.
- Social Media Framing: Mapping the Development and Framing of the Digital Counterpublic Discourses of #TakeAKnee, Eileen Bins, 2018.
Entry Requirements
Academic entry requirements
Undergraduate degree in Media Studies, Cultural Studies, Business Studies, Management or Marketing, or another appropriate Humanities or Social Sciences subject, with second class lower (2:2) or an international equivalent.
Applicants with other qualifications and appropriate experience will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
English Language Entry Requirement for International Students
IELTS 6.5
The University also accepts a range of internationally recognised English tests.
If you do not meet the English language requirements, the University offers a range of English language preparation programmes.
During your degree programme you can study additional english language courses. This means you can continue to improve your English language skills and gain a higher level of English.
Fees and scholarships
Fees (2021/22 academic year)
UK/EU students FT £8,000 / PT £4,400 per year
International students £16,000 per year
Apart from additional costs for text books, inter-library loans and potential overdue library fines, we do not anticipate any additional costs for this postgraduate course.
Living costs
Keele University is located on a beautiful campus and has all the facilities of a small town. Student accommodation, shops, restaurants and cafes are all within walking distance of the teaching buildings. This is a very cost effective way to live and to reduce your living costs.
Scholarships and Funding
The University is committed to rewarding excellence and potential. Each year we offer a range of prestigious scholarships;
UK/EU students - more information on scholarships and funding
International students - more information on scholarships and funding
Our expertise
Academic staff in the School of Media include:
- Dr Elizabeth Poole: Leading expert in in media and religion, particularly, the media representation of Islam and Muslim.
- Dr Eva Giraud: Leading expert in activist use of digital media.
- Dr Pawas Bisht: Leading expert in media, memory and politics. Experienced documentary film practitioner.
- Mandy McAteer: Leading Expert in photography and other forms of applied visual media practice.
- Dr Neil Archer: Leading expert in globalization and film. Has published extensively on the practices and aesthetics of parody, the road movie and science fiction.
- Dr Maria Flood: Leading expert in representation of political violence in non-Western cinema and by Western minority filmmakers, with a particular focus on the gendered dimensions of both violence and resistance.
Careers
The MA can lead to a range of career pathways, offering a range of transferable skills (in written and verbal communication) in addition to applied skills in media practice (including film-making and digital image manipulation). Alumni have pursued careers in journalism and the media and creative media industries, as well as marketing, human resources, and further postgraduate study.
The University has a Careers and Employability team who can provide you with advice and guidance about your future career. The team offer specialist workshops, for example 'Options with Postgraduate Study' and Moving on with your PhD', and can also meet you individually to give guidance and support to help you develop your career. We also hold regular careers fairs on campus and informal events where you can meet employers. You will also have access to our database of job opportunities and digital resources such as online psychometric testing.
