MA Media in Development

SOAS University of London

Overview

This programme challenges the assumptions behind the media and development industries and development studies and offers new ways of thinking about the critical issues facing societies today such as climate change. The approach balances critical theoretical analysis of the hegemony implied by the ideas and practices of development with the practical issues surrounding the use of contemporary media, including the use of digital technologies for development communication, online activism, developmental journalism, and information and communications technologies for development (ICT4D).

The course draws on from critical media and cultural studies’ theory, practical knowledge and experience, alongside critical debates within and about development, to challenge assumptions about the role of media and development industries as agents of change in the contemporary world. Students combine critical theoretical analysis of the role of media in development with a focus on practical issues surrounding the use of media, including digital technologies. The programme differs from other degrees in the field by placing the onus on the role of media to further the development agenda, especially post the Second World War, critically negotiating its origins in West-centric ideas of modernisation, social change and progress and their relevance in today's multipolar world. Students benefit from the unique position of the Centre for Media Studies as a specialist institution for the study of media in the global south.

It is designed for those with an interest in global media and development, including media and development professionals seeking alternative ways of thinking about their roles as practitioners and activists. It provides an excellent foundation for MPhil/PhD research.

Employment

As well as academic expertise, MA Media in Development graduates from SOAS gain a portfolio of widely transferable skills which employers seek. These include; written and oral communication skills, attention to detail, analytical and problem-solving skills and the ability to research, amass and order information from a variety of sources. This postgraduate degree provides students with a body of work and a diverse range of skills that they can use to market themselves with when they graduate.