Mass Communications MA

University of Bedfordshire

This course examines the key issues affecting media and communication in a culturally diverse, modern society. It explores issues related to social media, print and broadcasting, building your understanding of how interconnected the industry is as elements of mass media continue to converge. You explore the theories that underpin the practice of media and communication – including policy and ethical issues - while placing theory in real-life scenarios and developing your skills in critical analysis, research and communication.What will you study?Studying our Mass Communications MA course will provide you with knowledge and skills in the world of media and communication. To build on the foundations of your study, you will explore the political economy of the media in our Media Institutions, Structures and Policies unit. Here, you will examine concepts from press freedom and de-regulation to public sector broadcasting and the adaptation of media institutions. You will explore various factors and relationships that involve the state and the media, the media and its audiences, media economics and technological changes in the media industry.Furthermore, you will develop a firm understanding of the major issues of media theory in our Current Research in Mass Communications unit while also discovering advanced levels of media theory. You will also consider the main issues in Media and International Development including democracy, human rights, freedom of expression and media structures.To demonstrate the knowledge and skills gained from this course, our Final Project in Mass Communications will give you the opportunity to produce a dissertation on a specialist media topic of your interest. To help you in this investigation, you will be introduced to Research Methods used to study the media in relation to government, enterprise and scholarship. More importantly, this will help you develop the skills to produce a research proposal with the appropriate methods and ethical considerations in place.CareersThe knowledge and understanding you gain on this course will be invaluable when seeking employment in the media. In addition the project work on the course helps you make professional and industry contacts while developing specialist knowledge of a specific area of personal interest helping you develop your career in that direction if you choose.Typical areas for Mass Communications graduates to find employment include broadcasting journalism media development arts administration photography theatre media research PR and advertising design and copywriting. It can also open the way to work in areas such as education and human resource management.As an MA graduate you also have the opportunity to study at Doctoral level with an MPhil or PhD.