The media industries that inform and entertain are also leading sectors of employment. This course explores both the cultural and economic aspects of media. Today, more than ever, media professionals need to understand the cultures, forms and practices of contemporary communication industries, and recognize and respond to changing conditions, challenges and policy issues. You will explore media and marketing communications industries from the global to the local, and from political economic aspects to the creativity of media practitioners and users. You will examine contemporary convergence across media, marketing and promotional industries and will be supported in your independent investigation into chosen aspects of digital publishing, audiovisual and social media, advertising, public relations and other marketing communications industries.

This MA offers a stimulating and wide-ranging programme supporting routes into both postgraduate research and careers in the creative industries in content creation and operations, management, research, policy and other support services. The programme will help you develop both academic and applied skills through research and study, innovative work/study experience, and production.

You'll be taught by a range of staff, some of whom are practitioners and/or published researchers in the area they teach. The assessments focus on a mix of research and practical skills some of which are presented as ‘live or simulated briefs’ as well as applied or academic research projects. This ensures that the practice-led and research informed teaching is relevant to industry and the world of work as well as the pursuit of advanced PG study (MPhil, PhD) and research careers. Our staff are well placed to take advantage of a range of professional and research networks, and industry contacts. Each module is designed with practical components and a reflective component, with the intention that students develop an ability to comment critically on and justify their creative process

Guided independent study

When not attending timetabled lectures or workshops, you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-study. This will typically involve skills development through online study, reading journal articles and books, working on individual and group projects and preparing coursework assignments and presentations. Your independent learning is supported by a range of excellent facilities including online resources, specialist facilities, such as edit suites, the library, the full Microsoft Office software, including MS Teams, and Moodle: our Virtual Learning Environment.

Academic support

Our academic support team provides help in a range of areas – including learning and disability support

Dedicated personal tutor

When you arrive, we'll introduce you to your personal tutor. This is the member of the academic course team who will provide academic guidance, be a support throughout your time at UEL and who will show you how to make the best use of all the help and resources that we offer.

Workload

For full-time time study, you will spend around 330 hours of timetabled learning and teaching activities to complete the MA. These may be lectures, workshops, seminars and individual and group tutorials. Contact hours may vary depending on each module.
The approximate workload hours for this course are:
Full-time. scheduled teaching – 332 hours; guided independent study – 1768 hours.

Your timetable

Your individualised timetable is normally available within 48 hours of enrolment. Whilst we make every effort to ensure timetables are as student-friendly as possible, scheduled teaching can take place on any day of the week between 9.00am and 7.30pm. For undergraduate students, Wednesday afternoons are normally reserved for sports and cultural activities, but there may be occasions when this is not possible. Timetables for part-time students will depend on the modules selected.

Class sizes

To give you an indication of class sizes, this course normally attracts 20 new students per year. Lecture sizes are normally maximum 40 students.

In the classroom you will be taught in groups of 18–20 students. However, this can vary by academic year.

• Advanced understanding of media and communication industries, their economic or business applications, their industrial and management structures and methods, their creative practices and techniques, their activities and influence on users, stakeholders and societies.
• The ways in which cultural and media organisations and practices intersect with political and economic processes, cultural meaning-making, creativity and social communications
• The political, economic, social, cultural and technological forces that influence the media and communication industries
• The ways in which creative artefacts are originated, produced, distributed, appropriated and used
• The organisation of work and professional and occupational codes and practices in cultural production, distribution and reception
• The legal, ethical and other regulatory frameworks, including the intellectual property framework, that are relevant to media and cultural production, distribution, circulation, and reception
• How to engage critically with major thinkers, contemporary researchers and debates within the field, putting them to productive use
• Develop critically informed analysis and evaluation of cultural texts and practices associated with media and marketing communication industries, and your own work

The course will prepare students for a variety of careers in the management and production of media content and services, both in the UK and worldwide. Students will be able to demonstrate both academic and applied skills in research, planning and communication, and those pursuing practice-based options will be able to demonstrate enhanced skills in content creation and production processes. Students will also be equipped to work in communications in broader contexts such as in communications regulation and compliance and media policy, marketing communications and promotion, and various strategic and support services across the media and creative industries. Our students will also be well placed to pursue further research at PhD level, and even pursue an academic career.