Communication, Culture and Media MA

Postgraduate

Smiling student stood in front of a TV screen wearing a yellow hijab

Do you enjoy following important issues of the day or wish to pursue a media-based career? We engage with contemporary developments and debates in media, communication and culture.

Year of entry

2024-25

Location

Coventry University (Coventry)

Study mode

Full-time
Part-time

Duration

1 year full-time
2 years part-time
16-24 months (with professional experience)

Course code

AHT080

Start date

September 2024
January 2025
May 2025

How to apply

Book an Open Day

Download a prospectus

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Course overview

We will develop your abilities to question, critique and make your voice stand out from the crowd on topical debates around feminism, identity in a digital world, global and transnational media events, international media industries, distribution networks, memes and viral campaigns, among others.

You will have the option to apply for a ‘professional experience’ opportunity², designed to further develop your skills and knowledge with the aim of maximising your employability prospects. See the ‘Modules’ section for more information.

Rated Gold Overall

Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023

5 QS Stars for Teaching and Facilities

QS Stars University Ratings

Top 5 Student City in England (Coventry)

QS Best Student Cities Index 2025

Why you should study this course

Our theory-into-practice approach blends the study of media and culture with an exciting range of active assignments and real-life projects to develop creative, critical and digital skills of relevance in the professional world.
We create a supportive and collaborative environment where students and staff work together on important and topical issues. You could find yourself tasked with hosting your own photographic exhibition, arranging professional academic conferences or taking a trip to the capital cities of France, Germany or the Netherlands (subject to availability and additional costs²). Alternatively, you may be invited to collaborate with one of our many professional partners – for example, with companies like ESL Games, who host professional live games tournaments (subject to availability²).
Study is based in a converted 1930s Art Deco cinema, which offers a range of purpose-designed spaces. We currently have a global creative community with students from several different countries and highly respected staff, who have published internationally recognised research in journals and books (staff may be subject to change).
Taking full advantage of our extensive networks, we host guest lectures (subject to availability), which in the past have included senior academics from the UK, Finland and Turkey with expertise including media fandom, cult film/TV and audiences in the digital era, the sociology of science and technology, including ethnographic studies of scientific culture, information technology and the internet, on gender, media and the body, and journalistic culture and news production in international news organisations.
We also provide insight from research being conducted within the university itself, which encourages you to explore disruptive social and open media, creative archiving, immersive, mobile and interactive media. Our staff share their most recent knowledge with you, while our quarterly Media Research Seminars offer you the chance to network with internationally leading scholars (subject to availability).

Collaborations with other organisations

Our teaching is underpinned by meaningful, research-based and real-life projects, collaborating with our current network of international collaborators from countries including Finland, Australia, Japan and America (subject to availability²).

What you'll study

"There are no new ideas. There are only new ways of making them felt.” Audre Lorde, African American writer, poet and civil rights activist.

Our course is more than simply research-led, theory-based or practice-inspired; each module caters to new developments in media as a discipline, combining a distinct approach to creation, criticism and curation, placing you at the forefront of contemporary thinking. We cover all aspects of media, communications and cultural studies, from digital media, transnational identities, screen and moving image, new workplace practices, academic research in a digital context, media distribution, international film markets and genres, and contemporary experiences of health, wealth and happiness.

Working at a higher degree level, there is the opportunity² to work across cultures as media experts, creative, professional communicators and researchers in the arts and cultural industries. You will have opportunities² to participate in experience-based learning – anything from running your own film festival to starting your own company – providing the chance to get real-life evidence of event management and project management, valuable in any profession.

We will also provide you with the opportunity to explore the feelings and emotional responses created by contemporary media and culture – together we will discover new ways of making sense of and creatively interpreting our 21st century world.

Modules

Contemporary Media Entanglements – 20 credits

This module is about emerging media entanglements or the ways in which media exist within socio-cultural networks. It is based on notions of interconnectivity and ecology, critically examining the infrastructures, communities, and algorithms that operate in our mediatised lives. In doing so, this module explores contemporary concepts, theories, and methodologies in media and cultural studies, with an acknowledgement of the transdisciplinarity that is necessary to engage with such ideas through praxis.

Compulsory

Research Methods – 20 credits

This module provides you with the theoretical, conceptual, investigative and practical tools needed to develop your own independent research and comprehend which methods will best support your response to a particular research project. It introduces you to the professional and ethical aspects that underpin and inform your practice and aims to increase your ability to critically reflect, contextualise and create work within your chosen specialism/s.

Compulsory

Creative Futures and Social Change – 10 credits

This module explores the changing world of work which Arts and Humanities students enter after study. New technology and the changing global economy mean that jobs and skills are changing and evolving quickly and will continue to do so. This is an exciting and new world, and this module is designed to empower you to realise your potential in it.

This module provides tools for you to develop into changemakers, thrive in a changing world of work and participate in creating a better future for society. You’ll be guided through a process of reflection that explores four possible futures for the world of work and how to situate your own professional identity as the future of work changes through your careers. This module is designed in collaboration with The RSA (Royal Society of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce), and upon successful completion students will receive RSA digital badging.

Compulsory

Collaborative Social Challenge Project – 10 credits

This project module aims to allow you to develop independent and collaborative working skills through a focused application and response to a specific context. Working with peers from within the School of Media and Performing Arts MA courses and/or external collaborators (subject to availability), you will develop an interdisciplinary response to a live brief generated by addressing and engaging with a social challenge. In collaboration and through negotiation, use opportunities to lead, manage and contribute to the delivery of a professional approach to problem analysis, evaluation and strategies for developing a creative solution.

Compulsory

Subjectivities and Digital Culture – 20 credits

This module explores knowledge creation and subjectivities in digital culture, drawing on your own researcher identity and subjectivity, in response to contemporary ontologies and epistemologies in digital culture research. You will explore the cultural dimensions of media, and the relationships between subjectivity, society, and media.

Compulsory

Final Project (Research and Development) – 30 credits

This module offers you an opportunity for personalised learning by carrying out an original piece of research in a chosen subject area. You may select a topic that aligns with a professional role or career aspirations, or that might simply be an area of interest ready to be turned into a passion project.

Compulsory

Collaborative Community Project – 10 credits

This project module aims to allow you to develop independent and collaborative working skills through a focused application and response to a specific context. Working with peers from within the School of Media and Performing Arts MA courses and/or external partners, you will develop an interdisciplinary response to a live brief generated by engaging with a community issue with the support or guidance of a local group or organisation (subject to availability)².

Compulsory

Mobilities and Transformation – 20 credits

This module explores the transformational potential of knowledge. Notions of mobilities and crisis are the basis of this module, exploring the tensions between global challenges and national/systemic institutions, and the role of media in informing perceptions of contemporary moments of crisis (i.e. refugees, climate crisis, pandemics).

Compulsory

Final Project (Production and Sharing) – 30 credits

In this module you will manage to completion, a substantial piece of independent research practice that is informed by the wider contexts of your discipline, and is well-conceived, well-rounded, coherent and of a standard appropriate to master's level. You will be required to independently manage a project of your choosing and will rely upon a high degree of autonomy. Work will predominately be self-directed, with support from staff with relevant subject specialism in both group and individual tutorials (as appropriate).

Compulsory

Collaborative Enterprise Project – 10 credits

Working with peers from within the School of Media and Performing Arts MA courses and/or external collaborators (subject to availability), you will develop an interdisciplinary response to a live brief generated by exploring opportunities for enterprise within your practice (subject to availability)². You will explore potential routes to monetise your work and consider your role as a member of the future media and performing arts workforce.

Compulsory

With professional experience option

The professional experience opportunity² enables you to apply for optional professional experience in semester 1, which, upon successfully securing an opportunity, will extend the duration of your master’s to either 16, 20 or 24 months. The professional experience provides an opportunity for you to develop expertise and experience in your chosen field with the aim of enhancing your employability.

Please note that the optional professional experience modules incur an additional tuition fee³, which for one semester of professional experience is £1,333.33, for two semesters of professional experience is £2,666.67, and for three semesters of professional experience is £4,000.

Professional experience may also be subject to additional costs, visa requirements being met, subject to availability and/or competitive application. Professional experience opportunities are not guaranteed but you will benefit from the support of our Talent Team in trying to find and secure an opportunity. Find out more about the professional experience option.

We regularly review our course content, to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated.

How you'll learn

During the course you’ll be encouraged to engage with a range of media – digital archives, film and moving images, traditional media forms, arts and arts-based practices, academic literature, photography and more.

As well as traditional teaching methods, such as lectures, seminars, workshops and tutorials, we offer skills training in video editing, Photoshop, digital publishing and content management and also organise a number of practical sessions.

There are opportunities to hear from guest speakers², our own Media Research Seminars, and opportunities to attend a number of field trips, from Leicester and London to Paris (subject to availability and additional costs²).

This course can be offered on a part-time basis. Whilst we would like to give you all the information about our part-time offering here, it is tailored for each course each year depending on the number of part-time applicants. Therefore, the part-time teaching arrangements vary. Request further information about part-time study.

Teaching contact hours

The number of full-time contact hours may vary from semester to semester, however, on average, it is likely to be around eight contact hours per week. The contact hours may be made up of a combination of face-to-face teaching, individual and group tutorials, and online classes and tutorials.

Additionally, you will be expected to undertake significant self-directed study of approximately 300 hours each semester, depending on the demands of individual modules.

As an innovative and enterprising institution, the university may seek to utilise emerging technologies within the student experience. For all courses (whether on-campus, blended, or distance learning), the university may deliver certain contact hours and assessments via online technologies and methods.

Since COVID-19, we have delivered our courses in a variety of forms, in line with public authority guidance, decisions, or orders and we will continue to adapt our delivery as appropriate. Whether on campus or online, our key priority is staff and student safety.

Assessment

This course will be assessed using a variety of methods which will vary depending on the module.

Assessment methods include:

Group work
Presentations
Reports
Projects
Coursework
Individual assignments

The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards achieving the intended learning outcomes.

International experience opportunities

The nature of course content is inherently international, studying media and cultural practices throughout the world. You will have opportunities² to hear from practitioners and academic experts from across Europe. We also organise a range of field trips overseas² – previously to Berlin, Amsterdam and Paris, where students work in groups to carry out bespoke research projects and produce film, photography or data collection to address important research questions.

Entry requirements

Typical offer for 2024/25 entry.

Standard entry requires a good undergraduate degree on the British model in the arts, humanities or social sciences. Equivalent qualifications from overseas and professional qualifications are also acceptable.

We recognise a breadth of qualifications, speak to one of our advisers today to find out how we can help you.

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Select your region to find detailed information about entry requirements:

Russia and Central Asia

You can view our full list of country-specific entry requirements on our Entry requirements page.

Alternatively, visit our International hub for further advice and guidance on finding in-country agents and representatives, joining our in-country events and how to apply.

English language requirements

IELTS: 6.5 overall (with at least 5.5 in each component area)

If you don't meet the English language requirements, you can achieve the level you need by successfully completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.

For more information on our approved English language tests visit our English language requirements page.

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Fees and funding

2024/25 tuition fees.

Student	Full-time	Part-time
UK, Ireland*, Channel Islands or Isle of Man	£11,200 \| £15,200 (with prof. experience)	Request fee information
EU	£11,200 \| £15,200 (with prof. experience) per year with EU Support Bursary £18,600 \| £22,600 (with prof. experience) per year without EU Support Bursary	Not available
International	£18,600 \| £22,600 (with prof. experience)	Not available

For advice and guidance on tuition fees³ and student loans visit our Postgraduate Finance page.

We offer a range of international scholarships to students all over the world. For more information, visit our International Scholarships page.

Tuition fees³ cover the cost of your teaching, assessments, facilities and support services. There may be additional costs not covered by this fee such as accommodation and living costs, recommended reading books, stationery, printing and re-assessments should you need them.

The following are additional costs not included in the tuition fees:

Any optional overseas ﬁeld trips or visits: £400+ per trip.
Any costs associated with securing, attending or completing a placement (whether in the UK or abroad).

*Irish student fees

The rights of Irish residents to study in the UK are preserved under the Common Travel Area arrangement. If you are an Irish student and meet the residency criteria, you can study in England, pay the same level of tuition fees as English students and utilise the Tuition Fee Loan.

**EU Support Bursary

Following the UK's exit from the European Union, we are offering financial support to all eligible EU students who wish to study an undergraduate or a postgraduate degree with us full-time. This bursary will be used to offset the cost of your tuition fees to bring them in line with that of UK students. Students studying a degree with a foundation year with us are not eligible for the bursary.

How do you know if you need to pay UK or international tuition fees?

We carry out an initial fee status assessment based on the information you provide in your application. Your fee status determines your tuition fees, and what financial support and scholarships may be available to you. The rules about who pays UK (home) or international (overseas) fees for higher education courses in England are set by the Department for Education. The regulations identify all the different categories of student who can insist on paying the home rate. The regulations can be difficult to understand, so the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) has provided fee status guidance to help you identify whether you are eligible to pay the home or overseas rate.

If you meet all the criteria required by any one category, including any residence requirements, your institution must charge you the home rate. You only need to find one category that you fit into.

Facilities

You will benefit from studying on our well-equipped, modern campus. Our aim is to offer you sector-leading facilities in a dedicated environment⁴. You can also access high-standard professional media equipment via our Media Loan Shop, including prosumer media equipment (i.e. 4K and HD video cameras, DSLR cameras, tripods, audio equipment, lighting – Canon, JVC, Sony)⁴.

Television Studio

Where applicable, you’ll have access to our on-campus TV studio The Tank, with its specialist TV studio equipment, including large cameras, mixing facilities and fibre-optic wiring throughout.

Photography Suite

The photography suite is a superb facility that includes virtual drum scanning, photography studios, black-and-white print darkrooms, free black-and-white film processing, and a digital print bureau.

Media Loan Shop

As a student, you’ll have access to Coventry University’s specialist Media Loan Shop. This well-stocked facility offers an extensive range of specialist, professional photography and film equipment.

Careers and opportunities

Upon successful completion, you will be able to:

demonstrate knowledge of cutting-edge theoretical frameworks, concepts, ideas and ways of understanding the world that help make sense of the complexity of contemporary media
critically engage and interpret complex bodies of thought, and understand the relationships between and within frameworks for thinking
evaluate a number of competing and contradictory theories, concepts and ideas and be able to reconcile differences and reason through their own theoretically informed thinking and practices
produce, make, create and craft a broad range of artefacts (e.g. film production and distribution, conference/seminar/symposium organisation, exhibition, curatorial projects, installations, websites and other digital content) relevant to the context and engage in appropriate and thoughtful methods of advertising and promotion to ensure your work is visible and accessible to a global audience.

We provide a range of exciting opportunities to produce industry-related work and self-directed portfolios that are geared towards creating graduates who could work either in the UK or abroad. Past projects have included ‘JuneParis’, ‘Checkpoint/Counterpoint’ and ‘Rescheduled’, which have presented research through photographic and digital arts, with data produced in Berlin, Amsterdam and Paris².

We focus on developing your creative capacity, enhancing your skills in creating, making and producing, giving you the confidence to respond to the media as it happens with meaningful and academically informed outputs (e.g. digital profiles, exhibitions, artefacts such as film and photography). With these skills, you should be well placed to take up roles in a range of creative sectors, ranging from advocacy and other forms of applied communications, academic research and scholarship, start-ups, arts and particular industries within media sectors (e.g. film, journalism, cultural criticism, television, journalism, digital publishing).

Where our graduates work

Recent graduates have gone on to study for PhDs in the UK, Africa, China and America. Our students have gone on to work in: digital music services in the Netherlands, as research posts at the Five College Women’s Centre, Massachusetts USA, in PR companies in Saudi Arabia, in government organisations and broadcasters in Africa, and as producers in TV stations in China. Our graduates also regularly go on to set up their own companies across the globe.

How to apply

UK students

To apply to study for a postgraduate course at Coventry University, you can apply online.

Full-time applications

Part-time applications

For further support or more information about your course get in touch with us today.

+44 (0)24 7765 2222

ukadmissions@coventry.ac.uk

Chat with our admissions team

Complete our contact form.

International students

Full-time international students should apply directly to the university. Read our application pages to find out your next steps to apply.

How to apply

For further support for international applicants applying for postgraduate degree view our International hub.

You can also download our International guide which contains lots of useful information about our courses, accommodation and tips for travel.

Get in touch with us today for further advice and guidance.

+44 (0)24 7765 2152

applications.io@coventry.ac.uk

Chat with our admissions team.

Complete our contact form.

Disclaimers

Coventry University together with Coventry University London, Coventry University Wrocław, CU Coventry, CU London, CU Scarborough, and Coventry University Online come together to form part of the Coventry University Group (the University) with all degrees awarded by Coventry University.

¹Accreditations

The majority of our courses have been formally recognised by professional bodies, which means the courses have been reviewed and tested to ensure they reach a set standard. In some instances, studying on an accredited course can give you additional benefits such as exemptions from professional exams (subject to availability, fees may apply). Accreditations, partnerships, exemptions and memberships shall be renewed in accordance with the relevant bodies’ standard review process and subject to the university maintaining the same high standards of course delivery.

²UK and international opportunities

Please note that we are unable to guarantee any UK or international opportunities (whether required or optional) such as internships, work experience, field trips, conferences, placements or study abroad opportunities and that all such opportunities may be unpaid and/or subject to additional costs (which could include, but is not limited to, equipment, materials, bench fees, studio or facilities hire, travel, accommodation and visas), competitive application, availability and/or meeting any applicable travel, public authority guidance, decisions or orders and visa requirements. To ensure that you fully understand any visa requirements, please contact the International Office.

³Tuition fees

The University will charge the tuition fees that are stated in the above table for the first Academic Year of study. The University will review tuition fees each year. For UK (home) students, if Parliament permit an increase in tuition fees, the University may increase fees for each subsequent year of study in line with any such changes. Note that any increase is expected to be in line with inflation.

For international students, we may increase fees each year, but such increases will be no more than 5% above inflation. If you defer your course start date or have to extend your studies beyond the normal duration of the course (e.g. to repeat a year or resit examinations) the University reserves the right to charge you fees at a higher rate and/or in accordance with any legislative changes during the additional period of study.

⁴Facilities

Facilities are subject to availability. Access to some facilities (including some teaching and learning spaces) may vary from those advertised and/or may have reduced availability or restrictions where the university is following public authority guidance, decisions or orders.

Student Contract

By accepting your offer of a place and enrolling with us, a Student Contract will be formed between you and the university. A copy of the current 2024/2025 contract is available on the website. The Contract details your rights and the obligations you will be bound by during your time as a student and contains the obligations that the university will owe to you. You should read the Contract before you accept an offer of a place and before you enrol at the university.