MA Global Media and Communication

at National University of Ireland Galway

Students will be offered a diet of taught core and elective modules across three semesters including both academic learning and practically-focused teaching and independent learning. Students will be offered 30 credits of modules per semester in semesters one and two, including core subjects, and a choice of elective options from media and communications and related subjects. Students will choose their stream with a pre-determined module structure. In their third semester students will undertake either a final practice-based project under supervision and a work internship, or an academic dissertation also under supervision. 
 

These carefully planned modules and streams blend to create a programme that will allow students the opportunity to build core communication capacities such as writing, reporting, production and storytelling across multiple platforms as well as providing students with a grounding in theoretical approaches to media and communication. This will allow students to develop their critical thinking capacities as well as acquiring advanced knowledge about norms and practices in global media – and how to challenge these. The suite of modules available offers students an opportunity to engage with real-world challenges and opportunities through a range of visiting speakers and innovative project-based assessment. Students are also given the opportunity to apply and synthesise the skills and knowledge developed over the programme within the final project or individual dissertation that are developed and produced in their final semester. 
 

Semester one: Taught modules (30 ECTS)

DJ6127 Global Media and Society (10 ECTS) 
DJ6129 Social Media and Digital Production (10 ECTS)

Semester two: Taught modules (30 ECTS)
DJ6131 Global Media Innovation (10 ECTS)
DJ6133 Data Journalism and Visualisation (10 ECTS)
 

Choose one of:

• DJ6134 Business and Financial Journalism
• DJ6100 Features Journalism
• DJ6125 Investigating Miscarriages of Justice
• DJ6132 Digital Sandbox
• DJ6135 Reporting Economics and Politics 
• DJ6137 Strategic Communication 
   

Semester 3: (30 ECTS)

DJ6123 Dissertation (30 cr)
OR
DJ6124 Final Project and workplace learning (30 cr)
 

Curriculum Information

Year 1 (90 Credits)

• Required DJ6127: Global Media and Society
• Required DJ6129: Social Media and Digital Production
• Required DJ6131: Global Media Innovation
• Required DJ6133: Data Journalism and Visualisation
• Optional DJ6132: Digital Sandbox
• Optional DJ6125: Investigating Miscarriages of Justice
• Optional DJ6123: Dissertation: Journalism, communication and media
• Optional DJ6124: Final Project for journalism, media and communication
• Optional DJ6130: Employability and Career Skills
• Optional DJ6105: Political reporting
• Optional DJ6135: Reporting Economics and Politics
• Optional DJ6100: Features Journalism
• Optional DJ6122: Researching the Media
• Optional DJ6134: Business and Financial Journalism

To be accepted you must have a minimum Second Class Honours degree, or be in your final year of study and expecting to graduate Summer 2022. We also welcome applications from people with prior experience in journalism looking to update their skills. The programme is particularly welcoming to international students. We welcome application from all academic backgrounds, particularly Arts and humanities, science and business graduates. 
 

The English language requirement for this programme is: IELTS of 7.0 overall with not less than 6.5 in any component.
 

Fees: EU
€9,000 p.a. 2022/23

Fees: Tuition
€8,860 p.a. 2022/23

Fees: Student levy
€140 p.a. 2022/23

Fees: Non EU
€17,500 p.a. 2022/23

Student levy €140 - payable by all students and is not covered by SUSI. 

Career Opportunities

This programme prepares graduates for a wide range of careers. The valuable oral and written communication skills, advanced research skills, and critical thinking skills that the MA Global Media and Communication programme will offer students are highly transferrable and sought after by employers in sectors including the digital media, news, communications, culture and knowledge industries. Students will be able to specialise in a specific stream within the programme thereby further developing their capacities and enhancing their employability. Graduates can progress to an exciting variety of careers including news and current affairs; media and creative industries; advocacy, civil society, policy and civil society organisations; strategic communication; social media and digital content production, digital communication and data analysis; publishing; broadcasting; public relations; and financial journalism and communication. The programme also offers clear opportunities to pursue further study and research at postgraduate level.