COURSE IN DEPTH
Modules
In order to complete this course you must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 180 credits):
Cultural Theory
20 credits
This module will explore the various ways in which academics, popular critics, producers and audiences have made sense of this complicated term and identify just how important the modern mass media have been in shaping debate around culture and cultural values.
Researching Media Cultures
20 credits
This module explores the current state of international academic knowledge and debates based on the research interests of staff and students involved with the Birmingham Centre for Media and Cultural Research. It will provide you with a systematic understanding of approaches to researching media cultures and the opportunity to develop your insights through an area of interest, connected to your MA project.
Industrial Practice and Context
20 credits
This module will introduce you to your specialist field, focusing on the key skills, issues and debates surrounding the creative industries and in your specialist field.
Creative Industries and Cultural Policy
20 credits
This module explores the range and character of contemporary cultural policy and the creative industries in terms of their economic and social value through research, analysis and communication.
Research in Practice
20 credits
The module is intended to help you develop and consolidate your ideas for your MA Major Project. By providing a common module that comprises of all MA Media cohorts, Research in Practice aims to facilitate a shared skillset that aids the successful completion of the MA Major project, as well as the potential for routes into PhD progression beyond. It is also designed to encourage interdisciplinary discussions across MA awards.
Work Placement
20 credits
The purpose of this module is to enable you to develop professional attributes and subject skills through experience in the work place, and to critically reflect upon your learning in that context. You will normally be expected to arrange your own placement, with support from academic staff and BCU Careers.
Major Project
60 credits
The purpose of the module is to enable you to undertake a sustained, in-depth and theoretically informed research project exploring an area that is of personal interest to you. It is important that we can support you appropriately, so you will be guided towards choosing a research topic which is relevant to your discipline and in which your lecturers have expertise. The outcome may take the form of a written dissertation or a practical outcome with accompanying reflective, critical and contextual material. The main consideration when choosing your topic is that it must be relevant to your programme and you should consider the relevance of this topic to your future academic or professional development.
Core modules are guaranteed to run. Optional modules will vary from year to year and the published list is indicative only.
