MA Media and Cultural Studies (Professional Placement)

at Birmingham City University

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.

Essential Requirements

Applicants should have a first degree or equivalent at 2:1, or above, or have considerable experience in a related field and be able to demonstrate outstanding ability and potential.

Applicants should have sound academic skills (research, writing, presentation), an interest in ideas and their application and some basic competence in IT skills (word-processing, internet activities and so on).

Above all, candidates for this exciting and innovative course need to have an inquiring mind, an aptitude for researching, sharing and communicating ideas and a desire to develop as an independent and self-motivated thinker.

IELTS 6.0 overall with 5.5 minimum in all bands.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.

Award: MA Starting: Sep 2022
Full Time 18 months (including Professional Placement - see below*) £17,930 in 2022/23

Enhancing employability skills

The course has a strong emphasis on employability and provides you with the option of gaining professional experience and transferable skills, hereby, enabling you to gain a unique insight into and invaluable first-hand experience of academic and professional cultures. The course is designed to provide a clear route in to doctoral study.

 

This course also offers the unique opportunity to obtain professional experience within this specialised field by working on live research projects.  

 

PLACEMENTS

The MA is delivered in affiliation with the Birmingham Centre for Media and Cultural Research (BCMCR) at Birmingham City University which offers a platform and supportive network for you, as well as for alumni and professionals, and provides opportunities to engage in live research projects within this field.