Cultural and Creative Industries (MA)

at Cardiff University

The programme runs for one academic year, starting in September.

The early part of the programme provides a robust theoretical and practical grounding on cultural and creative industries theory and research via a range of core and optional taught modules. Following on from this taught stage, you will undertake a Professional Development and Placement module. Together, these modules are worth 150 credits
 

Subject to successful completion, you will then progress to the Professional Research Project module (30 credits), which is submitted at the end of August and which you will develop with support from your supervisor.

You will study a number of core and optional modules as part of the programme that combine to give a comprehensive understanding of all aspects of the cultural and creative industries. You will gain practical industry experience via the Professional Development and Placement module during semester 2.  There will also be an opportunity to study a number of optional modules drawn from our suite of current Master’s level modules. The taught phase concludes in May/June and, subject to successful completion, you will progress to the Professional Research Project phase, through which you will develop and practice research skills relevant to your choice of subject. The Professional Research Project is submitted at the end of August. The Professional Research Project is designed to build on your placement experience and acts both as a critique of the current state of your chosen field of interest, and as a vehicle for the development of professional skills appropriate to your future career ambitions.

Academic requirements

Typically, you will need to have either:

• a 2:1 honours degree, or an equivalent international degree, in arts, humanities, or social science disciplines
• a university-recognised equivalent academic qualification
• or relevant professional experience evidenced by a reference.
   

English language requirements

IELTS with an overall score of 7.0 with 6.5 in all subskills, or an accepted equivalent.
 

Application Deadline

We allocate places on a first-come, first-served basis, so we recommend you apply as early as possible.
 

Selection process

We will review your application and if you meet all of the entry requirements, we will make you an offer.

Fees for home status

Tution Fees - £10,200
Deposit - £

Fees for overseas status

Tution Fees - £18,700
Deposit-£1,000
 

We recognise the majority of our students undertake postgraduate qualifications to improve their prospects in the job market. That’s why we’ve designed our MA Cultural and Creative Industries to give you the opportunity to follow a wide variety of careers in any number of cultural, creative or associated sectors.
 

You may want to consider work as a freelancer or start your own creative business. Other options include working within small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), or as an ‘embedded’ creative in a non-creative business. You may decide to pursue policy-making or go down an academic career path and pursue further study.
 

Placements
 

The Professional Development and Placement module offers you the opportunity to undertake a significant work experience placement within a cultural or creative business or organisation as part of your studies. All students on the programme are expected to undertake a placement.
 

Please note: you will source your own placement but will be supported by the School to enable you to find a suitable and beneficial placement opportunity.
 

You will undertake a minimum of 70 hours (or 10 days) of work experience with a creative or cultural business or partner organisation. The placement can be undertaken in various ways – a day or more across a number of weeks; a day a week and then a week block, or a two week block. Our partnership with Creative Cardiff and our developed industry links mean that we are exceptionally placed for students taking part on placements. In the unlikely event you are not able to undertake a work placement, there will be the opportunity to undertake a campus-based project.
 

The placement will form a valuable expression of your learning and will help you identify issues and/or questions that will then form the basis of your Professional Research Project which you will undertake in the final semester.