Society, Culture and Media MA

Program Overview

The program equips students with critical analysis skills and explores the intersections and implications of these fields for contemporary society. Graduates are prepared for careers in academia, communications, and the creative industries.

Program Outline

Society, Culture and Media MA - University of Leeds

Degree Overview:

This interdisciplinary MA program provides a comprehensive understanding of key issues, debates, and theoretical perspectives within sociology, media, and culture. It equips students with the skills to critically analyze the intersections and implications of these fields for contemporary society and our interactions with culture and media.

Objectives:

• Gain in-depth knowledge of sociological, media, and cultural themes.
• Develop critical analysis skills to understand the relationship between culture, media, and society.
• Explore themes of power, inequality, and identity, particularly in relation to gender, class, race, and ethnicity.
• Acquire transferable skills in research, communication, analysis, self-management, and group work.
• Prepare for careers in academia, communications, media policy, creative industries, media markets, audience research, and other related fields.

Outline:

Year 1:

Compulsory Modules:

• Sociology of Media and Culture (30 credits): This module provides a high-level interdisciplinary and critical understanding of media and culture.
Students will apply conceptual, theoretical, and empirical insights from recent sociology to contemporary issues within media and culture.
• Researching Inequality in the Media (30 credits): This module focuses on the epistemological underpinnings of social research related to media representations of inequality.
Students will understand ethical debates, critically analyze research practice, and review and appraise media representations in relation to various social inequalities.
• Approaches and Methods for Media and Culture (30 credits): This module explores a range of methods and approaches used to critically understand media and cultural texts and their production and consumption contexts.
• Dissertation (30 credits): This module supports students in designing and conducting independent research on an aspect of culture and media.

Optional Modules:

• Racism, Decoloniality and Migration (30 credits): This module provides an advanced understanding of theoretical and conceptual debates within decolonial, racism, 'race' ethnicity, and migration studies.
It focuses on racism, racial inequality, and diversity in the context of global migrations.
• Reality TV: Truth or Fiction (30 credits): This module analyzes the popular genres of Lifestyle and Reality Television, examining how they reflect, challenge, or reproduce social and cultural values.
• Videogames and Society (30 credits): This module explores the diverse ways people engage with videogames, examining their significance in shaping selfhood, forming communities, and influencing livelihoods.
• Gender, Sexuality and Popular Culture (30 credits): This module examines how genders and sexualities are operationalized within media representations, sport, music, fashion subcultures, fandoms, and social media personalities.

Assessment:

Assessment methods include:

• Short quizzes
• Group project
• Essay
• Dissertation

Teaching:

• A variety of teaching and learning methods are employed, including guest lectures, seminars, presentations, group work, online learning, and independent critical enquiry.
• Teaching is conducted by expert academics, including lecturers, professors, industry professionals, and trained postgraduate researchers.

Careers:

• The program equips students with transferable skills and specialist knowledge for careers in sociology, media, and culture.
• Opportunities exist in communications and media policy, PR, social and digital media, media markets, audience research, and other cultural and creative industries.
• The sociology element of the program allows for applications in education, statutory and voluntary agencies, NGOs, INGOs, and charities.
• The program provides a foundation for pursuing a PhD in sociology and media studies or an interdisciplinary PhD.

Other:

• The program benefits from the expertise of the School of Sociology and Social Policy.
• Students can tailor the program to their interests through optional modules.
• The University of Leeds offers careers support services to help students prepare for their careers.
• The School of Sociology and Social Policy typically offers scholarships each year.

UK fees: £12,000 (Total)

International fees: £27,250 (Total)