Media and Culture MLitt/Postgraduate Diploma

www.fmj.stir.ac.uk

This degree is for people who want to better understand the twenty-first century media environment. The contemporary media are being shaped by emerging transformations and by contested continuities. Established media industries struggle to deal with the shock of the new — a proliferation of competing platforms, a reconfiguration of audiences, and a digital context in which media products can be shared, copied and remixed by millions. At the same time, assumptions and precedents from the twentieth century persist in the shaping of policy and regulation, in debates about censorship and subsidy, in struggles over intellectual property, copyright and access. This degree explores such aspects of contemporary media culture, offering courses which explore areas such as digital cultures, creative industries, cultural theory, media economics, and media rights and intellectual property.

Programme Objectives

The MLitt in Media and Culture will be of particular interest to those who plan to work in the creative industries, as well as those already working in this field. It will benefit those seeking a competitive edge in a careers market that values high-level skills in communication, research and critical thinking. It will also provide an excellent preparation for those wishing to continue their studies to PhD level. Students will take a flexible and comprehensive programme of courses that will develop their understanding of contemporary media to an advanced level.

Entrance Requirements

A graduate who has an Honours degree, normally at upper second class, or the equivalent, from a university or college recognised by the University of Stirling, or an applicant who has an equivalent academic or professional qualification, will be considered for admission as a candidate for the MLitt or the Diploma.

A graduate with an Ordinary or General degree from a University or college recognised by the University of Stirling will be considered for Diploma study.

Exceptionally, experienced applicants without formal academic qualifications but occupying managerial positions may be considered for admission if they can satisfy the University of Stirling of their ability to undertake postgraduate study.

English Language Requirements

If English is not your first language, you must provide evidence of your proficiency such as a minimum IELTS score of 6 (minimum 5 in each skill) or TOEFL 550/213/79-80 (Paper/Computer/Internet).

Funding

For information on possible sources of funding, visit: www.stir.ac.uk/postgrad/finance

Modes of Study

Full-time:

MLitt: 11 months

Diploma: 9 months

Part-time:

MLitt: 2 years

Programme Start Date

September

Programme Director

Dr Graham Meikle

Department of Film, Media & Journalism

Structure and Content

The teaching year at Stirling is divided into two semesters, which run from mid-September to December, and from mid-February to the end of May. Each semester, you will take four modules, combining core and optional choices; all candidates for the MLitt will also complete a dissertation of approximately 12,000 words. The degree will consist of the following modules:

Core modules, taken by all students on the MLitt in Media and Culture, are:

The Practice of Cultural Theory (autumn): Develops, consolidates and extends your understanding of key concepts, texts and theorists.

Researching Media and Culture (autumn): Provides you with core methodological skills in media and cultural research.

Digital Cultures (spring): Examines the transformations and continuities that characterise the digital media environment.

Dissertation (spring/summer): Develops and implements an original research proposal on a topic of your choice, to be negotiated in consultation with a supervisor.

To complete the programme, you may choose from among the following options. Note that not all of these may be offered in any given year.

Interpreting News (autumn): Explores news as a key media form, with a particular focus on developments in online news and journalism.
The Media Environment (autumn): Examines the media industries in their social, political and economic contexts.

Media Economics (autumn): Develops understanding of economic issues in the media industries.

Creative Industries: Contemporary Issues (spring): Investigates the challenges facing those seeking careers in the creative industries, with a focus on the relationship between creativity and commerce.

Global Youth Cultures (spring): Examines key issues of youth cultures within the global context. A significant emphasis will be placed on representations of youth in cinema, and the module will also consider the roles of television, radio, music and new technologies within this context.

Media Rights (spring): Explores key issues affecting media rights management with regard to acquisition, protection and exploitation of intellectual property.

From 2010/11, you will also be able to choose selected modules from the MLitt in Film Studies as options on this programme, subject to approval.

Delivery and Assessment

Assessment is by means of coursework as specified for each module (some of the optional modules include exams). Examples of assessment tasks include essays, literature reviews, research reports, seminar presentations, and participation in online projects such as class blogs. All candidates for the MLitt will complete a 12,000-word dissertation on a topic chosen in consultation with a supervisor.

Timetable

Contact the Department for information on your timetable and reading lists.

Career Opportunities

This degree will be of particular interest to those who plan to work in the creative industries, as well as those already working in this field. It will benefit those seeking a competitive edge in a careers market that values high-level skills in communication, research and critical thinking. The programme will also provide an excellent preparation for those wishing to continue their research at PhD level.

Research Opportunities

Research degree programmes are available to PhD and MPhil level and may be followed part-time.

Initial research training, provided through the MSc/ Diploma in Media Research, is both cross-disciplinary and designed for students coming straight from an undergraduate degree, as well as students returning to academia after spending time as media practitioners.

Our Graduate School is also strongly international with current research students from the UK and a dozen other countries around the world. We welcome students from both arts and social sciences backgrounds.

The Department has an internationally-recognised and diverse research profile and offers supervision across a range of topics.

For a comprehensive list of current research interests, visit www.fmj.stir.ac.uk

For further information on the Stirling Media Research Institute, visit: www.fmj.stir.ac.uk/research

Research Proposal

Any research proposal should outline a clear research question or set of questions and include evidence of the wider context within which the proposed research is situated; suggest what methods would be used and provide an indicative bibliography.

RAE Rating

The UK-wide Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) confirmed the quality of the work being done by our researchers. 85% of the University of Stirling’s research has been judged to be internationally excellent and internationally recognised, with the top 10% of that judged to be world class.

View the full outcomes of Stirling’s RAE performance

Use the online enquiry service to find out more or to request a prospectus.

If you are ready to apply you can fill out an online application form now.