MA MA Media, Communications and Critical Practice

Offers will be made based on the following selection criteria, which applicants are expected to demonstrate:

• An academic or professional background in a relevant subject.
• Evidence of an ability to foster a critical and analytical approach to the study of media and communications.
• Evidence of collaborative skills and an awareness of the opportunities and challenges of collaborative work.
• Experience of working in the media, cultural or creative industries, or/and a clear sense of the relevance of the course to your own career plan.
• Evidence of practical experience of creating or producing media content, or a demonstrable interest in developing creative practice-based skills.

Graduates will be well suited to a range of careers in the media, communications or creative industries, as well as to research roles in the cultural and public sectors. Each year a number of our students progress to advanced postgraduate study.

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We are committed to ensuring that your skills are set within an ethical framework and are embedding UAL’s Principles for Climate, Social and Racial Justice into this course.

Each course is divided into units, which are credit-rated. The minimum unit size is 20 credits. The MA course structure involves six units, totalling 180 credits.

Autumn, Term 1

Analysing Contemporary Media (20 credits)
Media, Culture and Economy (20 credits)

An induction programme will familiarise you with the course structure and introduce you to effective strategies for studying at postgraduate level.

You will meet the teaching team and fellow students, along with representatives from student and academic bodies. You will become familiar with the College's facilities through introduction to the library and technical resources.

You will then begin two introductory units of study, which together provide a framework for subsequent activities and help you to initiate the independent learning crucial to Masters level study.

Analysing Contemporary Media introduces you to key theories of media and communication, which will help you to think about what ‘media’ are and why they are integral to contemporary societies. You’ll demonstrate your learning in a review essay and through the development of a podcast. Media, Culture and Economy introduces economic models in the creative industries and explores the ways in which these models shape the production of media content. You’ll create a blog and a short ‘branded content’ film as part of this unit’s assessment. Alongside these units you will participate in a series of media practice workshops taught by specialist staff.

Spring, Term 2

Collaborative Unit (20 credits)
Media, Mobility and Culture (40 credits)
Professional Industry Practice (20 credits)

In the Spring Term you will engage in the student-driven Collaborative Unit, working with students from either another UAL Masters course or with an external partner. In previous years, School of Media postgraduate students have exhibited work developed in this unit in the Visible Justice and Our Algorithmic Lives exhibitions and public programmes.

You will also commence Media, Mobility and Culture, which explores the role of media technologies, platforms and representations in the production and mediation of space, place and mobility. The unit links theory and practice through embedded practitioner-led sessions.

These will support your development of an individual media artefact which responds to ideas addressed in the unit. Students have created films, photo series, models, digital media, and other diverse media work for this assignment.

In Professional Industry Practice, you will be introduced to new perspectives on employment in the creative industries. With our support, you will search for and organise a work placement or implement a work-related research project.