Course descriptionThis programme focuses on policy and regulatory issues related to the mass media, telecommunications and information technology. It is concerned with developments in communications policies in Britain and Europe, the United States, Japan and developing countries. It is engaged in the role of information and the process of globalisation and critically assesses new communication technologies such as digital TV, 3G mobile telephony and broadband internet. The programme is taught by staff of the Department of Sociology and by experts from the media industry. The main destinations of students completing this programme are broadcasting channels and telecommunications networks, media regulatory agencies, as well as media consultancies.
Modules: MA Communication Policy Studies
Students complete six taught modules from a combination of three compulsory core and three elective modules. Students also take part in a dissertation workshop and produce a dissertation over the summer period.
Core modules
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Developments in communications policy (SGM002)
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Media and communication theories (SGM003)
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Approaches to social research (SGM222)
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Sociology Dissertation (SGM111)
Elective modules (choose three from this list)
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Media information markets (SGM001)
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Political communication (SGM004)
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International communication and conflict (SGM008)
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Democratisation, information and communication (SGM009)
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Representation and reception (SGM011)
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Transnational media and communication (SGM100)
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Analysing media discourses (SGM202)
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Communication, culture and development (SGM223)
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Media and human rights (SGM224)
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Issues in Media and Communications Research (SGM230)
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Surveillance Studies: Theories and Concepts (SGM237)
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Surveillance Studies: Processes and Practices (SGM238)
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Feminisms and the Media: Representation, Technology and Change (SGM239)
Programme Structure for MA Communication Policy Studies
Duration
Students may take this MA course on a full or part-time basis.
Full-time students will normally attend for two or three days a week for both the first and second academic periods (September to April).
Part-time students will normally attend for one or two days each week for two years. In the first year they will take two core modules in the first academic period and two optional modules in the second academic period. In the second year they will take one core module in the first academic period, one optional module in the second academic period and complete their dissertation.
Dissertation
The dissertation of 15,000 words carries 40% of the total marks towards the MA degree. Full time students should present their dissertations by September of the year following entrance.