Media Research

Our graduate media studies Masters award; Media Research (Mres) has an illustrious background, and with our other degrees has received awards.

1st in Scotland for research in Communication, Cultural and Media Studies (most recent Research Assessment Exercise)

1st in Scotland for Communications & Media (The Independent Complete University Guide, 2011, and The Guardian University Guide, 2011)

The Master’s degree in Media Research, which can also provide the first year of the doctoral programme, is designed to give you the necessary skills to carry out advanced interdisciplinary research in the broad field of media studies.

Graduate Programme Objectives

A new suite of MRes programmes has been developed concurrently by six subject areas for the 2010-2011 session: Applied Social Science, Education, Communication, Media and Cultures, Management, Nursing, Midwifery and Health and Sports Studies. These programmes have a shared core of four modules in generic research skills, plus specialist disciplinary modules and a range of options.

They aim to combine high quality with flexibility and choice for students. Employability is another important focus, with the opportunity for a research placement offered to all MRes students.

This programme is designed to provide a basic but extensive training in media research methods. The training provided is multidisciplinary, covering social sciences and humanities approaches. Ideal candidates are those looking for employment in the media for which research training is seen as valuable, as well as those intending to pursue academic careers in the field.

The programme aims to:

• Provide a structured analysis of established practices in film and media studies research
• Offer a critical overview of the intellectual frameworks that inform media research to enable you to develop your own approach to researching media institutions, texts and audiences
• Encourage you to explore your personal research interests and support the development of original enquiry through student-centred teaching and assessment

Entrance Requirements

A good first degree in a relevant subject area. This normally means a degree whose classification is equivalent to the award of an upper second class Honours degree or better at a UK university. Candidates without formal academic qualifications but with significant media experience at an appropriate level may also be considered for admission to the programme.

English Language Requirements

If English is not your first language, you must provide evidence of your  proficiency such as a minimum IELTS score of 6.5 (minimum 6 in each skill), or  TOEFL: Listening 23, Reading 23, Speaking 23, Writing 23.

Funding

Contact Film, Media & Journalism for information.

Information on possible sources of funding

Modes of Study

Full-time

Programme Start Date

September

Structure and Content

The MRes Media Research consists of two components: a taught programme; followed by a dissertation. The taught programme takes place over an academic year. You will take three modules in the autumn semester and three modules in the Spring semester, making a total of six taught modules across the year.

The core modules are:

• Research Methods I: Provides you with the core methodological skills of social science research
• Applied Methods I: This student-centred module is designed to provide practical training and knowledge of actually doing research.
• Case Studies in Media Research (reading programme): Choosing a particular medium, you will prepare a comprehensive literature review of academic and non-academic research in the field based on a subject of your choice
• Issues in Media, Culture & Communication: Covers analytic issues common to all media and cultural industries. Topics will be chosen according to their topicality but likely concerns will be identity, political communication, aesthetics and value, language and discourse, technology and interactivity. This is a two-semester class
• Research Methods II: Provides core methodological skills in the humanities
• Applied Methods II: Production of a media text. This includes the research and development of a script, video, article, exhibition, programme, website or other creative output
  

The elective modules are:

• Creative Industries: Contemporary Issues and Debates
• Digital Cultures
  

Students for the MRes complete a dissertation.

On completion of the degree you should have: acquired experience and skills in the processes of empirical fieldwork and textual analysis; had the opportunity to take part in group research projects and the production of media texts; been able to specialise in researching particular media (for example, film, television, music, press, publishing) and developed a research focus on topical media research issues.

Delivery and Assessment

The programme involves lectures, seminars, tutorials, a research project and case study work. Assessment is by means of coursework as specified for each module and includes essays, a literature review, a research report, a seminar presentation and a media text. A dissertation proposal must be submitted by the beginning of the Spring semester when supervisors are allocated (you will be expected to stay within the areas of current staff interest and expertise). Each dissertation is approximately 12,000 words in length and may take the form of a written publishable academic article or a project report, depending on its focus. 

Research Interests
Research interests in Communication, Media and Cultures currently include: film theory and analysis; television studies; creative industries and cultural policy; media economics and regulation; digital media and activism; journalism; political communication; sport and the media; public relations; national identity and globalisation; representations of gender and ethnicity; celebrity culture; new media and intellectual property and other aspects of media and popular culture.

Timetable

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

RAE rating

Film, Media and Journalism had 70 percent of its research rated as either ‘World-leading’ or ‘Internationally Excellent’ in the most recent Research Assessment Exercise (RAE).

Career Opportunities

The majority of students on this programme go on to doctoral degrees. There is an opportunity to transfer registration to a PhD after the taught programme at the discretion of the Programme Director. Others pursue research opportunities in the media sector, including journalism, advertising and marketing.