Screen Cultures – (M.A.)

The postgraduate Media programme offers you a coherent learning in one of several awards. It enables you to develop creative practical skills in a discipline of your choosing. That work may extend your existing skills, knowledge and understanding, or it may mean a change of direction, new learning, and new experiences. Induction, seminars and social events for students and staff mean that you will be part of a friendly and supportive postgraduate community, which includes film makers, musicians and professionals working in new media.

Senior research staff and internationally renowned professionals work with postgraduate students, helping you to develop original and challenging work. Your study will include ways of thinking about the cultural resonance of your work and about the audiences it is made for, about the nature of creativity, and the role of the Cultural Industries in a modern knowledge economy.

Through your study you will develop a range of project management skills, and an ability to identify and manage your own learning. You will consider the role of enterprise opportunities in commercial, professional and social environments. Enquiry, research and clear communication underpin work throughout the programme. As well as specialist modules in your chosen discipline area the programme includes modules that are shared with other postgraduate awards in the School of Creative Arts.

This structure promotes cross-discipline discussion and maintains the enthusiasm and focus of discipline specialists. It enables you to develop the key transferable skills of postgraduate study grounded in activities that have currency, relevance and application for your future career and for further academic study.

Screen Cultures looks at the contemporary world as a place where a predominantly paper-based culture of books is becoming one of temporary screen displays, and is increasingly image based. Primarily a cultural studies award Screen Cultures draws on an increasing body of commentaries, theories and accounts of various kinds in film, novels, games and other forms of popular culture, and from academic, government and commercial research that deal with this significant transition.

You will create podcasts and short video artefacts, print and web texts, and define and organize physical and online exhibitions that explain and comment on our changing world. You will develop public and academic understanding of the many factors at play in our changing relationship with media forms and with our ideas about ourselves. During your study of this pathway you will develop your skills knowledge and abilities to use a range of digital media processes such as web page creation, digital video and digital sound editing, design for print and image manipulation.

Careers

Particular emphasis is given to providing you with the skills necessary to further your career within the many areas where Screen Cultures operates – in commentating, writing, and spoken word for broadcast media, the curation of exhibitions and media events, academic and teaching careers. The course is designed to help you understand and work within the contemporary media environment. Particular attention is given to helping you acquire enquiry and information handling skills, enterprise skills in the development and presentation of ideas, in communicating in the spoken and written word, and addressing particular audiences.