How is the MA Media and Society different from MA Strategic Communication?

MA Media and Society is analytical — research-track work on how media functions. MA Strategic Communication is practice-track work on how to do communications well. Some students take both eventually; choose by whether you want to study media or to shape it.

Does the MA Media and Society include hands-on production?

No — production work sits on the practice-track MAs and the journalism specialisms. The MA Media and Society is analytical and research-focused; students wanting hands-on production should consider MA Television Journalism, MA Documentary Journalism or a journalism specialism.

Can the MA Media and Society be studied online or part-time?

Yes. The MA Media and Society can be taken over 24 months part-time or fully online. Online students join the same seminars by video, complete the same empirical project, and write the same dissertation under remote supervision.

Is the MA Media and Society useful for PR or communications leadership?

Yes. The combination of advanced media theory, audience research and regulatory literacy maps directly to senior PR and communications roles. CIPR and PRCA professional credentials complement the MA Media and Society well.

What dissertation topics work for the MA Media and Society?

Past examples include a content analysis of UK newspaper coverage of a policy debate, an audience study of a platform community and a critical reading of an algorithmic moderation case. The MA Media and Society rewards a tightly scoped, empirically grounded question.

MA Media and Society in London | LSJHML | Harold International College of London

Course Overview

The MA Media and Society at the London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages (LSJHML) is a one-year UK postgraduate degree for graduates and working professionals who want to think rigorously about how media functions as industry, political force and daily experience. You will work through advanced media theory, applied audience research methods, the politics of digital platforms, and produce a 12,000-to-15,000 word dissertation grounded in original empirical research.

The MA Media and Society is built around the assumption that media is consequential — for politics, civic life, personal experience — and that taking it seriously at master's level requires both theoretical grounding and applied research craft. Cohorts include working journalists, communications professionals and policy analysts; reading lists are demanding.

Key Features

UK-recognised master's degree in media and society aligned with CIPR, PRCA and Media Society frameworks.
Advanced media theory core — political economy, framing, agenda-setting, platform power, current critical scholarship.
Applied research methods at master's level — content analysis, audience research, ethnographic observation, mixed methods.
Platform politics module covering algorithmic distribution, content moderation, advertising markets, current regulatory debates.
Industry-led masterclasses from working journalists, communications directors, platform staff and regulators.
12,000–15,000 word dissertation grounded in original empirical research.

What You Will Learn

The MA Media and Society is structured around the working competencies of a senior applied media researcher — advanced theoretical literacy, methods at master's level, regulatory knowledge and clear writing for academic and practitioner audiences. You leave able to design and run a substantial empirical study, analyse a media event with current scholarship, and write up findings for either an academic or a working audience.

Advanced media theory — political economy, framing, agenda-setting, platform power, current critical and decolonial scholarship.
Audience research at master's level — surveys, focus groups, digital analytics, mixed methods.
Platform politics — algorithmic distribution, content moderation, advertising markets, current regulatory debates.
Communications and PR — strategic communications, public affairs, crisis comms.
UK and comparative media regulation — Ofcom, IPSO, BBC Charter, the Online Safety Act, comparative frameworks.
Media production at applied level — analysis of contemporary production practices.
Research design and methods — full empirical-study pipeline.
Research ethics — informed consent, working with platforms, data-protection considerations.

Who This MA Is For

Working journalists, communications professionals and policy analysts moving into senior roles.
BA graduates in media, communications or related fields progressing to master's level.
Civil servants and NGO staff with media-related remits wanting research-grade upgrading.
Career-changers planning research-track or senior editorial roles.

Career Pathways

MA Media and Society graduates move into senior editorial, communications, research and policy-adjacent roles. Typical post-MA destinations include:

Communications Manager (NHS trust, central or local government, regulator)
Strategic Communications Adviser (senior consultancy, in-house)
Public Affairs Manager (regulated industry, charity)
Press & Comms Officer (senior corporate, public body)
Media Analyst (senior consultancy, broadcaster, regulator)
Audience Researcher (senior broadcaster, publisher, platform)

The MA also supports doctoral research or senior in-house analytical roles.

Entry Requirements

A UK 2:2 honours degree (or international equivalent) in a related subject, OR a 2:2 in any subject with two years of relevant professional experience.
IELTS 6.5 overall (no band below 6.0) for non-native English speakers.
Personal statement (max 1 page) outlining your motivation, relevant experience and intended specialism.
Two academic or professional references.
Applicants without a related undergraduate degree may be considered with significant industry experience and a written sample.

Why Study at LSJHML

The London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages is a specialist higher-education provider based in central London. Our programmes are designed in dialogue with working professionals — journalists, translators, civil servants, academics, broadcasters, editors, publishers and policy researchers — so what you learn in seminar on Monday is what your future employer is using on Tuesday. We deliberately keep cohorts small, give every student named tutor support, and treat employability as a structural part of every programme rather than an optional add-on.

London is the work — politics, courts, capital markets, theatre, broadcasting, publishing, public service, the global press. Your studies are taught in the same square mile where the stories you read about happen. Whether you join us on-campus, online or by distance learning, the city is your classroom and our industry network is your launchpad.