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Communication, Cultural and Media Studies (MA by Research)

2024-25 (also available for 2025-26)

Start date

7 October 2024

13 January 2025

Duration

The maximum duration for an MA by Research is 1 year (12 months) full-time or 2 years (24 months) part-time with an optional submission pending (writing-up) period of 4 months.

Sometimes it may be possible to mix periods of both full-time and part-time study.

If studying on a part-time basis, you must establish close links with the University and spend normally not less than an average of 10 working days per year in the university, excluding participation in activities associated with enrolment, re-registration and progression monitoring. You are also expected to dedicate 17.5 hours per week to the research.

Application deadlines

For September 2024

07 June 2024 for International and Scholarship Students

28 June 2024 for Home Students

For October 2024

07 June 2024 for International and Scholarship Students

28 June 2024 for Home Students

For January 2025

18 October 2024 for International and Scholarship Students

15 November 2024 for Home Students

For April 2025

24 January 2025 for International and Scholarship Students

21 February 2025 for Home Students

About the research degree

A Master of Arts (MA) by Research allows you to undertake a one-year (full-time) or two-year (part-time) research degree. It contains little or no formal taught component. This type of study gives you the chance to explore a research topic over a shorter time than a more in-depth doctoral programme.

Our research degrees are available as full-time, part-time and some are offered distance learning.

Research Master's students choose a specific project to work on and have a greater degree of independence in their work than is the case with a taught Master’s course.

You’ll be expected to work to an approved programme of work which you will develop in conjunction with your supervisor within the first few months of starting your studies. Whilst undertaking the research project you will also develop your research skills by taking part in training courses and events.

You will be appointed a main supervisor who will normally be part of a supervisory team, comprising up to three members to advise and support you on your project.

At the end of the project you’ll write up your findings in the form of a short thesis of around 25,000 words, which will then be examined. We also accept applications for projects which are practice-orientated, and which include portfolio submissions. These include practice submissions with written components. You will receive guidance from your supervisory team as to the percentage equivalents between the practice and written elements of your research.

On successful completion, you will be awarded your degree and if you have enjoyed this taste of research, you may then decide to apply for the full research doctoral degree (PhD).

Entry requirements

The normal entry requirements for enrolment on a MA by Research is an Honours degree (2:1 or above) or equivalent, in a discipline appropriate to that of the proposed programme to be followed.

If your first language is not English, you will need to meet the minimum requirements of an English Language qualification. The minimum for IELTS is 6.0 overall with no element lower than 6.0, or equivalent. Read more about the University’s entry requirements for students outside of the UK on our Where are you from information pages.

What can I research?

Research in Communication, Cultural and Media Studies focuses on a wide range of aspects of the interplay between media audiences, industries, technologies and texts. We have significant expertise in contemporary digital media and culture, including the internet and social media, and its impact on legacy media, such as journalism, film and TV. As well as focusing on contemporary developments, we can also supervise projects interested in exploring the histories of communication, culture and media. One of the distinctive features of our subject area is that we combine expertise in sports, gaming and music, with expertise in the internet, social media, television, film, radio and journalism. This means we are well placed to supervise topics across a range of media and cultures, as well interdisciplinary topics that cross the boundaries between different forms of communication, culture and media. We have particular expertise in:

Audiences, Fans and Participatory Culture: addressing how people are engaging with and responding to a rapidly changing media culture; exploring people’s affective relationships with media and how these are created, managed and enabled by industry; examining the cultures, practices and identities associated with cultural participation, social media use and fandom.

Politics, Journalism, Gender and Identity: addressing the global political upheaval characterised by the rise of populism, identity politics and new forms of media and communication; exploring questions of gender, identity, equality, diversity and inclusion as they pertain to media industries, audiences/fans, technologies, production and cultures; examining the consequences of changes to journalism, news and political communication, including the rise of social media and platforms.

Media Industries and Cultural Production: addressing the industrial contexts of production internationally, nationally and locally, often working in collaboration with industry; exploring how media industries, regulators and policy-makers are responding to a rapidly changing media culture; examining the nature and practices of media work and labour.

Digital Culture: addressing how digital culture is transforming communication, culture and media; exploring new theorisations to understand digital culture; examining the impact of digitalisation and platformisation on audiences, politics and industries.

We are home to the Centre for Participatory Culture, the only research centre in the world dedicated specifically to the analysis of all forms of participatory culture and the shifting boundaries between media industries and media users. The Centre offers a focal point for our postgraduate students as well as a regular programme of research events.

To find out more about the research we conduct, take a look at our [Research, Innovation and Skills] (https://research.hud.ac.uk/) webpages, where you will find information on each [research area] (https://research.hud.ac.uk/research-subjects/journalism/). To find out about our staff visit [‘Our staff list’] (https://research.hud.ac.uk/research-subjects/journalism/media-journalism-and-film/) which features profiles of all our academics.

Your completed research proposal outlining your areas of interest as part of your application will be used to identify the appropriate supervisors for your project. If you have already discussed your application with a member of staff, please identify them in your online application. If you would like to discuss your research proposal before submitting a formal application, please email Professor Catherine Johnson who can provide you with advice about the suitability of your project and more information about our research expertise.

Student support

At the University of Huddersfield, you'll find support networks and services to help you get ahead in your studies and social life. Whether you study at undergraduate or postgraduate level, you'll soon discover that you're never far away from our dedicated staff and resources to help you to navigate through your personal student journey. Find out more about all our support services.

Researcher Environment

The University of Huddersfield has a thriving research community made up of over 1,350 postgraduate research students. We have students studying on a part-time and full-time basis from all over the world with around 43% from overseas and 57% from the UK.

Research plays an important role in informing all our teaching and learning activities. Through undertaking research our staff remain up-to-date with the latest developments in their field, which means you develop knowledge and skills which are current and relevant to your specialist area.

[Find out more about our research staff and centres|http://www.hud.ac.uk/research/]

Important information

We will always try to deliver your course as described on this web page. However, sometimes we may have to make changes as set out below.

When you are offered a place on a research degree, your offer will include confirmation of your supervisory team, and the topic you will be researching.

Whilst the University will use reasonable efforts to ensure your supervisory team remains the same, sometimes it may be necessary to make changes to your team for reasons outside the University’s control, for example if your supervisor leaves the University, or suffers from long term illness. Where this is the case, we will discuss these difficulties with you and seek to either put in place a new supervisory team, or help you to transfer to another research facility, in accordance with our Student Protection Plan.

Changes may also be necessary because of circumstances outside our reasonable control, for example the University being unable to access its buildings due to fire, flood or pandemic, or the University no longer being able to provide specialist equipment. Where this is the case, we will discuss these issues with you and agree any necessary changes.

Your research project is likely to evolve as you work on it and these minor changes are a natural and expected part of your study. However, we may need to make more significant changes to your topic of research during the course of your studies, either because your area of interest has changed, or because for reasons outside the University’s control we can no longer support your research. If this is the case, we will discuss any changes in topic with you and agree these in writing. If you are an international student, changing topics may affect your visa or ATAS clearance and if this is the case we will discuss this with you before any changes are agreed.

When you enrol as a student of the University, your study and time with us will be governed by the University’s Terms and Conditions and a framework of regulations, policies and procedures, which form the basis of your agreement with us. It is important that you familiarise yourself with these as you will be asked to agree to abide by them when you join us as a student. You will find a guide to the key terms here, along with the Student Protection Plan, where you will also find links to the full text of each of the regulations, policies and procedures referred to.

The Office for Students (OfS) is the principal regulator for the University.

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Communication, Cultural and Media Studies (PhD)

Our research activity in Communication, Cultural and Media Studies focuses on a wide range of aspects of the interplay between media audiences, industries, technologies and texts with a particular interest in digital media and cultures.

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