Communication; Cultural and Media Studies (PhD)

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.

There are different ways to find the right research topic for you:

1. Find a supervisor and design your own research project – explore the Huddersfield Research Portal to find research and researcher expertise to find the area you’re interested in.

2. Browse our listed funded opportunities.

3. To find out more about the research we conduct, take a look at our Research, Innovation and Skills webpages, where you will find information on each research area. To find out about our staff visit ‘Our staff list’ 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.