MA Media, Data and Society

Overview

The MA in Media, Data and Society is designed for students who have an interest in the risks and the opportunities that emerge from the increasing use of digital data in our society. The programme aims to provide you with an introduction to the approaches that are used for the collection, the analysis, and the storage of digital data, such as data mining and machine learning. It also aims to develop a critical skillset for understanding and questioning the political, economic, moral and societal implications of the use of digital data in contemporary society.

The programme has a strong interdisciplinary focus, with elements from communication studies, computer science, and sociology. It aims to provide you with the opportunity to develop an in-depth knowledge of the dimensions that permeate the use of digital data. We will focus on topics such as big data capitalism and surveillance, the changing digital audience practices, and digital media infrastructures; as well as methods that allow you to use tools for digital data collection, digital media analytics, and data visualisations.

The MA provides a critical and technical overview on digital data, but it is also intended to answer the needs of students who wish to master skills and expertise as a means to building a career in the field of digital media and data analysis; and improve employability skills for a career in the broader digital sector or for further academic research on the topic.

Career prospects

Graduates may find employment in a number of industries connected to data in different ways. Opportunities for data analysis, digital journalism, and data visualisation exist in sectors such as research and development, PR, marketing and advertising, consulting, and publishing, among others.

The programme also provides a strong platform from which to progress to further research at PhD level that is supported and supervised by colleagues at the Department of Communication and Media.