(Full time / Part time) 2023 start
New Media MA
Overview
Smartphones and social media, digital networks and big data, gamification and mobile platforms – new media continue to change the way we live, work and communicate. This course interrogates the impact of digital technologies on individuals and society, and provides you with the skills and knowledge to be able to think critically and creatively about new media.
You'll learn about diverse digital media techniques and processes, including coding and hacking, web design, animation, digital ethnography and more. Through a hands-on approach, you'll gain an understanding of the social, cultural and economic roles of new media, and explore what it is like to work in the new media industries.
With a range of optional modules to choose from, you'll be able to tailor your degree to your personal and career interests. Content of the course modules is informed by the research interests and practice of academic staff who teach them, allowing you to gain the knowledge and skills to thrive in this dynamic, fast-paced sector.
Please refer to the application deadlines.
Digital media lab
Our School has fantastic facilities to support your studies. You can work on your own projects in our 44 editing suites, equipped with Avid Media Composer editing software and Adobe Creative Cloud.
Course content
You'll take a core module called Digital Practices, which spans the length of the course to introduce you to critical issues. You'll be introduced to a range of digital practices including web building, web design, data mining, animation, hacking, and coding in order to open up how you think about digital media. Then we concentrate on digital methods, thinking about a range of digital tools and processes for undertaking research.
You'll touch on a range of web languages such as HTML, CSS, PHP, WordPress and JavaScript in order to open up how we think about digital media. No experience of the practical skills are required, but some knowledge is desirable. You'll critically examine the relationship between new media and contemporary culture and the interactive forms and practices that are emerging, and you'll gain some practical production, project management and critical skills through group work tasks and by responding to new media briefs in team-based collaborative projects.
You'll then have the chance to broaden your approach with your choice of optional modules, from photography and cinematics to political communication, television narratives and public relations in society.
You'll complete a written dissertation, using the digital methods and skills you've learnt, applying these to a critical research issue.
If you choose to study part-time, you’ll complete the course over two years, instead of one, taking fewer modules each year
Have a look at some student work produced on this course.
Course structure
The list shown below represents typical modules/components studied and may change from time to time. Read more in our Terms and conditions.
Modules
Year 1
Compulsory modules
- Dissertation and Research Methods 60 credits
- Digital Practices 60 credits
Learning and teaching
You’ll be taught in a mixture of practical workshops, lectures and small group seminars which allow you to discuss your reading and present some of your research to other students.
Independent study is crucial to this degree, allowing you to practice your skills and deepen your knowledge.
You'll be taught by active researchers in the field of communication and media. The research interests and practice of your tutors inform the content of the course.
On this course you’ll be taught by our expert academics, from lecturers through to professors. You may also be taught by industry professionals with years of experience, as well as trained postgraduate researchers, connecting you to some of the brightest minds on campus.
Assessment
We also use a range of assessment methods, depending on the modules you choose. They’re likely to include practical projects, essays, reports, group and individual presentations and case studies among others.
Applying, fees and funding
Entry requirements
A bachelor degree with a 2:1 (Hons) in one of the following: literature, psychology, politics, sociology, communication/cultural studies as well as digital media (with focus on theory) related courses such as: network and new media, digital humanities, digital media art/technology, visual communication design, editing/publishing for new media. Some experience of digital methods is desirable.
We may give preference to applicants who exceed our entry requirements. Please note that meeting the entry requirements of this course doesn't guarantee an offer of a place.
International qualifications
To see equivalent entry requirements for your country, check our international entry requirement directory.
For more information contact the School of Media and Communication admissions team.
Applying from China
Due to the large numbers of applications we receive, we’re only able to offer places to applicants who have attended selected Chinese institutions. With regret, any applications we receive from applicants awarded a qualification in China from an institution that isn’t on this list will be rejected, and we recommend applying elsewhere.
English language requirements
IELTS 6.5 overall, with no less than 6.0 in any component. For other English qualifications, read English language equivalent qualifications.
Improve your English
International students who do not meet the English language requirements for this programme may be able to study our postgraduate pre-sessional English course, to help improve your English language level.
This pre-sessional course is designed with a progression route to your degree programme and you’ll learn academic English in the context of your subject area. To find out more, read Language for Communication and Society (6 weeks) and Language for Social Science and Arts: Communication and Society (10 weeks).
We also offer online pre-sessionals alongside our on-campus pre-sessionals. You could study a part-time online course starting in January, or a full-time course in summer. Find out more about online pre-sessionals.
You can also study pre-sessionals for longer periods – read about our postgraduate pre-sessional English courses.
How to apply
Application deadlines
We operate a staged admissions process for this course with application deadlines throughout the year.
If you don’t receive an offer in a particular stage, you’ll be notified that either your application has been unsuccessful, or that it’s been carried forward to be considered in the next stage.
If you intend to apply for funding, we advise you to submit an application for your chosen course as early as possible and at least one month before any scholarship deadline.
Please see our How to apply page for full details and for application deadlines for each stage.
This link takes you to information on applying for taught programmes and to the University's online application system.
If you're unsure about the application process, contact the admissions team for help.
Documents and information you need
Your degree certificate and transcripts, or a partial transcript if you’re still studying
Your most recent CV
If English is not your first language, you’ll need to provide evidence of your English language qualifications.
Applicants are not required to submit a supporting statement, though one may be requested if further information is needed.
The Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures receives very large numbers of high-quality applications and regrets that it cannot make offers to all of its applicants. Some particularly popular schools may have to reject many that hold the necessary academic qualifications.
Read about visas, immigration and other information in International students. We recommend that international students apply as early as possible to ensure that they have time to apply for their visa.
Admissions policy
University of Leeds Taught Admissions Policy 2023
Fees
- UK: £11,250 (total)
- International: £24,750 (total)
For fees information for international taught postgraduate students, read Masters fees.
Read more about paying fees and charges.
Part-time fees
Fees for part-time courses are normally calculated based on the number of credits you study in a year compared to the equivalent full-time course. For example, if you study half the course credits in a year, you will pay half the full-time course fees for that year.
Additional cost information
There may be additional costs related to your course or programme of study, or related to being a student at the University of Leeds. Read more about additional costs.
Scholarships and financial support
If you have the talent and drive, we want you to be able to study with us, whatever your financial circumstances. There may be help for students in the form of loans and non-repayable grants from the University and from the government. Find out more at Masters funding overview.
Head of School Masters Scholarships
We offer scholarships to applicants holding an offer to study a Masters at the School of Media and Communication in the form of tuition fee waivers.
To find out how to apply and to see all funding opportunities, visit our scholarship and funding opportunities page.
Career opportunities
People with high-level production, project management and critical analysis skills in new media will be in high demand for decades to come, and this course will equip you with the knowledge and skills to thrive in a wide and rapidly expanding range of careers in new media practice.
These could include digital marketing, animation, web design and development, social media, analytics, PR and consultancy among others. You’ll also be well prepared for future research in this fast-changing field.
Careers support
We encourage you to prepare for your career from day one. That’s one of the reasons Leeds graduates are so sought after by employers.
The Careers Centre and staff in your faculty provide a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate. Find out more at the Careers website.