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MPhil/PhD Media and Communications

• Graduate research
• Department of Media and Communications
• Application code P4ZM
• Starting 2024
• Home full-time: Closed
• Overseas full-time: Closed
• Location: Houghton Street, London

Media and communications research is developing rapidly, both theoretically and methodologically, in keeping with the vast expansion in the penetration, technological diversity and social significance of the media globally. Media and communications research is essentially interdisciplinary, drawing on the theories and methods of a range of social science disciplines as they apply to the media, both old and new. Our Department is committed to promoting greater diversity and transparency in its doctoral cohort and particularly encourages applications from underrepresented groups in its PhD programme.

With 91 per cent of its research output judged to be "world leading" or "internationally excellent" (REF 2014), the Department of Media and Communications provides an excellent research-based education to its doctoral researchers. Its mission is to guarantee the highest quality graduate research training in media and communications and to undertake original social science research in the field, emphasising in particular the relationship between media, technology and social change.

This programme offers the chance to undertake a substantial piece of work that is worthy of publication and which makes an original contribution in the field of media and communications in contemporary society.

Programme details

For more information about tuition fees and entry requirements, see the fees and funding and assessing your application sections.

Entry requirements

Minimum entry requirements for mphil/phd media and communications.

The minimum entry requirement for this programme is a high merit (68 per cent) in a taught master's degree (or equivalent) in social science or humanities and normally a distinction in the dissertation.

Competition for places at the School is high. This means that even if you meet our minimum entry requirement, this does not guarantee you an offer of admission. 

If you have studied or are studying outside of the UK then have a look at our  Information for International Students  to find out the entry requirements that apply to you.

Assessing your application

We welcome applications for research programmes that complement the academic interests of members of staff at the School, and we recommend that you investigate  staff research interests  before applying.

We carefully consider each application on an individual basis, taking into account all the information presented on your application form, including your:

- academic achievement (including existing and pending qualifications) - statement of academic purpose - references - CV - research proposal - sample of written work.

See further information on supporting documents

You may also have to provide evidence of your English proficiency. You do not need to provide this at the time of your application to LSE, but we recommend that you do.  See our English language requirements .

When to apply

The application and funding deadline for this programme is 15 January 2024 . See the fees and funding section for more details.

Research proposal guidelines

Applicants for doctoral study with the Department of Media and Communications are required to submit a research proposal of  no more than 2,500 words  summarising and justifying their proposed research.

The research proposal will provide selectors with an idea of topics of interest, and help in matching candidates to potential supervisors. If your application is accepted, you may be permitted to re-negotiate your topic, subject to the Department’s ability to supervise the new topic.

The final project proposal should feature the following sections:

• Title : A clearly stated title / research question at the beginning of your proposal.
• Preferred potential supervisor:  Please indicate clearly on the first page of the proposal who you wish to supervise your project. Available supervisors can be found on our list of  Academic staff  (please note LSE Fellows cannot supervise PhD projects).
• Keywords:  Please include on the first page of the proposal up to 10 keywords or phrases which accurately reflect the content of your project (eg, 'internet governance', 'data privacy', 'children's media use', 'feminism', 'representation', 'platform studies').
• Introduction to research question(s):  What question(s) will you attempt to answer? Why is the topic interesting and important? Is there a theoretical and empirical 'gap' that your research will seek to fill? What core theories and concepts will you draw on?
• Literature Review:  Summarise the relevant literature and the field(s) to be contributed to. What are the main theories in the area? What are the critical empirical phenomena in the area? Specify the key references relevant to the proposed research. How do you position yourself vis-à-vis the theories and concepts you propose to use?
• Methodology:  How will you address the empirical aspects of the research? Which methodology is appropriate and why? If the research question requires a combination of different methodologies, how will they be related? Do you foresee any practical difficulties in pursuing the research (e.g. finding suitable participants or data sources)? If so, how might they be overcome?
• Conclusion:  What is the added value of the project? How will your research take our understanding forward in your chosen (sub-)field? 
• Bibliography:  A list of texts used in preparing your proposal. (Not to be included in the word count).

Fees and funding

Every research student is charged a fee in line with the fee structure for their programme. The fee covers registration and examination fees payable to the School, lectures, classes and individual supervision, lectures given at other colleges under intercollegiate arrangements and, under current arrangements, membership of the Students' Union. It does not cover  living costs  or travel or fieldwork.

Tuition fees 2024/25 for MPhil/PhD Media and Communications

Home students: £4,786 for the first year Overseas students: £22,632 for the first year

The fee is likely to rise over subsequent years of the programme. The School charges home research students in line with the level of fee that the Research Councils recommend. The fees for overseas students are likely to rise in line with the assumed percentage increase in pay costs (ie, 4 per cent per annum).

The Table of Fees shows the latest tuition amounts for all programmes offered by the School.

Fee status​

The amount of tuition fees you will need to pay, and any financial support you are eligible for, will depend on whether you are classified as a home or overseas student, otherwise known as your fee status. LSE assesses your fee status based on guidelines provided by the Department of Education.

Further information about fee status classification.

Scholarships, studentships and other funding

The School recognises that the  cost of living in London  may be higher than in your home town or country, and we provide generous scholarships each year to home and overseas students.

This programme is eligible for  LSE PhD Studentships , and  Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) funding . Selection for the PhD Studentships and ESRC funding is based on receipt of an application for a place – including all ancillary documents, before the funding deadline.   Funding deadline for the LSE PhD Studentships and ESRC funding: 15 January 2024

In addition to our needs-based awards, LSE also makes available scholarships for students from specific regions of the world and awards for students studying specific subject areas.  Find out more about financial support.

External funding 

There may be other funding opportunities available through other organisations or governments and we recommend you investigate these options as well.

Further information

Fees and funding opportunities

Information for international students

LSE is an international community, with over 140 nationalities represented amongst its student body. We celebrate this diversity through everything we do.  

If you are applying to LSE from outside of the UK then take a look at our Information for International students . 

1) Take a note of the UK qualifications we require for your programme of interest (found in the ‘Entry requirements’ section of this page). 

2) Go to the International Students section of our website. 

3) Select your country. 

4) Select ‘Graduate entry requirements’ and scroll until you arrive at the information about your local/national qualification. Compare the stated UK entry requirements listed on this page with the local/national entry requirement listed on your country specific page.

Programme structure and courses

All First year students are MPhil students until they pass their upgrade, at which point they will become PhD students.

Theories and concepts training

Research Seminar for Media, Communications and Culture Focuses on the key conceptual issues and analytical strategies required in media and communication research, with special reference to the study of the changing environment of media production, dissemination and consumption, under conditions of globalisation and digitisation of information. Each participant must make at least one presentation annually.

One full unit or two half units of theory courses, chosen from the School’s graduate course provision. Courses are to be chosen in liaison with the primary supervisor/co-supervisors and will be approved by the Doctoral Programme Director. For MPhil students who have no background in the field, it is strongly advised that they select at least one half unit on Media and Communications.

Research methodology training

MPhil students will take Advanced Methods of Research in Media and Communications . This is a course which involves 3 discrete sections:

i. Principles of Research in Media and Communications: a series of lectures offered by Department of Media and Communications faculty in Autumn Term. The lectures will normally cover the following topics central to research design across the social sciences, with a specific emphasis on their application to media and communications contexts: the general nature of research as social inquiry, interviewing, discourse analysis, social network analysis, content analysis, visual analysis, survey design/questionnaires, case studies, ethnography and participant observation, as well as research ethics.

ii. Specialist workshops: Workshops (three hours) x 5 Winter Term (each comprised of one 3-hour session), offered by Department of Media and Communications faculty in Winter Term. Students are required to participate in all five workshops.

iii. Principles of Social Research Analysis: Students have to take at least one quantitative analysis course offered by the Department of Methodology ( Introduction to Quantitative Methods for Media and Communications is the basic option). In addition, students need to take either another quantitative or a qualitative analysis course offered by the Department of Methodology. The combination of courses must be approved by the supervisor and discussed with the Advanced Methods of Research in Media and Communications (including Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis) convenor. Students will not be permitted to select Fundamentals of Social Science Research or  Qualitative Research methods .

Upgrade process

In addition to satisfactory completion of the above training, all MPhil students will be required to submit a thesis proposal of 10,000 words to their thesis committee. This paper needs to include a substantive statement of the aims, theories and methods proposed for the thesis, a tentative chapter outline, an indicative bibliography and a timetable for completion.

Together with any examination/s for quantitative methodological courses, the thesis proposal will form part of the evaluation process, and, together with an upgrade viva, will determine whether students are permitted to upgrade from MPhil to PhD and continue into their second year

Second year 

All upgraded PhD students must submit an end-of-year reflection document.

Third year 

Full time PhD students must submit their thesis by the end of their fourth year, part-time PhD students must submit their thesis by the end of their eighth year.

All upgraded PhD students not submitting their thesis must submit an end-of-year reflection document.

For the most up-to-date list of optional courses please visit the relevant School Calendar page.

You must note, however, that while care has been taken to ensure that this information is up to date and correct, a change of circumstances since publication may cause the School to change, suspend or withdraw a course or programme of study, or change the fees that apply to it. The School will always notify the affected parties as early as practicably possible and propose any viable and relevant alternative options. Note that the School will neither be liable for information that after publication becomes inaccurate or irrelevant, nor for changing, suspending or withdrawing a course or programme of study due to events outside of its control, which includes but is not limited to a lack of demand for a course or programme of study, industrial action, fire, flood or other environmental or physical damage to premises.  

You must also note that places are limited on some courses and/or subject to specific entry requirements. The School cannot therefore guarantee you a place. Please note that changes to programmes and courses can sometimes occur after you have accepted your offer of a place. These changes are normally made in light of developments in the discipline or path-breaking research, or on the basis of student feedback. Changes can take the form of altered course content, teaching formats or assessment modes. Any such changes are intended to enhance the student learning experience. You should visit the School’s  Calendar , or contact the relevant academic department, for information on the availability and/or content of courses and programmes of study. Certain substantive changes will be listed on the  updated graduate course and programme information page.

Supervision, progression and assessment

Supervision .

Doctoral supervision in the Department takes one of two forms, with faculty offering either primary and secondary supervision; or co-supervision, ie, joint supervisors with broadly similar responsibilities. In all cases, the primary supervisor or one co-supervisor will be at professorial or associate professorial level.

New doctoral researchers are assigned to supervisors with requisite knowledge in the chosen field. The supervisory team will normally be made up of Departmental faculty, but if you are working on a topic with a particularly interdisciplinary focus, it may be appropriate for a secondary supervisor or co-supervisor to be enlisted from another LSE Department. In such cases, either the primary supervisor or one co-supervisor will be Department of Media and Communications faculty.

Each doctoral researcher will be assigned a thesis committee consisting of their two supervisors and a senior member of the Department's faculty as chair. This committee will act as the review panel at the end of the first year of registration and in the decision to upgrade a student from MPhil to PhD. The thesis committee also provides feedback on draft chapters submitted at the end of the second year and remains responsible for over-viewing the student's progress in subsequent years

Please see our list of  Academic Staff  to view potential supervisors (please note that LSE Fellows cannot act as doctoral supervisors).

Progression and upgrade requirements

You will initially register for the MPhil and follow a taught programme involving coursework which is formally assessed. Towards the end of your first year, you will submit a 10,000-word research proposal. This paper will include a substantive statement of the aims, theories and methods proposed for the thesis, a tentative chapter outline, an indicative bibliography and a timetable for its completion. Evaluation of this paper, together with an oral examination based on the thesis proposal and the submission of satisfactory coursework, will contribute to assessing whether you are permitted to upgrade from MPhil to PhD and continue into your second year.

You will be assigned a Thesis Committee consisting of your two supervisors and a senior member of the Department's faculty as Chair. This committee will act as the review panel at the end of the first year of registration and in the decision to upgrade you from MPhil to PhD. The Thesis Committee also provides feedback on draft chapters submitted at the end of the second year and remains responsible for overviewing your progress in subsequent years.

All upgraded PhD students must submit an end-of-year reflection document at the end of their second year and each subsequent year in which they are not submitting their thesis.

Student support and resources

We’re here to help and support you throughout your time at LSE, whether you need help with your academic studies, support with your welfare and wellbeing or simply to develop on a personal and professional level.

Whatever your query, big or small, there are a range of people you can speak to who will be happy to help.  

Department librarians   – they will be able to help you navigate the library and maximise its resources during your studies. 

Accommodation service  – they can offer advice on living in halls and offer guidance on private accommodation related queries.

Class teachers and seminar leaders  – they will be able to assist with queries relating to specific courses. 

Disability and Wellbeing Service  – they are experts in long-term health conditions, sensory impairments, mental health and specific learning difficulties. They offer confidential and free services such as  student counselling,  a  peer support scheme  and arranging  exam adjustments.  They run groups and workshops.  

IT help  – support is available 24 hours a day to assist with all your technology queries.   

LSE Faith Centre  – this is home to LSE's diverse religious activities and transformational interfaith leadership programmes, as well as a space for worship, prayer and quiet reflection. It includes Islamic prayer rooms and a main space for worship. It is also a space for wellbeing classes on campus and is open to all students and staff from all faiths and none.   

Language Centre  – the Centre specialises in offering language courses targeted to the needs of students and practitioners in the social sciences. We offer pre-course English for Academic Purposes programmes; English language support during your studies; modern language courses in nine languages; proofreading, translation and document authentication; and language learning community activities.

LSE Careers  ­ – with the help of LSE Careers, you can make the most of the opportunities that London has to offer. Whatever your career plans, LSE Careers will work with you, connecting you to opportunities and experiences from internships and volunteering to networking events and employer and alumni insights. 

LSE Library   –   founded in 1896, the British Library of Political and Economic Science is the major international library of the social sciences. It stays open late, has lots of excellent resources and is a great place to study. As an LSE student, you’ll have access to a number of other academic libraries in Greater London and nationwide. 

LSE LIFE  – this is where you should go to develop skills you’ll use as a student and beyond. The centre runs talks and workshops on skills you’ll find useful in the classroom; offers one-to-one sessions with study advisers who can help you with reading, making notes, writing, research and exam revision; and provides drop-in sessions for academic and personal support. (See ‘Teaching and assessment’). 

LSE Students’ Union (LSESU)  – they offer academic, personal and financial advice and funding.  

PhD Academy   – this is available for PhD students, wherever they are, to take part in interdisciplinary events and other professional development activities and access all the services related to their registration. 

Sardinia House Dental Practice   – this   offers discounted private dental services to LSE students.  

St Philips Medical Centre  – based in Pethwick-Lawrence House, the Centre provides NHS Primary Care services to registered patients.

Student Services Centre  – our staff here can answer general queries and can point you in the direction of other LSE services.  

Student advisers   – we have a  Deputy Head of Student Services (Advice and Policy)  and an  Adviser to Women Students  who can help with academic and pastoral matters.

Student life

As a student at LSE you’ll be based at our central London campus. Find out what our campus and London have to offer you on academic, social and career perspective. 

Student societies and activities

Your time at LSE is not just about studying, there are plenty of ways to get involved in  extracurricular activities . From joining one of over 200 societies, or starting your own society, to volunteering for a local charity, or attending a public lecture by a world-leading figure, there is a lot to choose from. 

The campus 

LSE is based on one  campus  in the centre of London. Despite the busy feel of the surrounding area, many of the streets around campus are pedestrianised, meaning the campus feels like a real community. 

Life in London 

London is an exciting, vibrant and colourful city. It's also an academic city, with more than 400,000 university students. Whatever your interests or appetite you will find something to suit your palate and pocket in this truly international capital. Make the most of career opportunities and social activities, theatre, museums, music and more. 

Want to find out more? Read why we think  London is a fantastic student city , find out about  key sights, places and experiences for new Londoners . Don't fear, London doesn't have to be super expensive: hear about  London on a budget . 

Student stories

Ludmila lupinacci amaral phd researcher porto alegre, brazil.

When I first decided to apply to the Department of Media and Communications, the possibility of meeting, and engaging in intellectually stimulating discussions with renowned international scholars of the field was one of my crucial incentives. As someone who comes from a developing country, the idea of having contact with those who constitute the cornerstone of my academic background – and most of my bibliography! – had been, until then, nothing more than a distant daydream.

I evidently had a personal interest in enjoying the structure of a world-class institution such as LSE, and in the benefits that this experience could potentially bring to my curriculum and prospective career. Nevertheless, the central motivation for my application was my understanding that the Department of Media and Communications maintains a strong focus on the development of a broad set of research skills, both theoretical and methodological. After one year in the doctoral programme, I can confirm my impressions were spot-on. What is distinctive about the Department, I would add, is the interdisciplinary, but always critical, approach it provides and fosters.

Being a PhD student is, at the same time, a challenging, rewarding, stressful, inspiring, and emotionally demanding experience. However, in the Department of Media and Communications, the faculty, the staff, and the colleagues provide a welcoming and encouraging environment for early-stage researchers. I have always heard how doing a PhD can be a lonely and socially isolating process. My experience in this first year of registration, however, shows me that this is, thankfully, not always the case.

View Ludmila's profile .

Richard Stupart PhD Researcher Johannesburg, South Africa

I chose the Department of Media and Communications for my PhD primarily because it contained so many of the world’s leading researchers working on projects connected to the mediation of distant suffering, public action, and humanitarianism. It was an area that had interested me for a while, and LSE turned out to be the perfect home for my project.

The first day at school, as it were, was terrifying – a chance to meet academic heroes and accomplished first-year PhD colleagues from a range of backgrounds. It surprised me how approachable my supervisors, colleagues, and the Department in general was, and the intense reading and discussions of the first year made it one of the most intellectually fulfilling of my life. PhD study has meant developing a new relationship with reading, writing, and argumentation which can be equal parts intense and rewarding, but in moments where I’ve paused from worrying about how much I still don’t know and haven’t read, it’s incredible to see just how far I’ve developed already.

My own research has developed into a project looking at the work of journalists covering conflict and its effects in South Sudan – something perhaps unconventional to most media and communications departments. LSE has been probably the most supportive environment in which to be doing this work, though. The presence of so many colleagues interested in questions of the representation of suffering, journalism in difficult contexts, and postcolonial critiques of many ‘foreign correspondent’ studies has been a constantly valuable resource. Being granted the freedom – and support – to do practical fieldwork in Juba and Malakal in South Sudan really drove home that this was a space in which I really did have the freedom to do the practical work involved in pursuing my project where I needed to.

At the time of writing I am heading into my third year, and there is a great deal of writing and thinking still on the horizon, but I’ve no doubt at all that I’ve found the right academic home in which to be doing it.

  View Richard's profile .

SSu-Han Yu PhD Resaercher Taoyuan, Taiwan

The reason I chose the Department of Media and Communications for my PhD may seem obvious, considering it has been ranked within the top 3 in the QS World University Rankings for Communication and Media Studies for the past three years. Nevertheless, the rankings indicators do not tell the whole story, as faculty in the Department not only excel in conducting research, but are always ready to listen, giving advice and feedback. In particular, I am very impressed by how much care and respect my supervisors have shown not only to my studies, but also to my professional development.

During my studies, I have had access to a large pool of research and teaching opportunities within and beyond the Department, which have allowed me to coordinate with external research institutions, organise international conferences, exhibit research findings, and write for publications. Additionally, I have gained knowledge and experience of engaging graduate students in seminar discussions through my role as classroom assistant.

Most importantly, however, my PhD journey would not have been the same without my peers. Although I expected LSE to attract talented individuals from around the world, I did not foresee that my cohort’s support and their enthusiasm for research and social change would help sustain me during the moments of self-doubt inevitable within the PhD process. The commitment to advancing knowledge and improving the state of the world demonstrated by my peers, faculty, and visiting fellows is as stimulating as the diverse events one can enjoy whilst studying in London.

View Ssu-Han's profile.

Preliminary reading

• Baym N. K. (2010) Personal Connections in the Digital Age, Polity
• Boltanski l. and Chiapello E. (2001) The New Spirit of Capitalism London: Verso
• Carey J. W. (1989) Communication as Culture New York, NY: Routledge
• Chadwick A. (2017) The Hybrid Media System: Politics and Power – 2nd Edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press
• Chesher C. Crawford K. and Dunne A. (2014) Understanding the Internet. Language, technology, Media, Power London: MacMillan. Palgrave
• Chouliaraki L. (2013) The Ironic Spectator. Solidarity in the Age of Post-humanitarianism Cambridge: Polity
• Couldry N. (2012) Media, Society, World Cambridge: Polity
• Lievrow A. L. and Livingstone S. (eds.) (2006) The Handbook of New Media (updated edition) London: Sage
• Mansell R. (2012) Imagining the Internet Oxford: OUP
• Papacharissi Z. (2014) Affective Publics. Oxford: OUP
• Rogers R. (2013) Digital Methods Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press
• Wacquant L. and Bourdieu P. (1992) Introduction to Reflexive Sociology Chicago: University of Chicago Press
• Silverstone R. (20060 Media and Morality. On the Rise of Mediapolis Cambridge: Polity

Quick Careers Facts for the Department of Media & Communications

Median salary of our PG students 15 months after graduating: £30,000

Top 5 sectors our students work in:

• Advertising, Marketing, PR, Media, Entertainment, Publishing and Journalism           
• Government, Public Sector and Policy   
• Education, Teaching and Research            
• Consultancy      
• International Organisations

The data was collected as part of the Graduate Outcomes survey, which is administered by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). Graduates from 2020-21 were the fourth group to be asked to respond to Graduate Outcomes. Median salaries are calculated for respondents who are paid in UK pounds sterling and who were working in full-time employment.

Students who successfully complete the programme often embark on an academic career. 

Further information on graduate destinations for this programme

Support for your career

Many leading organisations give careers presentations at the School during the year, and LSE Careers has a wide range of resources available to assist students in their job search. Find out more about the  support available to students through LSE Careers .

Find out more about LSE

Discover more about being an LSE student - meet us in a city near you, visit our campus or experience LSE from home. 

Experience LSE from home

Webinars, videos, student blogs and student video diaries will help you gain an insight into what it's like to study at LSE for those that aren't able to make it to our campus.  Experience LSE from home . 

Come on a guided campus tour, attend an undergraduate open day, drop into our office or go on a self-guided tour.  Find out about opportunities to visit LSE . 

LSE visits you

Student Marketing, Recruitment and Study Abroad travels throughout the UK and around the world to meet with prospective students. We visit schools, attend education fairs and also hold Destination LSE events: pre-departure events for offer holders.  Find details on LSE's upcoming visits . 

How to apply

Virtual Graduate Open Day

Register your interest

Related programmes, mphil/phd data, networks and society.

Code(s) P3ZN

MPhil/PhD Gender

Code(s) Y2ZG

MSc Media and Communications (Research)

Code(s) P4U6

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Culture, Communication and Media MPhil/PhD

London, Bloomsbury

The MPhil/PhD programme provides a route for you carry out a piece of research that will make a distinctive contribution to knowledge in the fields of education, culture and communication. You will work closely with your supervisor(s) to develop your project, supported by a flexible programme of methodology courses and a strong research community of staff and doctoral students. This programme is available to study both face-to-face and online.

UK tuition fees (2024/25)

Overseas tuition fees (2024/25), programme starts, applications accepted.

• Entry requirements

The normal minimum requirement is a Master’s degree from a UK university in a subject appropriate to the programme to be followed, or a qualification of equivalent standard appropriate to the programme to be followed awarded by a university (or educational institution of university rank) outside the UK. The majority of our successful applicants hold a Merit at Master’s level, and may have additional relevant experience.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 4

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website .

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree

The Department of Culture, Communication and Media has innovative, research-active staff able to supervise postgraduate research in the following areas: applied linguistics; TESOL; art, design and museology; music education; English education, social semiotics and multimodality; media education; learning with digital technologies; teacher professional development; and psychosocial studies. We have seven research centres: The Centre for Applied Linguistics, The Academic Writing Centre, The Confucius Institute for Schools, The International Centre for Intercultural Studies, Digital Arts Research in Education, The Centre for Multimodal Research and the UCL Knowledge Lab.

Who this course is for

The MPhil/PhD is for applicants with a strong interest in an aspect of educational and social research, which may be understood broadly across the life course, in relation to other subject areas and wider social, economic, political and cultural changes. You should normally have completed an MA to merit level and want to develop a specific area of research. You may have a background in education or a cognate area of study. It is suitable for both recent graduates and those progressed in a career.

What this course will give you

IOE, UCL’s Faculty of Education and Society is a world-leading centre for research in education and related social science. We host the UK's largest doctoral cohort in these areas. In the QS World University Rankings by Subject (2023), the Institute was ranked first for education for the tenth year running, ahead of Harvard, Stanford, Oxford and Cambridge. In the UK's recent Research Excellence Framework (2021), we were ranked first for research strength and research power in Education, according to the Elsevier REF 2021 Results Analysis Tool. We attract extensive research funding each year and host many prestigious research centres and projects.

Doctoral students at IOE have access to the wider UCL community as well as the education cluster constituting the ESRC  UBEL Doctoral Training Partnership . The Institute's programme has been designed to provide comprehensive and broadly based research training and to meet the requirements of the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and the UK Researcher Development Framework.

Students work closely with their supervisor(s) to develop each stage of research; supervisors also help put together a programme of additional courses and activities to support progress towards completion of the final thesis.

The foundation of your career

Students will develop general and specialist skills in research methodology, academic writing and presentation, as well as gaining experience of engaging with a wide range of practitioners across different sectors of education.

UCL’s commitment clearly supports research like mine through bespoke, untested and uncommon approaches. This luxury is something not lost on me - it motivates me each and every day. David Ruttenberg Culture, Communication and Media MPhil/PhD Q&A with David Ruttenberg

Employability

IOE doctoral graduates in the Department of Culture, Communication and Media progress to careers in university teaching, educational research, policy and curriculum development, as well as creative arts education.

The Department of Culture, Communication and Media has a wide range of research seminars, where students can join discussion of our ongoing projects, as well as being the base for national and international conferences. There are also opportunities to work with education practitioners and organisations beyond IOE. The Centre for Doctoral Education holds two annual conferences for IOE doctoral students; and there are opportunities for students to offer specialist reading groups and workshops and to act as facilitators on courses within the research training programme.

Teaching and learning

In addition to UCL's Doctoral Skills Development Programme, IOE's Centre for Doctoral Education provides a comprehensive Research Training Programme.

The Core Courses aim to meets the needs of early stage doctoral students.

There is also a wide range of introductory, advanced methods, advanced theoretical, and generic academic skills courses, as well as student-led workshops and reading groups.

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) consists of a piece of supervised research, normally undertaken over a period of three years full-time or five years part-time. Assessment is by means of a thesis, which should demonstrate your capacity to pursue original research based upon a good understanding of the research techniques and concepts appropriate to the discipline. It must also represent a distinct and significant contribution to the subject, whether through the discovery of new knowledge, the connection of previously unrelated facts, the development of new theory, or the revision of older views. It should reflect the exercise of critical judgement with regard to both your own work and that of other scholars in the field.

For those who decide not to pursue the full PhD, or are unable to do so, the degree of Master of Philosophy (MPhil) consists of a piece of supervised research, normally undertaken over a period of three years full-time or five years part-time. Assessment is by means of a thesis, which should represent a contribution to the subject, either through a record of your original work or a critical and ordered exposition of existing knowledge.

You must ensure you have adequate time to devote to this research, at least six hours a day (2-3 days a week part time).

Research areas and structure

• Applied linguistics: bilingualism and multilingualism; neoliberal ideology and language teaching; materials analysis; English as a global language; language learning and identity; language teacher identity; language education, gender and sexuality; critical discourse analysis; second language acquisition; language testing; translanguaging; ethnography
• Art, design and museology: artists in sites of learning, curatorial practices and the shaping of knowledge in galleries and museums, artists interventions in educational contexts; visual culture
• Music education: musical development, the psychology of music, singing and voice science, music in special education, music ideology, gender and music, the sociology and philosophy of music, informal and popular music education, the wider benefits of music
• English education, social semiotics and multimodality: teacher identities; literature in urban classroom; social and digital literacy practices; identity, subject knowledge and communication; visual methodologies; subject knowledge and policy
• Media education: the moving image and video games; young people’s production of digital animation, film and computer games; online communities, virtual worlds, play and film
• Learning with digital technologies: software interventions to support learners with disabilities; the development of adaptive technologies; learner modelling; virtual learning environments; methods for analysing the effectiveness of interactive learning environments; technology mediated knowledge in the curriculum
• Psychosocial studies: reflexivity; psychoanalytically informed approaches to educational research; knowledge practices in the humanities and social sciences; unconscious aspects of learning, professional practice and research; post-structural theories of gender and subjectivity

Further details of staff research and publications are available on the department website.

Research environment

As a research student in the Department of Culture, Communication and Media, you can participate in the seminars organised by department research centres or according to interest groups.

Since October 2014, we have also – in addition to the campus-based mode - offered the option to study online in a distance-learning mode. Choosing the distance-learning mode means that there are no residency requirements and it is not necessary to attend during doctoral study, the viva examination take place in-person at UCL or online. However, you are welcome to visit and use campus facilities including the library, attend seminars etc. In the first year of full-time study (and first two years of part-time study), distance learners take a series of compulsory research methods modules that are studied online. This typically involves provision of materials (articles, eBooks, videos etc.), forums to facilitate discussion of various tasks, and synchronous sessions to discuss the activities. Alongside these you will work with your supervisors on your research (e.g., using Teams/Zoom and email). In addition, there are other resources and training opportunities to support distance-learning students, e.g., sessions to develop generic skills.

The length of registration for the research degree programmes is 3 years for full-time.

You are required to register initially for the MPhil degree with the expectation of transfer to PhD after successful completion of an upgrade viva 9-18 months after initial registration.

IOE Centre for Doctoral Education provides an extensive Research Training Programme. A mandatory core course is provided that aims to meet the needs of early-stage doctoral students. There is also a wide range of introductory, advanced methods, advanced theoretical, and generic non-credit bearing academic skills courses, as well as student led workshops and reading groups which you can attend.

Full-time MPhil/PhD students are required to fulfil minimum 20 ‘points’ of training activity in their first year, and are encouraged to fulfil the same in their subsequent years of study. This training can be selected from the UCL Doctoral Skills Development Programme, IOE faculty’s Research Training Programme, the multi-institutional Bloomsbury Postgraduate Skills Network, and from other sources. Each point is worth approximately a half-day of face-to-face training, or an online equivalent. Other activities such as attending and presenting at conferences also count towards research training. Students may undertake additional training beyond these minima, as relevant to their research and/or as agreed with their supervisors.

You are expected to upgrade from MPhil to PhD status towards the end of your first year of study if full-time. Students whose performance is satisfactory will transfer from MPhil to PhD status.

Processes aimed at assisting you during your course of study include the Research Student Log (an online project management tool), and periodic reviews of students’ progress.

Upon successful completion of your approved period of registration you may, if necessary, register as a register as a completing research status (CRS) student while you finish writing your thesis.

The length of registration for the research degree programmes is 5 years for part-time.

Part-time students are required to fulfil minimum 12 ‘points’ of training activity in each year of study. This training can be selected from the UCL Doctoral Skills Development Programme, IOE faculty’s Research Training Programme, the multi-institutional Bloomsbury Postgraduate Skills Network, and from other sources. Each point is worth approximately a half-day of face-to-face training, or an online equivalent.  Other activities such as attending and presenting at conferences also count towards research training. Students may undertake additional training beyond these minima, as relevant to their research and/or as agreed with their supervisors.

You are expected to upgrade from MPhil to PhD status at around 18 months if part-time. Students whose performance is satisfactory will transfer from MPhil to PhD status.

Upon successful completion of your approved period of registration you may, if necessary, register as a completing research status (CRS) student while you finish writing your thesis.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble accessable.co.uk . Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing team .

Where you'll study

The Department of Culture, Communication and Media is committed to excellence in research and teaching in the areas of Art, Design and Museology, Academic writing, English education, Applied Linguistics, Music Education, Learning with Digital Technologies and teacher professional development.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course.

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Where the programme is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees .

Additional costs

Students should take into account any travel, accommodation and expenses involved in their thesis.

For more information on additional costs for prospective students please go to our estimated cost of essential expenditure at Accommodation and living costs .

Funding your studies

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding webpage: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/scholarships/funding-students-postgraduate-research-courses

UCL's Research Excellence Scholarships (RES) are available annually to prospective and existing UCL research students from any country: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/scholarships/research-excellence-scholarship . The UCL, Bloomsbury and East London Doctoral Training Partnership offers studentships annually. More information is found here: https://ubel-dtp.ac.uk/

UBEL, RES and other funding programmes are not available to online and non-resident students.

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website .

After choosing a programme to apply for, you should develop a research proposal and identify a potential supervisor. For more information, visit our website to find a supervisor and get in touch with departmental graduate tutors.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.

Year of entry: 2024-2025

Got questions get in touch.

Culture, Communication and Media

[email protected]

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Media and Communications PhD

Key information.

• 8th  in the UK for our   research outputs in Communications, Cultural and Media Studies in  REF 2021   (Times Higher Education)
• =16th  in the UK for Communications and Media Studies   (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2023)
• 17th  in the UK for Communications and Media Studies   (Complete University Guide 2024)

Explore how media figures in everyday life, politics and culture. You’ll work with expert faculty guiding and supervising you throughout your research project. You’ll join an active research culture engaged in rigorous critical and historical studies of a wide range of media cultures.

Areas of study

We particularly welcome research proposals in areas such as:

• social and cultural analysis of media forms, institutions and practices
• media representation and media audiences
• advertising and consumption
• feminist, queer and activist media studies
• media histories and theories
• visual, audiovisual and sound cultures.

Projects can be co-supervised with faculty in other subject areas as appropriate.

We understand that deciding where and what to study is a very important decision. We’ll make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the courses, services and facilities described in this prospectus. However, if we need to make material changes, for example due to government or regulatory requirements, or unanticipated staff changes, we’ll let you know as soon as possible.

Masters and P h D events

Meet us on campus or online

Book your place

Entry requirements

• UK requirements
• International requirements

Please select your country from the list.

Philippines

Saudi Arabia

South Africa

South Korea

Switzerland

United Arab Emirates

My country is not listed

If your country is not listed, you need to contact us and find out the qualification level you should have for this course. Contact us

English language requirements

Ielts (academic).

High level (6.5 overall, including at least 6.0 in each component).

IELTS scores are valid for two years from the test date. You cannot combine scores from more than one sitting of the test. Your score must be valid when you begin your Sussex course.  Find out more about IELTS

We accept IELTS One Skills Retake.

We do not accept IELTS Online.

Check full details of our English Language requirements and find out more about some of the alternative English language qualifications listed below

Alternative English language qualifications

Proficiency tests, cambridge advanced certificate in english (cae).

169 overall, including at least 162 in each skill.

We would normally expect the CAE test to have been taken within two years before the start of your course.

You cannot combine scores from more than one sitting of the test. Find out more about Cambridge English: Advanced

Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE)

We would normally expect the CPE test to have been taken within two years before the start of your course.

You cannot combine scores from more than one sitting of the test. Find out more about Cambridge English: Proficiency

LanguageCert Academic SELT

High level (70 overall, including at least 65 in each component).

LanguageCert Academic SELT scores are valid for two years from the test date. Your score must be valid when you begin your Sussex course.  Find out more about LanguageCert Academic SELT

We only accept LanguageCert when taken at SELT Test Centres.

We do not accept the online version.  We also do not accept the non-SELT version.

LanguageCert International ESOL SELT

High level (International ESOL SELT B2 with a minimum of 39 in each component)

LanguageCert International ESOL scores are valid for two years from the test date. Your score must be valid when you begin your Sussex course. Find out more about LanguageCert SELT

We only accept LanguageCert when taken at SELT Test Centres. We do not accept the online version.

Pearson PTE Academic

High level (62 overall, including at least 59 in all four skills)

PTE (Academic) scores are valid for two years from the test date. You cannot combine scores from more than one sitting of the test. Your score must be valid when you begin your Sussex course. Find out more about Pearson (PTE Academic)

We do not accept the PTE Academic Online test.

TOEFL (iBT)

High level 88 overall, including at least 20 Listening, 19 in Reading, 21 in Speaking, 23 in Writing.

TOEFL (iBT) scores are valid for two years from the test date. You cannot combine scores from more than one sitting of the test. Your score must be valid when you begin your Sussex course. Find out more about TOEFL (iBT)

We do not accept TOEFL (iBT) Home Edition.

The TOEFL Institution Code for the University of Sussex is 9166.

English language qualifications

As/a-level (gce).

Grade C or above in English Language.

Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination (HKALE)/ AS or A Level: grade C or above in Use of English.

GCE O-level

Grade C or above in English.

Brunei/Cambridge GCE O-level in English: grades 1-6.

Singapore/Cambridge GCE O-level in English: grades 1-6.

GCSE or IGCSE

Grade C or above in English as a First Language (Grade 4 or above in GCSE from 2017).

Grade B or above in English as a Second Language.

Ghana Senior Secondary School Certificate

If awarded before 1993: grades 1-6 in English language.

If awarded between 1993 and 2005: grades A-D in English language.

Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE)

 Level 4, including at least 3 in each component in English Language.

Indian School Certificate (Standard XII)

The Indian School Certificate is accepted at the grades below when awarded by the following examination boards:

Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) – English Core only: 70%

Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) - English: 70% 

International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB)

English A or English B at grade 5 or above.

Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education

Grades A - C in English language

Malaysian Certificate of Education (SPM) 1119/GCE O-level

If taken before the end of 2008: grades 1-6 in English Language.

If taken from 2009 onwards: grade C or above in English Language.

The qualification must be jointly awarded by the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES).

West African Senior School Certificate

Grades A1-C6 (1-6) in English language when awarded by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) or the National Examinations Council (NECO).

Country exceptions

Select to see the list of exempt english-speaking countries.

If you are a national of one of the countries below, or if you have recently completed a qualification equivalent to a UK Bachelors degree or higher in one of these countries, you will normally meet our English requirement. Note that qualifications obtained by distance learning or awarded by studying outside these countries cannot be accepted for English language purposes.

You will normally be expected to have completed the qualification within two years before starting your course at Sussex. If the qualification was obtained earlier than this, we would expect you to be able to demonstrate that you have maintained a good level of English, for example by living in an English-speaking country or working in an occupation that required you to use English regularly and to a high level.

Please note that this list is determined by the UK’s Home Office, not by the University of Sussex.

List of exempt countries: 

• Antigua and Barbuda
• New Zealand
• St Kitts and Nevis
• St Vincent and the Grenadines
• The British Overseas Territories
• Trinidad and Tobago
• United Kingdom

** Canada: you must be a national of Canada; other nationals not on this list who have a degree from a Canadian institution will not normally be exempt from needing to provide evidence of English.

English language support

If you don’t meet the English language requirements for your degree, you may be able to take a pre-sessional course

• Visas and immigration

Admissions information for applicants

If your qualifications aren’t listed or you have a question about entry requirements, contact us

• How to apply

If you’d like to join us as a research student, there are two main routes:

• browse funded projects in this subject area
• browse our potential supervisors and propose your own research project.

Find out how to apply for a PhD at Sussex

Full-time and part-time study

Choose to work on your research full time or part time, to fit around your work and personal life. For details  about part-time study,  contact us at  [email protected]

PhD or MPhil?

You can choose to study for a PhD or an MPhil. PhD and MPhil degrees differ in duration and in the extent of your research work.

• For a PhD, your research work makes a substantial original contribution to knowledge or understanding in your chosen field.
• For an MPhil, your work is an independent piece of research but in less depth than for a PhD. You’ll graduate with the degree title Master of Philosophy. You might be able to change to a PhD while you study for an MPhil.

Our supervisors

Explore our research interests and find potential supervisors.

Prof David Berry

Professor of Digital Humanities

[email protected]

View profile of David Berry

Prof Michael Bull

Professor Of Sound Studies

[email protected]

View profile of Michael Bull

Dr Sally Xiaojin Chen

Senior Lecturer

[email protected]

View profile of Sally Xiaojin Chen

Prof Ivor Gaber

Professor of Political Journalism

[email protected]

View profile of Ivor Gaber

Prof Ben Highmore

Professor of Cultural Studies

[email protected]

View profile of Ben Highmore

Dr Malcolm James

Senior Lecturer in Media and Cultural Studies

[email protected]

View profile of Malcolm James

Prof Kate Lacey

Professor of Media History & Theory

[email protected]

View profile of Kate Lacey

Dr Eleftheria Lekakis

Senior Lecturer In Media & Communication

[email protected]

View profile of Eleftheria Lekakis

Prof Sarah Maltby

Professor of Media & Communication

[email protected]

View profile of Sarah Maltby

Dr Monika Metykova

Senior Lecturer in Media Communications/Journalism Studies

[email protected]

View profile of Monika Metykova

Prof Kate O'Riordan

Pro Vice Chancellor for Education and Students

[email protected]

View profile of Kate O'Riordan

Prof Pollyanna Ruiz

Professor of Media and Cultural Studies Studies

[email protected]

View profile of Pollyanna Ruiz

Dr Alban Webb

Lecturer in Media and Cultural Studies

[email protected]

View profile of Alban Webb

Dr Cecile CHEVALIER

Senior Lecturer in Media Practice

[email protected]

View profile of Cecile CHEVALIER

Dr Katherine Farrimond

[email protected]

View profile of Katherine Farrimond

Dr Beatrice Fazi

Reader in Digital Humanities

[email protected]

View profile of Beatrice Fazi

Prof Margaretta Jolly

[email protected]

View profile of Margaretta Jolly

Dr Niall Richardson

[email protected]

View profile of Niall Richardson

Funding and fees

How can i fund my course, funded projects and scholarships.

Our aim is to ensure that every student who wants to study with us is able to despite financial barriers, so that we continue to attract talented and unique individuals. Don’t miss out on scholarships – check the specific application deadlines for funding opportunities. Note that funded projects aren’t available for all our PhDs.

£3,000 scholarships available to environmental influencers bringing about real-world behaviour change

Find out more

£800 scholarship available to reward talented organ player studying on any course at Sussex.

Scholarships of £800 are available to reward talented musicians studying on any course at Sussex

Cash scholarships available for students who have demonstrated sporting excellence

University of Sussex Stuart Hall Doctoral Scholarship

Applying for USA Federal Student Aid?

If any part of your funding, at any time, is through USA federal Direct Loan funds, you will be registered on a separate version of this degree which does not include the possibility of distance learning which is prohibited under USA federal regulations. Find out more about American Student Loans and Federal Student Aid .

Part-time work

We advertise around 2,500 part-time jobs a year so you can make money and gain work experience. We have a special scheme to employ students on campus, wherever possible.

Find out more about careers and employability

How much does it cost?

Fees for self-funding students.

Home students: £4,786 per year for full-time students

Channel Islands and Isle of Man students: £4,786 per year for full-time students

International students: £21,500 per year for full-time students

Home PhD student fees are set at the level recommended by United Kingdom Research and Innovation (UKRI) annually, rising in line with inflation. Overseas fees are subject to an annual increase - see details on our tuition fees page

Additional costs

Note about additional costs.

Please note that all costs are best estimates based on current market values. Activities may be subject to unavoidable change in response to Government advice. We’ll let you know at the earliest opportunity. We review estimates every year and they may vary with inflation. Find out how to budget for student life .

Empirical research costs

On top of your PhD fees and living costs, you may also need to cover some research and training costs, relevant to your research project. These costs will depend on your research topic and training needs, but may include: - travel (to archives, collections or scientific facilities) - a laptop - overseas fieldwork costs (travel and accommodation, and language training) - conference costs (travel, registration fees and accommodation) - laboratory consumables and workshop materials - participant costs - transcription or translation costs - open-access publication costs. If you have a scholarship from one of the UK Research Councils, your scholarship should cover these types of costs. You'll receive details of how to claim this additional funding. If you're self funded, or if your scholarship doesn’t cover these costs, check with the Research and Enterprise Co-ordinator in your School for details of School or Doctoral School funding that may be available.

• Living costs

Find out typical living costs for studying at Sussex

Find out about our terms and conditions

Explore our campus

Experience Sussex life in our virtual tour.

Start your virtual tour

PhD Information Sessions

Visit campus and chat to staff and students. Book your place

Online PhD Sessions

Join a live webchat. Book your place

International

Meet us in your country

Course enquiries

+44 (0)1273 876787

Send us a message

Admissions enquiries

If you haven’t applied yet:

+44 (0)1273 678001 mah-pgr@​sussex.ac.uk

Find out about the School of Media, Arts and Humanities

After you’ve applied:

+44 (0)1273 877773 [email protected]

Find out how to apply

Quick links

• Guide to PhD study
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• PHD Media and Communications
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Media and Communications

Investigate an approved research topic during a period of supervised study and make an original contribution to knowledge in Media, Communication or Film Studies.

Everything you need to know...

What is the fee.

Home: See fees section below International/EU: £17,725 per year

How long will I study?

Where will i study, city campus, when do i start.

October 2025 February 2026 May 2026

Course summary

• Undertake doctoral research into a specific topic of your choice relating to Media, Communication or Film Studies, on a programme with outstanding student satisfaction ratings.
• Develop the knowledge and skills necessary to become an independent and effective researcher.
• Benefit from specialist media research, production, and screening facilities.
• Study within the excellent research environment of the Centre for Culture, Media and Society , delivering critical insight and real-world impact.

Develop and implement a programme of research with experienced supervisors specialising in cultural heritage, industries and institutions, film and TV, digital culture and technologies, identities, anti-racism, and applications of VR.

How you learn

All our courses are designed around a set of key principles based on engaging you with the world, collaborating with others, challenging you to think in new ways, and providing you with a supportive environment in which you can thrive.

79% of our research in Communication, Cultural and Media Studies was assessed as ‘world leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’ in the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021. Sheffield Hallam is also ranked in the top 12 of UK universities for the research environment supporting these disciplines.

You’ll work with a supervisory team with expertise in your research area who help you to define and plan your research programme, agree associated training requirements, and provide direction while supporting you to develop as an independent researcher.  You’ll join a dynamic community of postgraduate researchers and have opportunities to share your work at SHU and beyond.

You learn through

• independent study
• project supervision
• active research
• researcher development training events
• level 7 research methods modules (as necessary)
• presenting your research at conferences and seminars
• participation in lively debate and discussion with your peers
• writing and defending a doctoral thesis

You receive training on professional standards in research practice, including ethics and project management, and how to enhance your personal effectiveness as a researcher.  You’ll explore how to publish your research and establish an academic profile.  You’ll present at the Culture & Creativity Research Institute (CCRI) interdisciplinary conferences on the themes of research METHOD and research IMPACT, which provide a platform for focussed discussion on research process and practice and questions of application, audience, and impact.

Your learning is supported by access to

• a dedicated Postgraduate Research Tutor for Media, Communication and Film Studies and PGR administration team
• a library research support team and 24-hour access to library facilities
• SHU Academic Skills Centre with sessions specifically for doctoral researchers
• the University English Scheme for international students
• a programme of support for doctoral student wellbeing

Course leaders and tutors

Dr Kerry McSeveny

Kerry is a Research Fellow in the Communication and Computing Research Centre. Her research uses a range of qualitative approaches and encompasses a wide variety of … Read more

Applied learning

Networking Opportunities Throughout your course you’ll have opportunities to interact with academics and specialists in your field.  Funds are available for you to present your work in professional academic settings at international and national conferences and we will encourage you to submit papers and seek opportunities to publish and engage different audiences with your research.   All our doctoral students make a vital contribution to the intellectual life of the University from the earliest stages of their research.

The Centre for Media, Culture and Society hosts a stimulating seminar series featuring established academics and practitioners in the field and national conferences such as Fear 2000 .

CCRI is a partner in the AHRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Heritage .

SHU doctoral students are also supported to enter the national ‘3-minute thesis’ competition.

Live projects Doctoral projects in this area explore and offer real world critical insights on cultural, social and media practices and institutions and contemporary issues.   Some are developed in collaboration with external partners e.g., Sheffield’s Doc Fest, the Stanley Kubrick archive, the Sheffield Hospitals Trust, the National Trust.

Future careers

A PhD is an essential qualification for academic careers in

• lecturing in further or higher education

You develop a range of transferable skills which are applicable to roles in areas such as

• cultural and creative industries
• heritage sector
• third sector
• local government

You study at City Campus through a structured mix of lectures, seminars and practical sessions as well as access to digital and online resources to support your learning.

City Campus is located in the heart of Sheffield, within minutes of the train and bus stations.

City Campus map | City Campus tour  

Howard Street Sheffield S1 1WB

Adsetts library

Adsetts Library is located on our City Campus. It's open 24 hours a day, every day.

Learn more about your department

Media, Arts and Communications Facilities Tour

Take a look around the media, arts and communication facilities at Sheffield Hallam University with lecturer Saskia Wilson.

Equipment and facilities

The community of doctoral researchers in the Culture and Creativity Research Institute has access to a dedicated office space to work in, which we also use to host our community writing sessions.

The university has a range of specialist research, media and film facilities including production equipment, recording studios, edit suites, VR studio and screening facilities at 'The Void' film lecture theatre, which boasts cinema-standard 4K digital projection and two 40-year-old Westrex 7000 35mm projectors. Two libraries provide 24-hour access, and a dedicated library research support team offer expert advice and training on all aspects of information and publishing.

We’ve invested over £100m in new facilities across our campuses to help you study how and when you want. This means 24-hour libraries and study spaces designed by our students.

Entry requirements

All students, additional information for eu/international students.

Applicants will need to provide evidence of:

• A relevant undergraduate degree qualification (2.1 or above)
• A relevant masters level qualification (Merit or above) with strong performance (60%+) in research related modules and dissertation. Note that studentship applicants must have all degree results in hand before applying

To apply, candidates must submit a fully complete online application including:

• A 1,500-word research proposal
• Degree certificates
• Module transcripts
• Details of two referees who can comment on your academic ability and readiness for PhD study
• Sponsorship letter (if applicable)

All suitable candidates are invited to an interview and asked to give a short presentation about their proposed research. You will be asked questions about the project proposal and your interest in PhD level study. You are encouraged to find out more about our areas of research interest and expertise before applying. Potential supervisors can be identified through the research centre website linked above or by contacting the Postgraduate Research Tutor for advice.

International Students (additional information)

If you are an International student (including non-UK European) see International Entry Requirements for guidance on entry requirements for your country.

All international applicants are required to show evidence (current within the last two years) of English language ability before embarking on a PhD. For this course, it must be at a minimum level of IELTS 7.0 with 7.0 in all skill components (or equivalent). For more information about the different English language qualifications we accept see English Language Qualifications . We also accept successful completion (within the last two years) of a UK degree course taught in English.

If evidence of English Language ability is not supplied at application, an offer of PhD study would be conditional on provision of such evidence.

Students who are based overseas may be able to study for a PhD by Distance Learning, subject to establishing a satisfactory distance learning agreement, as part of the application process.

If you are an International or non-UK European student, you can find out more about the country specific qualifications we accept on our international qualifications page.

For details of English language entry requirements (IELTS), please see the information for 'All students'.

Fees and funding

Home students, international students.

Our tuition fee for UK postgraduate research students will be aligned to the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) fees which have not yet been confirmed for 2025/26. For an indication of the tuition fees, please view the 2024/25 course page.

If you are studying an undergraduate course, postgraduate pre-registration course or postgraduate research course over more than one academic year then your tuition fees may increase in subsequent years in line with Government regulations or UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) published fees. More information can be found in our terms and conditions  under student fees regulations.

Our tuition fee for International/EU postgraduate research students starting full-time study in 2025/26 is £17,725 per year. There will be a final writing up fee of £500.

Doctoral student loans

Up to £25,700 available to help you while you study a postgraduate doctoral course.

Additional course costs

This link allows you to view estimated costs associated with the main activities on specific courses. These are estimates and, as such, are only an indication of additional course costs. Actual costs can vary greatly depending on the choices you make during your course.

Legal information

Any offer of a place to study is subject to your acceptance of the University’s Terms and Conditions and Student Regulations .

How do I apply?

You apply for this course via our online application form.

• Apply for February 2025
• Apply for October 2024

You can also use the application form above to apply for future years of entry.

Not ready to apply just yet?

Why not come to our next open day? Open days are the perfect place to talk to staff and students, visit our campuses and get all the information you need. Alternatively, feel free to ask us a question.

Why choose us?

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International

Mphil/phd media & communications and cultural studies, course information.

Media, Communications and Cultural Studies

3-4 years full-time or 6-8 years part-time

Course overview

We welcome proposals for research in any area connected with media, communications, digital media, cultural theory and practice. We aim to engage you, intellectually and critically, and with enthusiasm, in a media or cultural studies project that questions everything.

The MPhil/PhD programme offers an interdisciplinary approach to the study of media, communications and culture. We'll introduce you to a wide variety of perspectives and traditions, animated via a creative interface between disciplines.

We give priority to those with proposals for research within the areas of interest of our staff .

Research degrees in this department have two elements:

• the research work that you carry out individually under supervision
• a programme of taught courses, which brings you into contact with other students within Goldsmiths

Supervisors and their students form loose research teams, sometimes on a joint basis with another group. When you apply, please indicate your intended research area and any preference for a particular supervisor.

You'll be assessed by a thesis and viva voce.

Find out more about research degrees at Goldsmiths . 

The Department of Media, Communications and Cultural Studies has been ranked 2nd in the UK for 'world-leading or internationally excellent' research (Research Excellence Framework, 2021) and 16th in the world (3rd in the UK) in the 2024 QS World Rankings for communication and media studies.

AVPhD Media and Communications

The Department also offers a PhD programme partially by audio-visual practice . We encourage applications from Doctoral candidates who wish to submit, as part of their thesis, a portfolio of practical work alongside a reduced textual component. 

Contact the department

If you have specific questions about the degree, contact Gareth Stanton .

Entry requirements

You should normally have (or expect to be awarded) a taught Masters in a relevant subject area. 

You might also be considered for some programmes if you aren’t a graduate or your degree is in an unrelated field, but have relevant experience and can show that you have the ability to work at postgraduate level.

International qualifications

We accept a wide range of international qualifications. Find out more about the qualifications we accept from around the world.

If English isn’t your first language, you will need an IELTS score (or equivalent English language qualification ) of 7.0 with a 7.0 in writing to study this programme. If you need assistance with your English language, we offer a range of courses that can help prepare you for postgraduate-level study .

Fees, funding & scholarships

Annual tuition fees.

These are the fees for students starting their programme in the 2024/2025 academic year.

• Home - full-time: £4786
• Home - part-time: £2393
• International - full-time: £17690

If your fees are not listed here, please check our postgraduate fees guidance or contact the Fees Office , who can also advise you about how to pay your fees.

It’s not currently possible for international students to study part-time under a student visa. If you think you might be eligible to study part-time while being on another visa type, please contact our Admissions Team for more information.

If you are looking to pay your fees please see our guide to making a payment .

Additional costs

In addition to your tuition fees, you'll be responsible for any additional costs associated with your course, such as buying stationery and paying for photocopying. You can find out more about what you need to budget for on our study costs page .

There may also be specific additional costs associated with your programme. This can include things like paying for field trips or specialist materials for your assignments.

Funding opportunities

Find out more about postgraduate fees and explore funding opportunities . If you're applying for funding, you may be subject to an application deadline.

Students on this programme may be eligible for the  AHRC  and  ESRC studentships .

How to apply

You apply directly to Goldsmiths using our online application system. 

Before submitting your application you'll need to have: 

• Details of  your education history , including the dates of all exams/assessments
• The  email address of your referee  who we can request a reference from, or alternatively an electronic copy of your academic reference
• Contact details of a second referee
• A  personal statement – this can either be uploaded as a Word Document or PDF, or completed online

           Please see our guidance on writing a postgraduate statement

• If available, an electronic copy of your educational transcript (this is particularly important if you have studied outside of the UK, but isn’t mandatory)
• Details of your  research proposal

You'll be able to save your progress at any point and return to your application by logging in using your username/email and password.

Before you apply for a research programme, we advise you to get in touch with the programme contact, listed above. It may also be possible to arrange an advisory meeting.

Before you start at Goldsmiths, the actual topic of your research has to be agreed with your proposed supervisor, who will be a member of staff active in your general field of research. The choice of topic may be influenced by the current research in the department or the requirements of an external funding body. 

If you wish to study on a part-time basis, you should also indicate how many hours a week you intend to devote to research, whether this will be at evenings or weekends, and for how many hours each day.

Research proposals

Along with your application and academic reference, you should also upload a research proposal at the point of application. 

This should be in the form of a statement of the proposed area of research and should include: 

• delineation of the research topic
• why it has been chosen
• an initial hypothesis (if applicable)
• a brief list of major secondary sources

AVPhD applications

Find out how to apply for an AVPhD . 

When to apply  

We accept applications from October for students wanting to start the following September. 

We encourage you to complete your application as early as possible, even if you haven't finished your current programme of study. It's very common to be offered a place conditional on you achieving a particular qualification.  

If you're applying for external funding from one of the Research Councils, make sure you submit your application by the deadline they've specified. 

Selection process 

Admission to many programmes is by interview, unless you live outside the UK. Occasionally we'll make candidates an offer of a place on the basis of their application and qualifications alone.

Find out more about applying .

Having celebrated its 35th anniversary in 2013, Goldsmiths’ Department of Media, Communications and Cultural Studies  is one of the oldest and largest media departments in the UK. It is also unique in its diversity of approaches to, and articulations of, the disciplinary conjunctures around media and culture.

The department has equal research strengths in media and communications and in cultural studies research, in humanities and in social sciences approaches, and in theory- and practice-driven work. Its work spans a wide range of topics and modes of enquiry – from philosophical studies of technology and human life to sociological investigations of media production and use; from issues of identity, embodiment and becoming to post-feminism, queer theory and critical race studies; from global screen studies and transnational investigations of media and culture to news’ role in contemporary democracy.

The Department’s research falls into five main strands which make up our research groupings:

(1)  Media and Democracy : building on the work of the Leverhulme programme on the media’s contribution to democracy, including the changing nature of journalism and political communication; studying globalisation in relation to issues of diaspora and nationhood  (2)  Economy, Culture and Communication : investigating communication and discourse in finance and financial media; everyday representations and understandings of the economy and economic life; creative labour, neoliberalism and organisational practices in the arts and cultural industries; the impact of the promotional professions (branding, PR, marketing) on the economy, culture and society (3)  Media Futures : bringing together humanities and social sciences approaches to understanding the changing role of media technologies and global media flows in society, economy and science  (4)  Gender, Feminism and Contemporary Cultures : connecting the long tradition of work within the Department on culture, representation, embodiment and affect to its specific strengths in gender, race, sexuality and labour in national and international contexts  (5)  Screen Cultures and Media Arts : consolidating the long-standing focus on screen cultures within the Department, as concentrated within the Leverhulme programme, combined with an exploration of media arts such as photography, video, digital imagining, sound and performance.

Many of the projects undertaken within the Department are collaborative in nature - such as the work conducted under the umbrella of Goldsmiths Leverhulme Media Research Centre, funded with a 2006 Leverhulme grant to study the design and significance of various contemporary media spaces. Members of the Department have also received funding from AHRC, British Academy, British Council, Carnegie Trust UK, Council for British Research in the Levant, ESRC, EPSRC, Guggenheim Foundation, Higher Education Academy, Hong Kong Research Grants Council, JISC, London Centre for Arts and Cultural Exchange, Media Trust and Open Society Foundation.

As well as working on collaborative projects, members of the Department have published many books with high-impact international presses, on a diverse range of topics: affect and emotion, artificial intelligence, bioethics, the body and experience, branding, broadcasting, democracy, film history, the future of journalism, media geographies, the mediation of power, post-feminism, postcolonial politics, sound and video cultures.

Members of the Department edit leading academic journals, including  Body and Society ,  Culture Machine  and its sister project,  Photomediations Machine ),  Global Media and Communication ,  International Journal of Cultural Studies ,  Subjectivity  and  photographies .

Recent research projects

• The Leverhulme Trust funded  Goldsmiths Leverhulme Media Research Centre
• Storycircle  (Framework for Innovation and Research in MediaCityUK)
• Goldsmiths Media Ethnography Group

Find out more about research in the Department of Media, Communications and Cultural Studies . 

The Department offers a dedicated room with working spaces for research students, and as a postgraduate at Goldsmiths you are ideally placed to take advantage of facilities such as the specialist libraries at the British Film Institute .

We aim to develop your skills to be able to express yourself creatively and self-critically in theoretical and/or practice work. You'll develop research skills, presentation skills, an understanding of the workings of the media and their broad cultural and social impacts and an understanding of the pleasures of media consumption.

If you're focussing more on Cultural Studies research topics, you'll also develop skills in ethnography and cultural research, and be able to deploy these to articulate your appreciation of crucial debates in the public domains of the media, the culture industries, formal and informal institutions and in the wider contemporary cultural scene.

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King's College London

Culture, media & creative industries research.

Key information

Culture, Media & Creative Industries at King's carries out world-leading research across the field of culture, media and the analysis of particular creative industries. Specialisms include cultural work, creative cities, visual cultures, popular culture, cultural and creative industries policy, cultural management, museums and heritage, entrepreneurship and cultural production, cultural regeneration, cultural history, culture and identity, and inter-sectionally and culture. CMCI is also developing, in concert with Digital Humanities, research into digital cultures, particularly into social networks, digital identities and digital activism. Our approach is international in perspective, interdisciplinary in nature, and is characterised by a productive engagement of the theoretical, historical and empirical.

The PhD in Culture, Media & Creative Industries is a programme for those seeking an academic career or who wish to become professionals in the cultural, media or creative sectors.

• Latest Research Excellence Framework rankings: CMCI was ranked third in the UK for research power. Our Faculty of Arts & Humanities is one of the most prestigious of its kind, ranked sixth in Europe (QS World University Rankings, 2023).
• Current staff: 47
• Current PhDs: 50

External Funding Sources

Our current and former PhD students have successfully received funding from the following external sources:

• London Interdisciplinary Social Science Doctoral Training Partnership (ESRC)
• London Arts and Humanities Research Council (LAHP)
• National and regional governments and funding bodies.

Selected books written by CMCI PhD supervisors

• Beyond the Screen: Emerging Cinema and Engaging Audiences by Sarah Atkinson
• Duke Ellington's America by Harvey G Cohen
• Besides the Screen: Moving Images through Distribution, Promotion and Curation by Virginia Crisp
• The Aesthetic Economy: Markets in Clothing and Fashion Modelling by Joanne Entwistle
• Work That Body: Male Bodies in Digital Culture by Jamie Hakim
• Cultural Policy in South Korea: Making a New Patron State by Hye-Kyung Lee
• Migration and Identity in British East and Southeast Asian Cinema by Wing-Fai Leung
• Convergent Chinese Television Industries by Lisa Lin
• Hollywood Stardom by Paul McDonald
• Manifestations of Queerness in Video Games by Gaspard Pelurson
• Topographies of Suffering: Buchenwald, Babi Yar, Lidice by Jessica Rapson
• Gender and Memory in the Globital Age by Amza Reading
• Repudiating Feminism by Christina Scharff
• Creating Preschool Television: A Story of Commerce, Creativity and Curriculum by Jeanette Steemers
• The Space that Separates: A Realist Theory of Art by Nick Wilson
• Emotion, Care and Enthusiasm in “Unloved” Museum Collections, by Anna Woodham et al.

Head of group/division

Dr Virginia Crisp

(Please direct any queries to the contact named in the 'How to Apply' section below)

• How to apply
• Fees or Funding

UK Tuition Fees 2023/24

Full time tuition fees:

£5,820 per year (MPhil/PhD, Culture, Media, & Creative Industries)

£5,820 per year (MPhil/PhD, Culture, Media, & Creative Industries with Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin)

Part time tuition fees:

£2,910 per year (MPhil/PhD, Culture, Media, & Creative Industries)

£2,910 per year (MPhil/PhD, Culture, Media, & Creative Industries with Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin)

International Tuition Fees 2023/24

£22,900 per year (MPhil/PhD, Culture, Media, & Creative Industries)

£22,900 per year (MPhil/PhD, Culture, Media, & Creative Industries with Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin)

£11,450 per year (MPhil/PhD, Culture, Media, & Creative Industries)

£11,450 per year (MPhil/PhD, Culture, Media, & Creative Industries with Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin)

UK Tuition Fees 2024/25

£6,168 per year (MPhil/PhD, Culture, Media, & Creative Industries)

£6,168 per year (MPhil/PhD, Culture, Media, & Creative Industries with Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin)

£3,084 per year (MPhil/PhD, Culture, Media, & Creative Industries)

£3,084 per year (MPhil/PhD, Culture, Media, & Creative Industries with Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin)

International Tuition Fees 2024/25

£24,786 per year (MPhil/PhD, Culture, Media, & Creative Industries)

£24,786 per year (MPhil/PhD, Culture, Media, & Creative Industries with Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin)

£12,393 per year (MPhil/PhD, Culture, Media, & Creative Industries)

£12,393 per year (MPhil/PhD, Culture, Media, & Creative Industries with Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin)

These tuition fees may be subject to additional increases in subsequent years of study, in line with King’s terms and conditions.

• Study environment

Base campus

Strand Campus

Located on the north bank of the River Thames, the Strand Campus houses King's College London's arts and sciences faculties.

Culture, Media & Creative Industries (CMCI) at King's carries out world-leading research across the field of culture, media and the analysis of particular creative industries. Specialisms include cultural work, creative cities, visual cultures, popular culture, cultural and creative industries policy, cultural management, entrepreneurship and cultural production, cultural regeneration, cultural history, culture and identity, and inter-sectionally and culture. Our approach is international in perspective and is characterised by a productive engagement of the theoretical and empirical.

CMCI is also developing, in concert with Digital Humanities, research into digital cultures, particularly into social networks, digital identities and digital activism.

We work in an inter-disciplinary mode: although we are based in the Faculty of Arts & Humanities, much of our research has roots in the social sciences.

Postgraduate training

Joint phds - benefits of collaboration.

Our joint PhD programme with the Humboldt University Berlin offers students the opportunity to enjoy full supervision at both institutions. The Joint-PhD also organises international colloquia and workshops at which students can present and discuss their work with peers and academic staff across the institutions involved. The programme builds on an extensive network of existing institutional links, joint teaching experience and collaborative graduate programmes between King’s and the partners universities.

Applications are welcome from across a whole range of areas in culture, media and creative industries with a substantial German element.

Joint PhDs - Subjects/specialisms available for joint study

• Entry requirements

Find a supervisor

Search through a list of available supervisors.

Accommodation

Discover your accommodation options and explore our residences.

Connect with a King’s Advisor

Want to know more about studying at King's? We're here to help.

Learning in London

King's is right in the heart of the capital.

PhD/MPhil Journalism

Postgraduate research degree

On the PhD/MPhil, you will join our internationally renowned Journalism department, whose expertise includes editors of leading academic journals, receiving a high level of support from your supervisor.

Key information

Journalism Postgraduate research degrees PhD/MPhil course Overview

You will be joining our internationally renowned Department of Journalism , whose staff includes experienced industry professionals and leaders in media research.

External assessors and students praise the high standard of research and the support of supervisors on our research degrees. A high percentage of our research graduates publish their theses in peer-reviewed journals and books.

Our faculty has expertise in topics including:

• Law and regulation
• Practices and processes in a digital context
• Effects of/on globalisation
• Representation and democratisation
• Business and leadership
• Scholarship of teaching and learning in journalism .

We are especially interested in research proposals around journalism practices.

Our students often have the opportunity to teach, and after graduating may enter academia or return to senior roles in the media sector.

Students on graduate research programmes are initially registered for the degree of MPhil. Promotion to registration to PhD is not automatic, but contingent on the satisfactory outcome of a review process.

This normally takes place towards the end of the first year of registration for full-time candidates. The review process for part-time candidates will take place towards the end of the second year. If the outcome is satisfactory, the student will be upgraded to PhD.

The programme will conclude with submission of your research in the form of a PhD thesis. You will attend a viva voce examination in front of at least two examiners, at least one of whom will be external to City.

For full details about City, University of London's PhD programme structure, please see the Guide for Research Students .

Requirements

Entry requirements.

You should have an undergraduate degree with a second class (upper division) pass (or its equivalent) and a master’s degree in a related academic discipline.

In exceptional cases, professional qualifications and experience in the proposed research area may compensate for the lack of a Master's degree.

English requirements

For students whose first language is not English, the following qualifications will meet the English language requirement for entry to a postgraduate course of study:

• A first degree from a UK university or from the CNAA.
• A first degree from an overseas institution recognised by City as providing adequate evidence of proficiency in the English language, for example, from institutions in Australia, Canada or the USA.
• GCE O-level/GCSE English language or English literature, grade C minimum.
• Cambridge ESOL CPE (Certificate of Proficiency in English) at grade C or above.
• An overall score of 7.0 in the English Language Testing System (IELTS) including 7.0 in writing with a minimum of 6.0 for each other subtest.
• Other evidence of proficiency in the English language which satisfies the board of studies concerned.

For more information see our English language proficiency requirements at City.

Visa requirements

If you are not from the European Economic Area / Switzerland and you are coming to study in the UK, you may need to apply for a visa or entry clearance to come to the UK to study.

The way that you apply may vary depending on the length of your course. There are different rules for:

• Students on courses of more than six months
• Students on courses of less than six months
• Students on a pre-sessional English language course.

For more information see our main Visa page .

Fees and funding

Full-time Home/UK: £5,110 per year

Part-time Home/UK: £2,560 per year

Full-time International: £13,630 per year

Part-time International: £6,810 per year

Fees for doctoral candidates are charged annually and cover registration, supervision and examination.

Fees are subject to review each year and may vary during your period of registration. Where applicable, fees for City's programmes will be subject to inflationary increases in each academic year of study commencing in September . Our policy for these increases is set out in our terms and conditions of study .

City has a well-established structure and processes to support your research .

Support for PhD study

Prospective students are encouraged to explore doctoral Grants and funding opportunities such as:

• Research Council studentship awards , if available.

Our bursaries are non-repayable sums of money granted by the University, usually based on need.

Our loans are repayable sums of money granted by the University or other body.

Our scholarships are when the University pays towards your Study fees. You may also be eligible for further funding.

Postgraduate Doctoral Loans

The Government has introduced a new Postgraduate Doctoral Loans scheme which can provide a loan of up to £25,000.

This will be over three years to support study for a doctoral degree.

A Postgraduate Doctoral Loan can help with course fees and living costs while you study. It can be used alongside any other forms of support you may be able to receive.

For more information, please see our Postgraduate Doctoral Loans page .

2020 Commonwealth Master’s PhD Scholarships

The Commonwealth Master’s PhD Scholarships are funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID) . These Scholarships enable talented and motivated individuals to gain the knowledge and skills required for sustainable development. They are aimed at those who could not otherwise afford to study in the UK.

Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships are for candidates from low and middle income Commonwealth countries. These scholarships will allow you to undertake full-time taught Master’s study at a UK university.

Commonwealth PhD Scholarships are for candidates from less developed countries and fragile states in the Commonwealth. These scholarships for full-time doctoral study at a UK university.

Candidates are advised to read the terms and conditions carefully and to ensure they meet the full eligibility criteria as stated in the terms and conditions. For full details, including eligibility criteria and how to apply, visit the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK website.

Additional expenses

Some of our degrees may involve additional expenses which are not covered by your tuition fees. Find out more about additional expenses .

Academic support

Supervision.

Each of our research students is provided with a supervisory panel, including a designated lead supervisor.

Research training is provided both within the Department and across the School of Communication & Creativity at City. Students take research modules from MSc Research Method programme that are suitable to their studies.

MA modules in Academic Practice are also available to students to provide them with relevant skills required for teaching in higher education and for overall career development. Further pedagogical skills are developed through teaching at undergraduate and postgraduate levels for those who secure teaching role.

The Department also runs a research seminar series in which doctoral students participate actively. At each stage of the PhD process, supervisors guide students to identify their individual training needs and direct them to relevant courses offered by City.

For more information about research degree training provision, please visit the City Doctoral College .

How to apply

We accept applications on an ongoing basis for entry in late September. There is no formal application deadline, but it is advisable to apply as early as possible due to the limited availability of supervisors.

To apply online, you will need to submit the following supporting documents:

• Your research proposal (max 3 sides of A4)
• Official work e-mail addresses (not private ones) for two academic referees (or one academic and one professional referee where appropriate)
• Copies of your degree transcripts and certificates (originals or certified copies).
• Proof of your English language proficiency (if applicable).

For more information please see how to prepare your research proposal .

When this information is received the application will be assessed by the relevant academic staff. Further information or an interview may be required. The applicant will be contacted if this is the case. The outcome will be reported to the applicant as soon as is practicable.

• Full-time 30 th Sep 2024
• Part-time 30 th Sep 2024
• 30 th Sep 2024

For further application enquiries please contact our PGR enquiries team .

Find a supervisor

See our full list of academic staff and potential supervisors in Department of Journalism.

Dr Zahera Harb

• Department of Journalism

Dr Paul Lashmar

Professor Suzanne Franks

Professor of Journalism

Useful links

• Doctoral College
• School of Communication & Creativity
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• Terms and conditions

Contact details

School of communication & creativity.

[email protected]

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Media and Cultural Studies MPhil, PhD

Gain access to a wide range of professional and academic opportunities including regional, national and global links with creative and cultural industries.

You are currently viewing course information for entry year:

Start date(s):

• September 2024
• January 2025

Join us for an MPhil or PhD in Media and Cultural Studies. You'll become part of the media and cultural studies team and contribute to a vibrant learning community.

We're a leading research unit at Newcastle University with a strong PhD culture. Our research environment supports world-leading, internationally excellent scholarship. Our approach is distinct and interdisciplinary, focusing across theoretical and applied areas. This provides quality assured supervision.

During your studies you'll have the opportunity to:

• present papers at conferences
• write articles for academic journals
• contribute articles to edited collections alongside other publications

Additionally, you'll have the opportunity to enrol on a nationally recognised Teaching in Higher Education qualification, allowing you to host undergraduate and postgraduate seminars.

Important information

We've highlighted important information about your course. Please take note of any deadlines.

Please rest assured we make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the programmes, services and facilities described. However, it may be necessary to make changes due to significant disruption, for example in response to Covid-19.

View our  Academic experience page , which gives information about your Newcastle University study experience for the academic year 2023-24.

See our  terms and conditions and student complaints information , which gives details of circumstances that may lead to changes to programmes, modules or University services.

Related courses

Qualifications explained.

Find out about the different qualification options for this course.

An MPhil is available in all subject areas. You receive research training and undertake original research leading to the completion of a 40,000 - 50,000 word thesis.

Find out about different types of postgraduate qualifications

A PhD is a doctorate or doctoral award. It involves original research that should make a significant contribution to the knowledge of a specific subject. To complete the PhD you will produce a substantial piece of work (80,000 – 100,000 words) in the form of a supervised thesis. A PhD usually takes three years full time.

How you'll learn

Attendance is flexible and agreed between you and your supervisors depending on the requirements of the research project.

Depending on your modules, you'll be assessed through a combination of:

We offer a wide range of projects for the thesis. These will be provided by our academics. You can also propose your own topic.

Our mission is to help you:

• stay healthy, positive and feeling well
• overcome any challenges you may face during your degree – academic or personal
• get the most out of your postgraduate research experience
• carry out admin and activities essential to progressing through your degree
• understand postgraduate research processes, standards and rules

We can offer you tailored wellbeing support, courses and activities.

You can also access a broad range of workshops covering:

• research and professional skills
• careers support
• health and safety
• public engagement
• academic development

Find out more about our postgraduate research student support

PhD Supervision

• Celebrity: Dr Gareth Longstaff , Dr Bethany Usher
• Critical Studies of the Environment: Dr Tina Sikka
• Cultural Politics of Food: Dr Tina Sikka
• Democracy and Political Communication: Dr Joss Hands, Dr Darren Kelsey , Dr Majid Khosravinik , Dr Tina Sikka, Dr Florian Zollman
• Digital Media Studies and Activism: Dr James Ash , Dr Karren Ross , Dr Deborah Chambers , Dr Darren Kelsey , Dr Joss Hands, Dr Majid Khosravinik
• Film Practice: Dr Geetha Jayaraman , Dr Ian McDonald , Dr Alastair Cole , Dr Raisa Sidenova
• Gender, Identity and Media: Dr Deborah Chambers , Dr Karen Ross , Dr Chris Haywood , Dr Gareth Longstaff ,  Dr Tina Sikka
• Gender, Health, and Science: Dr Tina Sikka
• Journalism: Dr David Baines , Dr Murray Dick , Dr Darren Kelsey , Dr Florian Zollman , Dr Karen Ross , Dr Bethany Usher
• Masculinity/Masculinities: Dr Clifton Evers , Dr Chris Haywood , Dr Gareth Longstaff
• Media and Myth: Dr Darren Kelsey
• Mobilities and Media: Dr James Ash , Dr Deborah Chambers
• Museums, Culture, and Heritage: Dr Areti Galani , Dr Rhiannon Mason , Dr Aron Mazel , Dr Andrew Newman , Dr Peter Stone , Dr Chris Whitehead
• Pornography and Representation: Dr Gareth Longstaff , Dr Chris Haywood
• Public Relations: Dr Jonathan Ward , Dr Ramona Slusarczyk
• Queer Studies: Dr Clifton Evers , Dr Chris Haywood , Dr Gareth Longstaff
• Race and Ethnicity: Dr Tina Sikka , Dr Majid Khosravinik
• Social and Cultural Dimensions of Pollution: Dr Clifton Evers
• Sport and Leisure: Dr Clifton Evers , Dr Darren Kelsey

Your development

Faculty of humanities and social sciences (hass) researcher development programme .

Each faculty offers a researcher development programme for its postgraduate research students. We have designed your programme to help you:

• perform better as a researcher
• boost your career prospects
• broaden your impact

Through workshops and activities, it will build your transferable skills and increase your confidence.

You’ll cover:

• techniques for effective research
• methods for better collaborative working
• essential professional standards and requirements

Your researcher development programme is flexible. You can adapt it to meet your changing needs as you progress through your doctorate.

Find out more about the Researcher Education and Development programme

Doctoral training and partnerships

There are opportunities to undertake your PhD at Newcastle within a:

• Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT)
• Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP)

Being part of a CDT or DTP has many benefits:

• they combine research expertise and training of a number of leading universities, academic schools and academics.
• you’ll study alongside a cohort of other PhD students
• they’re often interdisciplinary
• your PhD may be funded

Find out more about doctoral training and partnerships

If there are currently opportunities available in your subject area you’ll find them when you search for funding in the fees and funding section on this course.

The following centres/partnerships below may have PhD opportunities available in your subject area in the future:

• ESRC Northern Ireland/North East (NINE) Doctoral Training Partnership

Your future

Our careers service.

Our award-winning Careers Service is one of the largest and best in the country, and we have strong links with employers. We provide an extensive range of opportunities to all students through our ncl+ initiative.

Visit our Careers Service website

Quality and ranking

All professional accreditations are reviewed regularly by their professional body

From 1 January 2021 there is an update to the way professional qualifications are recognised by countries outside of the UK

Check the government’s website for more information .

As a postgraduate research student in media and cultural studies you'll benefit from dedicated research suites within the School of Arts and Cultures

Fees and funding

Tuition fees for 2024 entry (per year), home fees for research degree students.

For 2024-25 entry, we have aligned our standard Home research fees with those set by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) . The standard fee was confirmed in Spring 2024 by UKRI.

If your studies last longer than one year, your tuition fee may increase in line with inflation.

Depending on your residency history, if you’re a student from the EU, other EEA or a Swiss national, with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you’ll normally pay the ‘Home’ tuition fee rate and may be eligible for Student Finance England support.

EU students without settled or pre-settled status will normally be charged fees at the ‘International’ rate and will not be eligible for Student Finance England support.

If you are unsure of your fee status, check out the latest guidance here .

Scholarships

We support our EU and international students by providing a generous range of Vice-Chancellor's automatic and merit-based scholarships. See  our   searchable postgraduate funding page  for more information.  

What you're paying for

Tuition fees include the costs of:

• matriculation
• registration
• tuition (or supervision)
• library access
• examination
• re-examination

Find out more about:

• living costs
• tuition fees

If you are an international student or a student from the EU, EEA or Switzerland and you need a visa to study in the UK, you may have to pay a deposit.

You can check this in the How to apply section .

If you're applying for funding, always check the funding application deadline. This deadline may be earlier than the application deadline for your course.

For some funding schemes, you need to have received an offer of a place on a course before you can apply for the funding.

Search for funding

Find funding available for your course

Entry requirements

The entrance requirements below apply to 2024 entry.

Qualifications from outside the UK

English language requirements, admissions policy.

This policy applies to all undergraduate and postgraduate admissions at Newcastle University. It is intended to provide information about our admissions policies and procedures to applicants and potential applicants, to their advisors and family members, and to staff of the University.

Download our admissions policy (PDF: 201KB) Other policies related to admissions

Credit transfer and Recognition of Prior Learning

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) can allow you to convert existing relevant university-level knowledge, skills and experience into credits towards a qualification. Find out more about the RPL policy which may apply to this course

• How to apply

Using the application portal

The application portal has instructions to guide you through your application. It will tell you what documents you need and how to upload them.

You can choose to start your application, save your details and come back to complete it later.

If you’re ready, you can select Apply Online and you’ll be taken directly to the application portal.

Alternatively you can find out more about applying on our applications and offers pages .

Applications for 2022/23 You'll be able to apply for 2022/23 entry from September 2021

Open days and events

You'll have a number of opportunities to meet us throughout the year including:

• campus tours
• on-campus open days
• virtual open days

Find out about how you can visit Newcastle in person and virtually

Overseas events

We regularly travel overseas to meet with students interested in studying at Newcastle University.

Visit our events calendar for the latest events

• Get in touch

Questions about this course?

If you have specific questions about this course you can contact:

James Ash School of Arts and Cultures

Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 3509 Email: [email protected] or  [email protected]

For more general enquiries you could also complete our online enquiry form.

Fill in our enquiry form

Our Ncl chatbot might be able to give you an answer straight away. If not, it’ll direct you to someone who can help.

You'll find our Ncl chatbot in the bottom right of this page.

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We regularly send email updates and extra information about the University.

Receive regular updates by email

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Chat online with current students with our Unibuddy platform.

Social media

Get involved with the School of Arts and Cultures social media

• How You'll Learn
• Your Development
• Your Future
• Quality and Ranking
• Fees and Funding
• Entry Requirements
• Open days & events

• Postgraduate Research

Communication and Media PhD / MPhil

• Part time available: yes

Studying in:

• Department of Communication and Media
• School of Arts
• Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

Research in Department of Communication and Media is conducted within four research clusters which share common interest in critical, interdisciplinary analysis of a variety of modes of mediated communication across social spaces and fields - Culture, Space and Memory research group, Discourse & Society research group, Media, Politics and Society research cluster and Screen & Film Studies research group.

Why study with us?

One of the reasons I chose to study at the University of Liverpool was because of the range of expertise in the Department of Communication and Media. My own research covers video games, film studies, and cultural theory and there are experts in each here. This has been invaluable to my studies. Christopher McMahon - Communication and Media PhD student

of our environment is conducive to generating research that is 'world leading' or 'internationally excellent' - Research Excellence Framework (2021)

in the sector for 'outstanding' (4*) research impact in the latest Research Excellence Framework (2021)

of our research is classified as 'outstanding' (4*) or 'very considerable' (3*) in the latest Research Excellence Framework (2021)

The department prides in its ability to embrace the study of communication and media in an inclusive and comprehensive manner. From political communication to discourse and culture, from heritage industries to media and entertainment, from film and television to social media, the Department of Communication and Media has been providing cutting edge research that links strongly with most key areas of inquiry in this major field of studies.

Research in Department of Communication and Media, University of Liverpool, is conducted within four research clusters which share common interest in critical, interdisciplinary analysis of a variety of modes of mediated communication across social spaces and fields.

The Culture, Space and Memory research group brings together ideas and intellectual orientations on the cultures, practices and spatial dispositions that inform transdisciplinary approaches to media and communication in the digital age.

The Discourse & Society research group looks at how language and discourse – in traditional/social media, politics and the wider public domain – act as vehicles of social change as well as carriers of relationships of power and inequality in contemporary societies.

The Media, Politics and Society research cluster deals with critical analysis of media outputs and journalism from the perspectives that highlight political agendas, assess the impacts on marginalised groups, and foster understandings of human rights.

Finally, the Screen & Film Studies research cluster focuses on film and television studies, with the study of digital screens that cut across various media sectors emerging as a third key area of expertise.

We particularly welcome research proposals that match those of our researchers, including:

• Media in humanitarian crises; media and human rights; media coverage of migration and free movement across Europe; 
• Latin American culture and the relationship between politics and aesthetics; contemporary photography;
• Rhetoric, policy frameworks and methodologies that capture the impact and legacy of large-scale urban interventions and events 
• Broadcasting history, institutions and their programming; film and television documentary, television current affairs programming
• Science fiction, fantasy and 'cult' TV and film; PR and promotional cultures with a particular interest in social media; 
• Gender, political communication and news media and the ways in which they intersect 
• The moral function of communication; conceptions of home, identity and belonging in communicative capitalism 
• Critical discourse studies of populist political communication; the intersection of politics and the media as key carriers of public imaginaries of social reality 
• Experimental, oppositional, marginal and other alternative filmmaking histories and practices; the work of Andy Warhol and other artist-filmmakers 
• Argumentation Theory, Rhetoric and Discourse Analysis, with emphasis on in the study of argumentation in strategic communication contexts
• Media discourse (especially approaches from a (socio) linguistic perspective) and the uses of dialogue in TV drama 
• Media and the city; urban cultural studies; visual culture, space and place; cultural mapping and spatial humanities; popular culture, heritage and cultural memory
• International and global journalism; young people as media audiences; the Internet’s role in relation to online risks and to enabling democratic deliberations 
• Political communication during election campaigns, particularly online; social media and their use by voters to communicate politically; 
• Stardom/celebrity, Hollywood and transnational cinema, screen performance, cult media, and digital media/Virtual Reality 
• The production of news, documentary and factual content within public service and commercial broadcasting, and within community and citizen journalism.
• Media discourses and representations in relation to gender and sexuality; the role of media in identity and community 
• American independent cinema; Hollywood and global entertainment; cinema and youth cultures; the B Film, exploitation and creativity; Hollywood and Greek cinema
• The social, political and cultural impacts of digital media; digital media and interpersonal interaction; digital inclusion/exclusion; digital research in the social sciences.

Further resources

• How to write a research proposal

Find a scholarship

• AHRC - NW Consortium DTP

Research themes

Our research themes are:

• Political communication
• American cinema
• Political, independent and alternative cinema
• Gender and media
• Media and human rights
• Media and war
• New media and digital communication
• Media discourse
• Global entertainment and media industries
• Broadcasting and public interest media
• Media, space and place.

We can offer you:

⦁ Excellent library facilities ⦁ Opportunities for interdisciplinary inputs if you're pursuing a research degree ⦁ High quality research methods training ⦁ A regular programme of communication and media seminars open to everyone ⦁ An annual PGR conference, usually held in May, for research students. This is open to all.

Research groups

⦁ Culture, Space and Memory

⦁ Discourse and Society

⦁ Media, Politics and Society

⦁ Screen and Film Studies

Study options and fees

The fees below reflect one year of study during the 2024/25 academic year

The fees stated in the table above exclude potential research support fees also known as ‘bench fees’. You will be notified of any fee which may apply in your offer letter.

* Please note that if you are undertaking a PhD within the Faculty of Science and Engineering the fee you pay, Band A or Band B, will reflect the nature of your research project. Some research projects incur a higher fee than others e.g. if you are required to undertake laboratory work. You will be informed of the fee for your programme in your offer letter.

^ Self-funded, full-time international students studying a PhD programme classified as Band A will receive a £2,000 reduction in their fees for the first year only.

Entry requirements

The department offers postgraduate degrees, both taught and by thesis and has specific policies towards international students and those wishing to study part time. The department fully embraces the University’s Equal Opportunities strategy and works closely with the Student Welfare and Disability Team, the International Office and the English Language Support Unit, to provide appropriate facilities for students with additional needs including English language support and adaptive and assistive technologies. 

Candidates wishing to be considered for registration onto one of our higher degrees should possess a good Honours degree (2:1 or equivalent).

English language requirements

How to apply

Research degree applications can be made online.  You'll also need to ensure that you have funding to cover all fees.

Applications are  open all year round .

More about applying for research degrees

Apply online

Formal applications are made online and are open all year round. Before you submit a formal application we strongly recommend you complete this form for an initial evaluation of your proposed project and its compatibility with the research interests of  our staff.

If you require further information, you can contact the Departmental Director of Postgraduate Research Dr Alyssa Grossman. Email: [email protected]

Find a supervisor

View staff list

Need help finding a supervisor? Contact us

Related studentships: self-funded and funded phd projects, related doctoral training partnerships.

Doctoral Training Partnerships support future researchers with funding and a rewarding learning environment where you can collaborate with leading researchers.

We offer a range of scholarships to help you meet the costs of studying a research degree.

See scholarships

Find a course

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• Studentship vacancies

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Course type

Qualification, university name, phd degrees in media studies.

25 degrees at 22 universities in the UK.

Customise your search

Select the start date, qualification, and how you want to study

Related subjects:

• PhD Media Studies
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• PhD Film Special Effects
• PhD Film Studies
• PhD Film and Television Production
• PhD Film and Video Production
• PhD Media Production
• PhD Multimedia
• PhD Photography
• PhD Play Writing
• PhD Television Programme Production
• PhD Television Studies
• PhD Television and Radio Production
• PhD Visual Communication
• PhD Writing

• Course title (A-Z)
• Course title (Z-A)
• Price: high - low
• Price: low - high

Learn why you should study Media & Communications at City, University of London

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1-20 of 25 courses

Course type:

• Distance learning PhD
• Full time PhD
• Part time PhD

Qualification:

Universities:.

• Birmingham City University
• Queen's University Belfast
• University of Cambridge

Related Subjects:

We have 7 Communication & Media Studies (fully funded) PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships

Communication & Media Studies

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Communication & Media Studies (fully funded) PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships

Fully funded phd positions at the imt school for advanced studies lucca, funded phd programme (students worldwide).

Some or all of the PhD opportunities in this programme have funding attached. Applications for this programme are welcome from suitably qualified candidates worldwide. Funding may only be available to a limited set of nationalities and you should read the full programme details for further information.

Italy PhD Programme

An Italian PhD usually takes 3-4 years and consists of some taught units as well as research towards your thesis. This will be examined at a public defence, rather than a private viva voce. Some programmes are taught in English.

Creative Technologies - Fully Funded PhD Studentship

Phd research project.

PhD Research Projects are advertised opportunities to examine a pre-defined topic or answer a stated research question. Some projects may also provide scope for you to propose your own ideas and approaches.

Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

This project has funding attached, subject to eligibility criteria. Applications for the project are welcome from all suitably qualified candidates, but its funding may be restricted to a limited set of nationalities. You should check the project and department details for more information.

Cardiff University School of English, Communication and Philosophy - PhD Opportunities

Awaiting funding decision/possible external funding.

This programme is waiting to confirm funding from a university or external source. This may depend on attracting suitable students and applications are welcome. Please see the programme details for more information.

Arts Research Programme

Arts Research Programmes present a range of research opportunities, shaped by a university’s particular expertise, facilities and resources. You will usually identify a suitable topic for your PhD and propose your own project. Additional training and development opportunities may also be offered as part of your programme.

Fully-funded four-year PhD in History and Civilisation

Social sciences research programme.

Social Sciences Research Programmes present a range of research opportunities, shaped by a university’s particular expertise, facilities and resources. You will usually identify a suitable topic for your PhD and propose your own project. Additional training and development opportunities may also be offered as part of your programme.

Framework for Achieving Sustainable Enterprise Excellence in Manufacturing Organisations( TURISE_2024_205)

Arts and humanities postgraduate research, university of glasgow, de montfort university phd scholarships, funded phd programme (uk students only).

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• 91% 78% 73% 75% 72% 82% 91% 65% 74% n/a 91% n/a n/a 81% 74% 68% 75% 62% 56% 77% 69% 67% 78% 74% 74% 61% 78% 67% 83% 78% 81% 71% 57% 75% 67% 64% 64% 77% 68% 68% 68% 72% 51% 73% 71% 72% 70% 66% 74% 59% 57% 60% 64% 64% 72% 68% 65% 80% 62% 58% 79% 58% 56% 60% 70% 67% 66% 48% n/a 61% 63% 53% 67% 65% 62% 73% 60% 74% 52% 66% 50% 53% 63% 55% 55% 49% 56% 63% 56% n/a 64%

This table was updated on 24 May 2024. 

Read the  University and subject tables methodology  to find out where the data comes from, how the tables are compiled and explanations of the measures used. 

All measures used to compile the tables are available on the full table view. Maximum scores for the measures: 

Overall score: maximum score of 1000 

Entry standards: no maximum score  

Student satisfaction: maximum score of 4 

Research quality: maximum score of 4 

Continuation: maximum score of 100 

Graduate prospects – outcomes: maximum score of 100 

Graduate prospects – on track: maximum score of 100 

The following institutions have courses in this subject but insufficient data to be included in the ranking:  

• - Buckinghamshire New University
• - UCL (University College London)
• - University for the Creative Arts
• - University of Bolton
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• - Wrexham University

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Embed impact in PhD training from day one, says UCL doctoral head

Head of uk’s biggest phd school says promoting impact in doctoral studies would make students more employable and research more visible.

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Doctoral students should be required to consider the potential impact of their research throughout their studies, the head of the UK’s largest doctoral training school has argued.

Speaking at the UK Council for Graduate Education’s annual conference, Elizabeth Halton, director of UCL’s Doctoral School, said her institution currently required its doctoral researchers to submit an impact statement describing the likely influence of their research when submitting their PhD thesis.

But doctoral students should be asked to start thinking about impact years earlier, she told the event at UCL East on 4 July.

“We should be embedding activity around impact from the start,” said Ms Halton, whose institution has about 8,000 doctoral researchers, roughly 5 per cent of all UK PhD students.

“Impact should an expectation in all doctoral degrees for the benefit of both researchers and society,” she continued, arguing that considering the likely application of their research would help students to hone critical thinking and public presentation skills.

“Training to think about impact would help them develop these critical thinking skills which are what employers think about more than the actual topic of [a PhD student’s] research,” said Ms Halton.

In addition to providing training about how to reflect on impact, doctoral supervisors might also have to consider whether traditional assessment methods – such as the PhD thesis and  viva voce examination  – were the right ways to evaluate this kind of activity, added Ms Halton.

“We should be looking at assessment and whether it is what we should be doing,” she said.

Introducing an additional impact requirement to the PhD is likely to find some resistance, with doctoral training institutions already having to provide professional development opportunities for PhD students , such as internships, in addition to providing teaching opportunities and training in research ethics and writing skills.

Some doctoral supervisors are sceptical of the impact agenda altogether, said Ms Halton, who said some viewed exaggerated claims for the wider impact of research as “BS statements”.

However, Ms Halton argued that the need to articulate impact would be “essential to the future of the doctorate”.

With some 113,000 people in the UK currently studying for doctorates, of which only about 45 per cent would remain in academia after receiving their qualification , she argued that “now is the moment to think about doctoral training and how it can impact society more deeply.”

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