Course details

Summary

Create, critique and connect with your media world

The Graduate Diploma in Arts (Media Studies) will give you the equivalent of an undergraduate major in media studies without completing a second bachelor’s degree.

What is it Like?

Interested in television and popular culture? Social media and the blogosphere? Film and cultural theory? Media studies can help you unlock your creative potential and develop practical skills to excel in your career.

The Graduate Diploma in Arts (Media Studies) is a bridging tool for graduates in other subjects to get the equivalent of a major in media studies. You can then go on to a postgraduate qualification in media studies if you wish.

Get sought-after media skills

Massey’s Graduate Diploma in Arts (Media Studies) introduces you to an exciting discipline that will prepare you for the future challenges of an information-rich society. Media studies analyses the production, consumption and content of a range of media including film, social media, television, popular music and smart phones. You’ll explore the formal characteristics of these media and their social, cultural, political and economic implications.

Shape the future of the media world

At the heart of our programme are the study and creation of a variety of media forms. We consider different aspects of the media and their relationships to the historical, social and cultural contexts in which they occur. You’ll be encouraged to use lateral-thinking skills to understand the media world and participate in shaping its future.

We use media theories as a springboard for exploring a range of media forms and to guide you through the practice of creating your own media products such as short films and documentaries.

Be challenged

On this programme you will:

• Explore the ways in which media texts, audiences and users create and circulate meanings
• Analyse the relationships between media, culture and society and how they influence our views of the world
• Communicate your findings effectively in speech and writing
• Tackle open-ended questions where there are no simple right or wrong answers
• Develop creative and critical approaches to producing media.

Careers

Media studies can lead to a variety of career options, including:

• Advertising
• Digital postproduction
• Film and TV production
• Web content editing
• Journalism
• Public relations

Requirements
Pass at least 90 credits in Media Studies

• With at least 60 credits at 300-level

The remaining 30 credits (two courses) for the Graduate Diploma in Arts:

• must come from the Bachelor of Arts degree schedule
• at least 15 credits must be a 300-level course
• may include further Media Studies courses

Entry criteria

Admission to a Graduate Diploma requires successful completion of a three year diploma or undergraduate degree from a recognised tertiary institution.

English language requirements:

• IELTS score of 6.0 (no band less than 5.5)
• TOEFL iBT score of 80 overall (min 19 in Writing)
• PTE Academic score of 50 Overall (min 42 in communicative skills)
• Cambridge English score of 170