Digital Media, Culture and Chinese
Digital media and culture is a field that examines how technologies of communication shape and are shaped by human societies, from social media platforms and streaming services to video games, news ecosystems, and the politics of digital infrastructure. Chinese, one of the world's most widely spoken languages, opens access to a cultural and media landscape of immense scale and complexity. Bringing these two disciplines together equips you with both the critical tools to analyse digital life and the linguistic ability to engage with it across one of the most significant media environments on the planet.
At the School of Oriental and African Studies in London, this four-year full-time programme develops your understanding of digital media theory alongside serious study of Chinese language and culture. On the media side you will explore topics such as platform governance, digital journalism, audience research, creative industries, and the cultural politics of technology. On the Chinese side you will build from foundational language skills toward genuine reading and conversational competence, while studying the history, society, and contemporary culture of China and the Chinese-speaking world.
The two strands inform each other constantly: understanding Chinese media requires language, and understanding digital platforms benefits from cultural specificity. Your first year is a foundation year, giving you the grounding in both areas that the subsequent years build on.
Graduates move into careers in journalism, broadcasting, digital communications, international public relations, policy research, NGO communications, and the technology sector, particularly in roles with an international or China-facing dimension. Academic careers in media studies, cultural studies, or Chinese studies are also open to those who continue to postgraduate level. The combination of digital literacy and Chinese language proficiency is unusual and increasingly sought after by employers operating across Asia-Pacific markets.