Media and Communication Studies

Media and communication studies examines how media systems work, who controls and owns them, how content is produced and circulated, and what effect the media has on its audiences and on public life. It is a discipline that has become increasingly urgent as digital platforms, social media, misinformation, algorithmic curation and the concentration of media ownership have reshaped how people receive information and form opinions. Understanding media critically, using theory and empirical research, is essential for anyone who wants to engage seriously with contemporary culture and democracy.

At Aberystwyth University, this three-year full-time programme introduces you to key media and communication theorists and asks you to apply their thinking to your own study of media forms, institutions and audiences. You will engage with questions about media ownership and control, the production and gatekeeping of content, audience reception and the cultural and political effects of media representations. The programme is delivered within the Department of Theatre, Film and Television Studies, giving you access to a rich disciplinary context that connects media studies to performance, film culture and the moving image.

You will develop the critical and analytical skills to examine media not simply as a consumer but as a thinker.

Graduates from media and communication studies programmes pursue careers in journalism, broadcasting, public relations, communications, content production, social media management, advertising, cultural policy, education and research. The analytical and critical thinking skills developed through media studies are also valued in politics, the civil service and the third sector. Many graduates go on to postgraduate study in media studies, journalism, communications or cultural studies, and the programme provides a strong intellectual foundation for those who want to engage professionally or academically with the media in all its forms.