Global Media & Communication

You will take a dual approach to your studies, being exposed to academic knowledge and understanding as well as practical skills and reflective practice. You will also have an opportunity to further specialise and develop a niche in a subject area of particular interest via a choice of elective streams including social media and digital technology; global business and financial communication; or international media and human rights.

Programme streams
Stream A: Social Media and Digital Technology
This stream prepares you to thrive in networked environments and combines emerging theory around traditional and social media with skills such as production, creative coding, video and podcasting. You will develop your capacity to communicate effectively in a multimedia environment and on graduation you will be ready for roles such as social producers and executives in digital communication and marketing.

Semester one
DJ6142 Global Media and Society (5cr)
DJ6129 Social Media & Digital Production (10cr)
DJ6132 Digital Sandbox (10cr)

Semester two
DJ6133 Data Journalism and Visualisation (10cr)
DJ6122 Researching the Media (5cr)
DJ6137 Strategic Communication (10cr)

Choose additional 10cr from:

DJ6135 Reporting Economics and Politics (10cr)
DJ6125 Investigating Miscarriages of Justice (10cr)

Stream C: Climate Action, Sustainability and Science Communication
This stream will help you develop your critical skills literacy and an ethical awareness to make sense of scientific and environmental issues and the expertise to communicate these issues through multiple media formats. On graduation you will be ready to work in roles including as climate advocacy and science communication officers with the UN, NGOs, climate, environmental and civil society organisations.

Semester one
DJ6142 Global Media and Society (5cr)
DJ6129 Social Media & Digital Production (10cr)
TI216 Weather and Climate (5cr)

Semester two
DJ6133 Data Journalism and Visualisation (10cr)
DJ6122 Researching the Media (5cr)
DJ6144 Communicating Climate Action and Science (10cr)

Choose additional 15cr from:

LW5124 Climate Justice (5cr) OR TI2108 Introduction to Paleoclimatology (5cr) OR DJ6143 ‘Media Law (5cr)
DJ6125 Investigating Miscarriages of Justice (10cr) OR DJ6135 Reporting Economics and Politics (10cr)

Stream D: Humanitarian Communication and Human Rights
In this stream you will explore the relationship between humanitarian communication and human rights and you will have an opportunity to take elective modules offered by the Irish Centre for Human Rights with guest professors such as UN experts in areas like migration and refugees. On graduation you will be ready to work as humanitarian communication officers with the civil and public service, the diplomatic corps, development organisations, the EU and the UN, NGOs, and civil society organisations.

Semester one
DJ6142 Global Media and Society (5cr)
DJ6129 Social Media & Digital Production (10cr)
LW5117 International Human Rights Law (10cr)

Semester two
DJ6139 Humanitarian Communication (10cr)
DJ6122 Researching the Media (5cr)
DJ6126 Investigating Miscarriages of Justice (10cr)

Choose additional 10 cr from:

DJ6135 Reporting Economics and Politics (10cr)
LW5123 International Peace Operations (10cr)
DJ6133 Data Journalism and Visualisation (10cr)
TI216 Weather and Climate (5cr)
DJ6143 ‘Media Law (5cr)
LW5124 Climate Justice (5cr)

To be accepted you must have a minimum Second Class Honours degree, or be in your final year of study and expecting to graduate Summer 2024. We also welcome applications from people with prior experience in journalism looking to update their skills. The programme is particularly welcoming to international students. We welcome application from all academic backgrounds, particularly Arts and humanities, science and business graduates.

The English language requirement for this programme is: IELTS of 7.0 overall with not less than 6.5 in any component.

Closing Date
Please view the offer rounds website at https://www.universityofgalway.ie/postgrad-admissions/key-dates/

Applications are made online via the University of Galway Postgraduate Applications System

1 year, full-time.

Next start date September 2024
Closing Date Offers are made on a rolling basis.

Career Opportunities
This programme prepares graduates for a wide range of careers. The valuable oral and written communication skills, advanced research skills, and critical thinking skills that the MA Global Media and Communication programme will offer students are highly transferrable and sought after by employers in sectors including the digital media, news, communications, culture and knowledge industries. Students will be able to specialise in a specific stream within the programme thereby further developing their capacities and enhancing their employability. Graduates can progress to an exciting variety of careers including media and creative industries; advocacy, civil society, and political organisations; strategic communication; social media and digital content production, digital communication and data analysis; publishing; broadcasting; public relations; news and financial journalism and communication. The programme also offers clear opportunities to pursue further study and research at PhD level.