Media Studies

Programme Overview

The Master's in Media Studies (MAMS) at MIC is an innovative programme that offers students the opportunity to study a wide range of contemporary media topics at an advanced level. These include streams in Film Studies, Audio Studies and Cultural Studies. All courses are taught by internationally acclaimed researchers with practical knowledge of the media industry and the small group sessions facilitate collaborative learning, both theoretical and practical. The programme enables graduate students to develop a deeper understanding of the field and provides the foundations for their own original research and career development.



Key Features

The MA programme is interdisciplinary, drawing on theories and applications from a range of academic fields, including sociology, history, cultural studies, literary theory and linguistics. It seeks to analyse the historical, social and cultural contexts in which the media have been produced; how meaning is generated through the interplay of image, word and sound in media texts; and how the media impact upon their audiences as well as being invested with significance by those audiences.



Teaching takes place on the MIC campus and the modules offered depend on student choices and the availability of lecturers in any given semester. The one-year MA is delivered over three semesters (but alternatively there is an option to complete it over two years on a part-time basis).



The programme familiarises students with current issues and developments in Irish and international mass media and mass media theory, situating the analysis of Irish media within the context of post-Independence Irish society, culture and identity and examining developments in international media in their political, cultural and social contexts. Students develop the ability to analyse structures, trends and developments in the mass media and to undertake research, using a variety of methodologies, on key aspects of media production, texts and consumption.

The following is the full selection of modules that students may draw from, the course team chooses the modules to be offered each year based on students' interests and on institutional resources.



MC5001: Critical Issues in Media Theory

MC5002: Radio - The Invisible Medium

MC5022: Ireland and Film

MC5092: Sound, Media & Society

MC5011: Mass Media Research Methods

MC5072: Writing for the Screen - Craft and Context

MC5071: Popular Music Studies

MC5012: Television Drama - Industry, Form & Audience

MC5041: Media, Sport and Popular Culture



Other modules offered on occasion:

• News and News Media

• Researching Irish Media Audiences

• Sociolinguistics of Irish Media

• Women and Ageing in Popular Culture

• Community Media Engagement

• The Development of Irish Media: A Theoretical Overview



Please note: Students who do not undertake a dissertation but complete the six taught modules can graduate with a Postgraduate Diploma in Media Studies.

Applicants should have:

• 2.2. in relevant degree or media industry experience.



Some flexibility with regards to the scheduling of classes may be possible to facilitate students who are working full-time, so please let us know your needs when you apply.



For English language requirements go to: https://www.mic.ul.ie/international/international/essential-information/english-language-requirements

How to Apply

EU Applicants

Applications for MA in Media Studies are now open. Please see "Application Weblink" above.



Closing date for applications is 4pm, Friday 7 August 2026.



Non-EU Applicants

You are advised to contact the MIC International Office before applying:

E: International@mic.ul.ie

T: +353 61 204988 /+353 61 774790



Please see "Application Weblink" above.

Programme assessment is 50% of grade for a dissertation of 20,000 words (or agreed alternative) and 50% for successful completion of six modules from a wide suite of choices.



Please note: Students who do not undertake a dissertation but complete the six taught modules can graduate with a Postgraduate Diploma in Media Studies.

1 year full-time, 2 years part-time. Delivery Mode: Face-to-face.

Career Opportunities & Further Study

The programme aims to equip students with the knowledge and skills required to advance to doctoral degree studies and to enhance career opportunities in the media industry and other professional fields. Areas of opportunity open to graduates include film, television, radio, podcasting, creative and new media and further study to PhD level; see MA / PhD in Arts by Research for additional information, including entry requirements. All students undertake six taught modules, split over two semesters (full-time) or four semesters (part-time), and the focus of the final, summer semester is upon individual research and dissertation preparation. Students complete a dissertation of 15,000-20,000 words on an approved topic.



While the course is mostly theory driven, some modules offer tuition in and assessment based on production. For example, some students learn to make a radio documentary and to master multi-track sound editing. The option to complete the Master's by writing a full film script rather than a traditional dissertation has proven popular in the past, particularly with those coming from an industry background. The programme’s teaching and learning methods include lectures, seminars, presentations by guest lecturers, individual consultation with relevant lecturers, guided reading and written assignments.