Entry requirements

Academic requirements

A Bachelor's degree, equivalent to a Swedish Kandidatexamen, from an internationally recognised university. The main field of study must be a social science or humanities subject relevant to media and communication studies. Also required is documented independent written academic work (i.e. one or several academic essays or papers).

Language requirements

Proficiency in English equivalent to the Swedish upper secondary course English 6. This requirement can be met either by achieving the required score on an internationally recognised test, or by previous upper secondary or university studies in some countries.

Aims

Upon completion of the program, the student will be able to handle qualified professional tasks within public authorities, organizations, and companies in the areas of media and cultural analysis, organizational communication, policy, social scientific investigation, and communication. A solid theoretical and scientifically rigorous education will provide the ability for analytical and synthetic thinking, forming the foundation for independent research in Media and Communication Studies with a particular focus on digital media and society.

The program will provide the student with in-depth knowledge of various aspects of the digital society (organizations, culture and everyday life, democracy and welfare, as well as global relations and development).

Learning outcomes

Knowledge and understanding

For a Master’s degree, the student shall:

• demonstrate knowledge and understanding within the main field of Media and Communication Studies, including both broad knowledge of the field and significantly advanced knowledge in certain areas, as well as deeper insight into current research and development work of particular relevance for the understanding of digital media and society,
• demonstrate advanced methodological knowledge within Media and Communication Studies, of particular relevance for the study of digital media and society.

Skills and Abilities

For a Master’s degree, the student shall:

• demonstrate the ability to critically and systematically integrate knowledge and to analyze, assess, and manage complex phenomena, issues, and situations even with limited information,
• demonstrate the ability to critically, independently, and creatively identify and formulate research questions, to plan and with appropriate methods carry out qualified tasks within given time frames, thereby contributing to knowledge development, and to evaluate this work,
• demonstrate the ability, in both national and international contexts, to clearly present and discuss their conclusions and the knowledge and arguments on which these are based, orally and in writing, in dialogue with different groups,
• demonstrate the skills required to participate in research and development work or to independently work in other qualified professional contexts.

Judgement and Approach

For a Master’s degree, the student shall:

• demonstrate the ability to make assessments within the main field of Media and Communication Studies with regard to relevant scientific, societal, and ethical aspects, and show awareness of ethical aspects of research and development work,
• demonstrate insight into the possibilities and limitations of science, its role in society, and people’s responsibility for how it is used, and
• demonstrate the ability to identify the need for further knowledge and to take responsibility for their own ongoing learning.

In addition, the student shall:

• be able to identify and contextualize processes of change at different societal levels,
• be able to carry out independent project work based on solid social scientific analysis,
• be able to independently and critically integrate and analyze knowledge within the field of Media and Communication Studies.

Layout of the programme

Courses in the main field of Media and Communication Studies are combined with a department-wide methods course and elective courses. In this way, the program provides broad training in Media and Communication Studies, combined with opportunities for specialization and individual choice.

Subject courses amount to 82.5 credits, of which 30 credits are allocated to the Master’s thesis and 15 credits to the methods course. The elective courses comprise 37.5 credits.

The first semester begins with studies in Media and Communication Studies, with a particular focus on digital media and society (15 credits), as well as the department-wide methods course (15 credits). The second semester consists of continued courses in Media and Communication Studies along with an elective course. During the third semester, students may take elective courses, pursue internship courses, or engage in studies abroad. The fourth semester is devoted to the Master’s thesis.

Degree

The program leads to a Degree of Master of Arts (120 credits) with Media and Communication Studies as the main field of study.