This ranges from the operational modes of the media to its applicability. Therefore, World Scholarship Forum has put together all you need to know about media studies. Carefully read through. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Media & Communication jobs are expected to grow by 4% in 2028 in the United States. With the increase in fake media and the integrity of mainstream media in doubt, a growing number of people want to find the truth for themselves and share it with the world. This truth can only be unraveled when one has an inept knowledge of the workings of the media. Before we go on, what is Media Studies? JUMP TO

What Is Media Studies?

According to Wikipedia, media studies is a discipline and field of study that deals with the content, history, and effects of various media; in particular, the mass media. Media Studies may draw on traditions from both the social sciences and the humanities, but mostly from its core disciplines of mass communication, communication, communication sciences, and communication studies. It can further be defined as the theoretical and practical study of the functionality of the media sphere and what they stand for. Furthermore, media studies seek to explore media institutions, their models– both past and present and how it impacts society. Furthermore, it answers questions about how media influence the way people act in their personal lives and in business. Media studies majors explore topics such as how news reporting affects political opinions and how violence in movies influences how communities interact.

Why Should I Study Media Studies?

Just as mentioned earlier, media studies expose you to the media in its entirety. This ranges from the structure, style, and pattern of the media to its usability. During courses, students analyze media institutions and channels. They discover variations between the past and present and explore how the digital age has changed the way media organizations function. In addition, you’ll also learn the techniques utilized to make films, documentaries, mobile media, radio technology, and video games. In summary, media studies will give you a clearer understanding of how the media works and how to utilize it in this modern age.

What Should I Expect In Media Studies Program?

Media Studies degrees examines the content, history, and impact of various media (especially mass-media) on our society. The media is split into two categories: Digital media otherwise known as contemporary media and traditional media. In media studies, students analyze media systems and channels. They discover variations between the past and present and investigate how the digital age has changed the way media organizations function. Therefore, media studies focuses on the 4 key concepts:

Media language – different ways to construct meaning or send a message through text, image, audio, etc.Representation – how different media institutions translate and describe an event or situation.Audience – understanding who consumes media, why, and how to develop content that appeals to a target audience.Institution – the organizations that create media and how their funding and ideology influence their work.

Media Studies is a general degree, that relates to disciplines like Anthropology, Psychology, Cultural Studies, and Political Science. Nevertheless, you can narrow your focus, by choosing to study any of the media sub-disciplines.

Communication Social Media Journalism Publishing & Editing Film & Media Studies 

What can I do with a Media Studies degree?

With a degree in media studies, there are lots of job opportunities and career prospects open for you. Media Studies graduates can find job opportunities in Marketing, Broadcasting, Photography, and other areas. However, here are some of the most popular Media Studies careers and their average yearly salary:

Media Researcher

As a program researcher, you’ll provide support to the producer and production team of a television, radio, film, or online project. In addition, you’ll source contacts and contributors for programs, as well as input your own ideas and work on location. Furthermore, the work of a media researcher involves organizing, planning, and researching everything that will occur during a program. This entails, collecting and validating information, such as who’ll be interviewed, the location if the film crew will fit if the budget will stretch, and others. Basic salary rates for a junior researcher on a TV program are around £400 for a 48-hour week. While researchers with experience earn around £650 for a 48-hour week.

Television/film/video producer

A television, film or video producer oversees all elements of a production from conception through to completion, and may also be linked in the marketing and distribution process. Furthermore, you’ll work closely with directors and other production staff, either in a studio or on location, to guarantee a creative and stable working environment for everyone involved in the project. Starting salaries for assistant producers may range from around £18,000 to £25,000. Subsequently, with added experience, salaries can reach £40,000 to £55,000. Departmental heads can earn £60,000 to £80,000, plus benefits.

Public Relations Specialist

Public relations (PR) as a career is all about managing reputation. Additionally, it involves gaining understanding and support for your clients, as well as trying to manipulate opinion and behavior. As a PR officer, you’re to use all forms of media and communication to build, sustain, and manage the reputation of your clients. These range from public bodies or services, to businesses and voluntary organizations. Furthermore, you’re in charge of communicating key messages, often using third-party endorsements, to defined target audiences in order to create and maintain goodwill and understanding between an organization and its public. The average salary range for a PR assistant is around £18,000 to £20,000. This is a typical entry-level graduate role if you’re looking to become a PR officer. The average starting salaries for PR officers can range from £22,000 to £28,000. With a few years of added experience, salaries can increase to more than £40,000. Senior management positions, such as PR director or head of corporate affairs, allow salaries from £40,000 to more than £100,000.

Digital Marketer

As a graduate of media studies, you can work as a digital marketer. Essentially, the duty of a digital marketer is to promote products and services through a variety of digital channels, using the internet and mobile technology. In the role of a digital marketer, you’ll be involved in developing an organization’s multi-channel communication plans and may work across several areas, or specialize in a few, depending on the size and demands of your employer. The average salary range for graduate marketing schemes and entry-level positions, such as a digital marketing assistant, is £18,000 to £22,000. As a more experienced digital officer or digital coordinator, you can anticipate to earn up to £30,000. In a more senior management role, it will place you around £40,000.

Media Planner

The duty of a media planner is to identify which media platforms will best sell your client’s brand or product to their target audience. You’ll work within advertising agencies or media planning and buying agencies, with the aim of maximizing the force of advertising campaigns through a range of media platforms. Furthermore, you’ll use creative thinking and research to develop appropriate strategies to ensure that campaigns leave the right impact on their target audiences. Also, you’ll utilize knowledge of media and communication platforms to know the most appropriate mediums for building awareness of a client’s brand. Average starting salaries for junior, assistant, and basic media planner/buyer positions range from £15,000 to £22,000. As a media planner with many years’ experience and managerial or team leader responsibilities, salaries are in the region of £25,000 to £40,000. At the senior level, salaries differ greatly but maybe in excess of £50,000. In a very senior position, you might expect to earn £80,000+.

Web Content Manager

Web content managers guarantee that the content of a website is well-structured and easy to find and that it satisfies the needs of its users by covering all essential topics and being up to date and accurate. The content you’ll manage includes- web pages, images, videos, blog posts, guest articles, reviews, and occasionally social media and marketing copy. Additionally, you’ll produce copy and edit the site yourself. On larger sites, you can act as a coordinator, commissioner, and project manager, overseeing the work of other writers and editors. Starting salaries for web content coordinators are around £20,000 to £25,000. On the other hand, experienced web content coordinators, web content executives, and web content managers earn between £25,000 and £40,000. Senior web content managers and website managers can earn between £40,000 and £50,000. See Also: How To Get Masters In Special Education Online This 2022 | Programs, Requirements … Read more

Media Studies Admission Requirements

Here are some of the documents you need to tender during the application process at a bachelor’s or master’s level. However, the requirements vary according to universities and colleges. For instance, not all universities ask students to have work experience for a postgraduate degree in Media Studies.

Bachelor’s degrees in Media Studies

Minimum English language test scores: IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL 70Academic transcriptsMinimum GPAPersonal statement

Master’s degrees in Media Studies

Minimum English language test scores: IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL 85Bachelor’s degree in Media, Communication, or a related fieldMinimum GPA (usually 3.0)Letters of recommendationWork experience (1-3 years)Writing sampleRésumé

Where Can I Study Media Studies?

Thee are over 523 colleges and universities that offer a bachelor’s degree in communication and media studies. However, we’ll look at the top 10 schools offering Communication & Media Studies. These schools were chosen on the basis of certain factors like– Accreditation, Employability, Programs offered, Acceptance rate, Graduation rate, and Student to faculty ratio.

#1. University of Texas at Austin

The Department of Radio-Television-Film at The University of Texas at Austin offers a broad range of courses covering media arts, culture, and industry-leading to the Bachelor of Science, Master of Fine Arts, Master’s, and Ph.D. degrees.  Reinventing the model of a traditional “film school,” the University of Texas at Austin is one of the few top-ranking U.S. media programs to offer degrees in both practical and theoretical areas —i.e., in both media production and media studies—and combine courses in both the humanities and social sciences. The goal of the university is to provide quality education to undergraduate and graduate students in media studies. Furthermore, to encourage better media practices as well as informed citizen engagement through media literacy, and to create an environment that supports all creative work and scholarly research. According to QS global world ranking, the university of Texas at Austin ranks #65. The University has a total number of 48,833 students with a graduate employability pegged at #54, Academic Reputation; 94.2 and student to faculty ratio of  12.1.

#2. Stanford University

Stanford university Arts in Film & Media Studies provides students with knowledge of film aesthetics, national cinematic traditions, modes of production in narrative, documentary, and experimental films, the incorporation of moving image media by contemporary artists, and the proliferation of new forms of digital media.  Furthermore, the program is meant to develop the critical vocabulary and intellectual framework for understanding the role of cinema and related media within broad cultural and historical concepts. The university offers undergraduate and graduate level courses. Stanford University with a total number of 16,233 students ranks #2 according to QS global rankings. With an Employer Reputation of 100.

#3. University of California, Berkeley

Media Studies at UC Berkeley is an interdisciplinary program that exposes students to various media theories and practices in the broadest sense. U of C also teaches students research skills in media studies which are core components of media studies. Furthermore, the university is largely concerned with promoting an understanding of the origins of contemporary media and helping students assess the roles and impact of the major mass media on modern life, rather than with developing specific media production skills. Through the department’s core courses, students learn media history and theory and examine the role of media in political life in the United States and abroad. In addition, students learn to dissect the effects of electronic and print media, to consider the effect of the media on public policy, as well as the impact of public policy on the media. According to QS, University of California, Berkeley ranks #28 in the world global ranking. The research output university has a total number of 39,932 students, an employer reputation of 99.9 and 30.9 student-faculty ratio.

#4. University of Wisconsin-Madison

The Media and Cultural Studies (MCS) program highlights the study of media in their historical, economic, social, and political context. In this course, students examine the cultural forms created and disseminated by media industries and the ways in which they resonate in everyday life, on the individual, national, and global levels. With an avid focus on sound and screen media — television, new media, film, popular music, radio, video games — but reaching out across boundaries, MCS encourages interdisciplinary and transmedia research. Through coursework in the PhD minor, graduates also can combine study in such overlapping fields as history, ethnic studies, gender studies, sociology, and global studies. According to QS, the university with a total number of 39,773 ranks #56 globally. Faculty Student ratio is at 85.5.

#5. University of Pennsylvania

The University of Pennsylvania is a private Ivy League research university located in the city of Philadelphia. The university offers cinema and media studies. Penn’s Cinema and Media Studies major and minor are traditional humanities programs involving the critical study of film and media history, theory, and aesthetics. This truly interdisciplinary program will advance students to the wide range of methodologies used to study film and media, and this intersection with other disciplines makes Cinema and Media Studies an absolute component of a double major. According to QS, The university with a population of 21,211 students ranks #15 globally.

#6. Michigan State University

The media and information degree is designed to give students the flexibility to acquire knowledge and skills in media. Course work and experience provide students with the opportunity to specialize in radio and television, new media, game design, film production, graphics and animation, media management, and information policy. In addition, the availability of specialty labs allows students to acquire and apply knowledge; debate policy and regulation; collaborate, innovate and design technologies; and research the effects of communication technologies. The research based institution with over 44,598 students ranks #144 globally according to QS. Furthermore, the university offers more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges. The student to faculty ratio is pegged at 18.6.

#7. Northwestern University

With a minor in film and media studies, you’ll get the tools needed for accurate analysis of media within the broader connection of the humanities and social sciences. The focus of this interdisciplinary program is on media studies within an expansive intellectual framework, rather than on media creation. In this course, you’ll have the opportunity to view films from countries around the world and determine their impact. Also, understand the power of the image in culture, and examine race and gender through the language of cinema. A minor in film and media studies at Northwestern University gives you deep insight into how media shapes society and equips you for a career that requires you to anticipate the impact of media, such as politics and entertainment management. According to QS, Northwestern university ranks #31 with a population of 19,112 students. The private research-based university also has scholarship opportunities for her students.

#8. Yale University

The major in Film and Media Studies centers on the history, theory, criticism, and production of cinema and other moving-image media. Courses study cinema and the broader landscape of audiovisual media as vital modern art forms, and the contributions of moving-image media as cultural and communicative practices of lasting social significance. Deeply invested in scholarship, teaching, and film programming, Yale’s media studies sustain the traditions of and nurtures the most innovative directions in film and media studies research. According to QS, the research based institution ranks #17 globally.

#9. University of California, Santa Barbara 

The Department of Film and Media Studies at UCSB is a vibrant, fast-growing department whose faculty members include specialists from across the field of contemporary media studies. The department focuses on fiction and nonfiction film history and theory, television and broadcasting, digital media, the Internet, video art and activism, cultural studies, political economies, and media globalization. In the department, production is not emphasized, but all majors become familiar with the basic tools of filmmaking. Interested students may also take courses in screenwriting and advanced film production. Within a broad framework of liberal arts education, the Department’s undergraduate BA curriculum offers courses on the history and theory of film and media systems around the world; fiction and nonfiction filmmaking; video games, interactive, and web-based digital media production; screenwriting; archival and curatorial practice, and more. While the graduate core centers on the history, theory, and critical analysis, the MA-PhD program trains innovative research projects with an eye to the future of the field. The institution with over 25,658 students ranks #135 according to QS global rankings.

#10. Pennsylvania State University

The Integrated B.A./M.A. degree in Media Studies is an academic program that includes students in the systematic study of media. The aim of the course is to give students a comprehensive understanding of the systems, cultures, and information associated with media. The program equips students for doctoral study in communications and for professional positions in business and government that demands comprehensive understanding implications of the media, and research methods for studying the media. Furthermore, this program helps teach students how to organize research projects and critically evaluate research reports. Furthermore, how to directly influence media practices by the application of research findings. According to QS, the public research based institution ranks #93 globally. From the aforementioned schools, you can choose the one that suits your desire.

Conclusion

Media studies as a discipline expose you to the workings of the media, the role they play in society, and its impact on society. Therefore, a knowledge of the media in its entirety gives one an edge. That is to say, you’ll be conversant with the workings of the media and also know how to apply it in your individual life and professional life.

References

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