This innovative Master's degree aims to equip students with the skills, knowledge and strategic approach to develop and analyse social change campaigns and activism, with a particular focus on the role of communications and the media. This is the only postgraduate programme of its kind, and has a flexible delivery to suit both full-time and part-time students.

The course builds on our close links with leading campaigners and communicators in London's vibrant social change sector. An advisory panel, with representatives from Amnesty UK, Friends of the Earth, Save the Children, WaterAid, SumOfUs, Advocacy Hub, Campaign Bootcamp, FairSay and The National Council of Voluntary Organisations among others, will ensure we always reflect the skill sets in demand and deliver an exciting learning experience. A limited number of work placements and internships will be available.

The course is aimed at those with some experience or interest in social change, the media, and communications or campaigns within not for profit organisations. The course will help you improve your practical skills, develop a deep understanding of the theories and frameworks that underpin and shape campaign communications, and enjoy the space to reflect critically on current and past practice. It is designed to help you start, or progress, a career in charity, pressure group or public sector campaign communications. It may also be of interest to those working in corporate social responsibility. Alumni work in a range of senior campaign and communications roles in charities, NGOS, agencies, think tanks and government departments.

The course team has extensive experience both in developing social change campaigns and in academic research into the connections between media, protest and social change. The course is jointly led by Michaela O’Brien and Dr Anastasia Kavada, with additional teaching by practitioners and members of our internationally renowned Communication and Media Research Institute. It is taught at our campuses in the West End of London, and also at the Harrow campus.

The course offers a number of delivery modes to suit the different needs of students and can be taken as either part-time or full-time. In addition to the Media, Campaigning and Social Change MA, we offer a Media, Campaigning and Social Change Postgraduate Diploma and a Media, Campaigning and Social Change Postgraduate Certificate, which comprise fewer modules than the full MA and so can be completed in a shorter period of time.

To study for the Postgraduate Certificate, you will be required to take the three core 20-credit modules listed in the Course Structure. The Postgraduate Certificate usually takes one year to complete part-time. Apply for the Postgraduate Certificate now via the Westminster online application form.

To study for the Postgraduate Diploma, you will be required to take the three core 20-credit modules listed in the Course Structure and also choose an additional three 20-credit modules from the Option modules list. The Postgraduate Diploma usually takes one year to complete full-time or two years to complete part-time. Apply for the Postgraduate Diploma full-time or for the Postgraduate Diploma part-time now via the Westminster online application form.

This course is particularly relevant if you want to start, or to progress, a career in communications and campaigning for social change, whether in a charity or non-governmental organisation; in a public sector body; in a political party or election campaigning setting; or even in a corporate social responsibility role. It could also be a stepping-stone towards a PhD and an academic career in this growing field of study.

Graduates from this course are confident campaign communicators and work in senior roles in charities, government, trades unions and NGOs including Amnesty International, Change.Org, the RSPCA, the Campaign Against Living Miserably and the Church Mission Society. Alumni also work at the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, in virtual reality, in think tanks, in communications and public affairs agencies and in national government departments in the global south running behaviour change campaigns.

They work in roles as varied as digital content manager, campaigns manager, head of fundraising and communications intern.

Alumni from each cohort are building an international course network through our course-specific Facebook group.