The Social Media and Digital Communication MA will give you the opportunity to develop an in-depth understanding of contemporary digital communication and its seismic impact on politics, culture and society.

Social media have challenged how we understand communication, democracy, news, relationships, privacy, advertising and entertainment. Social media have captured the attention and imagination of hundreds of millions of people. They enable their users to develop and display their creativity, to empathize with others, and to find connection, communication and communion. But social media have also captured those users’ personal information, and turned their daily lives into commercial data through business models built around surveillance. 

The course examines social media as industries and as central sites for understanding the cultural politics of everyday life. It explores the meanings of sharing and privacy, of remix cultures and new forms of journalism, of new forms of communication and new forms of citizenship. It connects social media to other digital phenomena such as the internet of things, Big Data, and media convergence. In its core modules, learners engage with questions of media technologies and texts, of platforms and users, and of how networked digital media are adopted and adapted in an environment built around the convergence of personal and public communication. 

Option modules allow you to develop specialist expertise in areas such as data and society, global media, or activism and politics. All learners will develop high-level skills in research, critical thinking and communication. 

This Masters is organised in the environment of the Communication and Media Research Institute (CAMRI). CAMRI is a world- leading research centre that studies the role of media and communication in society. In the most recent UK government research audit, the 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF), 79.7% of CAMRI’s research was classified as world-leading or internationally excellent, which makes it one of the UK’s top four leading media and communication research institutions.

Graduates of the Social Media and Digital Communication MA are able to work in a wide range of sectors and professions. The degree will benefit those seeking a competitive edge in a careers market that values high-level skills in communication, research and critical thinking. This degree will be of particular interest to students who 

• plan to work or are already working in the creative industries
• work in non-profit sectors, including NGOs and advocacy groups
• work in a variety of sectors including research, consultancy, administration and management.

It also provides an excellent preparation for those planning to continue their studies to PhD level. 

Today’s organisations need graduates with both good degrees and skills relevant to the workplace. The University of Westminster is committed to developing employable graduates by ensuring that: 

• Career development skills are embedded in all courses 
• Opportunities for part-time work, placements and work-related learning activities are widely available to students 
• Staff continue to widen and strengthen the University’s links with employers in all sectors, involving them in curriculum design and encouraging their participation in other aspects of the University’s career education and guidance provision 
• Staff are provided with up-to-date data on labour market trends and employers’ requirements, which will inform the service delivered to students.