Overview

The Masters in Media History will encourage you to understand the climate of invention and ongoing development which has enabled the creation and evolution of diverse media forms.  You will track the development of a variety of mediums from origins to recent times.  Your training will develop in you dual strengths: not only will you become a thorough and energetic historian, but you will also gain a solid understanding of the development of media across history, supported by knowledge of your chosen specialism.

The course is a full-time programme, taught over one year, and is divided into two parts over three semesters.  In part one, you will study a selection of core and optional modules worth 120 credits.  In part two, you will demonstrate your learning in a written dissertation of less than 20,000 words, worth an additional 60 credits.   The full descriptions relating to all the study modules can be found on the at a glance tab.

Much of your training will be given to exploring a range of historiographical traditions and to understand the professional practice of the historian.  You will gain a wealth of experience in interrogating a wide range of historical sources and, in doing so, be required to develop original, creative and systematic approaches to historical research and problem solving.  By evaluating the advantages and disadvantages of potential solutions, you will gain critical insights into the work of historians and historical models which you are studying. 

Your training in specific aspects of Media History will prepare you for a range of employment opportunities, from a professional historian to a journalistic commentator, teacher, author or media professional.  You will engage with fascinating subjects, such as the development of war reportage, which are highly relevant to contemporary society.  For example, the war reportage module will take you from the pioneering newspaper reports of the Crimean war though to the twenty-four-hour reporting and news-saturation of recent conflicts, and you will evaluate the mass media’s role in war coverage and propaganda. 

Combined with a breadth of contextual media knowledge, your developed sensitivity to the accuracy and effectiveness of reporting will stand you in good stead for a range of related jobs in the media. 

In addition to the subject-specific knowledge, this study programme is constructed in such a way to develop a strong compliment of research, analytic and discursive skills that you can draw upon in many postgraduate employment situations.  The knowledge you gain in this specific, historical MA will make you a thorough and dynamic media historian and a practised expert in media history, but the manner of your learning will equip you with an array of transferrable skills.  You will be an attractive opportunity for any employer who prizes clarity, independence of thought and self-motivated, analytical rigour.

Fact File

Duration:	One year full-time. The academic year is divided into three semesters, but this course is administered in two parts: Part One runs from October to May; Part Two runs from June to September.
Contact Time:	Approximately 6 hours a week in the first two semesters.  During semester three you will arrange your level of contact time with your assigned supervisor.
Assessment:	Part 1 of the course is delivered and assessed through seminars, tutorials and essay assingments. In Part 2, the successful acceptance of your dissertation (up to 20,000 words) leads to the award of an MA.
Entry Requirements:	BA honours degree (2:1) in a related subject at undergraduate level and accompanying references.  We will consider applicants with other experience which gives an equivalent basis for entry.
English Language Requirements:	If you have a Bachelor’s degree from a UK University, you do not need to take an English proficiency test. Non-native English speakers who do not meet this requirement must take a University-recognised test of academic English language proficiency: IELTS or TOEFL.  The required IELTS minimum proficiency level is 6.5.  For TOEFL, the minimum scores are as follows: 580 for the paper-based test; 237 for the computer-based test (with an essay rating of 5.0); and a score of 93 for the internet-based test.  More information on IELTS can be found here  and, for TOEFL.
Course Fees:	The fee for this course for 2012- 2013 is £4,250 for UK and EU students and £10,500 for international students.  For details of other students’ fees, please view this page. [Link: http://www.aber.ac.uk/en/postgrad/funding-fees/eu-taught/tuitonfees/ There are a number of Aberystwyth Scholarships and International Excellence Scholarships (AIES) to help fund the studies of students who meet specific criteria.  In addition, accommodation is guaranteed to all international students.



At a Glance (V198)

Career Development

Qualification:             Masters in Media History

This degree will suit you:

• If you wish to interrogate historical practises at an advanced level;
• If you desire a strengthen your critical and scholarly abilities through engagement with historical sources;
• If you wish develop practical skills and gain hands-on experience in researching Media History;
• If you aim to foster transferable skills and engage in professional and personal development for entering employment.
  

Employability

Every element of the Aberystwyth Master’s in Media History enhances your employability in both vocational and more generic work situations.  Alongside the development of your subject-specific knowledge and experience as a Media Historian, an especially noteworthy strength of this course is the emphasis on personal development.  Your strengthened research and critical faculties will make you a strong candidate for any post where ideas and topics need research, analysis, discussion, expansion and classification.

The University’s association with National Screen and Sound Archive of Wales (NSSAW) is a highly significant part of this course, as it will enable you to conduct a hands-on exploration of their superb collections and engage with the practical challenges of research in media archives.  Practical expertise, combined with your subject-specific knowledge, will set you above your competitors upon entering the jobs market where experience is at a premium. The study skills, technical knowledge and hands-on experience of historical processes and media studies will give you a tremendous advantage in employment within the discipline.

Beyond Media History-related work contexts, employers in any industry value creativity, research, analysis and discursive skills that you will gain in this course.  You will develop highly marketable skills which will, upon graduation, stand you in excellent stead for entry into the general jobs market.  The organisational skills you will learn on this course will help you direct and therefore make the most of your individual flair, bringing a balance of skills that prospective employers will find attractive. 

Unique Perspective on Media

This course will provide you with a rare understanding of the development of media from its roots to modern expressions.  This will equip you with a unique insight on contemporary trends and developments in new media, and you will be able to contextualise modern practices in a way no-one else can.  This course offers you the opportunity to develop a unique perspective and therefore an interesting voice on media matters, which will prove to be a significant strength in any future work as a professional media historian, media journalist, subject teacher, author or in role as other kinds of media professional. 

Because of the nature of this course’s assessment programme, you will graduate with a wealth of experience in writing and reporting, as well as much experience in critical appraisal by others.  The rigorous feedback you receive on your submissions will develop in you a thorough knowledge of the structure, conventions and development of written communications, which will, in turn, make your writing clear, accurate and authoritative. 

A host of employers look for accuracy, thoroughness, an eye for detail and the ability to find and prove connections across broad subject matter, and you certainly will have proven yourself, simply by graduating from this prestigious MA course.

Contacts

Tel:01970 622662

Fax:01970 622676

Email: history-enquiries@aber.ac.uk

Department of History & Welsh History

Aberystwyth University
Hugh Owen Building
Penglais
Aberystwyth
SY23 3DY

Department of History and Welsh History website

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