Media Studies

Please note: Information on this page relates to the 2012 academic year unless otherwise specified.

On this page:

• Overview
• Undergraduate Study
• Postgraduate Study
• How to find out More
• Related Subjects and Careers
• List of Courses

Media Studies Website:

• www.victoria.ac.nz/seftms

Overview

Media Studies is an interdisciplinary academic field which analyses the meaning and role of media such as newspapers, magazines, television, the internet and popular music. Media are a major social, cultural and political force in society. They can have enormous influence, shaping not only knowledge, values and desires but also our perceptions of society, culture, and nation.

Media Studies courses allow students to explore political, institutional, industrial, historical, cultural and aesthetic aspects of media through a variety of media forms, contexts, theories and production/reception cultures. Media Studies courses also foster an understanding of how media products are constructed in response to a combination of technological, institutional, creative and cultural conditions.

A Bachelor of Arts (BA) major in Media Studies offers a range of courses at undergraduate level. At first-year level (MDIA 101, 102, 103) courses provide a coherent and complementary introduction to basic concepts, analytical techniques and research methodologies. Each course at subsequent levels is designed to build upon, put into practice and develop these in relation to more specific topics and contexts, such as news, popular music, television, new media, advertising, cultural production, and identity (notably gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity and indigeneity).

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Undergraduate Study

BA Major Requirements

1. 20 points from MDIA 100–199, and 20 further points from ENGL, MDIA, FILM or THEA 100–199
2. 40 points from MDIA 200–299
3. 40 points from MDIA 300–399
4. 20 further points from MDIA 200–399

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Course Planning

Students intending to major in Media Studies are advised to take at least two 100-level MDIA courses (MDIA 101, 102, 103) in order to fulfil prerequisites for advanced courses in this subject.

Broad strands run through the three levels of study to ensure students can progress through the degree while following coherent sets of options. Following any of these strands is not mandatory; students are encouraged to choose from among them in accordance with their interests.

The strands are:

• Media, Society and Identity:
  MDIA 102; 103; 201; 208; 301; 306; 308; 310; 321

• Visual Media Culture:
  MDIA 101; 203; 220

• Popular Media Culture (with an emphasis on television and popular music):
  MDIA 103; 202; 205; 302; 305

• News Culture:
  MDIA 102; 207; 304

• New Media/Digital Culture:
  MDIA 102; 103; 206; 309.

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Postgraduate Study

Postgraduate Qualifications in Media Studies

• Graduate Diploma in Arts
• Postgraduate Diploma in Arts
• Bachelor of Arts with Honours
• Master of Arts
• PhD

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How to Find out More

You can order more information on this subject using our Request for Study Material form.

Victoria's Student Recruitment, Admission and Orientation Office offers advice on courses and help with planning your degree.

Contact the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences' Student and Academic Services Office for information on admission, qualifications and courses, course advice and selection criteria, exemptions and prerequisites.

Media Studies courses are taught within the School of English, Film, Theatre, and Media Studies.
Media Studies Reception: Ground Level, 83 Fairlie Terrace.
Email: address

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Related Subjects and Careers

Related Subjects	Careers
English Literature European Studies Film History Law Philosophy Political Science Sociology Theatre	Advertising Broadcasting Communications Copywriter Journalist Librarian Marketing Reviewer/critic Public relations Teacher Technical writer

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List of Courses

For a complete course listing, see the list of all Media Studies courses.

100 Level Media Studies Courses
MDIA 101 – Media: Texts and Images
MDIA 102 – Media, Society and Politics
MDIA 103 – Popular Media Culture

200 Level Media Studies Courses
MDIA 201 – Media in Aotearoa New Zealand
MDIA 202 – Television Studies
MDIA 203 – Visual Culture
MDIA 205 – Popular Music Studies
MDIA 206 – Media and Digital Cultures
MDIA 207 – News Analysis
MDIA 208 – Media Audiences
MDIA 209 – Critical Approaches to Advertising and Consumer Culture
MDIA 220 – Special Topic: Critical Approaches to Advertising

300 Level Media Studies Courses
MDIA 301 – Media Theory and Cultural Production
MDIA 302 – Television Narrative
MDIA 304 – News Culture
MDIA 305 – A Social History of Popular Music
MDIA 306 – Media, Gender & Sexuality
MDIA 308 – Maori Media
MDIA 309 – New Media: Theory and Practice
MDIA 310 – Cultural Identity and the Media
MDIA 312 – Media, Polity and Economy
MDIA 321 – Special Topic: Media Representations of Politics

400 Level Media Studies Courses
MDIA 402 – Film, Culture and Society
MDIA 403 – Mass Media and Popular Culture
MDIA 404 – Television Industries and Forms: The Case of Drama
MDIA 407 – Media, Subjectivity and Identity
MDIA 408 – Media Policy
MDIA 409 – Special Topic: Settler-Native-Migrant Media
MDIA 410 – Special Topic: Popular Music Studies
MDIA 412 – International News Media
MDIA 413 – Advanced Studies in New Media
MDIA 414 – Advanced Studies in Television Culture
MDIA 489 – Research Project