The MA Digital Media: Education route explores the social and cultural dimensions of digital media in formal to informal educational settings, in schools and beyond. Students engage critically with theories and research related to meaning-making and digital media practices. We are, therefore, looking for students with a strong practical and social interest in fresh approaches to literacy, popular culture and educational creative media practices in the digital age.

About this degree

Students will learn concepts of digital media, media literacy, creativity, and popular culture, and how these are used by film and media educators in global contexts. Theory and practice are linked throughout the degree; students will critically engage with, and produce, creative media texts such as short films and blogs, working alongside UCL and British Film Institute tutors.

Why study this degree at UCL?

The Digital Media programme at the UCL Institute of Education is one the longest-established postgraduate media programmes in the UK. It is based at the UCL Knowledge Lab, a leading interdisciplinary centre whose mission is to understand and develop digital technologies to support and transform education and beyond. Based on research evidence, the Knowledge Lab devises new pedagogies, designs and implements innovative digital media for teaching and learning, and informs policymakers and educational stakeholders.

The programme team belongs to the DARE research centre (a research collaboration with the British Film Institute. With an international reputation in media literacy research, we offer students a chance to learn from direct research experience.

Teaching and learning

Teaching is delivered by face-to-face lectures and seminars, and practical workshops combined with online-learning support. Students are assessed by coursework assignments of up to 5,000 words, plus practical or portfolio work for some modules.

Careers

Graduates of this programme go on to a wide variety of careers in media education in colleges, primary and secondary schools, community settings, museums, libraries and galleries, and education-related settings. They also work in NGOs, research organisations, and government departments. They are well-placed to follow academic careers in educational research.

Employability

This route will equip students with skills, knowledge and understanding of media education and media literacy in the digital age. They will acquire practical skills in the reading and making of digital texts and artefacts in various forms. They will learn a range of methods in educational research, including ethnographic practice and qualitative analysis.