Studies & Degrees in Media Studies
Media Studies Study Programs
Media studies examines how the media work and what they do to society. Students look at media industries, at the texts and images they produce, and at the audiences who use them. Lancaster University, for example, says its degree gives students a critical understanding of media industries, practices and productions, and shows how digital media is reinventing older forms such as newspapers and television while producing new digital cultures. The University of Sussex describes the same field as the study of digital media cultures and of the relationship between media and society, including the role of the media in democratic systems and public discourse.
The subject is mainly analytical. It is not the same as a journalism, film production or advertising course, although many programmes include practical work: at Lancaster, assessments range from written research to creative practice. Typical modules cover media theory and history, television and film, digital platforms, popular culture, media ownership and regulation, audiences, and research methods. Applicants who mainly want to produce content should check how much practice a programme contains before they apply.
Qualifications and levels
Media studies is taught at universities, as a degree of its own or combined with communication, cultural studies, film or journalism. Community colleges in the United States offer shorter programmes in related fields.
- Bachelor's degree. In the United Kingdom a bachelor's degree with honours normally takes three years of full-time study; the Media and Communications BA at the University of Sussex and the Media and Cultural Studies BA at Lancaster University both last three years. In the United States, media studies is usually a major within a four-year bachelor's degree. In Europe a bachelor's degree has 180 or 240 ECTS credits, and 60 ECTS credits are the equivalent of a full year of study. In Spain an official bachelor's degree (grado) has 240 ECTS credits.
- Master's degree. A taught master's degree in the United Kingdom usually takes one year full time, as the Media and Cultural Studies MA at Sussex does. In continental Europe a master's degree usually has 90 or 120 ECTS credits; in Spain official master's degrees have 60, 90 or 120.
- Doctorate. A PhD is the route into university research and teaching.
In Germany the discipline is called Medienwissenschaft. The Bauhaus-Universität Weimar offers a Bachelor of Arts in Media Culture and a Master of Arts in Media Studies, both taught in German, a master's programme in Media Ecologies taught in English, and a joint German-French bachelor's programme in European Media Culture.
Where to study media studies
SpainExchange lists 107 active schools for media studies. The United States has 61 of them and the United Kingdom 19. Australia has 5 and Germany 3; Denmark, China, Ireland and Spain have 2 each, and countries such as Nepal, Iceland, Iraq and Brazil have one.
In the United Kingdom the list includes the University of Sussex, Lancaster University, London Metropolitan University, York St John University and Regent's University London. In the United States it includes The Pennsylvania State University, Rutgers, San Diego State University, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Hofstra University and The University of Chicago, as well as community colleges such as the College of Lake County. In Germany it includes the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar and the Universität Duisburg-Essen; other countries are represented by schools such as MODUL University Vienna, the University of Akureyri in Iceland and Kathmandu University in Nepal.
Most of the listed programmes are taught in English. In Germany the language depends on the programme, as the Weimar example shows, so check the language of instruction and the language certificate each university asks for.
Careers
Media studies does not lead to one regulated profession. Graduates work in public relations and corporate communication, publishing and editing, journalism, broadcasting and digital content, advertising and marketing, media research, cultural organisations and teaching. Sussex lists media, cultural industries, publishing, research, teaching, journalism, PR and development as destinations for its master's graduates.
The job market is competitive. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that overall employment in media and communication occupations in the United States will show little or no change from 2025 to 2035, although about 88,500 openings are expected each year, mostly to replace workers who leave. Within the group the picture varies: employment of public relations specialists is projected to grow 2 percent over the same period, while employment of news analysts, reporters and journalists is projected to decline 6 percent. A bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for editors and for public relations specialists.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between media studies and journalism?
Media studies analyses the media as industries, texts and social forces. Journalism programmes train students to report and produce news. Many media studies degrees include some practical work, but the amount differs between universities.
How long does a media studies degree take?
A bachelor's degree takes three years full time in the United Kingdom and usually four years in the United States and Spain. A master's degree takes one year full time in the United Kingdom and up to two years elsewhere in Europe.
Can I study media studies in English in Germany?
Some programmes are in English, but many are in German. At the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar the bachelor's programme in Media Culture and the master's in Media Studies are taught in German, and the master's in Media Ecologies is taught in English.