MA Digital Media and Creative Industries

Start date
September
Duration
1 year full-time, 2 years part-time
Course Type
Postgraduate, Taught
Fees

Annual tuition fee for 2024 entry:
UK: £10,530 full-time
International: £24,120 full-time
More detail.

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MA Digital Media and Creative Industries combines world-leading research, practice-led teaching and unique industry connections in areas such as arts and cultural policy, and the legal, administrative, and management strands of the creative industries.

Collaborating with practitioners working in industry, you’ll work across disciplinary boundaries to develop a rounded knowledge of work in the creative sector – its policy and legal dimensions, the practicalities of managing cultural productions, and how to develop entrepreneurial and freelancing skills.

You’ll explore how cultural policy is developed, through engagement with the University’s cultural programmes, and develop an in-depth knowledge about all stakeholders in the production and consumption of digital and creative work.

If you’re a creator or producer looking to advance in the digital and creative industry then this programme is designed to enhance your professional skills, empowering you with the expertise to move forwards in your career.

Scholarships for 2024 entry

The University of Birmingham is proud to offer a range of scholarships for our postgraduate programmes. With a scholarship pot worth over £2 million, we are committed to alleviating financial barriers to support you in taking your next steps.

Each scholarship has its own specific deadlines and eligibility criteria. Please familiarise yourself with the information on individual scholarship webpages prior to submitting an application.

Explore our scholarships

At Birmingham, Postgraduate Taught and Postgraduate Research students also have the opportunity to learn graduate academic languages free of charge, to support your studies.

Studying on our new MA in Digital Media and Creative Industries will help you to develop the knowledge and skills that a career in the cultural and creative sector requires. You’ll benefit from expert teaching across a range of disciplines – law, marketing, film, digital media, and the humanities – to form a rounded view of the sector, learning from academics and industry experts on a range of exciting modules.

Professor Dan Moore, Head of English, Drama and Creative Studies.

Why study this course?

  • Unlock valuable connections – Collaborate with prestigious organisations like the Royal Shakespeare Company, Birmingham Rep, and Create Central. These opportunities will take your postgraduate experience to the next level, providing insights that extend far beyond the classroom.
  • Interdisciplinary expertise – Prepare to expand your horizons through interdisciplinary learning. Our programme is designed to embrace knowledge from diverse subject areas. You'll benefit from the specialised insights of experts who offer unique perspectives, enhancing your understanding of the ever-evolving landscape of digital media.
  • Career ready – We’re not just talking about careers; we prepare you for them. Engage with experienced creative practitioners and gain practical insights into essential areas such as law, marketing, and freelancing. Elevate your skills with experts who know the ins and outs of the creative sector.
  • Hands-on experience – Stand out in the competitive creative industry by undertaking a practice-based project. Work directly with our cultural partners on live briefs, providing you with first-hand experience of how creative organisations operate. This is where your classroom knowledge transforms into real-world expertise.
  • Second city living – Immerse yourself in our vibrant campus and the bustling second city of Birmingham. Contribute to our University newspaper, host shows for our TV and radio stations or join our dynamic writing, film, and drama societies. Your studies will come to life as you step into the heart of Birmingham's rich cultural scene. Explore literature, film, drama, and arts festivals, and make the most of Birmingham's diverse cultural attractions, including historic theatres, the country's oldest working cinema, and Europe's largest regional library.

The postgraduate experience

The College of Arts and Law offers excellent support to its postgraduates, from libraries and research spaces, to careers support and funding opportunities. Learn more about your postgraduate experience.

Modules

Core modules

All students will take the following modules:

Creative Industries and the Law

Creative Industries and the Law provides an in-depth exploration of the relationship between creative industries and the legal landscape. In a sector developing new business models quickly in response to the iterative development of digital and social media, this module critically examines the contemporary legal frameworks and debates in the creative and cultural sector at the moment, drawing on case studies in recent legal history. 

Through a multidisciplinary approach grounded in both law and the creative arts, you will analyse copyright, intellectual property, contract law, and regulations specific to creative enterprises – students will develop a sound and detailed knowledge of the relationships between creatives, distributors, finance and consumers. 

Key topics may include: 

  • Copyright and its application in the digital age 
  • Intellectual property protection for creative works 
  • Contractual agreements within creative collaborations 
  • Entertainment law, including issues related to media production and distribution 
  • Privacy, defamation and press regulation in the industry

Creative Industries: Policy and Professional Development

This module takes advantage of the established relationships Birmingham has with its cultural partners. You will have the opportunity of working with external stakeholders on live briefs on a range of issues facing the sector in region. You will learn from academic staff and external providers drawn from industry in the region to explore the challenges that confront professionals in the creative and cultural sector today.

You will work in groups on a project from a bank of briefs provided by some of our partners in region (such as the Royal Shakespeare Company, Birmingham Rep, the National Literacy Trust, Soul City Arts, Writing West Midlands, Birmingham Museums Trust, and many more) to develop a strategic response to an industry issue. You will be guided on their projects by dedicated sessions on cultural policy and government, funding models for the industry (through public and private revenue development) and equality, diversity and inclusion. You will also learn strategies to measure the effectiveness of their solutions, and how to iterate project solutions into the future.

Marketing in the Creative and Cultural sector

Through study on this module, you will develop insight into marketing strategies and campaigns as they apply to creative and cultural organisations. You will learn a range of different marketing theories and approaches, and develop a critical awareness of the distinctiveness of creative and cultural products. Using case studies, you will learn a variety of marketing concepts, which may include: 

  • Audience Segmentation and Engagement: Understanding the diverse audiences within the creative and cultural sector and developing tailored strategies to engage them 
  • Branding and Identity: Building and managing the identity and reputation of creative and cultural organisations. 
  • Digital Marketing in the Arts: Leveraging digital platforms, social media, and online tools to promote cultural events, artists, and creative projects. 
  • Cultural Marketing and Diversity: Exploring the cultural dimensions of marketing, with a focus on inclusive and culturally sensitive approaches to reach diverse audiences. 
  • Market Research and Analytics: Utilising data-driven insights to make informed marketing decisions, analyse audience behaviour, and assess the impact of marketing campaigns. 
  • Partnerships and Sponsorships: Developing collaborations with other organizations, sponsors, and donors to support cultural and creative initiatives. 
  • Arts Promotion and Event Management: Planning, promoting, and managing cultural events, exhibitions, performances, and festivals. 

Multimedia Adaptation

Adaptation is one of the most widespread forms of artistic expression in the world today. Works inspired by earlier cultural products continue to proliferate in a variety of media, most obviously film and television, but also theatre, radio, graphic novels, and video games. This module equips you with a key understanding of how adaptation operates as a multimedia practice. Drawing on a range of adaptive materials from the nineteenth century to the present day, it examines why artists choose to adapt, and how they engage with the possibilities and limitations of their specific media. In tandem with this consideration of the key drivers behind adaptation, you will examine the wider dimensions of the adaptation industry and the implications of working within it (including franchising, publishing rights, and questions of copyright and intellectual property). Like Adaptation Studies more broadly, the module is interdisciplinary, exploring connections between different forms of art, and challenging you to interrogate what adaptation means in the twenty-first century. In so doing, it also reflects on ways in which a theoretical understanding of adaptation can support you in enhancing your future employability and potentially building towards careers in the adaptation industry. 

Dissertation / Final Project

Your final, independent project on the programme will offer you a choice of a standard academic dissertation of 12,000 words on a research topic of your choosing OR a practice-based project that works with industry in region on a particular facet of their work. You willl be supported in this choice when you arrive at Birmingham through conversations with your dissertation supervisor.


Please note that the optional module information listed on the website for this programme is intended to be indicative, and the availability of optional modules may vary from year to year. Where a module is no longer available we will let you know as soon as we can and help you to make other choices.

Fees

We charge an annual tuition fee. Fees for 2024 entry are as follows:

  • UK: £10,530 full-time; £5,265 part-time
  • International: £24,120 full-time

The above fees quoted are for one year only; for those studying over two or more years, tuition fees will also be payable in subsequent years of your programme.

Fee status

Eligibility for UK or international fees can be verified with Admissions. Learn more about fees for international students.

Paying your fees

Tuition fees can either be paid in full or by instalments. Learn more about postgraduate tuition fees and funding.


Are you an international applicant?

All international applicants to this course will be required to pay a non-refundable deposit of £2,000 on receipt of an offer, to secure their place.

Find out more about the deposit >>.

Scholarships and studentships

Scholarships to cover fees and/or maintenance costs may be available. To discover whether you are eligible for any award across the University, and to start your funding application, please visit the University's Postgraduate Funding Database.

International students can often gain funding through overseas research scholarships, Commonwealth scholarships or their home government.

How To Apply

Please review our Entry Requirements before making your application.

How to Apply for a Postgraduate Degree - Taught programmes

Application deadlines

The deadline for International students (requiring a VISA) to apply is 1 June 2024. The deadline for UK students is 30 August 2024.

Making your application

How to apply

To apply for a postgraduate taught programme, you will need to submit your application and supporting documents online. We have put together some helpful information on the taught programme application process and supporting documents on our how to apply page. Please read this information carefully before completing your application.

Apply now

Our Standard Requirements

We normally require a 2:1 degree, or equivalent, in a subject relevant to Digital Media and Creative Industries.

Learn more about entry requirements.

International students

Academic requirements: we accept a range of qualifications - our country pages show you what qualifications we accept from your country.

English language requirements: for this course, we ask for IELTS 6.5 with no less than 6.0 in any band. If you are made an offer of a place to study and you do not meet the language requirement, you have the option to enrol on our English for Academic Purposes Presessional course – if you successfully complete the course, you will be able to fulfil the language requirement without retaking a language qualification.

IELTS 6.5 with no less than 6.0 in any band is equivalent to:

  • TOEFL: 88 overall with no less than 21 in Reading, 20 Listening, 22 Speaking and 21 in Writing
  • Pearson Test of English (PTE): Academic 67 with no less than 64 in all four skills
  • Cambridge English (exams taken from 2015): Advanced - minimum overall score of 176, with no less than 169 in any component

Learn more about international entry requirements.

International Requirements


Teaching year

We have three teaching terms per year, the autumn, spring and summer terms. Term dates can be found on our website.

As a full-time student, you will typically take two modules in each of the first two terms, followed by your dissertation or final project. If you are a part-time student, you will typically take two modules across each year, followed by your dissertation or final project.

Support with academic writing

As a postgraduate student in the College of Arts and Law, you have access to the Academic Writing Advisory Service (AWAS) which aims to help your transition from undergraduate to taught Masters level, or back into academia after time away. The service offers guidance on writing assignments and dissertations for your MA/MSc programme with individual support from an academic writing advisor via tutorials, email and the provision of online materials.

International students can access support for English Language development and skills through the Birmingham International Academy (BIA).

This course is designed to help you prepare for an exciting career in digital media and creative industries. As part of the course, you be taught by industry experts and have the opportunity to work with our cultural partners.

On completition of the programme, you will possess a diverse set of transferable and industry specific skills, including digital content creation, project management, data analytics, and critical thinking. You will be adept at navigating the digital landscape and will be well-prepared to adapt to new technologies and trends. The skills developed will leave you well-positioned for careers in the cultural and creative industries, including:

  • Digital marketing and advertising
  • Media production and broadcasting
  • Content strategy and management
  • Startups and entrepreneurship in the creative industries
  • Further academic research or PhD studies in related fields

Your degree will provide excellent preparation for your future career, but this can also be enhanced by a range of employability support services offered by the University and the College of Arts and Law.

The University's Careers Network provides expert guidance and activities especially for postgraduates, which will help you achieve your career goals. The College of Arts and Law also has a dedicated  careers and employability team who offer tailored advice and a programme of College-specific careers events.

You will be encouraged to make the most of your postgraduate experience and will have the opportunity to:

  • Receive one-to-one careers advice, including guidance on your job applications, writing your CV and improving your interview technique, whether you are looking for a career inside or outside of academia
  • Meet employers face-to-face at on-campus recruitment fairs and employer presentations
  • Attend an annual programme of careers fairs, skills workshops and conferences, including bespoke events for postgraduates in the College of Arts and Law
  • Take part in a range of activities to demonstrate your knowledge and skills to potential employers and enhance your CV

What’s more, you will be able to access our full range of careers support for up to 2 years after graduation.