International Communication MA

Course overview

This course will give you an understanding of how messages flow across borders in a globalised world and how they relate to political, economic and cultural affairs.

You’ll explore the concept of ‘global media’ and whether mass media inspire or simply report events. You’ll look at the role of social media in communication and how global audiences understand and consume media products.

Core modules will give you the context and theoretical knowledge to consider these questions, and you’ll choose from optional modules to focus on the areas that suit your interests or career aspirations. The content of the course modules is informed by the research interests and practice of academic staff who teach them.

You could study war reporting, identity in the media, public relations and more, to gain the skills to thrive in a fast-paced and challenging sector.

Please refer to the application deadlines.

Course details

You’ll study core modules throughout the course that give you the contextual knowledge, research and critical analysis skills to support your studies.

These will explore the relationships between communication and international systems: how communication networks can function as a source of power, how they are regulated and how new technologies are changing the landscape. You’ll also think about the economic and cultural impacts of globalised communication.

On top of this, you’ll build specialist knowledge through your choice of optional modules. These can include topics such as the media and globalisation, urban narratives, public relations, and media and democratisation. The optional modules allow you to focus on topics that suit your own interests or perhaps reflect your career plans.

Throughout the course, you’ll also be preparing for your dissertation through the Dissertation and Research Methods module. Your dissertation is a major independent research project on a topic of your choice, which you submit at the end of the course.

If you choose to study part-time, you’ll complete the course over two years, instead of one, taking fewer modules each year.

Have a look at some student work produced on this course.

Course structure

The list shown below represents typical modules/components studied and may change from time to time. Read more in our terms and conditions.

For more information and a full list of typical modules available on this course, please read International Communication MA Full Time in the course catalogue

For more information and a full list of typical modules available on this course, please read International Communication MA Part Time in the course catalogue

Year 1 compulsory modules

Learning and teaching

We use a range of teaching and learning methods including lectures, group learning and project work, seminars, tutorials and workshops.

Independent study is crucial to this degree, as an opportunity to deepen your knowledge of the subjects introduced in lectures and seminars, and to develop your skills in analysis and research. You can anticipate spending at least 20 hours per week on independent study associated with your modules.

You'll be taught by active researchers in the field of communication and media. The research interests and practice of your tutors inform the content of the course.

On this course, you’ll be taught by our expert academics, from lecturers through to professors. You may also be taught by industry professionals with years of experience, as well as trained postgraduate researchers, connecting you to some of the brightest minds on campus.

Assessment

Assessments can also take a variety of forms depending on the modules you choose. These will include exams and essays as well as group and individual presentations and project work, reports and case studies.

Applying

Entry requirements

A bachelor degree with a 2:1 (Hons) in one of the following: a (theory focused) media-related course, communication studies, cultural studies, international relations, history, (theory focused) language course, literature, philosophy, politics or sociology.

Relevant professional experience may also be considered from those with an undergraduate degree in a preferred subject. We may request additional documentation to help inform our decision.

Please note that meeting the entry requirements of this course doesn't guarantee an offer of a place.

International qualifications

To see equivalent entry requirements for your country, check our international entry requirement directory.

For more information contact the School of Media and Communication admissions team.

Applying from China

Due to the large numbers of applications we receive, we’re only able to offer places to applicants who have attended selected Chinese institutions. With regret, any applications we receive from applicants awarded a qualification in China from an institution that isn’t on this list will be rejected.

English language requirements

IELTS 6.5 overall, with no less than 6.0 in any component. For other English qualifications, read English language equivalent qualifications.

Improve your English

International students who do not meet the English language requirements for this programme may be able to study our postgraduate pre-sessional English course, to help improve your English language level.

This pre-sessional course is designed with a progression route to your degree programme and you’ll learn academic English in the context of your subject area. To find out more, read Language for Communication and Society (6 weeks) and Language for Social Science and Arts: Communication and Society (10 weeks).

We also offer online pre-sessionals alongside our on-campus pre-sessionals. Find out more about our six week online pre-sessional.

You can also study pre-sessionals for longer periods – read about our postgraduate pre-sessional English courses.

How to apply

Application deadlines

We operate a staged admissions process for this course with application deadlines throughout the year.

If you don’t receive an offer in a particular stage, you’ll be notified that either your application has been unsuccessful, or that it’s been carried forward to be considered in the next stage.

If you intend to apply for funding, we advise you to submit an application for your chosen course as early as possible and at least one month before any scholarship deadline.

Please see our How to apply page for full details and for application deadlines for each stage.

The ‘Apply’ link at the top of this page will take you to information on applying for taught programmes and to the University's online application system.

If you're unsure about the application process, contact the admissions team for help.

Read about visas, immigration and other information in International students. We recommend that international students apply as early as possible to ensure that they have time to apply for their visa.

Admissions policy

University of Leeds Admissions Policy 2025

This course is taught by

School of Media and Communication

Contact us

Postgraduate Admissions Team

Email: mediapg@leeds.ac.uk
Telephone:

Fees

UK: £12,000 (Total)

International: £27,250 (Total)

For fees information for international taught postgraduate students, read Masters fees.

Read more about paying fees and charges.

Part-time fees
Fees for part-time courses are normally calculated based on the number of credits you study in a year compared to the equivalent full-time course. For example, if you study half the course credits in a year, you will pay half the full-time course fees for that year.

Additional cost information

There may be additional costs related to your course or programme of study, or related to being a student at the University of Leeds. Read more on our living costs and budgeting page.

Scholarships and financial support

If you have the talent and drive, we want you to be able to study with us, whatever your financial circumstances. There may be help for students in the form of loans and non-repayable grants from the University and from the government.  Find out more at Masters funding overview.

Head of School Masters Scholarships

We offer scholarships to applicants holding an offer to study a Masters at the School of Media and Communication in the form of tuition fee waivers.

To find out how to apply and to see all funding opportunities, visit our scholarship and funding opportunities page.

Career opportunities

This course will give you an in-depth understanding of the different aspects of international communication. It will equip you with sophisticated skills in research, critical analysis, interpretation and communication. You’ll also have good political, cultural and social awareness, which are valuable skills in a wide range of sectors and industries.

Graduates have gone onto succeed in roles for a range of international organisations and agencies. Others have launched careers in journalism, with a focus on international affairs – and some also use the course to prepare for further research at PhD level.

Careers support

We encourage you to prepare for your career from day one. That’s one of the reasons Leeds graduates are so sought after by employers.

The Careers Centre and staff in your faculty provide a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate. Find out more about Careers support.