Digital Media MA

Course overview

Smartphones and social media, digital networks and big data, gamification and mobile platforms – digital media continue to change the way we live, work and communicate. This course interrogates the impact of digital technologies on individuals and society, and provides you with the skills and knowledge to be able to think critically and creatively about digital media.

You'll learn about diverse digital media techniques and processes, including coding and hacking, web design, digital ethnography and more to complement your analysis of critical theory. Merging theory and practice, you'll gain an understanding of the social, cultural and economic roles of digital media.

With a range of optional modules to choose from, you'll be able to tailor your degree to your personal and career interests. The content of the course modules is informed by the research interests and practice of academic staff who teach them, allowing you to gain the knowledge and skills to thrive in this dynamic, fast-paced sector.

Please refer to the application deadlines.

Digital media lab

Our School has fantastic facilities to support your studies. You can work on your own projects in our 44 editing suites, equipped with Avid Media Composer editing software and Adobe Creative Cloud.

Take a look around our facilities.

Course details

You'll take a core module called Digital Practices, which spans the length of the course to introduce you to critical issues. You'll be introduced to a range of digital practices including web building, web design and data mining in order to open up how you think about digital media. We will also concentrate on digital methods, thinking about a range of digital tools and processes for undertaking research.

We’ll touch on web languages such as HTML and CSS to open up how we think about digital media. No experience of the practical skills are required, but some knowledge is desirable. We’ll critically examine the relationship between digital media and contemporary culture and the interactive forms and practices that are emerging, and you'll gain some practical production, project management and critical skills through group work tasks and collaborative projects.

You'll then have the chance to broaden your approach with your choice of optional modules, from photography and cinematics to political communication, television narratives and public relations in society.

You'll complete a written dissertation, using the digital methods and skills you've learnt, applying these to a critical research issue.

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 Digital Media MA Full Time in the course catalogue

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

Year 1 compulsory modules

Year 1 optional modules (selection of typical options shown below)

Learning and teaching

You’ll be taught in a mixture of practical workshops, lectures and small group seminars which allow you to discuss your reading and present some of your research to other students.

Independent study is crucial to this degree, allowing you to practice your skills and deepen your knowledge.

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

We also use a range of assessment methods, depending on the modules you choose. They’re likely to include practical projects, essays, reports, group and individual presentations and case studies among others.

Applying

Entry requirements

A bachelor degree with a 2:1 (Hons) in one of the following: a (theory focused) media-related course, communication studies, literature, politics, psychology, sociology, cultural studies, and digital media courses (with a focus on theory) such as network and new media, digital humanities, digital media art, visual communication design, editing/publishing for new media. We may request additional documentation to inform our decision. Some experience of digital methods is desirable.

We may give preference to applicants who exceed our entry requirements. 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.

Documents and information you need

• Your degree certificate and transcripts, or a partial transcript if you’re still studying

• Your most recent CV

• If English is not your first language, you’ll need to provide evidence of your English language qualifications.

Applicants are not required to submit a supporting statement, though one may be requested if further information is needed.

The Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures receives very large numbers of high-quality applications and regrets that it cannot make offers to all of its applicants. Some particularly popular schools may have to reject many that hold the necessary academic qualifications.

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

People with high-level production, project management and critical analysis skills in digital media will be in high demand for decades to come, and this course will equip you with the knowledge and skills to thrive in a wide and rapidly expanding range of careers in digital media practice.

These could include digital marketing, animation, web design and development, social media, analytics, PR and consultancy among others. You’ll also be well-prepared for future research in this fast-changing field.

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.