Media Studies Leiden University

Overview

The master in Media Studies is a one-year programme with four specialisations. Each specialisation explores a different medium in-depth, including how it interrelates with other media forms. You will also get the opportunity to investigate the roots of this relatively new academic field.

You are able to choose from four specialisations:

• Book and Digital Media Studies: focuses on the dynamic process of the transmission of knowledge and information through handwritten, printed, and digital texts.
• Cultural Analysis: Literature and Theory: is devoted to the study of literature from a comparative and theoretical perspective.
• Film and Photographic Studies: offers you a challenging academic study in the field of ‘lens-based’ media, comprising photography, film and video.
• Journalistiek en Nieuwe Media (taught in Dutch): provides you with strong editorial skills, a journalistic attitude and a strong academic background.

All programmes are taught across two semesters and comprises compulsory courses, elective courses, and the writing of an MA thesis.

Experiential learning

Some of the Media Studies programmes encourage students to get involved in projects for external clients. These projects provide students with the opportunity to apply ideas in practice, develop new contacts, and gain invaluable professional experience.

What you will learn

The master’s programme in Media Studies at Leiden University aims to equip you with a range of important skills and knowledge that will help you thrive in your future career. Your specialised expertise is complemented by vocational skills and the ability to apply multidisciplinary, critical-thinking skills to solve complex conceptual problems. Your master's programme will qualify you for various roles in the media, cultural organisations and government institutions, depending on the specialisation you have chosen. You will also be qualified to continue in academic research and may be able to apply for a PhD programme.

Career prospects

What our graduates do

Depending on their specialization, our alumni have gone on to pursue successful careers in a wide range of fields, including all branches of the book trade, libraries, the cultural heritage sector and the photography and film industry. They have also found employment as journalists, antiquarians, editors, booksellers, librarians, curators, and project managers for publishing companies.

Some positions held by recent graduates have included:

• Account manager at a publishing house
• Freelance (image/video) editor
• Programmer of a film festival
• Assistant curator
• Photography editor at a photography magazine
• Freelance image editor at a commercial television station
• Owner of a company producing films and videos
• Project officer at a governmental agency specialising in cultural heritage
• PhD candidate at a university in the United Kingdom
• Project manager at a university library
• Project manager at a translation agency
• Content manager and web editor at a translation agency
• Journalist at a newspaper
• Freelance writer and editor
• PhD candidate at Leiden University
• Desktop publishing editor at a publishing house
• Technical marketing coordinator at a publishing house
• Communications officer and author on company history at a multinational publishing group
• Assistant editor at a publishing house
• Event manager at a Russian academic library
• Editor at a consultancy company

Accreditation

Accredited by NVAO, the Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders.