Birmingham City University : Social Media

Faculty of Performance, Media & English

School
Birmingham School of Media

Campus
City North

Duration
Full-time (Sept start): 12 months
Full-time (Feb start): 15 months
Part-time (Sept start): 24 months
Part-time (Feb start): 27 months

Fees
2012/2013: £6,500
2012/2013 (Part-time): £3,250 per year
2012/2013 (International): £10,300 per year

Overview

Please note: Courses starting in February include a break from August until the start of autumn term (late September).

'Social media' in the context of Internet technologies is itself a relatively new term, one that broadly correlates to the concept of Web 2.0, emphasising practices on the web associated with participation and sharing.

For some, social media has the potential to change power relationships between the citizen and the state, whilst others just see it as a way to more effectively reach audiences and engage them in commercial transactions. Either way, it’s clear that there are opportunities for social media professionals to make significant impacts in their field: to innovate and shape practice.

The opportunities are many. On the one hand, established businesses are seeking to co-opt the tools of social media and use them for commercial gain; on the other third sector organisations are making use of these tools to build complex and conversational communication strategies for minimal cost. All need to deepen their understanding of how social media can support their aims.

This MA programme will explore the techniques of social media, consider the development and direction of social media as a creative industry, and will contribute new research and knowledge to the field.

Birmingham has a thriving social media scene and this scene is fast becoming an industry. It is therefore wholly appropriate that this programme should be based within Birmingham School of Media, where students will have access to a peer group and active community of social media practitioners.

Course Structure

This MA draws upon the expertise of the wide range of practitioners within the Birmingham School of Media and its research and production units (Birmingham Centre for Media and Cultural Research, Interactive Cultures, New Technology Institute). Our established and innovative work with a wide range of partners in the creative industries, arts organisations and local authorities inform class work and the directions of individual scholarship.

Teaching takes place in small groups, with a mixture of lectures, seminars, research workshops, presentations and field-trips. In exploring and innovating in research in social media you will work with other students and engage with professional practitioners, interacting and disseminating ideas through blogs and social media platforms as well as at networking events.

The taught postgraduate phase of the course comprises modules that explore social media from a cultural studies perspective and explore political economy, social enterprise and social media organisations. The Masters component entails a substantial piece of independent study and the creation of either a social media production project or an original piece of research in the form of a 15,000-word dissertation.

The MA has a strong thread of individual personal development planning, supporting your studies and enhancing your career ambitions. To this end you will engage in live projects for clients and be expected to work at a professional level. The Birmingham School of Media has a variety of strong contacts in the creative and cultural sector, regionally, nationally and internationally which will aid in finding appropriate projects and exploring work in these industries.

You can find out more details about the course modules below.

Modules

Social Media as Culture (30 credits)	Enterprise (30 credits)
This theory module explores the current state of academic knowledge and debates around the emergence of social media and provides you with a systematic understanding of the approaches to studying social media culture and its social and cultural role and character. You will participate in external networking and conference events and produce blogs that engage with key debates about the culture of social media. At the end of this module you will be able to employ established theoretical frameworks and methodologies in order to advance new insights into practice and meaning.	This module explores entrepreneurial techniques, processes and practices. You will put ideas into practice, develop a strong sense of your professional development needs, be involved in creating networks (in and outside the university) and refine an action-orientated approach. By focusing on a spirit of entrepreneurship, we will encourage you to take ownership of your own personal professional development. You will identify industry challenges appropriate to your award, and turn them into opportunities for you to enhance your independence, confidence, networking capacity and strategic thinking. This will encourage you to become a reflective creative worker.
Social Media as Practice (30 credits)	Production Lab or Research Methods(30 credits)
This production module explores social media as an area of media practice in social enterprise, commercial, public and personal areas. You will consider the different areas of media, cultural and creative production that come under the auspices of social media and explore the production practices and skills that these involve. You will develop your own professional practice through a range of production activities. At the end of this module you will be able to analyse, deliver and evaluate innovative social media projects.	These modules prepare you for MA by Practice or MA by Dissertation, depending upon the focus of your studies. Both draw upon other taught modules which either mapped out the current state of academic knowledge in the field, or established professional conventions and explored current industry challenges. You will be provided with the opportunity to innovate, and to apply and experiment with a range of production skills appropriate to your award, supported by a systematic exploration of methods for research and production development.
MA by Practice or MA by Dissertation (60 Credits)
Depending upon the focus of your studies, you will complete your award with either an original contribution to scholarship in the MA by Dissertation or through the origination, execution and delivery of an individual and extended practice-based professional project at the forefront of your field. You will develop and consolidate your mastery of key skills, knowledge of and engagement with current opportunities in the field of production or academic enquiry. These modules encourage and test skills of initiative and independent practice and are conducted largely outside of the classroom with support from a tutor.

Assessments

Assessments usually emphasise scholarly or professional practice through which the key learning objectives are tested. Three weeks are set aside for assessment work.

Placements

The MA has a strong thread of individual personal development planning, supporting students’ studies and enhancing an individual’s career ambitions.

Students are expected to undertake a work placement/internship with an organisation that uses social media or is exploring social media. This will enable students to become engaged as researchers within the work place and enable them to find ways in which their skills and learning can be applied outside of academia.

The Birmingham School of Media has a number of close contacts in the creative and cultural sector, regionally, nationally and internationally, which will aid in finding appropriate placements and exploring work in these industries.

Photo of Dave Harte

Dave Harte

Award Leader, MA Social Media

Dave is a Senior Lecturer in Media and Communications and our award leader for the MA in Social Media. He has recently completed a secondment to Birmingham City Council as Economic Development Manager for Digital Birmingham where he championed the use of social media and digital tools to the city leaders and the business community.

For many years he has worked closely with Birmingham’s vibrant digital media sector acting as a link between the public sector and the business community. Since 2003 he has worked with the regional development agency for the West Midlands on their business clusters strategy and has previously managed a major business support project on their behalf.

Dave is an enthusiastic advocate of social media and blogs at www.daveharte.com as well as managing a local news website for Bournville, a site often cited as an exemplar of its kind.

Dave has recently published a research paper in Creative Industries journal on the development of business cluster in the Digital Media sector. Understanding the role of policy-makers in creating ‘digital’ or ‘creative’ spaces in cities is part of his current research interests.

“There is an awful lot of theoretical work about how you make ‘creative’ places but I’ve been lucky enough to have had a role in developing and writing policy in this area for a number of years now. There’s much still to be done to support Birmingham’s burgeoning digital economy.”

With the university taking an inter-disciplinary approach to its Digital research through the Institute of Digital Experience and Applications (IDEAs), Dave is advising on how the university can best develop links within the public sector to support some of the major digital issues facing local authorities and other public sector organisations.

“Digital Inclusion is a major issue for society and the university can play a key role in helping our partners develop appropriately blended solutions that don’t presume that technology itself is the answer. If cities like Birmingham are going to be successful and prosperous then dealing with its ‘digital divide’ should be a key priority.”

Further Studies

For anyone interested in taking their research interests forward into an MPhil or PhD speak to the course director about your particular area of expertise.

Employment Opportunities

A wide range of organisations and businesses now employ individuals to help them develop effective social media strategies for customer or citizen engagement. Previous graduates have found work in such roles within both the private and public sector. Others have gone on to set up businesses or worked as social media consultants.

Other avenues that graduates may pursue include developing innovative and low cost communication strategies for third sector organisations using social media tools; developing innovative and alternative media projects; and working with existing mainstream media organisations as they develop social media strategies.

It is also possible for successful graduates to enhance their skills by contributing to the development of new professional practice in PR, marketing communications and web design.They might also wish to continue developing a scholarly interest in social media as part of a further research degree.

Entry Requirements

Applicants should have a first degree or equivalent at 2:1, or above, or have considerable experience in a related field and be able to demonstrate outstanding ability and potential.

International students should have a minimum IELTS level of 6.5, while good spoken and written English are vital.

Applicants should have sound academic skills (research, writing, presentation), an interest in ideas and their application and some basic competence in IT skills (word-processing, internet activities and so on).

Above all, candidates for this exciting and innovative course need to have an inquiring mind, an aptitude for researching, sharing and communicating ideas and a desire to develop as an independent and self-motivated thinker.

Application Details

Please apply direct to faculty:

Online Application Form

Telephone: +44 (0)121 331 7279
Email: media@bcu.ac.uk

Enquiries

Prospective students from the UK or EU may enquire online by using the Course Enquiry Form or call +44 (0)121 331 5595.

Prospective students from non-EU countries may enquire via the International Enquiry Form or call +44 (0)121 331 6714.

Fees Notes

For information on postgraduate fees please contact the faculty: Telephone: +44 (0)121 331 7279 Email: media@bcu.ac.uk

Further Information

Birmingham School of Media
Birmingham City University
City North Campus
Perry Barr
Birmingham
B42 2SU

Telephone: +44 (0)121 331 7279
Fax: +44 (0)121 331 6501

Email: media@bcu.ac.uk

Birmingham City University : Social Media - MA

Social Media - MA