MA Digital Media and Culture Programme Specification 2023-24

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1	ACADEMIC QUALITY TEAM
2	Programme Specifications 2023-24
3	Revised February 2023
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6	Programme Title			MA Digital Media and Culture
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8	This document applies to students who commenced the programme(s) in:			September 2023		Award type			MA
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10	What level is this qualification?			7		Length of programme			1 year (full-time)
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12	Mode of study (Full / Part Time)			Full and part-time
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14	Will the programme use standard University semester dates?			Yes		For York Online programmes, will standard dates for such programmes be used?			n/a
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16	Awarding institution			University of York		Board of Studies for the programme			School ACT (TFTI)
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18	Lead department			School ACT (TFTI)		Other contributing departments			n/a
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20	Language of study and assessment			English		Language(s) of assessment			English
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22	Is this a campus-based or online programme?			campus
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24	Partner organisations
25	If there are any partner organisations involved in the delivery of the programme, please outline the nature of their involvement. You may wish to refer to the Policy on Collaborative Provision
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29	Reference points
30	Please state relevant reference points consulted in the design of this programme (for example, relevant documentation setting out PSRB requirements; the University's Frameworks for Programme Design (UG or PGT); QAA Subject Benchmark Statements; QAA Qualifications and Credit Frameworks).
31	UoY Framework for Programme Design (PGT) . UoY 2023/24 Taught Postgraduate Programme Design Policy Statement (for semesterisation).
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34	Credit Transfer and Recognition of Prior Learning
35	Will this programme involve any exemptions from the University Policy and Procedures on Credit Transfer and the Recognition of Prior Learning? If so, please specify and give a rationale
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39	Exceptions to Regulations
40	Please detail any exceptions to University Award Regulations and Frameworks that need to be approved (or are already approved) for this programme. This should include any that have been approved for related programmes and should be extended to this programme.
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44	Internal Transfers
45	Please use the boxes below to specify if transfers into / out of the programme from / to other programmes within the University are possible by indicating yes or no and listing any restrictions. These boxes can also be used to highlight any common transfer routes which it would be useful for students to know.
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47		Transfers in:	Yes (up to Week 4, as too much of the Sem 1 core modules are missed otherwise).			Transfers out:	Yes (no restrictions).
48							Yes (no restrictions).
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50	Statement of Purpose
51	Please briefly outline the overall aims of the programme. This should clarify to a prospective student why they should choose this programme, what it will provide to them and what benefits they will gain from completing it.
52	The overall aim of the programme is to explore how digital media shape, influence, order, and disrupt our world today. On this programme, you will study key debates, theories, issues and contentions about how digital media intersect and influence contemporary life. Through discussion, critique, analysis, creative making and critical thinking, this programme will prepare you to understand the ever-increasing power of media technologies and digital culture in shaping our world today. By completing this programme, you will gain specialist insights into the effects, transformations and consequences of digital technologies on the shaping and operations of our contemporary world. You will be equipped with the knowledge, understanding, analytical and research skills with which to consider, evaluate and investigate our digital present and future as a community, society, even as a species. You will acquire a wide range of knowledge about the key concepts, applications, operations, and visions of contemporary digital media and culture; a strong curiosity about the challenges and potential which that culture presents; and the intellectual tools to analyse and answer questions about the digitally mediated world in which we all live. Housed in an interdisciplinary School with specific media expertise across film, television, theatre, interactive media and music, you will also be able to gain such specialist knowledge of digital culture in tandem with interdisciplinary learning across different media forms through optional modules. You will thus be well-equipped to potentially embark on careers in media, creative, and technology sectors, research work, arts and culture, government and public administration, education, or further PhD study.
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63	If there are additional awards associated with the programme upon which students can register, please specify the Statement of Purpose for that programme. This will be most relevant for PGT programmes with exit awards that are also available as entry points. Use additional rows to include more than one additional award. Do not include years in industry / abroad (for which there are separate boxes).
64	Exit Award Title			Is the exit award also available as an entry point?	Outcomes: what will the student be able to do on exit with this award?			Specify the module diet that the student will need to complete to obtain this exit award
65	Postgraduate Diploma in Digital Media and Culture.			Exit award only	Students exiting with a Postgraduate Diploma must be able to demonstrate a general understanding of the theories in the field of digital culture and general competence in researching, evaluating and analysing concepts, theories and datasets in the field.			Successfully complete modules worth 120 credits. This would normally consist of completing all the 20 credit taught modules and a smaller scale independent project accompanied by a dissertation of 7,000 words. This project is specified on a case by case basis by the department and is used only for students who for some reason cannot complete the full individual project.
66	Postgraduate Certificate Digital Media and Culture.			Exit award only	Students exiting with a Postgraduate Certificate must be able to demonstrate a basic understanding of the theories in the field of digital culture and minimal competence in researching, evaluating and analysing concepts, theories and datasets in the field.			Successfully complete modules worth 60 credits. These can be any combination of 20 credit taught modules described in the module list below. This is most commonly used in the case of students who fail to progress to the Individual Project module.
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68	Programme Learning Outcomes
69	What are the programme learning outcomes (PLOs) for the programme? (Normally a minimum of 6, maximum of 8). Taken together, these outcomes should capture the distinctive features of the programme and represent the outcomes that students progressively develop in the programme and achieve at graduation. PLOs should be worded to follow the stem 'Graduates will be able to...'
70	1	Explain the role, impact and significances of how media constitute, convene and contribute to contemporary digital culture to lead critical thinking about the changes in digital society.
71	2	Apply a knowledgeable overview of emerging and established digital media technologies and environments to deepen critical thinking about digital society and practices.
72	3	Analyse the wider effects, impact and implications of digital media in contemporary society for creative, academic and professional contexts.
73	4	Carry out digital research methods and key skills in reviewing, analysing and synthesising information and data for research and reporting in professional contexts.
74	5	Creatively apply various kinds and genres of digital media to lead and/or contribute to creative and cultural practices.
75	6	Demonstrate how contemporary life, culture and politics shape digital media (and vice versa) for deeper analyses of digital change in practical situations across creative, government, business and cultural sectors.
76	7	Synthesise, review, reflect, critique and present information both verbally and in written form to professional audiences, using an array of print, visual, aural and digital media.
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78	Diverse entry routes
79	Detail how you would support students from diverse entry routes to transition into the programme. For example, disciplinary knowledge and conventions of the discipline, language skills, academic and writing skills, lab skills, academic integrity.
80	The expectation is that the majority of students taking this programme will have completed a suitable UG programme (eg in communication; film studies; media; creative industries etc) that leads into this programme. However, this MA is also designed to help students from other tangential disciplinary directions (eg journalism; English; history; digital arts; design etc) transition successfully into PG life. Overall, the programme design of key concepts + methods + specialist and optional modules is intended to be a feasible and realistic transition for students to M level work. The MA programme offers a part-time route which will support mature and part-time students. The opportunity to take a module from another department and across the diverse offerings of SACT also enables students to feel confident in interdisciplinary thinking.
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89	Inclusion
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91	Please confirm by ticking the box on the right that the design, content and delivery of the programme will support students from all backgrounds to succeed. This refers to the University's duties under the Equality Act 2010. You may wish to refer to the optional Inclusive Learning self-assessment tools to support reflection on this issue.
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93	Employability
94	Please give a brief overview - no more than 5 sentences - of how the programmes helps develop students' employability. Your Faculty Employability Manager can help reflection on this issue. This statement will be used by Marketing as the basis for external content with respect to employability.
95	The programme helps to develop students' employability by equipping students with the knowledge of theories and research methods relevant for analysing and understanding today's digital environment. It provides a unique combination of conceptual, analytical and research skills in application across the breadth of the School of Arts and Creative Technologies, spanning interactive media; film and television production; theatre; music; and the creative industries. A substantive individual project in either dissertation or creative form will enable students to ideate, prepare, scope, research, implement, write, evaluate and critically produce a substantive piece of work in this intellectually rich and fast-changing area which can become their calling card when they seek employment.
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