Master’s in Media Studies
Media studies is an excellent foundation for doctoral study or for research-oriented jobs in the private or public sector. As a Newhouse media studies student, you will, through investigation of contemporary media systems and processes, assess the media’s relationship with the world.
Exploring the Impact of Media on Society and Beyond
Media is an integral part of our lives. It shapes our perspectives, influences our decisions, and reflects the world in which we live. Media studies is an interdisciplinary field that examines how media impacts society and, in turn, how society influences the media. This relationship encompasses a wide range of media, from traditional outlets like radio, TV and newspapers to more modern instances such as social media platforms, artificial intelligence, and the web.
Media Studies Master’s Program Basics
The media studies master’s program in the Newhouse School teaches you the essential research skills you need to develop a deeper understanding of how media industries function and how media messages shape our society. If you would like to examine the mass communication process in depth, our research-oriented master’s program is the right place for you.
Whether you are interested in studying diversity in media, health communications, extended-reality storytelling and effects in VR or AR, journalism and democracy in the digital age, or any other topic, we have engaged faculty who look forward to working with you. Our program is at the forefront of understanding the changing media landscape and its profound implications on various aspects of our lives.
Who Should Apply to Media Studies Master’s Program?
The media studies master’s encompasses the core concepts of media theory, research and inquiry and is designed to cultivate research skills and critical thinking.
If you have mass media experience and would like to further examine the mass communications process in depth through research, the media studies master’s program is the right place for you.
If you are interested in how media impacts society and how it is changing our world, this program will give you the space and flexibility to pursue those interests. It will help you turn your theories about the media into data-based research projects. You will be able to derive insights into how media influences society and in turn how society impacts media.
“The program provides good support for graduate students going to academic conferences, which is essential for any young scholar who wants to be involved with the wider academic community. Another thing that really appealed to me was the combination of theory and methods courses in the curriculum, which I feel provides master’s students with a well-rounded foundation in communication or media studies research.”
Josephine Lukito G’15
What Will I Learn in the Media Studies Graduate Program?
The MA in media studies is a research-oriented program designed to get you started on your academic career in communications. You will learn key qualitative and quantitative research methods as well as the role of media systems in our culture and society.
Research opportunities abound in our program. Areas of inquiry include media and diversity, political communication, social effects and media psychology.
Application Deadline
Application materials must be submitted by January 15 for priority consideration. Applications continue to be reviewed on a rolling basis throughout the spring if space is available.
For more information about the M.A. in media studies, contact Professor Anne Osborne (anosborn@syr.edu), Program Director.
For more information about graduate studies at the Newhouse School, contact Martha Coria (macoria@syr.edu), Assistant Director of Graduate Programs.