MSc Global Media and Communications (LSE and UCT)

The unique MSc double degree in Global Media and Communications enables you to study for one year at LSE in London, the UK's media capital, and one year at the Centre for Film and Media Studies, University of Cape Town, where students will benefit from a range of courses that equip graduates with the theoretical knowledge and practical skills to embark on a career in the film and media industry.

The programme will provide you with a critical exploration of mediation in the global context, examining processes of globalisation in relation to organisation, production, consumption and representation in media and communications. In our ever increasingly globalised world, international experience gained on one of our global programmes is invaluable and provides an excellent knowledge and experience base to work from.

Set out below, you'll find some suggested readings that will prove helpful to you in preparing for your arrival at LSE, and for finding out about courses you may be interested in taking.

It's not essential that you read everything on the list - the intention is simply to give you an idea of the level and range of material covered.

• Appadurai, A. (1996). Modernity at Large: Cultural Dimensions of Globalization. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press.
• Flew, T. (2007) Understanding Global Media. Basingstoke, New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
• Kraidy, M. (2005) Hybridity, Or, The Cultural Logic of Globalization. Philadelphia: Temple University Press.
• Maxwell, R.(ed.) (2001) Culture Works: Essays on the Political Economy of Culture. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.
• Miller, T. (et al.) (2005) Global Hollywood 2. London: BFI Publishing.
• Orgad, S. (2012). Media Representation and the Global Imagination. Cambridge: Polity Press.
• Pickering, M. (2001) Stereotyping: The Politics of Representation. Basingstoke: Palgrave.
• Rantanen, T. (2004) The Media and Globalization. London: Sage.
• Silverstone, R. (2007). Media and Morality. Cambridge: Polity Press.
• Tomlinson, J. (1999) Globalisation and Culture. Cambridge: Polity Press.
• Thussu, D. (2006) Media on the Move: Global Flow and Contra-Flow. London and New York: Routledge.
• Silverstone, R. (2007) Media and Morality. Cambridge: Polity Press.

First year, at LSE

The first year at LSE lays solid theoretical and methodological foundation for future media and communications professionals to examine issues of media and communication within their political, social and cultural context.

Please note that at LSE we don't provide practical training in journalism, production, campaigning or media management.

Second year, at University of Cape Town

During the second year at the University of Cape Town, you'll examine global media and communications from an African vantage point. You'll do an internship in Cape Town and take a core course in Advanced Media Methodology. You can choose to write a dissertation or to complete a creative media production.

In addition, you'll select two courses from a range of theoretical and practice-oriented options offered by the Centre for Film and Media Studies (CFMS), or by other departments at UCT (with a maximum of one optional course from outside CFMS).

Optional courses offered by CFMS include: Avant-Garde Film, Travel Writing, Narrative Literary Journalism, Media Markets and Media Strategy, Political Communication, Political Journalism, Environmental Documentary, Advanced Television Analysis, Crisis Communication in Africa, South African Public Rhetoric, Understanding Public Argumentation, Screenwriting, Forms and Theories of Adaptation, Film and Environment, Media and the Public Domain, Media and National Development Policy, Creative Non-Fiction, Rhetoric of SA Social Memory, Mobile Media and Communications, Approaches to African Cinema and Conceptualising South Africa cinema.

More information about the second year at UCT

The Department of Media and Communications is a world-leading centre for education and research in the field. Our department is ranked number 1 in the UK and number 2 globally for communication and media studies (2024 QS World University Rankings).

We offer students a wide selection of programmes, including master’s degrees, doctoral research training and short courses. At any one time, we have around 270 master’s students and 30 PhD students from around the world – all varying in age, professional experience and backgrounds.

Within the department, our research is organised around four key themes: media culture and identities, media participation and politics, communication histories and futures, and communication technology, rights and justice. The outputs from our research are shared with organisations such as the BBC, Facebook, Google, UNICEF, Ofcom and the UK/EU governments.

LSE’s location at the heart of London, one of the world's media capitals, allows us to foster close links with media and communications industries and policymakers.

Graduates from our programmes progress to interesting roles in broadcasting, journalism, advertising, new media industries, political marketing, market research, regulation and policy, media management and research in the public and private sectors.

Department of Media and Communications

We welcome applications from all suitably qualified prospective students. At LSE, we want to recruit students with the best academic merit, potential and motivation, irrespective of background.

We carefully consider each application and take into account all the information included on your application form, such as your:

• academic achievement (including predicted and achieved grades)
• statement of academic purpose
• two academic references
• CV.

See further information on supporting documents.

You may need to provide evidence of your English language proficiency. See our English language requirements.

Data sharing

Double degrees and certain other degrees and scholarships require that LSE shares personal data with another university or partner. In our agreements we will use the School’s standard data sharing template for universities and partners in the EU and EEA and in an adequate country. Standard contract clauses will be used for any other country. If you have any questions about this or how your personal data will be treated by LSE, please contact the Data Protection Officer via glpd.info.rights@lse.ac.uk or check our Student Privacy Notice.

Please note: The applications, intake and ratio values below include the MSc Global Media and Communications, LSE and Fudan, and LSE and USC.

Applications for this programme are considered on a rolling basis. This means that applications will close once the programme is full.

There is no fixed deadline. However, if you’d like to be considered for any funding opportunities, you must submit your application (and all supporting documents) by the funding deadline. See the fees and funding section below for more details.

Year 1 (at LSE, 2025/26):

Home students: £28,900

Year 2 (at UCT, 2026/27):

Home students: Visit the University of Cape Town website

Year 1 (at LSE, 2025/26):

Overseas students: £28,900

Year 2 (at UCT, 2026/27):

Overseas students: Visit the University of Cape Town website

Formal classroom teaching is usually completed by the end of the Winter Term. Coursework is usually submitted in January and May, and examinations are generally held in May and June. The remaining months are set aside for you to complete the dissertations, supported by staff supervision.

All taught courses are required to include formative coursework which is unassessed. It's designed to help prepare you for summative assessment which counts towards the course mark and to the degree award. LSE uses a range of formative assessment, such as essays, problem sets, case studies, reports, quizzes, mock exams and many others. You'll be summatively assessed by written examinations (seen and unseen), research assignments, essays and the dissertation, which must be submitted in August.

Teaching and assessment in the second year will vary according to each institution.

On graduating, our students enter a variety of global careers including broadcasting, journalism, advertising, new media industries, political marketing, market research, regulation and policy, media management and research in both public and private sectors.

Further information on graduate destinations for this programme

From CV workshops through to careers fairs, LSE offers lots of information and support to help you make that all-important step from education into work.

Many of the UK’s top employers give careers presentations at the School during the year and there are numerous workshops covering topics such as job hunting, managing interviews, writing a cover letter and using LinkedIn.

See LSE Careers for further details.