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Graduate (Research)
Application code:P4ZM
Department of Media and Communications

MPhil/PhD Media and Communications

Uncover how media and communications shape society, culture and public opinion. Study in a globally renowned department of world-class academics.

Overview

Introduction

This MPhil/PhD programme explores how media and communications developments shape, and are shaped by social, cultural, political, economic and historical factors. You’ll look at the changing nature of media production, dissemination and consumption amidst growing globalisation and digitisation of information.

Our research activities span four intersecting topics:

You’ll complete practical skills training focused on media and communications research and have the chance to contribute to original work in the field. Current PhD students are completing research on wide-ranging topics from the media and journalism in China to power and discrimination on YouTube and TikTok.

You’ll begin on the MPhil and progress to the PhD (subject to meeting certain requirements).

Research conducted within the department informs policymaking and industry practice nationally and internationally. Our department is ranked top in the UK and second in the world for media and communications (QS World University Rankings 2024). In the most recent Research Assessment Exercise, 96% of our research was rated "world-leading" or "internationally excellent". This is partly achieved through our commitment to promoting diversity in our doctoral cohort as well as our faculty, we particularly encourage applications from underrepresented groups and perspectives.

Graduates from this programme find high-level roles as academic researchers as well as in strategic decision making positions in intergovernmental organisations and the public and private sectors.

Entry requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this programme is a high merit (68 per cent) in a taught master's degree (or equivalent) in social science or humanities and normally a distinction in the dissertation.

Please select your country from the dropdown list below to find out the entry requirements that apply to you.

Overseas

English language requirements

The English language requirement for this programme is Research. Read more about our English language requirements.

Competition for places at LSE is strong. So, even if you meet the minimum entry requirements, this does not guarantee you an offer of a place.

However, please don’t feel deterred from applying – we want to hear from all suitably qualified students. Think carefully about how you can put together the strongest possible application to help you stand out from other students.

Programme content

Year 1

All First year students are MPhil students until they pass their upgrade, at which point they'll become PhD students.

In addition to satisfactory completion of the training below, all MPhil students will be required to submit a thesis proposal of 10,000 words to their thesis committee. This paper needs to include a substantive statement of the aims, theories and methods proposed for the thesis, a tentative chapter outline, an indicative bibliography and a timetable for completion.

Together with any examination(s) for quantitative methodological courses, the thesis proposal will form part of the evaluation process, and, together with an upgrade viva, will determine whether students are permitted to upgrade from MPhil to PhD and continue into their second year.

Why study with us

Discover more about our students and department.

Meet the department

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.

Your application

Overview

We welcome applications for research programmes that complement the academic interests of our staff at LSE. For this reason, we recommend that you take a look at our staff research interests before applying.

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

  • academic achievement (including existing and pending qualifications)
  • statement of academic purpose
  • references
  • CV
  • outline research proposal
  • sample of written work.

See further information on supporting documents.

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

Please note that LSE allows part-time PhD study only under limited circumstances. If you wish to study part-time, you should mention this (and the reasons for it) in your statement of academic purpose, and discuss it at interview if you're shortlisted.

Research proposal guidelines

Applicants for doctoral study with the Department of Media and Communications are required to submit a research proposal of no more than 2,500 words summarising and justifying their proposed research.

The research proposal will provide selectors with an idea of topics of interest, and help in matching candidates to potential supervisors. If your application is accepted, you may be permitted to re-negotiate your topic, subject to the department’s ability to supervise the new topic.

The final project proposal should feature the following sections:

  • Title: A clearly stated title/research question at the beginning of your proposal.
  • Preferred potential supervisor: Please indicate clearly on the first page of the proposal who you wish to supervise your project. Available supervisors can be found on our list of Academic staff (please note LSE Fellows cannot supervise PhD projects).
  • Keywords: Please include on the first page of the proposal up to 10 keywords or phrases which accurately reflect the content of your project (eg, "internet governance", "data privacy", "children's media use", "feminism", "representation", "platform studies").
  • Introduction to research question(s): What question(s) will you attempt to answer? Why is the topic interesting and important? Is there a theoretical and empirical "gap" that your research will seek to fill? What core theories and concepts will you draw on?
  • Literature Review: Summarise the relevant literature and the field(s) to be contributed to. What are the main theories in the area? What are the critical empirical phenomena in the area? Specify the key references relevant to the proposed research. How do you position yourself vis-à-vis the theories and concepts you propose to use?
  • Methodology: How will you address the empirical aspects of the research? Which methodology is appropriate and why? If the research question requires a combination of different methodologies, how will they be related? Do you foresee any practical difficulties in pursuing the research (e.g. finding suitable participants or data sources)? If so, how might they be overcome?
  • Conclusion: What is the added value of the project? How will your research take our understanding forward in your chosen (sub-)field?
  • Bibliography: A list of texts used in preparing your proposal. (Not to be included in the word count).

Fees and funding

The table of fees shows the latest tuition fees for all programmes.

You're charged a fee for your programme. Your tuition fee covers registration and examination fees payable to the School, lectures, classes and individual supervision, lectures given at other colleges under intercollegiate arrangements and, under current arrangements, membership of the Students' Union. It doesn't cover living costs or travel or fieldwork.

Home

£4,905

Home student fee (2025/26)

The fee is likely to rise over the full duration of the programme. The School charges home research students in line with fee levels recommended by the Research Councils.

Learn more about fee status classification.

Learning and assessment

How you learn

Graduate destinations

Overview

Students who successfully complete the programme often embark on an academic career.

Further information on graduate destinations for this programme

Median salary of our postgraduate students 15 months after graduating:

£35,500

Top 5 sectors our students work in:

Advertising, Marketing, PR, Media, Entertainment, Publishing and Journalism
Government, Public Sector and Policy
Education, Teaching and Research
Consultancy
Information, Digital Technology and Data
This data is drawn from the 2021/22 Graduate Outcomes Survey, run by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). Median salaries are calculated for respondents who are paid in UK pounds sterling and in full-time employment.

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