Media Practices - master
Media professions are in flux. We see ever closer links and occupational slippage between jobs in the media industry (e.g. journalists, communicators, animators, filmmakers, producers, and designers). This disruptive digitalization and convergence create new challenges for candidates who might fill media professions. However, the convergence does not remove the need for professional specialization. The program, therefore, does not educate “one-size-fits-all” media practitioners, but rather emphasizes both what unites occupations/professions (like social missions, societal roles, rhetoric, narrative technique, and communication) and what differentiates them (different positions in society, various work tools, different professional traditions). The Master in Media Practices (MMP) at Volda University College are giving its students competence in three different fields. The first are theories and concepts that are of relevance for understanding modern media and their internal work, like journalism, documentary film, Public Relations, animation etc. The second field of learning for the students in this Master program stems is the experience and skillls that come from actual media practice and media production, from the practical courses that are integrated in the study. The third field of learning is academic writing and doing research on media topics that the students choose by themselves, with guided by a supervisor. Thus, this Master program develop its candidates with a combination of theory, practice and academic writing/research. When the candidates complete the Master program, they have deveopled their knowledge and skills on all three of these fields - and have thus become attractice and competent for work in the media industry.
In accordance with the national qualifications framework students shall acquire the following learning outcomes after completion of the course:
The candidate will
- have advanced knowledge in the field of media and specialized insight in a specific area of the field, for instance, journalism, documentary film, communication, animation, or design
- have a thorough knowledge of the social significance of media and the ethical demands directed at those working in the profession
- have a thorough knowledge of rhetoric, narration, and the forms of communication used in media
The candidate will be able to
- analyse media topics on the basis of the field’s history, tradition, individuality and place in society
- produce a media product of professional standard in his/her chosen field
- locate, analyse and manage different sources of information from a critical perspective, and employ these in order to structure, formulate and complete media products of a high professional standard in his or her area of expertise
- plan, develop and complete an individual academic project on media in accordance with relevant norms in research ethics
The candidate will be able to
- employ his or her knowledge and skills in new areas to complete advanced tasks and projects
- present an extensive individual body of work and discuss academic issues, analysis and conclusions in the field of media, particularly within his or her area of expertise, with both specialists and the public
- work independently in practical and theoretical problem solving and contribute to new thinking and innovation processes
The programe consists of lectures, seminars and workshops, individual and group work. Final assesment varies from written exams, group exams with an individual part, essays and portfolio exams. The master thesis is finalised with and oral exam.
Media professions are in flux. We see ever closer links and occupational slippage between jobs in the media industry (e.g. journalists, communicators, animators, documentary filmmakers, producers). This disruptive digitalization and convergence creates new challenges for candidates who might fill media professions. However, the convergence does not remove the need for professional specialization. The program therefore does not educate “one-size-fits-all” media practitioners, but rather emphasizes both what unites occupations/professions (like social missions, societal role, rhetoric, narrative technique and communication) and what differentiates them (different positions in society, various work tools, different professional traditions).
Course | 2025 Autumn | 2026 Spring | 2026 Autumn | 2027 Spring |
---|---|---|---|---|
15 | ||||
15 | ||||
Elective subjects (There may be restrictions on some combinations. Changes may occur) | 30 | |||
15 | ||||
15 | ||||
15 | ||||
15 | ||||
15 | ||||
15 | ||||
Elective subjects from other master's programs. Application to the IPA subjects is to be done by email to Studentsorvis@hivolda.no before November 20th. International students need to document a high degree of Norwegian language proficiency. | ||||
15 | ||||
15 | ||||
15 | ||||
Master Thesis, select either MMP313 Project Based Master Thesis or MMP314 Written Master Thesis | 15 | 30 | ||
15 | 30 | |||
15 | 30 | |||
Sum (120 total) | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 |
The first Spring semester