Master in Media and Communication Studies: Culture, Collaborative Media, and Creative Industries (2 year option)
Malmö, Sweden
Master degree
DURATION
2 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
18 Jan 2027
TUITION FEES
SEK 320,000
STUDY FORMAT
Distance Learning
* this is the deadline for national round. Non-EU/EEA students who require a residence permit should apply during international admissions round opening mid-October 2026.
Key Summary
About: The two-year Master in Media and Communication Studies (Culture, Collaborative Media, and Creative Industries) at Malmö University explores a rapidly changing digital media landscape where participation shapes production and consumption. The full-time web-based programme blends distance and campus-based learning with compulsory seminars in Malmö or online, uses an online platform for projects, and encourages experimental collaborative media practice and critical evaluation.
Career Outcomes: Graduates qualify for roles across media, communication and the creative industries. Employers include media organisations, companies, government bodies and NGOs. Typical careers include content producer, digital strategist, communications officer, media researcher, and further postgraduate study options.
The field of media is constantly shifting. In the last decade, the changes have been rapid, and a new media landscape has emerged — forever reshaping not only consumers but also creators and distributors of media. Today's digital media are characterised by participation and cooperation; media are wholly collaborative in terms of both production and consumption, and this is what is meant by the term ‘collaborative media.
The two-year master's programme in Media and Communication Studies gives you advanced knowledge of digital media through practical approaches in the field. You will work creatively and in an explorative manner with different types of media while learning to evaluate them from a critical perspective.
The unique pedagogical approach
The programme, which is web-based and full-time, makes education available to students globally and offers a unique blend of distance and campus-based learning. The seminars are compulsory, and you can either attend in Malmö or online. This approach makes it possible for international students to enrol in the programme without having to relocate, leading to a diverse and intercultural student body that increases the opportunities for students to form transnational networks and to benefit from international lecturers.
The programme is hosted on an online platform through which communication between students and lecturers takes place and where student projects are uploaded. As the main theme of the programme is collaborative media, this pedagogical approach leaves room for experimentation, and students are encouraged to use collaborative media during the learning process.
What you will learn
During the programme, you will develop three primary skill sets: the ability to analyse and strategically approach media and its impact on society; the capability to work with media and communication both methodologically and systematically; and the knowledge required to produce media texts, both individually and collaboratively. Compared to bachelor's level degrees, this advanced programme has a clear focus on the development of strategic expertise, a skill crucial for those intending to pursue a professional career in media and communication. During the education, you will furthermore obtain an in-depth knowledge of the workings of the creative industries.
The programme is developed alongside and conducted in collaboration with Media Evolution, a media cluster with over 350 member companies based in Malmö. This facilitates a crossover between the academic and professional worlds and allows students to develop skills in both areas throughout their studies. Throughout the programme, you will get the chance to meet several international guest lecturers from universities all across the world, further adding to the global relevance of the programme.
The first and second year
This programme starts with new students every autumn semester. The first year focuses on examining key themes in communication studies. The courses will also give you a deeper understanding of today's creative industries and the possibilities of collaborative media. The year ends with the writing of a (one-year, 15 credits) master's thesis. During the second year of the programme, there is the possibility of doing an internship-based course. You will also deepen your knowledge of activist, strategic, and entrepreneurial approaches to media, and you will acquire skills in prototyping and visualisation. The programme ends with the writing of a second master’s thesis (15 credits).
Organisation
The programme aims to significantly advance students' scientific knowledge and skills in Media and Communication Studies. The programme is established under the larger research profile of New Media, Public Spheres, and Forms of Expression.
Designed to provide students with the requisite skills for working in Media and Communication, the programme prepares participants for work at companies, government agencies, or organisations that specifically have media and communication as their main field of activity, and/or depend on media and communication to achieve their goals. The programme also gives students the eligibility to pursue further studies in the field.
The programme comprises 120 credits. It is a hybrid and taught in English. Upon completion of the education, the student shall have acquired at least 60 credits in Media and Communication Studies.
Contents
Autumn 2025 - Semester 1
- Media and Communication Studies: Key Themes in Media and Communication Studies (KK640B), 15 credits, compulsory
- Media and Communication Studies: Research Methods & Methodology (KK650A), 15 credits, compulsory
Spring 2026 - Semester 2
- Media and Communication Studies: Understanding the Creative Industries (KK641C), 15 credits, compulsory
- Media and Communication Studies: Collaborative Media (KK642C), 15 credits, compulsory
Autumn 2026 - Semester 3
- Media and Communication Studies: Data and Society (KK654A), 15 credits, compulsory
- Internship - Reflecting on One's Own Practice (KK651A), 15 credits, elective
- Media and Communication Studies: Digital Technologies, Activism, and Social Movements (KK652A), 15 credits, elective
Spring 2027 - Semester 4
- Media and Communication Studies: Master (two-year) thesis (KK653A), 30 credits, compulsory
Knowledge and understanding
- Demonstrate knowledge and understanding in Media and Communication studies, including both broad knowledge of the field and a considerable degree of specialised knowledge in certain areas of the field, as well as insight into current research and development work.
- Demonstrate specialised methodological knowledge in Media and Communication studies.
Competence and skills
- Demonstrate the ability to critically and systematically integrate knowledge and analyse, assess, and deal with complex phenomena, issues, and situations, even with limited information
- Demonstrate the ability to identify and formulate issues critically, autonomously, and creatively, as well as to plan and, using appropriate methods, undertake advanced tasks within predetermined time frames and so contribute to the formation of knowledge as well as the ability to evaluate this work.
- Demonstrate the ability in speech and writing, both nationally and internationally, to report and discuss his or her conclusions and the knowledge and arguments on which they are based in dialogue with different audiences.
- Demonstrate the skills required for participation in research and development work or autonomous employment in some other qualified capacity.
Judgment and approach
- Demonstrate the ability to make assessments in Media and Communication Studies informed by relevant disciplinary, social, and ethical issues and also demonstrate awareness of ethical aspects of research and development work.
- Demonstrate insight into the possibilities and limitations of research, its role in society, and the responsibility of the individual for how it is used.
- Demonstrate the ability to identify the personal need for further knowledge and take responsibility for his or her ongoing learning.
After graduating, you will have the qualifications necessary to work in media and communication. The skillset and knowledge you develop during your studies are valuable to the fast-growing creative industries. Companies, government, and organisations are other possible employers as they become increasingly dependent on communication and media in their business. This programme is for those of you who want to take an active role in the development of the media field. It also provides a foundation for further post-graduate studies.