About this program
MA Social Media and Society
This MA program offers a critical exploration of social media within contemporary networked societies and trains students to work with (big) data in a responsible way. Social media have changed the fabric of everyday life and society. This has had important implications for how we inform ourselves, with whom we connect and in which ways, how we organize our daily lives, and how we perform as citizens. Knowledge of the ways these quickly emerging communication infrastructures are fundamentally transforming society is indispensable. At a time when intensive data-gathering and analysis is key for companies and governments, this MA program’s theoretical approach to social media and their data-driven impact on society helps students in understanding and reflecting on critical issues in order to respond to current societal transformations. From a practical perspective, students are trained to investigate social media data in the context of social, political and economic change.
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Admission requirements
Dutch diploma
language test - Additional requirements English (also for pre-master applicants): A VWO diploma or a subject certificate for VWO English (mark 6 or higher), minimum requirement of TOEFL iBT 90 (with a minimum of 21 on all items), or IELTS 6.5 (with a minimum of 6 on all items). Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency with a minimum score of 180. If you have a VWO diploma a language test is not required.
previous education - Students with a BA degree from a University for Applied Sciences (HBO) cannot apply directly for the MA Media Studies track in Social Media Society
International diploma
language test - Additional requirements English (also for pre-master applicants): A VWO diploma or a subject certificate for VWO English (mark 6 or higher), minimum requirement of TOEFL iBT 90 (with a minimum of 21 on all items), or IELTS 6.5 (with a minimum of 6 on all items). Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency with a minimum score of 180.
previous education - Students with a BA degree from a University for Applied Sciences (HBO) cannot apply directly for the MA Media Studies track in Social Media Society.
For more information about admission requirements, please visit the university website.
Does this course require proof of English proficiency?
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Learn moreProgram content
Year 1
- Multimodal Discourse Analysis
- Network Theory
- Statistical Analysis with R
- Transformations in the Digital Society
- Analyzing Social Media Data
- Capturing Media Use
- Conceptualizing Audiences
- Platform Studies
- Connectivity: Contemporary Debates
- Data for Society: Civic Media
- Media Policy and Regulation
- Research Seminar SMS
- Start-up Lab
- Story Lab
Year 2
- Master's Thesis: SMS
- MA Thesis Plus: SMS
- Tutorial
- Master's Internship: SMS
Scholarships & funding
Several scholarship options are available. Please check the university website for more information.
Tuition
- Tuition fees for EU/EEA Students: € 2,314 per year
- Tuition fees for Non-EU/EEA Students: € 16,000 per year
Qualification
Credits: 90 ECTS
MA in Media Studies
Career paths
Students who finish this MA degree have:
- A thorough understanding of the societal implications of the emerging social media ecology for democracy, social cohesion and the economy
- Strong analytical, methodological and professional skills that allows them to design and conduct critical research into social media, networks and their implications for society and to computationally collect, analyze, visualize and re-use social media data to study online behaviour and content on a large scale
Job examples
- Data analyst
- Market researcher
- Marketing officer
- Communication and public relations officer
- Consultant
- Entrepreneur
- Policy advisor
Message the school
About this institute
University of Groningen
The University of Groningen is one of the oldest universities in the Netherlands, founded in 1614 and it ranks amongst the top 100 universities in the world. We are a research-intensive institution offering a wide range of highly regarded bachelor, master...
Why study at University of Groningen
We're a Top 100 University
Study at one of the world’s leading universities. Learn from the best and take advantage of exciting research opportunities. Live in a vibrant city where over a quarter of the population are students. Whatever you’re seeking from your university experience, you’ll find it in Groningen. With over 45 world-class Bachelor’s programmes and 160 highly-ranked Master’s programmes, we have a field of study for you.
Our groundbreaking research
As a student, you will be actively involved in research at one of Europe’s top research institutions from the get-go. The University of Groningen carries out ground-breaking and socially-relevant research that builds bridges between disciplines and closes the gap between science and society.
400 years of reputation
The University of Groningen is the second oldest university in the Netherlands and has built a reputation for excellence. Many talented people have passed through the university during its rich 400-year history, including Nobel Prize winners like Ben Feringa (Chemistry, 2016) and Frits Zernike (Physics, 1953). Some have been pioneers in their respective fields, such as the first female University student and the first female lecturer in the Netherlands, the first Dutch astronaut and the first president of the European Bank.
Vibrant Student Life
While its history can be traced back to 300 BC, today Groningen is a vibrant student city with the youngest population in the Netherlands – one in four people here is a student! That means there’s always something to do, with various art and music festivals, theatres, cinemas and performance venues catering to all tastes, whether you prefer to watch or want to join in. In Groningen, you’ll see students everywhere: studying in the pretty Noorderplantsoen park, working various part-time jobs and partying the night away.
Global Community
The University of Groningen attracts a large international community! Our Erasmus Student Network (ESN) conveniently facilitates all international students in Groningen and organizes over 150 activities a year. The University of Groningen has strong international connections which means that you can easily spend part of your degree studying abroad. The University also offers several unique international Master’s degree programmes in cooperation with other large European universities.
Contact info
University of Groningen
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