Critical Approaches to Contemporary Media (P4132)

30 credits, Level 4

Autumn teaching

On this module, you’ll explore current approaches to media, culture and communication. Through critical questions, you’ll consider how media studies address some of our biggest social issues, such as:

• the relationship between media and democracy
• how media is racialised, gendered and classed
• how media is made and consumed
• media ownership
• the politics of data and surveillance.

You’ll build transferable study skills and engage with different media forms, such as:

• news media
• broadcast media, including television and radio
• film and video
• music and sound media
• social media
• digital media.

Contact hours and workload

This module is approximately 300 hours of work. This breaks down into about 50 hours of contact time and about 250 hours of independent study. The University may make minor variations to the contact hours for operational reasons, including timetabling requirements.

We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2026/27. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum.

We’ll make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.

Courses

This module is offered on the following courses:

• English and Media Studies BA
• Media and Communications BA