What you study You will be introduced to the central sociological issues in understanding and researching media, culture and society. At later levels you develop a deeper sociological understanding of crucial cultural and media phenomena, addressing a range of contemporary social and cultural questions. “My degree has helped me in my life a great deal. The degree partly focused on the ability to critically analyse different authors. I think this has been the most useful part in terms of helping with my career. I can look at things from different angles and still form meaningful conclusions”. Angie, Dundee. “The course itself is fantastic for anyone interested in how society works, especially in relation to the media and its influences. The programme covers a huge range of topics which can be theoretically and practically applied in any field of the media or sociology”. Katie, Dundee. You will study: Sociology to understand how society functions Media analysis of news, films and other cultural products Power, inequality and representation Social theory and research methods How you learn and are assessed Lectures provide you with the framework for further study through reading and tutorial sessions. The course draws from a range of disciplines and as such, it enables students to address and research a wide range of topic areas; from the representation of Edinburgh in the works of Ian Rankin to a critical sociological analysis of meat consumption in modern societies. The programme combines an innovative range of assessment methods so that you can develop a continuum of skills from independent learning through to group collaboration with others. Assessments gradually build-up your writing and analytical skills, culminating in the supervised Honours dissertation.

Career prospects The course also gives you the foundation you need to pursue careers in research, journalism and public relations as well as a wide range of people oriented careers. For example, Jane a former student from Perth completed a postgraduate diploma in Community Learning and Development and now works for Perth council as a community worker after spending time volunteering in India. In a society where an understanding of culture and communication is of central importance, this course develops the flexible skills that employers increasingly require. As the course draws from a range of academic disciplines, it provides you with an excellent critical base for understanding how communications, media and cultural change shape daily life. This means that the degree provides you with the skills to pursue a wide range of career paths. Many of our former students have gone on to be teachers, social workers and community education workers.