You may not agree, but mass media feeds the human imagination. It is the arena of everything you know and want to know and everything you hear or want to hear. Everything there is to know about the world is there. Now, because mass media is so prevalent, we don’t get much out of it. As in, few of us would think it deserves its own curriculum. I asked a few people what they thought of media studies, and a handful answered with “what is the need?” kind of remark. But whether you agree or not, media studies have an impact on all of us.
Whatever media data you consume comes from humans. Each of us is different and perceives information from a myriad of perspectives and with distinct motivations. For example, you read an article about a scandal in Hollywood and how the parties involved were discussed in the media. What you see and hear in the media will affect your perspective on the scandal. Perhaps you will end up consuming all the information as it is without independent reading. It’s not just your case; there are millions like us who consume media this way. Therefore, we need to have professionals who understand how mass media works, and the example above is just one example among many to show the multifunctional nature of mass media.
For more, below are 5 tips on why you should consider media studies.
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An interesting mix of disciplines
Redundancy in education is useless. Education is a fluid process that should not be limited to narrow areas of interest. Multidisciplinary teaching accentuates cognitive abilities by strengthening analytical skills – and that is exactly what media studies do. The media space is a virtual human society, which invites the interaction of many disciplines such as psychology, sociology, communication, law, economics and business.
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The world of media studies is engaging
Media studies is a generic term, actually. There are many types of courses built into it. These include courses in communication, social media, journalism, film and media studies, and editing and publishing. All these courses are adapted to include other disciplines in their administration such as those mentioned in the previous point. Media studies graduates are generally advised to pursue specialization in their master’s degree programs to enhance their career opportunities.
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Development of analytical skills
Given the nature of media, your courses will be tailored to develop high analytical skills. You will be asked to make additional commitments outside of your lectures; these include assignments, case studies, internships and group projects. These companies require the candidate to have in-depth subject matter knowledge and the mental ability to analyze media from various angles through an objective lens. For example, you have been asked to do a case study on the impact of violent video games on young gamers. The demands of this task are such that you will only be able to carry it out if you delve into aspects, well beyond theory, such as the sociological and psychological impact of violence, the path of the players and the studies empirical studies conducted on the subject to approve or disagree with your point of view.
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You will understand the world better
Believe it or not, the media are essential to human life. You need it to survive today. Every day we wake up with new information on, for example, social media. For many of us, this information becomes a fact of life. The media is an ideal breeding ground for truths and lies. If you haven’t studied the media, you may not be as objective in their assessments as you think. Media studies graduates, on the other hand, are equipped with essential mental tools to assess the information circulating in the media space. You will ask many questions that many won’t, such as the source of the information, the purpose of the content, the nature of the target audience, the techniques used to refine the information, etc.
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Many job opportunities
I don’t think I need to explain why mass media is such a powerful tool for humans. A media studies graduate can work in a variety of positions depending on their credentials. The job market has many options for these graduates such as digital marketers, media planner, public relations manager, social media manager, and web content managers. Your chances of getting a lucrative job also depend on your academic credentials. Taking a course in media studies at top universities such as the University of Amsterdam, the London School of Economics and Political Science, and the University of Southern California will give your career a massive boost.
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