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Make sense of your world.

Communication Studies focuses on the social, technological, political and cultural implications of current and changing communicative practices and networks.

With an emphasis on social and media-based communication, courses initiate a critical and creative understanding of digital, broadcast, print and mobile communication, and develop written and screens-based skills. These are central to comprehending the role of media and communication industries and practices in the wider context of society and culture.

Challenge your mind and broaden your views in a diverse, stimulating learning environment that demands you be critical, creative and innovative.

Why study Communication Studies?

Our courses will challenge your mind, broaden your views, and help you develop an increased awareness of transformations in society and culture.

Our goal is to prepare students to take their place as responsible and engaged citizens, who are critical, creative and innovative, equipped to connect with a diverse and fast-changing media world and to productively contribute to their communities and chosen professions. To serve this goal, our scholarship and teaching is interdisciplinary, inventive, and practical.

But that is not all that we do. Almost all employers look for fundamental life-long skills – literacy, numeracy, communication skills, the ability to lead and contribute to teams, as well as the ability to solve problems through dependable research. All of these skills are taught in our programme; they underlie most of what we do. We also value and develop an understanding of cultural diversity and differing perspectives, so it is not surprising that our graduates are to be found in many walks of life.

We have a well-established record of teaching and research, and staff who are internationally recognised in their disciplines.


Are you just starting uni?

Learn about studying Communication Studies as an undergraduate at Otago.

Choose a study option

Whether you are advancing your career with our specialised graduate qualifications or pursuing in-depth research and expertise through our postgraduate programmes, Otago is here to support your aspirations.

Postgraduate qualifications

Honours, masters’, PhDs, and other advanced degrees for graduates. Just one additional year of study will earn you a valuable postgraduate degree. Or perhaps you want the depth of a full year of research-only time during a master’s or to step up to a PhD.

Graduate qualifications

Our graduate qualifications are crafted to transition students from foundational studies to advanced, specialised knowledge.

Ready to apply?

Take your expertise to the next level with advanced study.

Programme details

Compare programmes for this subject.

Papers
MFCO 490 Dissertation
MFCO 401 Advanced Media, Film and Communication Theory
One further 400-level MFCO papers or other approved papers

The Postgraduate Diploma in Arts Subjects (PGDipArts) programme in Communication Studies is the same as the programme for the degree of Bachelor of Arts with Honours (BA(Hons)).

Dissertation / Studio Project Requirements
MFCO 590 Research Dissertation
MFCO 401 Advanced Media, Film and Communication Theory
Two 500-level HUMS papers (worth 60 points)
400-level MFCO papers worth 30 points
GEND 401 may be substituted for one 400-level MFCO paper
Papers-Only  Requirements
MFCO 401 Advanced Media, Film and Communication Theory
Two 500-level HUMS papers (worth 60 points)
400-level or 500-level MFCO papers worth 90 points
GEND 401 may be substituted for one 400-level MFCO paper
Note: Students are able to take one of HUMS 501-503 not already taken as an optional paper in this pathway.

Thesis
  • Thesis: COMS 5

Note: Students who have not completed a Bachelor of Arts (BA(Hons)) in Communication Studies or a Postgraduate Diploma in Arts Subjects (PGDipArts) in Communication Studies must complete the required papers for the BA(Hons) in Communication Studies prior to undertaking the thesis.

Papers

View a list of all related papers below.

MFCO papers

Paper Code Year Title Points Teaching period
MFCO101 2026, 2027 Screen Form and Culture 18 points Semester 1
MFCO102 2026, 2027 Media, Power, Society 18 points Semester 2
MFCO103 2026, 2027 Introduction to Communication Studies 18 points Semester 1
MFCO202 2026, 2027 Theory of Communication Studies 18 points Semester 1
MFCO203 2026, 2027 Media History 18 points Not offered in 2026, Not offered in 2027
MFCO205 2026, 2027 Communication Research Methods 18 points Semester 2, Semester 1
MFCO210 2026, 2027 Theory of Film and Media 18 points Semester 1
MFCO212 2026, 2027 Global Media and Communication 18 points Semester 1
MFCO213 2026, 2027 Media Genres 18 points Not offered in 2026, Semester 1
MFCO216 2026, 2027 Cinema of Aotearoa New Zealand 18 points Semester 1, Not offered in 2027
MFCO217 2026, 2027 Television Studies 18 points Not offered in 2026, Not offered in 2027
MFCO220 2026, 2027 Writing for the Media 18 points Semester 2
MFCO222 2026, 2027 Science, Technology, and Society 18 points Not offered in 2026, Not offered in 2027
MFCO223 2026, 2027 Documentary and Reality Media 18 points Not offered in 2026, Not offered in 2027
MFCO224 2026, 2027 Studying Selfies: Celebrity, Surveillance and Cyberspace 18 points Not offered in 2026, Not offered in 2027
MFCO225 2026, 2027 Crime and the Media 18 points Semester 2
MFCO242 2026, 2027 Special Topic 18 points Not offered in 2026, Not offered in 2027
MFCO250 2026, 2027 Celebrity 18 points Not offered in 2026, Semester 2
MFCO251 2026, 2027 Television Studio Production 18 points Semester 2
MFCO301 2026, 2027 Critical Problems in Film and Media 18 points Semester 2
MFCO303 2026, 2027 Critical Problems in Communication Studies 18 points Semester 2
MFCO305 2026, 2027 Communication Research Methods 18 points Semester 2, Semester 1
MFCO306 2026, 2027 Cinema of Aotearoa New Zealand 18 points Semester 1, Not offered in 2027
MFCO307 2026, 2027 Political Economy of Communication 18 points Semester 2
MFCO312 2026, 2027 Communication and the City 18 points Semester 2
MFCO313 2026, 2027 Culture, Politics and Media 18 points Semester 1
MFCO315 2026, 2027 Digital Media and Society 18 points Semester 1
MFCO318 2026, 2027 Indigenous Media 18 points Not offered in 2026, Semester 1
MFCO319 2026, 2027 Contemporary American Cinema 18 points Semester 1, Not offered in 2027, expected to be offered in 2028
MFCO323 2026, 2027 Documentary and Reality Media 18 points Not offered in 2026, Not offered in 2027
MFCO330 2026, 2027 Special Topic 18 points Not offered in 2026, Not offered in 2027
MFCO333 2026, 2027 Film Festivals 18 points Not offered in 2026, Not offered in 2027
MFCO350 2026, 2027 Celebrity 18 points Not offered in 2026, Semester 2
MFCO390 2027 Independent Essay in Media, Film and Communication 18 points Semester 1, Semester 2
MFCO401 2026, 2027 Advanced Media, Film and Communication Theory 30 points Semester 1
MFCO406 2026 Audience Studies 30 points Not offered in 2026
MFCO408 2026, 2027 Screening Gender 30 points Not offered in 2026, Not offered in 2027
MFCO411 2026, 2027 Independent Study in Media, Film and Communication 30 points Semester 1
MFCO412 2026, 2027 Communicating the Self 30 points Not offered in 2026, Not offered in 2027
MFCO414 2026, 2027 Discourse Theory and Practice 30 points Not offered in 2026, Not offered in 2027
MFCO416 2026, 2027 Communication Policy: Issues and Approaches 30 points Semester 2
MFCO417 2026, 2027 Postcolonial Media and Communication 30 points Semester 1, Semester 2
MFCO441 2026, 2027 Special Topic 30 points Not offered in 2026, Not offered in 2027
MFCO490 2026, 2027 Dissertation 60 points Full Year, 1st Non standard period (13 July 2026 - 11 June 2027), 1st Non standard period (12 July 2027 - 9 June 2028)
MFCO518 2027 Global Audiences and Publics 30 points Semester 1
MFCO590 2026, 2027 Research Dissertation 60 points 1st Non standard period (27 February 2026 - 19 February 2027), 2nd Non standard period (17 July 2026 - 9 July 2027), 1st Non standard period (5 March 2027 - 25 February 2028), 2nd Non standard period (16 July 2027 - 7 July 2028)

Contacts

Media, Film and Communication Programme
School of Social Sciences
Web  otago.ac.nz/mfco


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Regulations on this page are taken from the 2026 Calendar and supplementary material.

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