Make Sense of Your World
Why Study Media, Film and Communication?
Courses in the Department 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 department; 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.
The Department has a well-established record of teaching and research, and staff who are internationally recognised in their disciplines.
Media, Film and Communication at Otago
Our Major Subjects
The Department offers majors in Communication Studies, and Film and Media Studies. Students are able to tailor their studies to pursue their specific interests and goals. Our degrees can also be combined with other subjects to form a double-major or double-degree programme of study.
Communication Studies
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.
Film and Media Studies
Film & Media Studies focuses on the aesthetic, cultural and social significance of cinema, television and new screen technologies and their interconnections. It is concerned with the teaching of screen literacy as it applies to moving images and screens and looks at dominant and alternative practices – Hollywood cinema, global media, advertising, art cinema, the avant-garde, local and indigenous media, and documentary.
See detailed information about Media, Film and Communication papers.
Background Required
No prior background is required.
Career Opportunities
Our graduates work in a variety of fields, including media production, journalism, education, advertising, administration, archival and curatorial work, media policy analysis, public relations, tourism, and some go on to postgraduate study in our Honours, Masters and PhD programmes. A degree from the Department prepares you for a wide range of career options, including career pathways that might not yet exist.
