Master of Communication Studies

In the first part of your study you choose courses to suit your individual interests, including a core research methods course and at least one course on current developments in media and communication studies.

In the second part of your study, you focus on your thesis. The thesis can be produced in a traditional academic form or may include a creative component as part of your research inquiry. A thesis that includes a creative component also needs to include a written exegesis that analyses and critically reflects on the creative work in its critical, theoretical, historical and personal context.

Choose one Research Methodology course

• COMM802 Practice-Based Research Methods (15 points)
• COMM807 Media Communication Research Methods (15 points)

Select 75 points from the following courses

Media Context

• COMM801 Popular Media and Contemporary Society (15 points)
• COMM803 A Political Economy Approach to the Media (15 points)
• COMM804 Celebrity Culture: Media and the Social Organisation of Fame (15 points)
• COMM810 New Media and Society (15 points)
• COMM812 Selected Topics in Media Communication Practice (15 points)
• COMM814 Global Crises and the Media (15 points)
• COMM815 Mediated Political Talk (15 points)

Communications & Public Relations

• PUBL801 International Public Relations (15 points)
• PUBL802 Journalism and Media Relations (15 points)
• PUBL803 Strategic Public Relations (15 points)
• PUBL804 Public Relations Concepts and Critique (15 points)
• PUBL805 Public Relations Project (30 points)
• PUBL806 Global Communication Project (15 points)
• PUBL807 Health Communication (15 points)
• PUBL808 Advocacy and Activism (15 points)

Digital Media

• DIGM801 Online and Social Media Management (15 points)
• DIGM802 Digital Visual Communication (15 points)
• DIGM803 Interactive and Mobile Media (15 points)
• DIGM804 Moving Image (15 points)
• DIGM805 Web Media (15 points)
• DIGM806 Transnarrative (15 points)
• DIGM807 UI / UX Engagement (15 points)
• DIGM808 Digital Strategies (15 points)

Journalism

• JOUR800 Magazine Journalism (15 points)
• JOUR801 Asia-Pacific Journalism Studies (15 points)
• JOUR802 Investigative and Agenda-Setting Journalism (15 points)
• JOUR803 Journalism Law and Ethics (15 points)
• JOUR804 Journalism Theory and Practice (15 points)
• JOUR805 News Editing and Design Workshop (15 points)
• JOUR806 Public Affairs Reporting Workshop (15 points)
• JOUR807 News Reporting (30 points)
• JOUR808 Audio-Visual News Production (15 points)
• JOUR809 Newsroom Production (30 points)
• JOUR810 International Journalism Project (15 points) (More information)

Screen Production

• TVSP801 Practical Screen Production (15 points)
• TVSP802 Advanced Non Fiction Screenwriting (15 points)
• TVSP804 Documentary Studies (15 points)
• TVSP805 Producing for the Screen (15 points)
• TVSP808 New Directions in Screen Production (15 points)
• TVSP809 New Zealand / Pacific Documentary Studies (15 points)
• TVSP810 Screen Project: Directing (15 points)
• TVSP811 Making Cinemas of Difference (15 points)

Additional Courses

• ADVT880 Understanding Brand Communication in a Culture of Promotion (15 points)
• ADVT881 Brand Communication Studio (15 points)
• ADVT883 Brand Stories (15 points)
• ADVT884 Not-for-profit Communication (15 points)
• ADVT885 Retail Engagement (15 points)
• ADVT886 Social Marketing (15 points)
• COMM805 Cooperative Education (30 points)
• COMM806 Media Communication Reading Paper (15 points)
• COMM811 Project (30 points)
• COMM895 Dissertation (A) (30 points)
• COMM897 Dissertation (B) (60 points)

Or any other postgraduate course approved by the programme leader.

Thesis

• COMM998 Communication Studies Thesis (90 points)

More details about courses in this programme

Detailed programme structure and course outlines (Blackboard)

Search for a course (Arion)

Email pgcommqueries@aut.ac.nz

Enrolment in courses is subject to meeting all requirements and availability of courses.