Where you can study
International students
International students are not New Zealand citizens or residents.
Specialise in Media Studies for your Bachelor of Arts at Massey
Massey’s BA (Media Studies) is an exciting discipline that will prepare you for future challenges in an information-rich society. Media studies analyses the production, consumption and content of a range of media including film, social media, television, popular music and smartphones. You will explore the formal characteristics of these media and their social, cultural, political and economic implications.
Be challenged
- Explore the ways in which media texts, audiences and users create and circulate meanings.
- Analyse the relationships between media, culture and society and how they influence our views of the world.
- Communicate your findings effectively through speech and writing.
- Tackle open-ended questions where there are no simple right or wrong answers.
- Develop creative and critical approaches to producing media.
Blend media theory and media production
You’ll become a media-shaper who can ‘do’ as well as think. Your lecturers are internationally published experts in their fields. They collectively span the breadth of contemporary media studies. We use media theories as a springboard for exploring a range of media forms. We will guide you through the practice of creating your own media products such as short films and documentaries.
State-of-the-art facilities
We offer you access to the latest in digital technology through our new state-of-the-art facilities and online learning system. You’ll have opportunities for hands-on learning that reflects the latest developments in media practice to give you skills relevant to today’s industry.
Shape the future of the media world
At the heart of our qualification is the study and creation of a variety of media forms. We consider different aspects of the media and their relationships to the historical, social and cultural contexts in which they occur. You’ll be encouraged to use lateral-thinking skills to understand the world of media and participate in shaping its future.
A Bachelor of Arts in Media Studies is a good fit if you:
- are creative and would like to make your own media
- enjoy subjects such as media studies, English and drama
- like to question and debate what you see in the media.
Planning information
If you study full time, in the first year you’ll take eight 15-credit courses, making a total of 120 credits.
If you wish to study over two semesters, you should aim for 60 credits per semester. You may be able to take some courses at summer school if you wish. Make sure you include courses that are prerequisites for the next level of courses you wish to study.
You need to pass five courses at 300-level for your BA. One of these (230310) is in the compulsory core and three are required for your major. If you are not taking a double major or a minor, you will need to take one 300-level elective course to meet this requirement.
About this major
A Media Studies major consists of 120 credits (eight courses).
Minors
Completing a minor is optional. Minors increase the breadth of your degree. They give you extra knowledge, attributes and capabilities.
A minor must be in a different subject from your major.
A Bachelor of Arts (Media Studies) with a minor
You may choose a minor from the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Business or Bachelor of Science. If the minor is from another degree the regulations of that qualification will apply.
A media studies minor (for students who are studying a different degree)
If you are not studying towards a BA (Media Studies) and wish to complete a minor in media studies see the BA regulations for requirements.
Official regulations
To understand what you need to study and must complete to graduate read the official rules and regulations for this qualification.
You should read these together with all other relevant Statutes and Regulations of the University including the General Regulations for Undergraduate Degrees, Undergraduate Diplomas, Undergraduate Certificates, Graduate Diplomas and Graduate Certificates.
Returning students
For returning students, there may be changes to the majors and minors available and the courses you need to take. Go to the section called ‘Transitional Provisions’ in the Regulations to find out more.
In some cases the qualification or specialisation you enrolled in may be no longer be taking new enrolments, so may not appear on these web pages. To find information on the regulations for these qualifications go to the Massey University Calendar.
Please contact us through the Get advice button on this page if you have any questions.
Courses you can enrol in
Course planning key
- Prerequisites
- Courses that need to be completed before moving onto a course at the next level. For example, a lot of 200-level courses have 100-level prerequisite courses.
- Corequisites
- Courses that must be completed at the same time as another course are known as corequisite courses.
- Restrictions
- Some courses are restricted against each other because their content is similar. This means you can only choose one of the offered courses to study and credit to your qualification.
Compulsory courses
Course code: 154101 Introduction to Media Studies 15 credits
An introduction to theories of the media and communications. Particular attention will be paid to the concepts of representation and audience, the political economy of media products, and the social and cultural context in which they occur.
View full course detailsCourse code: 154250 Digital Media: Theory and Practice 15 credits
An exploration of the social, cultural, economic and technological transformations brought about by contemporary digital and networked media. Students will develop critical digital media literacies and learn to produce digital media.
View full course detailsSubject courses
Course code: 154202 Advertising and Consumer Society 15 credits
A study of the form and function of advertising in the context of consumer society, with particular emphasis on the conflict between advertising as a form of corporate manipulation and as a form of creative expression. Critical theories will be used to explore the role of advertising in relation to consumerism, capitalism, branding, art and agency.
View full course detailsCourse code: 154203 Popular Culture and the Media 15 credits
A survey of cultural theories and debates in relation to modern mass media. A number of issues such as identity, representation and cultural politics will be considered in their historical contexts and in relation to a variety of texts from popular culture and the media.
View full course detailsCourse code: 154204 Digital Media Production I 15 credits
An advanced introduction to producing digital media. This course uses hands-on, experiential learning to introduce techniques, concepts and processes for producing photography and video using industry standard hardware and software.
View full course detailsCourse code: 154206 International Film History 15 credits
A study of the history of film using case studies and including a consideration of the ways in which social contexts, industrial conditions, technologies and individuals have influenced film narratives and film theory.
View full course detailsCourse code: 154208 Screen Media 15 credits
An exploration of the formal and textual features of film and television, and their relation to technological change, with an emphasis on how film and television have both shaped and been transformed by digital media.
View full course detailsCourse code: 154224 Documentary (Non-Fiction) Film 15 credits
A study of the genre of documentary (non-fiction) film. The course will provide students with a critical awareness of the theory, history and various forms relevant to the genre. Students will plan and produce short documentary films. NOTE: Students require access to their own video camera and editing facilities.
View full course detailsCourse code: 139323 Script Writing 15 credits
An in-depth study of the skills, formats, technique and terminology of professional script writing, with emphasis on the adaptation of traditional approaches across the diversity of contemporary media.
View full course detailsCourse code: 154301 Culture, Power and the Media 15 credits
An advanced study of theoretical approaches to the study of media and popular culture, with particular emphasis on how media are involved in the contestation, negotiation and maintenance of power relations.
View full course detailsCourse code: 154302 Gender and Race in the Media 15 credits
A critical study of gender, race and ethnicity in the media, considered from a variety of theoretical approaches.
View full course detailsCourse code: 154303 Hollywood Cinema 15 credits
An examination of how the formal, socio-cultural, and technological characteristics of Hollywood Cinema have intersected with its industrial conditions across history.
View full course detailsCourse code: 154304 Digital Media Production II 15 credits
The further development of skills and abilities in a chosen media area with particular emphasis upon the production of a major media project.
View full course detailsCourse code: 154311 Social Media and Digital Cultures 15 credits
This course explores how social media shapes identities, social relationships, work, politics and societies. From fake news to social media influencers, this course examines how digital technologies play a key role in shaping everyday life in the twenty-first century.
View full course detailsCourse code: 154313 Global Media Cultures 15 credits
New media technologies and global patterns of media distribution have produced complex, emergent practices of transnational community formation, text-sharing and collaborative media production. This course examines these practices in relation to the maintenance and negotiation of cultural identity in the contemporary world.
View full course detailsCourse code: 154315 Popular Music Studies 15 credits
A critical examination of the nature, role and meaning of popular music within contemporary Western societies. Particular attention will be paid to the political economy of the international music industry, music and technology, genre and musical texts, making music, stardom and auteur studies, and audiences and subcultures.
View full course detailsCourse code: 154316 New Zealand Cinema 15 credits
An exploration of the development of the New Zealand film industry with a focus on aesthetics and national identity. Key films are examined in relation to wider contexts, such as history, politics, economics, and culture, which have all contributed to the creation of a distinctive local film industry and film culture.
View full course detailsEntry requirements
Admission to Massey
All students must meet university entrance requirements to be admitted to the University.
Specific requirements
There are no specific entry requirements for the Bachelor of Arts (Media Studies), outside of university admission regulations.
English language requirements
To study this qualification you must meet Massey University's English language standards.
English language skills
If you need help with your English language skills before you start university, see our English for Academic Purposes (EAP) courses.
Can't meet the entry requirements?
If you need to do a course before you start your qualification, there may be options for you in Summer School.
Fees and scholarships
Fees, student loans and free fees scheme
Your tuition fees may be different depending on the courses you choose. Your exact fees will show once you have chosen your courses.
There will also be some compulsory non-tuition fees and for some courses, there may also be charges for things such as study resources, software, trips and contact workshops.
- Get an estimate of the tuition fees for your qualification
- View a list of non-tuition fees that may be payable
Already know which courses you're going to choose?
You can view fees for the courses that make up your qualification on the course details pages.
Student loans (StudyLink) and Fees Free scheme
You may be eligible for a student loan to help towards paying your fees.
The New Zealand Government offers fees-free tertiary study for eligible domestic students. Find out more about the scheme and your eligibility on the Fees Free website. To use the site's eligibility checking tool, you will need your National Student Number.
Current and returning Massey students can find their National Student Number in the student portal.
- Student loans (StudyLink)
- Fees Free
- Student portal
Fees disclaimer
This information is for estimation purposes only. Actual fees payable will be finalised on confirmation of enrolment. Unless otherwise stated, all fees shown are quoted in New Zealand dollars and include Goods and Services Tax, if any. Before relying on any information on these pages you should also read the University's Disclaimer Notice.
Careers and job opportunities
You could go on to a career in:
- advertising
- digital postproduction
- film and TV production
- web content creation/editing
- journalism
- public relations.
International students
New Zealand is a great place to study. Massey University’s reputation is supported by our international rankings, accreditations and associations. We are rated five star plus by the QS World University Rankings.
What our students say
“Be a creative thinker; challenge the status quo; and if you’re feeling bold, aim to become a change-maker. That’s what the BA did for me.”
Accreditations and rankings
QS Ranking - Communication and Media
Massey is ranked by QS (Quacquarelli Symonds) as one of the top 100 universities for communication and media studies. QS is an organisation that ranks universities worldwide in various topics.
ShanghaiRanking - communication
Communication at Massey is ranked #1 in New Zealand, and in the top 150 universities in the world, by ShanghaiRanking.
Related study options
Global Communication – Bachelor of Business
Develop skills critical to effective communication in a rapidly changing global environment.
Journalism – Bachelor of Communication
Join a prestigious group of leading journalists that have studied at Massey University – New Zealand’s longest-running, internationally accredited journalism qualification.
Journalism – Master of Management
With Massey’s Master of Management in Journalism, you can take your journalism career to the next level.
Media Studies – Graduate Certificate in Arts
Interested in television and popular culture? Social media and the blogosphere? Film and cultural theory? Media studies can help you unlock your creative potential and develop practical skills to excel in your career.
Media Studies – Bachelor of Arts (Honours)
With Massey’s Bachelor of Arts (Honours) (Media Studies), you’ll develop versatile skills that will make you highly sought-after in many careers.
Media Studies – Diploma in Arts
With Massey’s Diploma in Arts (Media Studies) you’ll gain an understanding of the production, consumption, and content in the media industry.
Media Studies – Bachelor of Communication
Discover how the media shape our identities and our world. Massey will help you create, critique, and connect with the media world, building skills to understand and make media for a wide range of professional communication roles.
Media Studies – Postgraduate Diploma in Arts
Build on your undergraduate interests in media studies with Massey’s Postgraduate Diploma in Arts (Media Studies). Develop your research and analysis skills by exploring an area that interests you.
Media Studies – Master of Arts
With Massey’s Master of Arts (Media Studies), develop critical research skills exploring an aspect of media that interests you. Gain advanced insights into media studies that will build on your undergraduate knowledge.
Media Studies – Graduate Diploma in Arts
Create, critique, and connect with your media world with the Graduate Diploma in Arts (Media Studies). You will gain the equivalent of an undergraduate major in media studies without completing a second bachelor’s degree.
Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism – PGDipJ
Gain practical industry skills through Massey’s journalism qualifications, the only qualifications in Australasia accredited by US organisation the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication.
Useful planning information
Key information for students
Compare qualifications and academic information across different New Zealand institutions. Learn more on careers.govt.nz