Course summary

Overview Immerse yourself in the worlds of media, communication, and international development, and study the complex relationship between them. Discover the ways charities and other development organisations communicate about poverty, inequality, conflict and migration. Explore why some humanitarian crises and disasters make it onto our TV screens and others don’t and what effect this has on public attitudes and government policy.  You’ll also ask: how important is press freedom in promoting democracy and tackling poverty? What is the impact of digital media in developing countries? Do Facebook and Twitter encourage political participation, or do they undermine citizens' genuine engagement with politics?  These are just some of the important questions and issues you’ll explore on our BA Global Development with Media course. Please note we are changing our name to the School of Global Development from 1 August 2023, as we mark our 50th Anniversary. About This Course This innovative course combines a strong interdisciplinary foundation with a specialist media lens in the study of global development. You’ll take core modules that seek to understand critical contemporary issues through the lens of media and communication – including poverty, inequality, migration, democracy and protest – focusing specifically on the complex relationship between media, communication and development. You’ll also gain practical experience in media production in your final year, learning key skills – from planning, interview techniques, camera work, lighting, sound recording and editing – culminating in the production of a short film or documentary. In addition to this media focus, you’ll gain a broad grounding in the key issues, organisations and practices of development, fusing insights from media and communication with those from across the social sciences, including economics, environmental sciences, geography, anthropology, and politics. You can develop your understanding of particular regions in the world, through area modules relating to sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, or Latin America, and you can pursue your emerging interests in other aspects and perspectives of development. In your third year, you’ll have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience through a Placement Year. The result is an extremely flexible degree programme that you can tailor to suit your particular interests, and that allows you to combine an interdisciplinary foundation with your niche specialism. By studying with us, you’ll join our close-knit academic community, made up of experts from across multiple disciplines, all housed within the School of International Development. As such, you’ll not only learn from our world-renowned media experts within the school, but you can benefit from a truly vibrant, interdisciplinary environment. We are amongst the best in the world for researching, teaching, and practicing development. Come and study with us and help us to create a fairer world. Disclaimer Course details are subject to change. You should always confirm the details on the provider's website: www.uea.ac.uk