Course Resources Archive

This module sets out the key theorisations of the media and creative industries. While incorporating classical figurations of the culture industry and the history and development of these into the media and creative industries, the course is primarily concerned with engaging with contemporary research and understanding the key issues and drivers of the creative, political and digital economies at local, national and global levels.

Innovation and creativity are drivers in the media and cultural productivity of nation state economies. This module does not take an instrumental and managerial approach to understanding creativity, rather it allows students to explore the issues, debates, theories and arguments that emerge when business and industry engages with critical cultural theory. At the same time, students will develop a sense of their own creativity as consumers and producers by exploring the new opportunities and freedoms that understanding the new creative and digital economies affords.  They will engage with the pitfalls and problems of an evolving mediascape dominated by large cross-border corporations and media conglomerates with powerful interests at stake. At the same time, they will engage with the new media literacy of social media and networking. Thus, the module covers areas such as: intellectual property rights, distribution networks, multi-platformism, production cultures of media workers and creatives, and the emergence of hubs, clusters and incubators. At the end of the module the students work on a real-world case study and apply their knowledge for the benefit of a local and/or national audience.

On successful completion of the module students should be able to:

i. Critically analyse the role of media and creative industries in the development of economic growth by engaging with social/media research methods
ii. Deeply engage with the theoretical basis for emergent ‘creative economies’ through reference to cultural theory and the developments in the creative and media industries
iii. Understand the global, legal, socio-economic and technological circumstances which provide opportunities and challenges for media and creative industries at national, local and/or transnational levels
iv. Situate themselveswithin a clearer understanding of the changing landscape of new communications media, culture and the new counter-cultures
v. Develop and enhance key transferable skills such as collaborative working, creative thinking and ICT skills.

Staff/student contact: approx 36 hours (lectures, tutorials, student-led workshops)
Independent Study: approx 264 hours

The Library Catalogue contains full details of the current reading list for this module. Further details may also be found in the Module Guide.