Media and Cultural Studies MPhil, PhD

Overview

Join us for an MPhil or PhD in Media and Cultural Studies. You'll become part of the media and cultural studies team and contribute to a vibrant learning community.

We're a leading research unit at Newcastle University with a strong PhD culture. Our research environment supports world-leading, internationally excellent scholarship. Our approach is distinct and interdisciplinary, focusing across theoretical and applied areas.

Staff research expertise crosses multiple aspects of Media and Cultural Studies and PhD Supervision is potentially available in the following areas. Please see the contacts list below for contact information.

• Celebrity: Dr Gareth Longstaff, Dr Bethany Usher
• Critical Studies of the Environment: Dr Tina Sikka
• Cultural Politics of Food: Dr Tina Sikka
• Democracy and Political Communication: Dr Joss Hands, Prof Darren Kelsey, Dr Majid Khosravinik, Dr Tina Sikka, Dr Florian Zollmann, Dr Mercy Ette
• Digital Media Studies and Activism: Prof James Ash, Prof Darren Kelsey, Dr Joss Hands, Dr Majid Khosravinik, Dr David Bates
• Film Practice: Dr Geetha Jayaraman, Dr Ian McDonald, Dr Alastair Cole, Dr Raisa Sidenova
• Gender, Identity and Media: Dr Chris Haywood, Dr Gareth Longstaff, Dr Tina Sikka, Dr Sarah Hill
• Gender, Health, and Science: Dr Tina Sikka
• Journalism: Dr Murray Dick, Dr Darren Kelsey, Dr Florian Zollmann, Dr Bethany Usher
• Masculinity/Masculinities: Dr Clifton Evers, Dr Chris Haywood, Dr Gareth Longstaff, Dr Graeme Mearns
• Media and Myth: Prof Darren Kelsey
• Mobilities and Media: Prof James Ash
• Museums, Culture, and Heritage: Prof Areti Galani, Prof Rhiannon Mason, Prof Andrew Newman, Prof Chris Whitehead
• Pornography and Representation: Dr Gareth Longstaff, Dr Chris Haywood
• Public Relations: Jonathan Ward, Dr Ramona Slusarczyk
• Queer Studies: Dr Clifton Evers, Dr Chris Haywood, Dr Gareth Longstaff, Dr Michael Waugh
• Race and Ethnicity: Dr Tina Sikka, Dr Majid Khosravinik
• Social and Cultural Dimensions of Pollution: Dr Clifton Evers
• Sport and Leisure: Dr Clifton Evers, Prof Darren Kelsey

Contacts:

• Prof James Ash
• Dr David Bates
• Dr Alastair Cole
• Dr Murray Dick
• Dr Mercy Ette
• Dr Clifton Evers
• Prof Areti Galani
• Dr Joss Hands
• Dr Chris Haywood
• Dr Sarah Hill
• Dr Geetha Jayaraman
• Prof Darren Kelsey
• Dr Majid Khosravinik
• Dr Gareth Longstaff
• Prof Rhiannon Mason
• Dr Graeme Mearns
• Dr Ian McDonald
• Prof Andrew Newman
• Dr Raisa Sidenova
• Dr Tina Sikka
• Dr Ramona Slusarczyk
• Dr Bethany Usher
• Jonathan Ward
• Dr Michael Waugh
• Dr Florian Zollmann

 

Important information

We've highlighted important information about your course. Please take note of any deadlines.

Your course and study experience - disclaimers and terms and conditions

Please rest assured we make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the programmes, services and facilities described. However, it may be necessary to make changes due to significant disruption, for example in response to Covid-19.

View our Academic experience page, which gives information about your Newcastle University study experience for the academic year 2024-25.

See our terms and conditions and student complaints information, which gives details of circumstances that may lead to changes to programmes, modules or University services.

 

Qualifications explained

Find out about the different qualification options for this course.

MPhil - Master of Philosophy

An MPhil is available in all subject areas. You receive research training and undertake original research leading to the completion of a 40,000 - 50,000 word thesis.

Find out about different types of postgraduate qualifications

PhD - Doctor of Philosophy

A PhD is a doctorate or doctoral award. It involves original research that should make a significant contribution to the knowledge of a specific subject. To complete the PhD you will produce a substantial piece of work (80,000 – 100,000 words) in the form of a supervised thesis. A PhD usually takes three years full time.

Find out about different types of postgraduate qualifications

How you'll learn

Delivery and teaching methods

Attendance is flexible and agreed between you and your supervisors depending on the requirements of the research project.

Assessment methods

Depending on your modules, you'll be assessed through a combination of:

• Thesis
• Viva

Additional assessment information

During your studies you'll have the opportunity to:

• present papers at conferences
• write articles for academic journals
• contribute articles to edited collections alongside other publications

Additionally, you'll have the opportunity to enrol on a nationally recognised Teaching in Higher Education qualification, allowing you to host undergraduate and postgraduate seminars.

Postgraduate research student support

Our mission is to help you:

• stay healthy, positive and feeling well
• overcome any challenges you may face during your degree – academic or personal
• get the most out of your postgraduate research experience
• carry out admin and activities essential to progressing through your degree
• understand postgraduate research processes, standards and rules

We can offer you tailored wellbeing support, courses and activities.

You can also access a broad range of workshops covering:

• research and professional skills
• careers support
• wellbeing
• health and safety
• public engagement
• academic development

Find out more about our postgraduate research student support

Your development

Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (HaSS) researcher development programme 

Each faculty offers a researcher development programme for its postgraduate research students. We have designed your programme to help you:

• perform better as a researcher
• boost your career prospects
• broaden your impact

Through workshops and activities, it will build your transferable skills and increase your confidence.

You’ll cover:

• techniques for effective research
• methods for better collaborative working
• essential professional standards and requirements

Your researcher development programme is flexible. You can adapt it to meet your changing needs as you progress through your doctorate.

Find out more about the Researcher Education and Development programme

Doctoral training and partnerships

There are opportunities to undertake your PhD at Newcastle within a:

• Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT)
• Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP)

Being part of a CDT or DTP has many benefits:

• they combine research expertise and training of a number of leading universities, academic schools and academics.
• you’ll study alongside a cohort of other PhD students
• they’re often interdisciplinary
• your PhD may be funded

If there are currently opportunities available in your subject area you’ll find them when you search for funding in the fees and funding section on this course.

The following centres/partnerships below may have PhD opportunities available in your subject area in the future:

• ESRC Northern Ireland/North East (NINE) Doctoral Training Partnership

Your future

Our Careers Service

Our Careers Service is one of the largest and best in the country, and we have strong links with employers. 

Visit our Careers Service website

Quality and ranking

All professional accreditations are reviewed regularly by their professional body

Recognition of professional qualifications outside of the UK

From 1 January 2021 there is an update to the way professional qualifications are recognised by countries outside of the UK

Check the government’s website for more information.

Facilities

As a postgraduate research student in media and cultural studies you'll benefit from dedicated research suites within the School of Arts and Cultures

Fees and funding

Tuition fees for 2025 entry (per year)

PGR Home fee note

Home fees for research degree students

For 2025-26 entry, we have aligned our standard Home research fees with those set by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). The standard fee was confirmed in February 2025 by UKRI.

 

Tuition fee increases

As a general principle, you should expect the tuition fee to increase in each subsequent academic year of your course, subject to government regulations on fee increases and in line with inflation.

EU, other EEA and Swiss nationals - tuition fee status

Depending on your residency history, if you’re a student from the EU, other EEA or a Swiss national, with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you’ll normally pay the ‘Home’ tuition fee rate and may be eligible for Student Finance England support.

EU students without settled or pre-settled status will normally be charged fees at the ‘International’ rate and will not be eligible for Student Finance England support. You may be eligible for a scholarship worth 25% off the international fee. Search our funding database. 

If you are unsure of your fee status, check out the latest guidance here.

Scholarships

We support our EU and international students by providing a generous range of Vice-Chancellor's automatic and merit-based scholarships. See our searchable postgraduate funding page for more information. 

What you're paying for

Tuition fees include the costs of:

• matriculation
• registration
• tuition (or supervision)
• library access
• examination
• re-examination
• graduation

Find out more about:

• living costs
• tuition fees

Deposit

If you are an international student or a student from the EU, EEA or Switzerland and you need a visa to study in the UK, you may have to pay a deposit.

You can check this in the How to apply section.

Funding deadlines

If you're applying for funding, always check the funding application deadline. This deadline may be earlier than the application deadline for your course.

For some funding schemes, you need to have received an offer of a place on a course before you can apply for the funding.

Search for funding

Find funding available for your course

Select your country

How to apply

Open days and events

Find out about how you can visit Newcastle in person and virtually

Overseas events

We regularly travel overseas to meet with students interested in studying at Newcastle University.

Visit our events calendar for the latest events