BA Media Studies

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of Virginia

Program Overview

The Media Studies major at the University of Virginia examines how media shapes culture, technology, politics, law, public opinion, and everyday life, while giving students opportunities to study both traditional and emerging forms of media. It suits students interested in media industries, journalism, film, digital media, advertising, public relations, communications, and media research, with a strong emphasis on critical thinking, research, and creative media analysis.

Curriculum Structure:

Year 1:

Students begin by developing a foundation in media through MDST 2000: Introduction to Media Studies, which examines mass media as both industries and cultural texts and introduces questions about audiences and regulation. Students can complement this foundation with courses such as MDST 2200: Introduction to Film, developing an understanding of how films are constructed to create intellectual and emotional responses.

Year 2:

Students broaden their understanding of media through 2000- and 3000-level electives and approved Practice of Media courses. Subjects can explore areas such as film, television, digital media, media culture, and media production, allowing students to begin shaping their studies around their particular interests. The department also allows students to pursue an optional concentration in Film or Media Policy and Ethics.

Year 3:

Students move into the major's advanced core with MDST 3050: History of Media, which introduces historical research, archives, databases, and research writing, and MDST 3510: Topics in Media Research, which develops more advanced approaches to studying media. Students also take MDST 3504: Topics in Global Media, examining media through international and global perspectives.

Year 4:

Students bring their academic and practical interests together through MDST 4510: Capstone Topics, which serves as the major's culminating experience. Three additional 3000-level-or-above electives allow students to specialize further, while Distinguished Majors can pursue MDST 4970: Distinguished Majors Thesis Research and MDST 4980: Distinguished Majors Thesis Writing.

Focus Areas:

Media history, media theory, media criticism, film, television, digital media, photography, print media, global media, media research, media policy and ethics, media law, public opinion, media industries, race and identity in media, gender and media, media technology, media production, media culture.

Learning Outcomes:

Critical media analysis, historical research, media research methods, digital media literacy, media production, cultural analysis, understanding of media industries, policy and legal analysis, evaluation of media effects, research writing, audience analysis, ethical reasoning, creative media analysis, interdisciplinary thinking.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation):

The University of Virginia is institutionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). The Media Studies Department does not identify a separate specialized professional accreditation for the undergraduate major.

Reputation (Employability & Outcomes):

UVA's Media Studies Department reports that graduates have entered careers in television, film, digital media, advertising, journalism, publishing, and teaching, while others have continued into graduate and professional programs in film, law, media studies, communication, and broadcasting. The department also reports that students have secured internships with major media organizations including Viacom, CBS, NBC, and The Washington Post, providing valuable industry connections before graduation.

UVA's Career Center additionally provides first-destination data covering employment, graduate-school enrollment, starting salaries, employers, industries, and professional functions for undergraduate graduates.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

UVA's Media Studies program connects critical study with hands-on media experience through internships, research, student media, production opportunities, and digital-media facilities. Students can work with real media organizations, conduct archival research, create media projects, and develop professional skills through organizations such as WUVA, The Cavalier Daily, WTJU, and the FilmMakers Society.

• MDST 3050: History of Media: Students learn practical historical-research skills with UVA Library staff, including developing research questions, evaluating sources, identifying archives, using databases, managing research notes, and sharing resources as a team. The course culminates in a public-facing exhibition of student research.

• MDST 3800 Internship: Media Studies majors can receive academic credit for approved internships, gaining real-world experience while completing a midterm progress report, final paper, self-evaluation, and sponsor evaluation.

• WUVA Media: Students can gain hands-on video journalism experience through newsroom work, field shoots, on-camera opportunities, storytelling, and advanced production. The 2026 paid summer program specifically trains students in Adobe editing for social-media formats and operates as a full-time newsroom team.

• The Cavalier Daily: UVA's daily student newspaper provides an opportunity to gain practical experience in journalism and student media alongside Media Studies coursework.

• FilmMakers Society: Students interested in filmmaking can develop practical experience through UVA's student filmmaking community and connect their academic interests with creative media production.

• WTJU: Students can gain experience in radio and audio media through UVA's student and community radio environment.

• UVA Library Digital Media Lab: Students have access to media workstations designed for video editing, digital animation, and 3D modeling, along with scanning and digital-transfer equipment for film, slides, VHS, and other media formats.

• G-Lab: UVA's library technology environment includes 20 iMacs with software such as Adobe products, iMovie, Audacity, and 3D-modeling tools, plus projection and audio equipment for teaching and collaborative work.

• National Media Internships: The department reports internship opportunities with organizations including Viacom, CBS, NBC, and The Washington Post, giving students exposure to professional media environments.

• Current Industry Opportunities: Recent department listings have included internships with Avex Music Group, WUVA, Pew Research Center, and UVA Facilities Management, spanning music, video journalism, communications, public-opinion research, and digital media.

Facilities and experiential-learning information: UVA Department of Media Studies and UVA Library Digital Media Lab

Progression & Future Opportunities

The Media Studies major prepares students for flexible careers across media, communications, journalism, film, advertising, publishing, digital media, and public relations. UVA reports that graduates have successfully entered television, film, digital media, advertising, journalism, publishing, and teaching, while others continue into advanced study in film, law, media studies, communication, and broadcasting.

Typical job roles: Media Analyst, Digital Media Specialist, Journalist, Public Relations Specialist

These opportunities are strengthened by UVA's career resources, internship network, student media organizations, and connections with major media employers:

• UVA Career Center: Students can use Handshake to search for part-time, full-time, and internship positions while also accessing alumni networking resources and job-search tools. The Career Center's Creative Arts, Media, & Design Career Community provides additional career guidance for media-oriented students.

• Industry Internship Network: Media Studies students have found internships with organizations including Viacom, CBS, NBC, and The Washington Post, helping them build professional contacts and gain experience in real media environments.

• Professional Experience: The department's internship program is specifically designed to give students career-related work experience, transferable skills, industry contacts, and a stronger résumé before graduation.

• Student Media Experience: Organizations such as The Cavalier Daily, The Declaration, FilmMakers Society, WTJU, and WUVA Media provide additional pathways into journalism, broadcasting, filmmaking, audio, and digital media.

• Career Outcomes: UVA's Career Center tracks first destinations, including employment, graduate-school enrollment, starting salaries, employers, industries, and professional functions, giving students a university-wide view of post-graduation outcomes.

• Graduate Study: The department reports that Media Studies graduates have continued into programs in film, law, media studies, communication, and broadcasting, demonstrating that the major can support both professional employment and advanced academic pathways.

• Long-Term Accreditation Value: UVA's institutional SACSCOC accreditation provides recognized institutional quality assurance for the university's undergraduate degree programs.

Further Academic Progression: Graduates can continue into UVA's M.A. in Media, Culture & Technology, which develops advanced skills in media research, technologies, and industries and can lead toward careers in government, marketing, journalism, advocacy, media research, or production. Students interested in academic research can also pursue UVA's Ph.D. in Media Studies, which focuses on critical media studies, interdisciplinary research, media technologies, audiences, industries, and systems of social and political power.