MA International Public and Political Communication

1 Year On Campus Masters Program

The University of Sheffield

Program Overview

This MA programme helps you become skilled in analysing and shaping public and political messages — from media and campaigns to advocacy and lobbying — within both national and international contexts. It suits you if you’re curious about media, politics, public opinion or communication, and want to build a career in journalism, PR, public affairs, campaigning or policy communications.

Curriculum structure

Because the programme is one year full-time, you’ll cover all core learning and a dissertation (or equivalent major project) within that time.

In the first part, you’ll take modules such as “Introduction to Political Communication”, where you learn foundational ideas about how media, politics and communication intersect — including how news cycles work, what “news values” are, and how communication strategies are shaped.

You’ll also do “Media, Society and International Crises”, where you examine how media and political actors respond and communicate during crises — exploring real-world cases and looking at representation, identity, uncertainty, and public perception.

As you progress, you move to modules like “International Visual Public and Political Communication” (sometimes listed as “Visual political communication”) — here you’ll study the role of images, visual media and representation in politics: photojournalism, political campaigns, visual framing of social groups, campaigns by NGOs or governments etc.

Finally, you complete the programme with the Dissertation (International Public and Political Communication) — a substantial independent research (or campaign / media project) which allows you to investigate a communication- or media-politics issue of your choice, applying research methods you learned earlier (e.g. surveys, interviews, content/discourse analysis).

Focus areas: "Political communication; media & journalism; public relations; political marketing; crisis communication; international media & campaigns; visual political media"

Learning outcomes: "You will learn to critically analyse how media and communication shape political/public discourse, understand and design persuasive communication strategies, conduct research into media and public opinion, and develop campaign or advocacy material with real-world relevance."

Professional alignment (accreditation): The MA is offered by the University of Sheffield’s School of Journalism, Media and Communication; its structure follows UK postgraduate standards (QAA FHEQ Level 7). There is no separate professional-body accreditation, but the skills taught — media analysis, communication strategy, campaigning — align well with careers in media, communications, public affairs, NGO advocacy, journalism and PR.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Studying this MA means you won’t just read about media and politics — you’ll practice communication, produce media content, and engage with real-world tools and environments that mirror professional media and political-communication contexts. Sheffield provides you with excellent physical facilities, professional-grade media technology, and ongoing support that helps bridge academic learning and career-ready skills.

With that in mind, here’s what experiential learning looks like in practice for this programme:

Access to high-end media production facilities in “The Wave” building: As a student in the School of Information, Journalism and Communication you get to use TV-studios, broadcast-standard newsrooms, radio studios, editing suites, and recording booths for coursework, media projects, and practical assignments.
Media equipment through the department media-store: You don’t need to bring your own camera or gear — the department provides TV cameras, DSLR and 360° cameras, audio recorders, iPhones, and other equipment for photography, video and audio projects.
Real-world project opportunities (campaign design, media relations, advocacy): The course encourages students to design media/political-communication campaigns and work on media-relational strategies, giving you a chance to apply theory to concrete, real-world contexts.
Library and digital research infrastructure for media, politics and communication work: You’ll have full access to the University Library, including digital collections, thousands of journals and e-books, and dedicated study spaces across several campus libraries — perfect for researching, writing, or preparing media content and projects.
Support for research, critical thinking and digital skills through library and IT services: The University offers online and face-to-face workshops to build research skills, referencing support, digital resource use, and general study-skills training — useful when you work on your dissertation or media projects.
Employability & placement support via the School’s Employability Team: The School regularly circulates placement and internship opportunities (short-term or longer), helping you get real-world media/communication experience, build CVs, and connect with relevant employers or organisations.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduates of this MA often move into communication- and policy-facing careers where they shape public discourse, run campaigns, or work in media, advocacy, government or NGOs — for example as Media Officer, PR / Communications Specialist, Policy Advisor, or Campaign Communications Strategist. With the skills you build here, many find opportunities in public affairs, political organisations, NGOs, media houses or public sector institutions.

With that in mind, here’s how Sheffield helps — and what outcomes you may expect:

University services to support employment: The School’s dedicated employability team offers tailored help for you — from CV and interview preparation to placement opportunities, networking with employers, and targeted guidance for communication and media careers.
Job-titles & employer outcomes for graduates: Previous graduates of the programme (or closely related ones) have secured roles such as Media Officer, PR Officer, Strategy Planner or positions in local government and private firms such as the Liberal Democrats Party, NatWest Group, or Leeds City Council.
Wide sectoral reach and career flexibility: MA alumni move into public-policy organisations, NGOs, media and journalism outlets, public affairs firms, communications agencies, campaign organisations — reflecting the course’s strong grounding in political communication, advocacy, media relations and campaigning.
Global recognition and long-term value of degree: As the MA is offered by Sheffield — a globally respected research university ranked within the top global universities for Communication & Media Studies — your qualification carries international weight, enhancing your employability globally.
Graduation outcomes and onward opportunities: Many students transition into media, public relations, campaign management, public affairs or policy-related roles; some also move into teaching or further research.