MC501     
Advanced Doctoral Workshop in Media and Communications

This information is for the 2025/26 session.

Course Convenor

Prof Lilie Chouliaraki

Prof Ellen Helsper

Availability

This course is available on the MPhil/PhD in Data, Networks and Society and MPhil/PhD in Media and Communications. This course is not available as an outside option to students on other programmes.

Requisites

Pre-requisites:

Students must have completed MC500 before taking this course.

Course content

The series is intended to offer students guidance and support in the writing-up of their thesis. The approach to the series is student-centred, practice-oriented and dialogic, focusing on students’ work - hence the term ‘workshop’. Specifically, participants commit to submitting a draft of one of their PhD chapters and comment on others’ submissions, in the course the academic term. The curriculum consists therefore of individual students’ work, each week concentrating on a single student’s draft (maximum 5000 words) submitted together with a relevant academic reading. Through a system of signing-up and pairing, each ninety-minute session is set up in two parts: the first part is a twenty-minute dialogue between the writer and their discussant, who introduces and comments on the writer’s work; the second part is a full hour’s exchange of ideas by all - the expectation being that everyone commits to reading the submitted draft. The role of the DPD is to gently guide group interaction and, when necessary, provide input as much on the submission as on subsequent discussion points. The role of the DPD is not to substitute the supervisor but to ensure that the discussion is conducted in an informal, friendly and non-intimidating way. 

Teaching

20 hours of workshops in the Winter Term.
20 hours of workshops in the Autumn Term.


Key facts

Department: Media and Communications

Course Study Period: Autumn and Winter Term

Unit value: Non-credit bearing

FHEQ Level: Level 8

CEFR Level: Null

Total students 2024/25: 1

Average class size 2024/25: 1

Controlled access 2024/25: No
Guidelines for interpreting course guide information

Course selection videos

Some departments have produced short videos to introduce their courses. Please refer to the course selection videos index page for further information.

Personal development skills

  • Leadership
  • Self-management
  • Team working
  • Application of information skills
  • Communication
  • Commercial awareness
  • Specialist skills