Double Master’s Degree in Media, Culture and Global Cities (LSE and NYU)

The MSc/MA in Media, Culture and Global Cities is a new double degree programme jointly offered by the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and New York University (NYU). It allows students to study media and communications in top media capitals of the world — London and New York — while engaging with the academic cultures and resources of two leading institutions (2025 QS World University Rankings by Subject: Communication and Media Studies). The programme is particularly suited to students interested in understanding how media shape urban life and global society, with a thematic emphasis on mediation and digitalisation.

A core aim of the programme is to help students develop the ability to make original arguments and support them with empirical evidence. This is achieved through a combination of collaborative and individual learning methods, including seminar discussions, group work, and presentations. Students also gain transferable writing skills through essays and case studies. Essays encourage the development of a personal academic voice using academic language, while case studies invite students to collect original material from the city and produce creative, digital, and narrative outputs.

Students receive methodological training through practice-focused workshops that equip them to select and apply appropriate quantitative and qualitative methods in their own research. Small-group seminars foster in-depth disciplinary debate, and one-to-one supervision supports the development of an independent dissertation project within the field of media and communications. These learning strategies are enriched by the dual-institution structure, which offers students access to both LSE and NYU’s academic environments and intellectual communities.

What differentiates this programme from others is its structure: students earn two degrees over two years: an MSc in Media and Communications (Communication, Culture and Global Cities) from LSE and an MA in Media, Culture, and Communication from NYU. This dual qualification, combined with the opportunity to study in two major media capitals, sets the programme apart. Students benefit from NYU’s London base during their first year, located adjacent to LSE’s Department of Media and Communications, which facilitates early engagement with NYU faculty and smooths the transition to the second year in New York. The programme also offers opportunities to co-organise academic events and participate in the cultural and professional life of both cities.

• Georgiou, M. (2023). Being Human in Digital Cities. Polity Press.
• Georgiou, M. (2013). Media and the City: cosmopolitanism and difference. Polity Press.
• Halegoua, G. R. (2019). The Digital City: media and the social production of place. New York University Press.
• Hurley, Z. (2023). Social Media Influencing in the City of Likes: Dubai and the postdigital condition (1st ed.). Emerald Publishing Limited.
• Rantanen, T., with Jiménez-Martínez, C. (Eds.), (2019). Globalization and the Media. Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.
• Sassen, S. (2001). The Global City New York, London, Tokyo (2nd ed.). Princeton University Press.
• Massey, D. B. (2007). World City. Polity.
• Wu, S. Z. (2025). The AI City (1st ed. 2025.). Springer Nature Singapore.

First year, at LSE

The first year at LSE lays solid theoretical and methodological foundation for future media and communications professionals to examine issues of media and communication within their political, social and cultural context. Please note that at LSE we don't provide practical training in journalism, production, campaigning or media management.

Second year, at New York University, USA

Year 2 of the programme is based in NYU’s Department of Media, Culture and Communication (MCC), where you’ll complete all requirements of the NYU Master of Arts in Media, Culture, and Communication. The department offers a range of research courses that introduce students to the fundamental qualitative methods and approaches to research in media studies.

As a student, you’ll complete a culminating media project instead of a thesis, enroll in MCC Area of Study courses, and up to eight credits of NYU elective courses. The total credits required for the NYU Master of Arts in Media, Culture, and Communication degree is 36 credits, which includes 12 credits transferred from LSE.

More information about the year at New York University

The Department of Media and Communications is a world-leading centre for education and research in the field. Our department is ranked first in the UK and sixth globally for communication and media studies (2025 QS World University Rankings).

We offer students a wide selection of programmes, including master’s degrees, doctoral research training and short courses. At any one time, we have around 270 master’s students and 30 PhD students from around the world – all varying in age, professional experience and backgrounds.

Within the department, our research is organised around four key themes: media culture and identities, media participation and politics, communication histories and futures, and communication technology, rights and justice. The outputs from our research are shared with organisations such as the BBC, Facebook, Google, UNICEF, Ofcom and the UK/EU governments.

LSE’s location at the heart of London, one of the world's media capitals, allows us to foster close links with media and communications industries and policymakers.

Graduates from our programmes progress to interesting roles in broadcasting, journalism, advertising, new media industries, political marketing, market research, regulation and policy, media management and research in the public and private sectors.

Department of Media and Communications

We welcome applications from all suitably qualified prospective students. At LSE, we want to recruit students with the best academic merit, potential and motivation, irrespective of background.

We carefully consider each application and take into account all the information included on your application form, such as your:

• academic achievement (including predicted and achieved grades)
• statement of academic purpose
• two academic references
• CV.

See further information on supporting documents.

You may need to provide evidence of your English language proficiency. See our English language requirements.

Data sharing

Double degrees and certain other degrees and scholarships require that LSE shares personal data with another university or partner. In our agreements we will use the School’s standard data sharing template for universities and partners in the EU and EEA and in an adequate country. Standard contract clauses will be used for any other country. If you have any questions about this or how your personal data will be treated by LSE, please contact the Data Protection Officer via glpd.info.rights@lse.ac.uk or check our Student Privacy Notice.

Applications for this programme are considered on a rolling basis. This means that applications will close once the programme is full.

There is no fixed deadline. However, if you’d like to be considered for any funding opportunities, you must submit your application (and all supporting documents) by the funding deadline. See the fees and funding section below for more details.

Year 1 (at LSE, 2026/27):

Home students: £28,900

Year 2 (at NYU, 2027/28):

Home students: Visit the NYU website

Year 1 (at LSE, 2026/27):

Overseas students: £30,400

Year 2 (at NYU, 2027/28):

Overseas students: Visit the NYU website

Formal classroom teaching is usually completed by the end of the Winter Term. Coursework is usually submitted in January and May, and examinations are generally held in May and June. The remaining months are set aside for you to complete the dissertations, supported by staff supervision.

All taught courses are required to include formative coursework which is unassessed. It's designed to help prepare you for summative assessment which counts towards the course mark and to the degree award. LSE uses a range of formative assessment, such as essays, problem sets, case studies, reports, quizzes, mock exams and many others. You'll be summatively assessed by written examinations (seen and unseen), research assignments, essays and the dissertation, which must be submitted in August.

Teaching and assessment in the second year will vary according to each institution.

On graduating, our students enter a variety of global careers including broadcasting, journalism, advertising, new media industries, political marketing, market research, regulation and policy, media management and research in both public and private sectors.

Further information on graduate destinations for master's students in our department

From CV workshops through to careers fairs, LSE offers lots of information and support to help you make that all-important step from education into work.

Many of the UK’s top employers give careers presentations at the School during the year and there are numerous workshops covering topics such as job hunting, managing interviews, writing a cover letter and using LinkedIn.

See LSE Careers for further details.