MA

Social Media Management

Apply online

Our dynamic Masters course in Social Media Management offers a combination of practical management skills and theoretical knowledge to prepare you for an exciting career in the dynamic world of social media.

Colleagues working at an openplan office

Course overview

As a new postgraduate provision, the course prepares you to become a management professional, who can navigate the rapidly evolving social media world, at national and international levels. Our approach combines cutting-edge theories with contemporary case studies of real-life situations from across the globe.

We will equip you with a wide range of key social media management skills to thrive in a complex and evolving media landscape and support you to become a leader in business, culture, and entrepreneurship.

You will acquire critical thinking, analysis, research, planning and management techniques which can be used in a range of sectors and contexts beyond the traditional media industries. In developing a deep understanding of historical debates and present issues, you will be in a strong position to face any challenge your future may bring in a wide range of industrial and cultural sectors.

Together we will survey prevailing global concerns regarding identity, equality, big data, politics and the economy framed by the production, distribution, and consumption of social media.

We will support and extend this by hands-on teaching, where you will be able to develop your practical management competencies and to create a rich portfolio of work and contacts. You will leave the course with strong transferable skills, management skills and the digital media expertise needed to excel your chosen career. As such, this programme will enhance your employability and expand the horizons of your professional career paths.

Over the years, we have built strong links with local employers, such as independent film producers, radio stations and newspapers. These, along with our state-of-the-art multimedia facilities, will help you build a combination of practical and transferable skills, creative thinking and applied academic knowledge so that you stand out in a competitive job market.

In Semester 1 you study:

Introduction to Media Management, Social Media Research Methods and Social Media Marketing and Analytics.

In Semester 2, you study:

Freelancing and Entrepreneurship, Media Project Design and Development

In your final semester, you choose a Dissertation or Practical Project in Social Media Management in an area of your own interest, agreed with your tutor.

This programme is aimed at both professionals and arts graduates. Its unique combination of technical, management and conceptual skills will help you forge a successful career in social media management.

What you need to know

Course start date

September

Location

On campus, Winchester

Course length

  • 1 year full-time
  • 2 years part-time

Apply

Apply online

Typical offer

A first or second-class honours degree

Fees

From £9,550 pa

Course features

  • Join an exciting media course focused on understanding the challenges of managing social media
  • Learn from widely published academic experts and experienced industry practitioners
  • Gain a vital mix of theoretical and practical management skills and build a portfolio to showcase your work to prospective employers
  • Develop as a critical thinker and master the art of how to communicate effectively and creatively
  • Access outstanding industry-standard facilities in our Multimedia Centre, including two HD TV studios with green screens, a newsroom, sound studios and a computerised radio studio

Course details

Suitable for applicants from:

UK, EU, World

Learning and teaching

Start date: September

Teaching takes place: Weekdays

Location: Taught elements of the course take place on campus in Winchester.

Assessment

Our validated courses may adopt a range of means of assessing your learning. An indicative, and not necessarily comprehensive, list of assessment types you might encounter includes essays, portfolios, supervised independent work, presentations, written exams, or practical performances.

We ensure all students have an equal opportunity to achieve module learning outcomes. As such, where appropriate and necessary, students with recognised disabilities may have alternative assignments set that continue to test how successfully they have met the module's learning outcomes. Further details on assessment types used on the course you are interested in can be found on the course page, by attending an Open Day or Open Evening, or contacting our teaching staff.

Feedback

We are committed to providing timely and appropriate feedback to you on your academic progress and achievement in order to enable you to reflect on your progress and plan your academic and skills development effectively. You are also encouraged to seek additional feedback from your course tutors.

Further information

For more information about our regulations for this course, please see our Academic Regulations, Policies and Procedures. 

Modules

Please note the modules listed are correct at the time of publishing. The University cannot guarantee the availability of all modules listed and modules may be subject to change. The University will notify applicants of any changes made to the core modules listed. For further information please refer to winchester.ac.uk/termsandconditions

Modules

Introduction to Media Management 20 Credits

This module provides a strategic overview of the rewards and challenges of media management in the C21st. It introduces the complex and changing context in which media is envisioned, created, and distributed, to explore and challenge the assumptions of contemporary management theories and practices.  It complements these ideas by exploring the ever-changing notion of work.  The module builds towards an assessment in which you are given an opportunity to explore these key ideas, through analysing a contemporary case study.

Social Media Research Methods 20 Credits

This module provides a critical account of the main research approaches that are employed in researching social media. In doing so, the module will give students a chance to evaluate the epistemological claims made for traditional research methods when exploring this contemporary media form. It will also give students a chance to explore the possible management benefits and the ethical challenges presented by these methods. On completing this module, students will be able to evaluate which research methods are most appropriate in developing their own research questions and be fully prepared for the independent research tasks presented by the later stages of their degree.

Social Media Marketing and Analytics 20 Credits

Marketing communications play a vital role in supporting and maintaining a brand. Marketing has now become ‘multilogue’ with the exponential growth in word-of-mouth social media marketing. This module will introduce students to the key concepts of social media marketing. Students will learn how to understand, critically evaluate and apply conceptual social media frameworks, theories and approaches relevant to their marketing and promotional mix. They will discover how social media networks are used as part of the marketing strategies of a variety of different organisations. They will be able to harness the key metrics tools in order to listen, monitor and manage communications. The module also aims to develop students’ strategic understanding of how to build and manage a social media marketing communications campaign which impacts on the identified target audiences and integrates with all other relevant media.

Media Project Design and Development 20 Credits

Careful planning and real-time project management are key to the success of any media project. This module, therefore, focuses on the key processes that underpin the design, implementation, and project management of a media venture. In doing so, it considers how to frame the challenges, management requirements and reporting processes that foster a successful outcome. It also addresses the management strategies adopted within wider industry, to interrogate their utility within the media/creative sector. In doing so, it will consider resource planning, risk analysis, and budgeting as key components of successful project management.

This module concludes with an assessment which gives you an opportunity to deploy these key media management skills in a report about an original media project of your own devising.

Freelancing and Entrepreneurship 40 Credits

Students will begin this module by analysing the freelance context and the different tasks that an entrepreneurial creative may be required to undertake. They will then apply these ideas as they learn how to craft content for a variety of different publications and channels; including website copy, press releases, blog posts, corporate communications, grant applications, projects proposals, or newsletters, all while being mindful of the style and content required by the stakeholders. Students will also investigate the significance of online ‘influencers’, wider community engagement, crowdsourcing and crowdfunding, search engine optimized copy, ad creation, & video and audio content, to their own freelance activities.

Dissertation/Practical Project in Media Management 60 Credits

The Media Management Dissertation/Practical Project enables students to specialise in an area of interest by conducting an independent, masters-level research/ practical project, guided by research-active tutors. Students will critically evaluate different research and/or media practices, develop research/project strategies, conduct research using secondary, primary and/or practice-based methodologies and analyse their findings in relation to contemporary media theories.

The Media Management Dissertation/Practical project is of interest to potential future employers, demonstrating critical abilities, research expertise and/or state-of-the-art practical knowledge. It can also foster student interest in conducting further research, whether in a consultancy role or in academic research at PhD level.

Entry requirements

A first or second-class honours degree

A first or upper second-class honours degree in a related subject or professional experience in the area of study. 

 

Applications need to be submitted before the published deadline on our website. Late applications can be accepted throughout the remainder of the application year, for more information see our How to Apply section. 

International points required

Applications need to be submitted before the published deadline on our website. Late applications can be accepted throughout the remainder of the application year, for more information see our How to Apply section. 

If you are living outside of the UK or Europe, you can find out more about how to join this course by emailing our International Recruitment Team at International@winchester.ac.uk.

2025/2026 Course Tuition Fees 

  UK / Channel Islands /
Isle of Man / Republic of Ireland

International

Full-time £9,550 £17,450
Part-time £4,775 £8,725
Total £9,550 £17,450

Additional tuition fee information

If you are a UK student starting your degree in January / September 2025, the first year will cost you £9,550**.

If finance is a worry for you, we are here to help. Take a look at the range of support we have on offer. This is a great investment you are making in your future, so make sure you know what is on offer to support you.

**The University of Winchester will charge the maximum approved tuition fee per year.

Additional costs

As one of our students all of your teaching and assessments are included in your tuition fees, including, lectures/guest lectures and tutorials, seminars, laboratory sessions and specialist teaching facilities. You will also have access to a wide range of student support and IT services.

 

SCHOLARSHIPS, BURSARIES AND AWARDS

We have a variety of scholarship and bursaries available to support you financially with the cost of your course. To see if you’re eligible, please see our Scholarships and Awards.

CAREER PROSPECTS

Our MA in Social Media Management also paves the way to a broad range of employment opportunities, including working in the creative industries, marketing and communications, corporate industry, company management, the third sector and NGOs, and political communications. The programme will enhance key flexible skills that support a route into a wide range of careers in communications, HR business, education, management, and public service.

OUR CAREERS SERVICE
Student with careers staff member
"The tutors and the facilities around me have helped me gain that driven ambition; I've never felt alone in my journey." - Mandip, Postgraduate student

Come visit us

learn more

SEE OUR OPEN DAYS

View all
13 November 2024
05 March 2025