The Media Studies program aims to re-think the role of media in the Arab world and enrich debates taking place on various levels in media and cultural studies. In accordance with the Doha Institute's mission of integrating teaching and research to better prepare its graduates to become academic researchers and capable professionals, this program will train the next generation of high caliber Arab media studies scholars.
Overall, the program emphasizes research training to enable students to conduct empirical and policy-driven research on Arab media production, cultures and institutions. Program courses address research methodology, media theory, media representation, Arab media cultures, visual culture, media audiences and users, the political economy of mass media, and media ethics and law, among other areas. The program's cross-disciplinary courses contribute to broad understanding of relevant study areas in the social sciences and humanities.
Mission of the program:
The Media Studies program (MDST) is to be completed over two academic years and consists of a total of 42 credit hours. In all, students register for eight 3-credit Media Studies program courses (for a total of 24 credit hours). As outlined below, these eight Media Studies courses include three core program courses and five program elective courses. In addition to these eight Media Studies courses, students register for three 3-credit extra-disciplinary courses (for a total of 9 credit hours), one 3-credit free elective course, and a 6-credit MA thesis.
The Media Studies (MDST) program examines the role of media in a globalized world by studying rapidly evolving communication venues, including traditional, new and social media. Our students will acquire expertise in both cultural studies and social science approaches to the study of the ever-changing global media environment and be prepared to carry out both qualitative and quantitative research underpinned by diverse theoretical perspectives. The MDST program seeks to help students acquire the skills necessary for pursuing media and cultural studies research in the Arab world and beyond.
The MDST program has been accredited by FIBAA on
June 2020.
Media Studies Program Learning Outcomes:
1. Understand relevant scholarship on media and culture, in the West, the Arab region and/or the wider Middle East.
2. Critically analyze approaches to de-westernizing media and cultural studies.
3. Understand key cultural approaches, arguments and debates relevant to the study of contemporary Arab media cultures.
4. Apply relevant media and cultural studies theories to original media studies research.
5. Develop original research using acquired knowledge of research methods and data gathering techniques.
