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Education Master's and PhD degree programmes Media Studies Social Media and Society
Header image Social Media and Society

Social Media and Society

Why do some posts go viral on social media and others do not? How can social media analysis be used in business and policy decisions? How do platforms like Facebook change how we live and do business?

This MA programme offers a critical exploration of social media within contemporary networked societies and trains students to work with (big) data in a responsible way. Social media have changed the fabric of everyday life and society. This has had important implications for how we inform ourselves, with whom we connect and in which ways, how we organize our daily lives, and how we perform as citizens. Knowledge of the ways these quickly emerging communication infrastructures are fundamentally transforming society is indispensable. At a time when intensive data-gathering and analysis is key for companies and governments, this MA programme’s theoretical approach to social media and their data-driven impact on society helps students in understanding and reflecting on critical issues in order to respond to current societal transformations. From a practical perspective, students are trained to investigate social media data in the context of social, political and economic change.


Facts & Figures
Degree
MA in Media Studies
Course type
Master
Duration
18 months (90 ECTS)
Croho code
60831
Language of instruction
English
Start
September
Faculty
Arts
Why study this programme in Groningen?

This programme trains you to critically engage with the profound societal changes that social media bring about, with hands-on experience with analysis of social media data. The internship familiarizes yourself with the job market and kick-starts your career. Acquired skills include:

  • Cutting-edge knowledge of social media
  • Social media analysis
  • Profound insights in social media use
  • Excellent communication and writing skills
  • Social media management skills
  • Entrepreneurial skills
Programme
Semesters
CoursesCourse Catalog >1a1b2a2b
Multimodal Discourse Analysis (5 EC, optional)

One of four elective methodology courses

Network Theory (5 EC)
Statistical Analysis with R (5 EC, optional)

One of four elective methodology courses

Transformations in the Digital Society (5 EC)
Analyzing Social Media Data (5 EC, optional)

One of four elective methodology courses

Capturing Media Use (5 EC, optional)

One of four elective methodology courses

Conceptualizing Audiences (5 EC)
Platform Studies (5 EC)
Connectivity: Contemporary Debates (5 EC)
Data for Society: Civic Media (5 EC, optional)

One of four elective professional skills courses

Media Policy and Regulation (5 EC, optional)

One of four elective professional skills courses

Research Seminar SMS (10 EC)
Start-up Lab (5 EC, optional)

One of four elective professional skills courses

Story Lab (5 EC, optional)

One of four elective professional skills courses

Thesis Lab (5 EC)
Semesters
CoursesCourse Catalog >1a1b2a2b3a3b
Master's Thesis: SMS (15 EC)
MA Thesis Plus: SMS (25 EC, optional)
Tutorial (5 EC, optional)
Master's Internship: SMS (15 EC)

Study abroad

  • Study abroad is unaccommodated
Entry requirements

Transfer options

Transferring from...

Study programmeOrganizationTransition
All Research universitiesVia a pre-master with a maximum of 30 EC
Media StudiesAll Research universitiesNo additional requirements
Study programmeOrganizationTransition
All Universities of applied sciencesVia a pre-master with a maximum of 60 EC
Study programmeOrganizationTransition
Media StudiesUniversity of GroningenNo additional requirements

Admission requirements

Specific requirementsMore information
previous education

Students with a BA degree in Media Studies from the University of Groningen are directly admitted to the programme. Students with any other BA degree need to have at least 30 ECTS credit points from course units from the Minor in Media Studies provided by the University of Groningen, or course units equivalent to these in content followed at a different university.

language test

Additional English language requirement (also for students wishing to pursue a premaster programme): a Dutch VWO diploma or Dutch VWO English certificate (grade 6 or higher), minimum TOEFL requirement iBT 100 (with a minimum of 25 for all components), or IELTS 7 (with a minimum of 6.5 for all components). Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency with a minimum score of 185. If you have a Dutch VWO degree, you do not need to submit a language test.

other admission requirements

Students with a BA degree from a University of Applied Sciences (HBO) cannot apply directly for the MA Media Studies, track Social Media & Society. You will have to complete a pre-Master's first. You can find an overview of the pre-Master's programme on this webpage. Please contact admission.mediastudies rug.nl for more information on how to proceed.

Registration procedure

Note: it's not possible to start in February. For more information, please contact the study advisor.

Application deadlines

Type of studentDeadlineStart course
Dutch students15 August 202501 September 2025
EU/EEA students01 May 202501 September 2025
non-EU/EEA students01 May 202501 September 2025

For students with a non-Dutch diploma: deadline May 1, to start in September For students with a Dutch diploma: deadline August 15, to start in September

Admission requirements

Specific requirementsMore information
previous education

Students with a BA degree in Media Studies from the University of Groningen are directly admitted to the programme. Students with any other BA degree need to have at least 30 ECTS credit points from course units from the Minor in Media Studies provided by the University of Groningen, or course units equivalent to these in content followed at a different university.

language test

Additional English language requirement (also for students wishing to pursue a premaster programme): a Dutch VWO diploma or Dutch VWO English certificate (grade 6 or higher), minimum TOEFL requirement iBT 100 (with a minimum of 25 for all components), or IELTS 7 (with a minimum of 6.5 for all components). Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency with a minimum score of 185. If you have a Dutch VWO degree, you do not need to submit a language test.

other admission requirements

Students with a BA degree from a University of Applied Sciences (HBO) cannot apply directly for the MA Media Studies, track Social Media & Society. You will have to complete a pre-Master's first. You can find an overview of the pre-Master's programme on this webpage. Please contact admission.mediastudies rug.nl for more information on how to proceed.

Registration procedure

Note: it's not possible to start in February.

Application deadlines

Type of studentDeadlineStart course
Dutch students15 August 202501 September 2025
EU/EEA students01 May 202501 September 2025
non-EU/EEA students01 May 202501 September 2025

For students with a non-Dutch diploma: deadline May 1, to start in September For students with a Dutch diploma: deadline August 15, to start in September

Tuition fees
NationalityYearFeeProgramme form
EU/EEA2024-2025€ 2530full-time
non-EU/EEA2024-2025€ 18700full-time

Important: the master track Social Media and Society is a 18 months master programme (1.5 years). This means that you pay 1.5 times more tuition fee, not just ONE year.

Practical information for:

After your studies

Job prospects

Students who finish this MA degree have:

  • A thorough understanding of the societal implications of the emerging social media ecology for democracy, social cohesion and the economy
  • Strong analytical, methodological and professional skills that allow them to design and conduct critical research into social media, networks and their implications for society and to computationally collect, analyze, visualize and re-use social media data to study online behaviour and content on a large scale

Job examples

  • Data analyst
  • Market researcher
  • Marketing officer
  • Communication and public relations officer
  • Consultant
  • Entrepreneur
  • Policy advisor
Research

Research environment

You are taught by lecturers who are internationally renowned in media studies. You benefit from and can be involved in the research of the Centre for Media and Journalism Studies, assessed as an excellent and world-leading research centre. The department is well-known for its informal and vibrant atmosphere, allowing for fruitful exchange between staff and students.

Apply nowBrochureEventsContact
Master's Weekdiverse locatiesMore information

Contact

  • Tessa Hummel (Study Advisor)
    Email: studyadvicemediastudies rug.nl
  • Erika Kastelein MA (Study advisor)
    Email: studyadvicemediastudies rug.nl
  • Admission Office (Contact form)
    Telephone: +31-(0)50 363 8976

NL Scholarships

The University of Groningen offers NL Scholarships to international students from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) who want to do their master’s in the Netherlands. Read more on the NL Scholarships and on how to apply.
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Study associations

MESA

MESA is the study association of the bachelor and master programs of Media Studies. The association aims to help the cultural and academic growth of its members as well as improve contact between them. Additionally, the association plays a vital role in promoting and introducing the bachelor to both new and prospective students.
MESA is comprised of various committees, each with their own objectives to help us achieve our goals. Numerous events are organized all year round such as the first years introduction camp, parties, trips, excursions and debates amongst other things and offers services such as high-quality summaries.
https://mesagroningen.nl/
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Student profile

If you are interested in how social media transform society and want to learn how you can analyse social media data for research and professional purposes, this programme is the right one for you.