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PhD

Media Studies

We live in a world undergoing profound shifts in media and communications culture. A PhD in Media Studies enables you to develop an in-depth research project. We will help you advance the discipline by empowering you to discover cutting-edge insights.

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Media

Key information

Start
September, January and April
Location
Canterbury
Study mode
3 to 4 years full-time, 5 to 6 years part-time
Fees (per year)
UK:
International:
Typical offer
MA in a relevant subject
All entry requirements

Overview

With access to specialist supervision, excellent resources and a vibrant intellectual community, your time at Kent will empower you to create innovative research that breaks boundaries and intervenes into urgent debates.

You conduct original research under the guidance of a team of specialist supervisors. We welcome enquiries on any topic, and provide you with excellent research resources to enable you to complete your research, which culminates in a thesis of up to 100,000 words. The first step is to reach out to a potential supervisor with an email (see Staff Research).

You will have a minimum of two supervisors who support and guide you through your academic and professional development throughout your studies. You meet regularly with your supervisors, who not only oversee your research project but help you to identify areas where you may require further advice or training. A series of reviews take place throughout your studies in order to ensure that your project stays on track and that you have all the necessary support and resources required to successfully complete it.

You may be eligible to apply for a fully funded PhD scholarship. Scholarship opportunities may include the Vice Chancellor’s Research Scholarship (GTA) and the Consortium of the Humanities and the Arts South-East England (CHASE) collaborative doctoral award. For further information and eligibility requirements, please see our Scholarship website.

About the Media Studies programme

Media Studies at Kent is a vibrant and supportive community of academics, practitioners and students, connected through our shared passion for all forms of media and communications. Our international staff are able to support a wide range of research covering social media, online and fan culture, media industries, promotional media (including marketing and PR), audiences and participatory culture, and issues of politics, identity, diversity and the media. Our staff encourage you to locate media forms within broader social and historical contexts.

You will be part of a substantial community of PhD students within the School of Arts. The Research Group for Film, Media and Culture will be your homebase for symposia and talks by internationally excellent visiting scholars. You can test out your own ideas, share tips and get extra feedback in the School’s staff-led PhD ‘Work in Progress’ research colloquium. The Templeton Library contains vast digital and print collections. Our dedicated Media Hub, which contains cameras as well as computers equipped with editing software, supports research with practical designs and outputs.

Media Studies students also benefit from Kent’s one-of-a-kind location. Based in the cultural city of Canterbury, we are less than one hour from London by train and forty minutes from the Eurotunnel, meaning that you will enjoy both a green, welcoming campus and close proximity to metropolitan culture, archives and industry.

About the Department of Media Studies

Media Studies at Kent is a vibrant and supportive international community of academics, practitioners and students, connected through our shared passion for all forms of media. Our staff are able to support a wide range of research covering digital media, online culture, audiences and participatory culture, gender and the media, and all forms of media in the broader social and historical contexts.

We also partner with the Gulbenkian Cinema, part of the University of Kent’s Arts Centre, to offer innovative, engaging and high quality arts activity for the public, staff and students. The School of Arts also has the Lupino, a 62-seat cinema named after the pioneering female filmmaker Ida Lupino, which Media Studies students can enjoy as part of their experience during their studies. The Lupino has state-of-the-art digital projection and sound, and has been created to provide an intimate atmosphere for film viewing.

Media Studies at Kent students also benefit from our fantastic location. Based in the cultural city of Canterbury, we are less than one hour from London by train and forty minutes from the Eurotunnel, making us close to both London and Europe.

The course

How you'll study

Postgraduate taught modules are designed to give you advanced study skills, a deeper knowledge of the subject, and the confidence to achieve your ambitions.

Entry requirements

MA in a relevant subject

PhD: An MA in a relevant humanities subject. In certain circumstances, the School will consider candidates who have not followed a conventional education path or who may have relevant experience in the industry. These cases are assessed individually by the Director of Graduate Studies or the Director of the relevant Research Group.

All applicants are considered on an individual basis and additional qualifications, professional qualifications and relevant experience may also be taken into account when considering applications.

Fees and funding

The 2026/27 annual tuition fees for this course are:
  • Full-time (UK)
  • Part-time (UK)
  • Full-time (International)
  • Part-time (International)

For details of when and how to pay fees and charges, please see our Student Finance Guide.

Tuition fees may be increased in the second and subsequent years of your course. Detailed information on possible future increases in tuition fees is contained in the Tuition Fees Increase Policy.

The 2026/27 annual tuition fees for UK postgraduate research courses have not yet been set by the Research Councils UK. This is ordinarily announced in March. As a guide only, the full-time tuition fee for new and returning UK postgraduate research courses for 2025/26 is £5,006.

Your fee status

The University will assess your fee status as part of the application process. If you are uncertain about your fee status you may wish to seek advice from UKCISA before applying.

Funding

You'll need regular access to a desktop computer/laptop with an internet connection to use the University of Kent’s online resources and systems. We've listed some guidelines for the technology and software you'll need for your studies.

General additional costs

Find out more about student accommodation and living costs, as well as general additional costs that you may pay when studying at Kent.

Search our scholarships finder for possible funding opportunities. You may find it helpful to look at both:

International scholarships

Unlock your potential with scholarships up to £5,000

Research

Kent is a leading research university, meaning that you will be informed about new discussions and developments by the people making them. This means your work will have real potential to make a difference.

Staff research interests

Kent’s world-class academics provide research students with excellent supervision. The academic staff in this school and their research interests are shown below. You are strongly encouraged to contact the school to discuss your proposed research and potential supervision prior to making an application. Please note, it is possible for students to be supervised by a member of academic staff from any of Kent’s schools, providing their expertise matches your research interests. Use our ‘find a supervisor’ search to search by staff member or keyword.

Full details of staff research interests can be found on the School's website.

Your future

A PhD in Media Studies provides the foundation for an academic career. It also provides invaluable research skills, provides skills suitable for careers in archival work, journalism, working in media production, publishing, editing, and teaching.  

Postgraduates earn

£6,000
more per year than graduates (Graduate Labour Market Statistics, 2021).

A degree can boost average lifetime earnings by over

£300,000
Graduate employment outcomes - Universities UK

Ready to apply?

Learn more about the application process or begin your application by clicking on a link below.

You will be able to choose your preferred year of entry once you have started your application. You can also save and return to your application at any time.

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