The University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, has started a Masters in Science (MSc) course in Political Communication and Media that explores the intersection of politics, media and public discourse. It prepares students to understand, analyse, and effectively engage in the communication processes that shape political life.
The study mode and duration will be 12 months for the full-time course and 24 months for the part-time course. Students can visit startu.ac.uk to apply for the course, which begins in January 2026.
A first or second-class Honours degree, or equivalent, in social science and English language is required for entry into the course.
During the course, students will learn how traditional and digital media shape political narratives and influence public opinion, elections, policymaking, and democratic processes. They will gain a thorough understanding of core theories about the public sphere, agenda-setting, framing, and persuasion.
Students will be engaged in current debates about political messaging, propaganda, misinformation, media bias, and the role of artificial intelligence. They will also have the opportunity to learn practical skills in qualitative and quantitative research methods to evaluate political communication strategies and understand the state of the art in media effects research, according to the official notification of the university.
The course is divided into three semesters. The first semester includes Quantitative Methods and Political Communication in the 21st Century. In the second semester, Research Skills for Media and Communication and Advanced Topics in Political Communication and Media will be taught. The last semester includes Media Analytics and a Dissertation, where students apply their learning to original research.
The course has an international tuition fee of £21,550. Eight hundred and fifty Glasgow International Masters Scholarships, valued at £5,000 or £7,000 depending on the programme fee, are also available from the university (Humanities & Social Science, January 2026).