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Communication and Culture (MA, PhD)

Joint Program with York University  

Two graduate students working on a computer in a media lab

Program Overview

Format: Full-time (MA, PhD), Part-time (MA)

Degree Earned: Master of Arts (MA) or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

This unique partnership between two universities combines expertise and opportunities for advanced study of media and cultural technologies, as well as communication politics in practice and theory. The two-year, full- or part-time MA program combines academic and professional work through independent research in theory-building, media practice or policy implications. The full-time PhD program provides a thorough grounding in theory and method, and the practices, processes and technologies of contemporary, media-immersed cultures.

Graduate student in front of project of The Image Centre

At a Glance

MA

  • Completion of a four-year undergraduate (or equivalent degree) from an accredited institution
  • Minimum grade point average (GPA) or equivalent of 3.33/4.33 (B+) in the last two years of study
  • Statement of research interest
  • Resumé/CV
  • Transcripts
  • Two letters of recommendation
  • English language proficiency requirement
  • Writing sample

PhD

  • Completion of a master’s degree from an accredited institution
  • Minimum grade point average (GPA) or equivalent of 3.33/4.33 (B+)
  • Statement of research interest
  • Resumé/CV
  • Transcripts
  • Two letters of recommendation
  • English language proficiency requirement
  • Writing sample

More information on admission requirements. Due to the competitive nature of our programs, it is not possible to offer admission to everyone who applies that meets the minimum entrance requirements for the program. 

Program-specific requirements

For detailed graduate tuition and fees information please visit Fees by Program.

For information on scholarships, awards and financing your graduate studies visit Financing Your Studies.

  • Media and Culture: the confluence of media and culture and their relationships within social systems.
  • Politics and Policy: the critical role of the state and civil society in the development of communication systems, the production and distribution of culture, and issues of societal power.
  • Technology in Practice: the development, application, and influence of historical, current and emerging communication technologies in cultural production, both personal and organizational.
  • Accelerating Technicity
  • Activist Video Making
  • Advanced Communication Technology
  • Advanced Research Methodologies
  • Armed Conflict, Peace and Media
  • Asian Studies Perspectives
  • Bodies in Technology
  • Body and Culture Of Modernity
  • Cinema and Media: Key Concepts
  • Communication and Culture: An Interdisciplinary Approach
  • Communication and the Sociotechnical
  • Contemporary Theory In Visual Arts
  • Cultural Policy
  • Cultural Production Workshop
  • Culture and The Environment
  • Cultures of Sexuality and Gender
  • Design and Research Theory
  • Digital Games and Learning
  • Field Placement (MA)
  • Future Cinema
  • History of News
  • Media Democracy
  • Media Ethics
  • Media History
  • Perspectives in Communication and Culture
  • Photographic Vision and Practice
  • Political Economy of Media
  • Politics of Aesthetics
  • Popular Music Studies
  • Reading Film
  • Reading Television
  • Research Methodologies
  • Social and Cultural Implications of New Media
  • Social Theory and Communication Processes
  • Visual Culture
  • Centre for Digital Humanities
  • Infoscape Research Lab
  • Modern Literature & Culture Research Centre & Gallery
  • The Image Centre

Graduate Admissions

Admissions information and how to apply

Graduate Studies Admissions Office
11th Floor, 1 Dundas Street West
Toronto, ON
Telephone: 416-979-5150
Fax: 416-979-5153
E-mail: gradhelp@torontomu.ca

For information specific to programs please see the program contact information below.

Program Contacts

Dr. Miranda Campbell 
Graduate Program Director
Telephone: 416-979-5000 ext. 553519
Email: miranda.campbell@torontomu.ca

Sarah Edmonds
Graduate Program Administrator
Telephone: 416-979-5000 ext. 554837
Fax: 416-979-5153
Email: comcult@torontomu.ca

“This program has enabled me to tap into a unique community of passionate scholars and creative thinkers who have sharpened my research and artistic practice.”

Dave Colangelo, PhD alumnus

Student Profile: Indigenizing Fashion (external link) 

Riley Kucheran (communication and culture PhD student) explores clothing and assimilation in Indian Residential Schools

Graduate Academic Calendar

Find curriculum, course descriptions and important dates for Communication and Culture (MA, PhD).

How to Apply

Once you’ve made an informed choice about which program(s) you are going to apply to, preparing your application requires careful research and planning.

Funding

At Toronto Metropolitan University, we understand that pursuing graduate studies is a significant financial investment. Funding comes from a combination of employment contracts (as a teaching assistant), scholarships, awards and stipends. There are a number of additional funding sources – internal and external – available to graduate students that can increase these funding levels.

Research

As an urban innovation university, Toronto Metropolitan University offers 60+ cutting-edge, career-oriented graduate programs, as well as 125+ research centres, institutes and labs, in a wide range of disciplines. Our close connections with industry, government and community partners provide opportunities to apply your knowledge to real-world challenges and make a difference.