Media and Area Studies (MARS)

Media Studies and Area Studies (MARS)

The combination of media and area studies provides in-depth critical knowledge about processes of mediation and signification, and how space and geography intersect with them. The program is based on post-colonial theory, media sociology, memory studies and political geography. This is translated into a very practice based, research oriented approach. You can then gain employment in more senior/advisory positions in state administrations, private sector, public service institutions, and NGOs.

Important information

Degree: Master’s

Form: single degree

Duration: 2 years

Language: English

Teaching: on campus

Find out more about admissions here.

Who to contact

Admissions Team: Marcela Vrbatová (admissions@fsv.cuni.cz)

Program Coordinator: Karolína Šimková (karolina.simkova@fsv.cuni.cz)

Program Director: Vaia Doudaki (vaia.doudaki@fsv.cuni.cz)

COURSE STRUCTURE

Total credits

  1. Compulsory courses: 69 credits
  2. Compulsory courses - final thesis: 15 credits
  3. Compulsory optional courses: 24 credits
  4. Elective courses: 12 credits

Compulsory courses

  • Media and Society
  • Communication and Politics
  • Czech Media System in European Comparison
  • Conflict and Media in Southern Europe
  • Introduction to Post-colonial Theory
  • Political Geography
  • Theorizing Memory: Social and Cultural Remembering
  • Political Systems of East European Countries Today
  • EU Institutions
  • Grand Debates of European Integration
  • Methodology of Social Sciences
  • Academic Writing

Compulsory courses - final thesis

  • Master Thesis Seminar I
  • Master Thesis Seminar II

Compulsory optional courses

12 credits to select from list 1:

  • Audiovisual Interpretation of Reality
  • Cultural Studies
  • Media and Technical Images
  • Political Economy of Communication
  • Current Issues in Digital Media Studies
  • Intercultural Communication Management
  • Contexts of Television
  • Empirical Audience Studies
  • Media and Culture Reading - Popular Culture
  • Analysing Discourse: Theories and Methods
  • Reading Texts to Study Media
  • Internship

12 credits to select from list 2:

  • Concepts and Interpretations of Central European History
  • Culture and politics in Europe
  • Ethnic Conflicts in Central and Eastern Europe
  • Migration and mobility: comparative issues in Western European Countries
  • Social Exclusion and the Roma in Central Europe
  • Cultural History of Communist Europe
  • Central Europe: Ideologies and Politics (1700's - present)

Graduation Requirements

In the course of the programme, students obtain in total 120 ECTS credits, including the obligatory courses. Moreover, students will have to pass the state exam, which consists of the defence of the final thesis and an oral examination in the field of media and areas studies.

MARS FORMS

Download forms and documents at the Faculty of Social Sciences website here.

MARS program handbook here

MARS schedule WS2025

(SS2025, WS2024, SS 2024, WS 2023, SS 2023, WS 2022, SS 2022, WS 2021)

MARS MA thesis: guidelines here

MARS MA thesis: research proposal form here

MARS MA thesis: template here

MARS MA thesis: review form here

MARS conference support rules here

MARS conference support application form here

MARS internship syllabus here

MARS internship agreement here

MARS internship supervisor report here

ERASMUS+ internships general rules here