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Swansea University, Wales

The Department of Media and Communication Studies

The Department of Media and Communication Studies at Swansea University was founded in 2001. As the newest department in the field of mass communication it specialises in the areas of media history, journalism, European film and television studies and media theory. In the field of journalism training it teaches undergraduate courses in television, radio and print as part of its degree schemes in Media Studies and Screen Studies.

2005 it will launch a full time dedicated undergraduate degree in Public and Media Relations. The main teaching of journalism is done at the post graduate level with an MA degree in Comparative Journalism which has drawn students from all over the world including China, India, France, Zimbabwe and the UK.

The Department has developed expertise in a number of areas of journalism. Its primary area of expertise lies in war reporting. Under Professor Kevin Williams and Dr. Andrew Hoskins there is a strong research track record in media at war. Professor Williams has written several books on war reporting including The Fog of War: The Media, Military and Government on the Battlefield (Heinemann, 1987) and War and peace News (The Open University Press, 1987) as well as numerous articles on the ethics of war reporting, the Vietnam War and the war correspondent.

Dr. Hoskins recently worked on the ESRC New Security Challenges programme on a project entitled Shifting Securities: News Cultures before and beyond the Iraq War 2003, funded from April 2004 for 30 months. He published a book Televising War: From Vietnam to Iraq (Continuum, 2004).

Several modules on war and war reporting are offered in the Department and Dr. Hoskins’ module, Documenting War, draws on a range of archive material on war coverage complied from several sources including the Imperial War Museum. The Department will offer a new MA in Contemporary Conflict next year in conjunction with the Departments of Politics and Development Studies and the Callaghan Centre for the Study of Conflict of which Dr. Hoskins is the Deputy-Director.

Exploring Swansea

Cosmopolitan, convenient, contemporary- Swansea is a modern city with a maritime feel. Living here brings you all the benefits of living in a city and the benefits of living by the sea.

From the Maritime Quarter with its beautiful marina scenery, exhibitions, places to eat and the beach beyond; to the town centre with its shops, multi-screen cinema featuring the latest film releases, bowling centre, museum, the Glynn Vivian Art Gallery and the Grand Theatre which presents live performances all year round and is one of Britain’s finest regional theatres; there is always plenty to do.

At night, the city comes to life with its wide choice of clubs, bars and restaurants, many situated in the vibrant Wind Street, and the nearby village of Mumbles with its famous pub mile!

The University Campus is set between acres of green parkland and miles of sea and sand. It is a truly stunning location, just a couple of miles from the city centre and within easy reach of the beautiful Gower countryside and beaches. Founded in 1920, Swansea’s thriving academic community has approximately 12,000 students, of which over 2,000 are postgraduates, studying a wide variety of subjects.

For sports enthusiasts our modern sports centre includes a fully equipped gym, multi-purpose sports hall, squash courts and a climbing wall. Next to this you will find our state-of-the-art 50m Wales national pool. Outdoor facilities include rugby, football, lacrosse, cricket pitches and tennis courts. In addition, surfing and canoeing conditions on the Gower beaches are excellent.

For Arts enthusiasts the Taliesin Arts centre, based in the heart of campus, offers a lively programme of drama, dance concerts and an eclectic mix of films, including award winning foreign language titles not usually shown in mainstream cinema.

What makes the city of Swansea so easy is its manageable size. Nothing is too far away from the centre. Regular buses run to and from the city centre and good coach, rail and motorway connections provide excellent links to many other cities in the UK.

Swansea is ideally located for travel. A train from Swansea to London takes only 3.5 hours and you can take a ferry to Cork. For further details please go to the following websites:
American Studied Exchange Office | City & Country of Swansea | Swansea Bay