The CMCS encourages applications to Central European University (CEU) for prospective Masters and PhD students specializing in media, information and communication policy, and political communication.
Students may apply for financial aid packages at both the MA and PhD level.
CEU offers two opportunities for Masters Degrees with specializations in media and communications, as well as a doctoral program:
- Media, Information and Communications Policy Specialization within the Master in Public Policy
- Political Communication certificate within the Master in Political Science
- Doctoral School of Political Science, Public Policy and International Relations
Media, Information and Communications Policy Specialization within the Master in Public Policy
The media, information and communication sectors have witnessed fundamental changes over the last 20 years. Liberalization, digitization and convergence signal important challenges for policy-makers and regulators. Moreover, the importance of communication and information in modern society has grown exponentially in recent times. Hence, media and communications policies play a crucial role not only in an individuals’ life, but in the development of national economies and societies as a whole. The aim of this specialization is to analyze the technological, economic and political reasons for the prevailing regulatory regimes, and to provide an understanding of the institutional interplay in which policies and decisions are made with a view on preserving fundamental communications freedoms.
This specialization provides students with a unique opportunity to specialize in a contemporary and dynamic field of public policy that equally exposes them to the widest possible range of classical policy problems. Core themes in public policy will be reviewed in the course work such as guaranteeing human rights ranging from freedom of expression, information and the media to the right to privacy, cutting across multi-level and multi-stakeholder governance, sector-specific regulatory frameworks and policies. It focuses on both theory and practice, and stimulate students to critically engage with debates about media and communications. Comparative case studies on policy formulation and the improvement of the regulatory process, especially in emerging democracies, complement the curriculum.
The Media, Information and Communications Policy Specialization is embedded in the degree programs offered by the Department of Public Policy:
Master of Arts in Public Policy (MA); one year
This program emphasizes core areas of public policy with a specialization in selected policy topics. Students are expected to combine analysis and critical thinking with policy-making solutions, researching academic papers and writing policy briefs using quantitative and qualitative research methods. A two-month internship or a policy lab is a required part of the program.
Master of Arts in Public Policy— Erasmus Mundus Course, Mundus MAPP (MA); two years
The Mundus MAPP program is funded by the European Commission and organized in collaboration with the Institut Barcelona d’Estudis Internacionals (IBEI), the Institute of Social Sciences (ISS) in The Hague, and the University of York (UK). A two-month internship or a policy lab is a required part of the program.
Political Communications certificate within the Master in Political Science Department
The Department of Political Science offers one- and two-year M.A. programs accredited in the US and Europe. These programs provide a comprehensive program of instruction and research in the fundamental areas of the discipline: political institutions and processes; the origins, development and transformation of theory and concepts; understanding different approaches to political analysis; political philosophy; social theory; political economy; public policy; political and economic sociology; constitutionalism and the legal contexts necessary for understanding politics and debates about it. Students can choose between over a dozen fields of specialization, including Political Communication. The Political Communication certificate program allows young scholars to concentrate their studies on how citizens, mass media and political actors interact in electoral campaigns and other contexts. German weekly Die Zeit ranked the department among the best in Europe.
- Read more about this cetificate (follow “Certificates” under the “Teaching” menu).
Doctoral School of Political Science, Public Policy and International Relations
The doctoral program is one of the largest, most international and competitive European programs in political science. Students, typically coming from more than 30 countries, can choose supervisors from among over 35 professors. The program is composed of five specializations: Comparative Politics, International Relations, Political Economy, Political Theory, and Public Policy. Doctoral research relating to media and communications may be undertaken within any of these tracks, as faculty involved in teaching and supervision in both the Public Policy and Political Science Departments have developed substantive expertise in the field.
Typically students receive a stipend for three years. They also receive support to spend time in the field and at other universities. The doctoral candidates are actively introduced to research networks in their field through participation in graduate conferences and in major, typically EU-financed, research projects.
Application
Deadlines
I) January 4, 2012, 24:00 Pacific Standard Time (PST)
Deadline for applications to the Erasmus Mundus Masters Program in Public Policy (Mundus MAPP), which seek and are eligible for Erasmus Mundus "Category A" or "Category B" scholarships.
II) January 25, 2012, 24:00 Pacific Standard Time (PST)
- Deadline for applications to the one-year Masters Program in Public Policy
- Deadline for applications to the one and two-year Masters Programs in Political Science
- Deadline for applications to the Public Policy Track of the Doctoral Program in Political Science
III) May 4, 2012, 24:00 Pacific Standard Time (PST)
- Deadline for applications to the Erasmus Mundus Masters Program in Public Policy (Mundus MAPP) who do not wish to be considered for financial aid.
- Deadline for applications to the one-year Masters Program in Public Policy who do not wish to be considered for financial aid
All applicants may take part in CEU-administered Institutional TOEFL test (date: February 11, 2012), or submit proof of English proficiency, or request exemption from the English Language requirement.
Financial Aid
The majority of CEU students receive internal or external financial aid. For more information on financial aid see the website of the Department of Public Policy or the Department of Political Science (follow “financial aid” under the “admissions” menu).
About CEU
Central European University (CEU) is a research intensive graduate institution accredited in both the United States and Hungary, and located in Budapest. The University was founded in 1991 in response to the democratic revolutions sweeping across Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. Our founding vision was of a university dedicated to building open societies. Geographically and historically, CEU is in a unique position to serve as a bridge between East and West, between theory and practice, and between evolving open societies and the closed, authoritarian regimes around the world in exploring these crucial issues.
About the School for Public Policy and International Affairs
The School for Public Policy and International Affairs was launched this year at Central European University. The School will advance three strategic priorities: to address important contemporary issues in national and international public affairs; to provide an institutional forum for cross-departmental research and teaching; and to link academic theory with policy practice. The School will be unique to the region and its mission will be to promote advanced knowledge of public policy and international affairs through research, teaching and publication. This includes rigorous analysis of how competing concepts of governance are developed, communicated and contested, and how civil society shapes public policy.
About the Center for Media and Communications Studies (CMCS) at CEU
The Center for Media and Communications Studies is the hub for media and communication research at Central European University. Dedicated to advancing scholarship and policy in the field and the democratic potential of the media, the CMCS produces scholarly and practice-oriented research addressing academic, policy and civil society needs. CMCS research, workshops and events address media, information and communication policy; fundamental communication and informational rights; civil society and communication; the impact of technology on society; and the complexities of media and communication in transition. CMCS is part of a global network anchored by the Center for Global Communications Studies (CGCS) at the Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania.
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