Institute of Communications Studies

About ICS

Formed in 1988, the Institute of Communications Studies is an internationally renowned centre for teaching and research in communication, media and culture. It is one of the largest departments of its kind in Europe, offering a range of undergraduate degrees, postgraduate taught degrees and a postgraduate research programme.

Our staff includes academics who are world leaders in their field as well as practitioners whose experience is at the cutting edge of the media and communications industries.  For students who join ICS, this combined expertise means they receive an outstanding education in their chosen specialism. They also benefit from the excellent academic and practitioner networks on which ICS staff draw to enhance their teaching and research practice.

At ICS we recognise that excellent education and research training also requires appropriate technology. In September 2010, we moved into a specially refurbished building at the heart of the Leeds campus, Clothworkers’ Building North. Our excellent facilities here include a cinema, a new media lab and a television studio as well as editing suites equipped with the latest industry-standard software and hardware. In addition, postgraduate students enjoy their own shared offices, equipped with computers, printers and spaces for discussion and debate.

Our degree programmes

We offer four undergraduate degree programmes:

• BA Hons Broadcast Journalism
• BA Hons Cinema and Photography
• BA Hons Communications and Media
• BA Hons New Media

For more information on the possibilities that the University of Leeds can offer undergraduate media and communications students, visit the undergraduate section of the website.

We offer seven taught postgraduate degree programmes:

• MA Cinema & Photography
• MA Communications Studies
• MA International Communications
• MA International Journalism
• MA Media Industries
• MA Political Communication
• MA Public Relations and Society

To find out more about the taught postgraduate student experience, visit the postgraduate pages of the website.

For more information on any of our taught courses, request the ICS UG Brochure or the University PG prospectus. If you are considering pursuing a PhD with us, please visit the PhD page for further information about postgraduate research at ICS.

Our research

ICS researchers have written many major books and articles on communications, media, film and culture, and details of these publications can be found on individual staff web pages.

Within ICS, our research is organised around the following five themes:

• Cultural Production and Media Policy
• International Communication
• Journalism Studies
• Political Communication
• Visual & Digital Cultures

In addition, two dedicated Research Centres pursue a more specialised research agenda:

• Centre for Digital Citizenship
• Media Industries Research Centre

Visit the research section of this website to find out more about our research.