Frequently Asked Questions
How many modules can I take?
Potential optional modules offered by other departments
What sort of support do I get for dissertation research?
Is internship guaranteed? How do the internship tutor selects students for the internship module? How many working days are needed for internship? When can I apply for the internship module?
Can I audit modules which I do not take for credits?
Job prospects
How core modules are evaluated?
Can they get King's accommodation?
How many modules can I take?
MA Cultural and Creative Industries requires students to take three compulsory taught modules (each worth 20 credits), a compulsory dissertation (worth 60 credits), and three optional modules (each 20 credits). Students thus accumulate the necessary 180 credits to pass the degree.
Potential optional modules offered by other departments
Many MA modules can be taken outside your department so that you can tailor your study programme to your individual interests, requirements and experience.
Other modules and links to further details on them can be found here: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/schools/humanities/grad/current/mamods.html
What sort of support do I get for dissertation research?
Students prepare for the process of writing a dissertation by taking the compulsory module ‘Research Approaches to the Cultural and Creative Industries’. This module will teach you how to develop a research question and identify and use appropriate methods to answer your research questions. The module is taught during the first and second semester. It consists of ten lectures and five one-hour group tutorials with your dissertation supervisor. The module also comprises two two-and-a-half hour dissertation workshops in semester two. Once students begin the dissertation writing process proper, students should expect up to 6 hours dissertation support spread over tutor groups and personal tutorials.
Is internship guaranteed? How do the internship tutor selects students for the internship module? How many working days are needed for internship? When can I apply for the internship module?
As the internship module involves a large level of commitment, entry to the internship module is selective. The internship programme is designed for students with a particular set of career development goals and particular attitudes towards building their career. Only these students are likely to benefit from taking the module. The module also makes greater overall demands on students’ time and commitment than do 20 credit taught options. Hence we exercise selectivity in which students take this as opposed to a taught option. This is in addition to the fact that some students join the MA CCI programme having already gained internship-level experience and/or having reached an appropriate level of self-understanding in relation to career goals. The internship module is less relevant to these students’ needs, and so they may opt before the start of the MA programme not to do the internship.
If you do apply to take the internship module, you will be assessed in early September, before enrolment, as to how well your own goals match the overall learning goals of the module, and the commitment needed. You will be asked to provide a CV and answer the following three questions:
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Most internships in the creative and cultural sectors are unpaid and not all cover travel expenses. Bearing this in mind, what value would you see in doing an unpaid internship? (200 words max)
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In searching for an internship, you will have to be resilient as you may be rejected for opportunities or find it hard to develop opportunities in your chosen CCI field. Please give an example of when you have shown the necessary resilience. (200 words max)
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What do you think is missing from your CV? How would you plan to improve your CV in the short term? (200 words max)
The selection criteria are:
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Evaluating the student's response to each of the above questions out of 20 (5 for each question and 5 for overall response and use of language).
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Assessing the student's CV, with a mark out of 20 (based on structure, style, content and whether the student understood the aims of the CV).
N.B. Any student who scores over 20 (out of an overall 40) will be acceped on the module. Marginal cases will be discussed on an individual basis with the Academic Internships Director.
Can I audit modules which I do not take for credits?
Students may audit modules with permission of the module leader. Permission to audit will most likely not be given in the case of large courses. Permission may be given to attend lectures but not seminars.
Job prospects
The MA CCI programme now has more than 200 alumni in total and a LinkedIn alumni group has also been created giving our students a great way to keep in touch and to offer each other mutual help and support in the job market, as well as allowing us to see what they are up to.
Here are some of the organisations that our alumni are currently working in:
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Marketing Assistant at a major arts centre in London
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Director of Educational Programming at a New York dance organization
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Assistant Programme Manager, Learning & Interpretation Division, at a well-known London museum
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Community Projects Coordinator at one of London's most prominent theatres
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Student at the Royal College of Music
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Production Controller at a leading children's book publisher
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Communications professional at a dynamic London Public Relations company
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Head of Point of Sale and Marketing, Distribution and Assistant at a leading independent film distributor's London offices
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Assistant Director at a prominent Beijing cultural heritage museum
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Intern at Christie's auction house
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Co-founder and Executive Director at a new facility for creative artists in the Shanghai region
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Co-founder of a digital media management company
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Marketing Executive working on online products at Oxford University Press
To give a bit more detail, we have recently blogged two stories about our alumni:
http://lostincci.wordpress.com/2010/05/17/just-the-job-for-wendy/
CMCI’s most recent doctoral graduate, Dr. Wendy Burke, has been appointed Senior Lecturer in Film and Television Production at York St. John University and will be starting the post in August this year.
http://lostincci.wordpress.com/2010/06/24/cathy-ma-2006-7-was-recently-featured-on-media-industry-website-journalism-co-uk/
MA CCI alumna Cathy Ma (2006-7) was recently featured on the media industry website www.journalism.co.uk reporting her new job as Social Media Product Manager at IPC Media.
How core modules are evaluated?
Core modules are evaluated differently using coursework and/or exams. Core modules for specific degrees will need to be consulted.
Can they get King's accommodation?
All students can apply for accommodation in one of the College’s halls of residence. Details of location and the facilities offered by the residences will be sent to you with the offer of a place on the course. Please see the Accommodation Office for further details.
http://www.kcl.ac.uk/about/structure/admin/facser/facilities/accomm/applynew/