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Digital Asset & Media Management MA

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Overview

The MA in Digital Asset and Media Management (DAMM) programme explores the opportunities and challenges that organisations face as they attempt to develop effective strategies to manage every-increasing amounts of data in the form of digital assets.

Because the management of digital assets has become a critical concern for organisations operating across nonprofit and for-profits sectors, this programme is playing a critical role in preparing students for DAMM and DAMM related careers.

Combining theoretical and practical components, the programme is designed to link important theoretical ideas with industry-focused case studies and practical group projects.  The MA DAMM team recently welcomed world leading DAM expert Theresa Regli to the DAMM team, a move designed to ensure that our students are industry-ready on completion of this programme. 


Key Benefits

  • We draw on a wide range of expertise, offering insights into curatorial and archival practices associated with digital asset management across industry sectors, encompassing nonprofits (e.g. libraries, orchestras, museums) and for-profits (e.g. broadcasting corporations, gaming companies, commercial archives, social media).

  • The programme is designed to encourage students to critically explore interesting questions into the nature of digital technology and socio-economic questions such as rights and project management.

  • The course tutors offer unrivalled expertise in technologies and processes that allow the quick and efficient storage, retrieval and reuse of digital assets throughout their lifecycle. Tutors come from a diverse and highly interdisciplinary background, having managed digital archives in the nonprofit heritage sector or, for example, worked on large digital projects in the gaming, film, or broadcasting sectors.

  • Through the optional internship module, students can have direct access to some of the world’s most important culture and media institutions.

  • Close links and regular speakers from the content sector give students unique insights and up-to- the-minute knowledge of new trends in DAMM and related areas of research/work.

Key information

Application status Open

Duration One year FT, two years PT, September to September.

Study mode Full-time, Part-time

Credit value UK 180/ECTS 90

Course intake No set number.

Course leaders

Dr Brian Kavannagh brian.kavanagh@kcl.ac.uk

Further details

Course contact for further information Postgraduate Admissions Team, Admissions Office tel: +44 (0) 20 7848 7000 fax: +44 (0) 20 7848 7200

Course contact form Postgraduate admissions

Awarding institution King's College London

Faculty Faculty of Arts & Humanities

Department Department of Digital Humanities

Locations

 

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Digital Asset & Media Management

In the heart of London

Find out more about the programmes on offer in our Digital Humanities Department at King's.

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Course detail

Description

Our Digital Asset and Media Management MA is designed to prepare students for a broad range of career opportunities in a dynamic and exciting digital world that is driven by knowledge and innovation. As an MA DAMM student, you will be introduced to a fascinating array of relevant theoretical ideas as part of your core module, such as disruptive innovation theory, the attention economy, digital strategy, metadata, social media marketing, and the lifecycle of digital asset. Critically, you will get to apply these theories in real-world scenarios through a series of practical, project-based tasks designed to challenge students to develop creative solutions to DAMM-related problems. Because DAMM is largely a practice-based discipline, students get to work with enterprise level DAM software throughout both semester’s one and two.

In addition to working with IntelligenceBank who are our DAMM software partner, we are fortunate to have Theresa Regli, a leading digital asset management expert, as an official industry partner. Theresa works with a diverse array of for-profit and nonprofit organisations, including Unilever, Art Fund, and the Museum of London. She will be engaging with students throughout semester’s one and two through lectures, panel discussions, and workshops; she will also take part of our annual DAMM industry day along with guests from high profile organisations such as the BBC, the London Symphony Orchestra, and the Shell Corporation.  

Reasons you should consider the Digital Asset & Media Management MA include:

  • Organisations across industry sectors are harvesting data and using digital media in new ways in response to changing stakeholder needs and expectations, most obviously consumers, audiences, and users.
  • Businesses increasingly rely on data and digital media and rich media content to remain competitive in a constantly changing digital economy in which the attention of audiences is now a critical resource.
  • Nonprofit organisations such as archives, libraries, symphony orchestra, museums, and art galleries increasingly depend on digital materials to reimagine relationships with existing and future audiences. For example, cultural heritage organisations are digitising and making digital materials relating to our history and culture accessible to larger and more diverse audiences through a range of digital platforms and the mobile network.
  • Research managers and data scientists now work with large volumes of digital data, running experiments, simulations and visualisations.
  • There is a shortage of managers across industry sectors who can help organisations develop and implement effective digital asset and media management strategies. Therefore, employers are looking for skilled professionals with knowledge and expertise in managing their valuable digital media assets.

Further literature

https://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/apply/enquiry-form.aspx

Course format and assessment

Teaching

If you are a full-time student, we will provide you with 120 to 180 hours of teaching through lectures and seminars, and we will expect you to undertake 1,674 hours of independent study.

 If you are a part-time student, we will give you 90 hours of teaching through lectures and seminars in your first year and 50 in your second year. We will expect you to undertake 720 hours of independent study in your first year and 954 hours in your second. Please note, part-time is not an option for students entering the programme in January 2021.

Typically, one credit equates to 10 hours of work.

Assessment

Your performance will be assessed through coursework.  Forms of assessment may typically include essays, project work and workshop reports, depending on the modules you choose.

Location

Usually, the course is primarily taught at the King’s College London Strand Campus. We are located in the heart of London, offering you an unparalleled location and easy access to the city’s cultural offerings. However, 2020/21 teaching will be delivered via blended learning of online and in-person teaching, subject to social distancing regulations. Please check the offer holder pages for further updates. 

Course accreditation

Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP) accredited.

Regulating body

King’s College London is regulated by the Office for Students.

Structure

Year 1

Courses are divided into modules. You will normally take modules totalling 180 credits.

Required Modules

You are required to take:

•            Introduction to Digital Asset & Media Management (40 credits)

•            Dissertation (60 credits)

Optional Modules

In addition, you are required to take four modules (totalling 80 credits) from a list of optional modules that may typically include:

•            Web Technologies (20 credits)

•            Digital Publishing (20 credits)

•            Communication & Consumption of Cultural Heritage (20 credits)

•            Digital Media, Digital Marketing (20 credits)

•            From Information to Knowledge (20 credits)

•            Digital Asset & Media Management in the Broadcast Media (20 credits)

•            Introduction to Data Journalism (20 credits)

•            Management for Digital Content Industries (20 credits)                                     

•            Digital Asset & Media Technologies in Practice (20 credits)

•            Internship: Digital Asset & Media Management in the Workplace (20 credits)

•            Maps, Apps & the GeoWeb (20 credits)

•            Data Journalism (20 credits)

•            Network Literacy (20 credits)

•            Digital Publishing (20 credits)

•            Open Culture (20 credits)

•            From Information to Knowledge – Metadata & Systems for Digital Assets & Media (20 credits)

•            Management for Digital Content Industries (20 credits)

•            Digital Media, Digital Marketing (20 credits)

•            Curating & Preserving Digital Culture (20 credits)

•            Crowds & Clouds – Digital Ecosystems (20 credits)

Up to 20 credits from other master’s modules offered in the Faculty of Arts & Humanities, subject to approvals

If you are a part-time student, you will take Introduction to Digital Asset & Media Management in your first year and your dissertation in your second. You will divide your 80 optional credits between the two years.

King’s College London reviews the modules offered on a regular basis to provide up-to-date, innovative and relevant programmes of study. Therefore, modules offered may change. We suggest you keep an eye on the course finder on our website for updates.

Entry requirements & how to apply

Digital Asset & MM Entry Requirements
Minimum requirements

High 2:1

(65%)

Bachelors degree with high 2:1 honours (i.e. overall average of at least 65% across all years of study) valid in any discipline and/or substantial work experience involving the management, use or creation of digital media and resources.

In order to meet the academic entry requirements for this programme you should have a minimum high 2:1 undergraduate degree with a final mark of at least 65% or above in the UK marking scheme. If you are still studying you should be achieving an average of at least 65% or above in the UK marking scheme.

Please note: Meeting the minimum requirements for your application to be considered does not guarantee an offer as applications for this programme are very competitive.
International requirements   Visit our admissions webpages to view our International entry requirements.
English Language requirements Band C Visit our admissions webpages to view our English language entry requirements.

 

Application procedure

Applications must be made online using King’s online application portal apply.kcl.ac.uk and a non-refundable application fee of £100 applies.

Your application will be assessed by two members of staff. Candidates with non-traditional qualifications or experience may be interviewed, either in person or by phone if overseas, and all applicants are welcome to call us to arrange a visit. We aim to process all complete applications within four to six weeks, although this may take longer in February and March and over holiday periods

Personal statement and supporting information

You will be asked to submit the following documents in order for your application to be considered:

DMM checklist
Supporting document Yes

Please provide a writing sample of around 500 words, answering the following questions. Please note this an essential requirement and supporting statements which do not answer the questions below will not be assessed as part of your application. 

Why you are applying for this specific programme, and how does it fit in with your future plans? (max 250 words)

How does your experience and education make you a suitable candidate for this programme? (max 250 words)

Please write these questions as separate answers, with a clear title for your answer to each question. Documents where your answers are not clearly titled and separated will not be accepted
Previous Academic Study Yes A copy (or copies) of your official academic transcript(s), showing the subjects studied and marks obtained. If you have already completed your degree, copies of your official degree certificate will also be required. Applicants with academic documents issued in a language other than English, will need to submit both the original and official translation of their documents.
References Yes One academic reference is required. A professional reference will be accepted if you have completed your qualifications over five years ago. In some cases, we may request an additional reference from you.
Other Optional Applicants may wish to include a CV (Resume) or evidence of professional registration as part of their application.

 

Application closing date

We recommend that you submit your application as soon as possible. Our first application deadline is the 26th March 2021. After this date, the programme will remain open only if places are still available and will be closed as soon as it is full.

For programmes that remain open beyond this date, the final application deadlines for the following fee statuses are listed below:

  • EU or overseas (international) fee status: 30th July 2021
  • Home fee status: 27th August 2021

Please note, you will not be eligible for an application fee refund if you apply after the first application deadline in March, and we are unable to process more offers as places are filled before the final application deadlines above.

Help and support

If you don't have a suitable qualification for direct entry to a UK university, or if English isn't your first language, our academic preparation courses can help you get ready for study in the UK.

Preparation courses

Fees and funding

  • Full time Home fees: £10,500 per year (2021/22)
  • Full time overseas fees: £27,900 per year (2021/22)
  • Part time Home fees: £5,250 per year (2021/22)
  • Part time overseas fees: £13,950 per year (2021/22)

These tuition fees may be subject to additional increases in subsequent years of study, in line with King’s terms and conditions.

Deposit

When you receive an offer for this course you will be required to pay a non-refundable deposit to secure your place. The deposit will be credited towards your total fee payment.

The UK deposit is £500.

The INTERNATIONAL deposit is £2,000. 

  • If you receive an offer on or before 31st March, payment is due by 30th April 2021.
  • If you receive an offer between 1st April and 30th June, payment is due within one month of receiving the offer.
  • If you receive an offer between 1st July and 31st July, payment is due within two weeks of receiving the offer.
  • If you receive an offer on or after 1st August, payment is due within one week of receiving the offer.
  • If you receive an offer from late August onwards, payment is due within 2 days of receiving the offer.

If you are a current King’s student in receipt of the King's Living Bursary you are not required to pay a deposit to secure your place on the programme. Please note, this will not change the total fees payable for your chosen programme.

Additional costs/expenses

In addition to your tuition fees, you can also expect to pay for:

•            books if you choose to buy your own copies

•            clothing for optional course related events and competitions

•            library fees and fines

•            personal photocopies

•            printing course handouts

•            society membership fees

•            stationery

•            travel costs around London and between campuses

•            graduation costs

Please visit our web pages on fees and funding for more information.

Financial help and support

Visit the fees and funding webpages to find out more about bursaries, scholarships, grants, tuition fees, living expenses, student loans and other financial help available at King's.

Career prospects

Because we are living in an era in which data is playing an increasing role in shaping social, economic, and cultural activities, there is an urgent need for professionals with digital asset and media management expertise. Our MA responds to this demand for digitally literate professionals to work across a broad range of industry sectors, including both nonprofits and for-profits fields. The skills and knowledge that students develop over the course of our MA make them valuable to a wide range of institutions concerned with the effective management of their information and media assets; for example, museums, galleries and archives, symphony orchestras, broadcasting corporations, publishing houses, government agencies, healthcare, law firms, gaming, search engine corporations, social media firms etc.

Testimonials

Guo

Guo

"The most stimulating part of my programme is the seminars and workshops, from which I can obtain a first-hand experience in the domain."

Blue box with King's College London rankings. Starting with, 7th in the UK for research quality. Followed by, 6th in the UK for research power. Concluding with, 4th among multi-faculty universities for research Impact. The source is research excellence framework 2014

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