Swansea’s media, communications and PR excellence has consistently been recognized and placed at the top of the UK league tables for various elements of its delivery. The university prides itself on its strong sense of community, and staff and students are involved in the latest study of contemporary media and its impact. Our mix of esteemed practitioners and globally recognized scholars have expertise across a wide range of subtopics within the Journalism, Democracy and Digital Media track.

For example, while we are interested in the traditional aspects of print, broadcast and broadcast journalism and the way these cover key areas such as politics, conflict, finance, the climate crisis and sport, our expertise extends to alternative digital news media, fact-checking, disruptive information, hate speech, racism and misogyny. Fellows have conducted extensive research into social media and all its dimensions, virtual and augmented reality, and the broader implications of surveillance and technological interventions in all elements of contemporary life. We have a strong influence in the areas of digital access for minority groups and the ways in which news and journalism are managed and regulated, and across all of this, our Film and Television Studies scholars provide insight into how all of these elements represent wider audiences. Our PR scholars are active in researching both corporate performance and the most disruptive elements of the profession, how organizations manage crises and maintain brand identities digitally. We welcome submissions that build on these themes and add important new dimensions.

Our strong links with the media sector itself – through our Industry Committee – ensure the contemporary nature of our activities and provide a wide range of training and work experience opportunities. In short, studying a PhD in Media at Swansea combines the benefits of access to the latest experts in ‘media’ in its broadest sense with becoming part of a close-knit community of scholars who prioritize community and collegiality. We have experts in research methods covering both quantitative and qualitative methods, and the track leader is a former recipient of ESRC funding as a student and researcher and is heavily invested in maximizing the benefits of these excellent opportunities to develop excellent academic, industrial or public careers.

Funding suspension

The ESRC-funded scholarship covers tuition fees and an annual tax-free living stipend in line with the UKRI minimum rates (currently £20,780 for 2025/26) and includes a research training support grant.

If you have a disability, you may be entitled to Disabled Student Allowance (DSA) in addition to your studies. Disabled Students Allowance (DSA)