The purpose of the IIE Master of Arts in Digital Communication, available at Emeris, is to expand the students’ theoretical knowledge and practical skills in digital communication, incorporating social media, and to equip students with the ability to produce advanced communication strategies for engaging with organisation specific audiences. Graduates will be adept at using digital communication to react in an informed, strategic, flexible, and ethical manner to the ever-changing communication environment.
The qualification will advance critical thinking skills in relation to communication theory and the application thereof in a social media context to empower graduates with the knowledge and skills to ensure that organisations remain adaptable to rapidly changing economic environments. Critical readings of leading theorists in the field of communication in general, and the discipline of digital communication, including social media specifically, will contribute towards this advance of theoretical and practical knowledge. Graduates will be skilled in designing, selecting, applying, and evaluating the appropriate creative digital communication techniques, processes, and technologies.
The IIE Master of Arts in Digital Communication will provide graduates with a pathway to further higher education studies with the inclusion of the research-based component in the form of a mini-dissertation. Graduates will be able to identify a research topic and propose suitable findings, based on reasonable arguments, to a question, problem, or proposition within the digital communication discipline, thereby contributing academically to the body of knowledge of the field within the South African and international context.
The IIE Master of Arts in Digital Communication will also critically expound on the cultural milieu, digital ethnographies, ethical communication practices, various digital communication tools and platforms and current methodological approaches to digital communication practice for graduates to be strategic, purposeful, meaningful, disruptive, and reflective communicators in the digital communication landscape.
An appropriate HEQSF Level 8 Honours degree; OR
A relevant Postgraduate Diploma or appropriate equivalent; OR
An appropriate Level 8 Bachelor’s Degree (480 credits) may also be recognised as meeting the minimum entry requirements to a cognate Master’s Degree programme.
A SAQA NQF L8 Evaluation Certificate in an appropriate field
An overall qualification average of at least 65%.
Students needs to have completed an NQF level 8 qualification in a communication related field e.g. digital communication, communication (general), communication science, communication management, strategic brand communication. Students are required to have completed a research report and/ or a research methodology module at NQF level 8, that culminated in a research output e.g. a mini-dissertation, research project, or research article or successfully complete a short learning programme in research methods as prescribed by The IIE. Please note: All admitted students will be required to successfully complete a research short learning programme: Proposal Development for Master’s Studies (SRPW021).
For alternative admission options, please click here or reach out to student recruitment.
Please note, requirements for entry to this qualification are correct at the time of publication, however, these may change.
The IIE Master of Arts in Digital Communication consists of four core modules, a Proposal Development module for Master’s Studies, and a mini dissertation at NQF Level 9, totaling 180 credits.
Year 1 Semester 1
Year 1 Semester 2
Year 2 Semester 1
For the Faculty of Humanities, the following qualifications allow you to articulate into the Master of Arts in Digital Communication should you meet the requirements:
For alternative articulation options within our other schools please contact your campus for further information.
Students who complete a IIE Master of Arts in Digital Communication Pathways can further their studies by pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in fields such as Communication, Media Studies, Digital Media, Cultural Studies, or Information and Communication Technology, with numerous reputable universities around the world offering PhD programs that align closely with this qualification.
The IIE Master of Arts in Digital Communication (Distance) is accredited by the Council of Higher Education (CHE) and is registered by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) as a 180-credit qualification on level 9 (SAQA ID: 122308).
List career paths aligned to the qualification level and discipline. Focus on practical roles that are achievable and relevant to the graduate profile. Graduates will be suited to higher level employment opportunities within the communication, research, writing, media, public relations, marketing and/or corporate communication fields in the public, private and entrepreneurship sectors. Graduates will thus be able to fulfil the higher-level digital communication roles required in most professional industries by working for a public relations/ marketing/ branding agency, as social media managers for organisations, or in a consultancy capacity.
The IIE Master of Arts in Digital Communication will enable graduates to pursue and further their career opportunities at a senior level as:
At Emeris, we believe that effective teaching is about creating experiences that foster student growth. Our academic team design activities that challenge students and identify their strengths, allowing for real-time adaptation in the learning journey. By combining subject expertise with teaching insights and digital tools, we extend learning beyond the classroom. This approach ensures students not only keep up but thrive.
For students based in South Africa, online students may select any campus of Emeris as their Examination Centre.
An alternative examination centre is only permissible for students studying abroad and those located in a province of South Africa where there is no Emeris campus. If there is no Emeris campus within reach, an alternative venue will need to be sourced by you. For non-Emeris venues, there is an alternative venue levy per module.
Please note, once the examination venue is selected and confirmed, it cannot be changed within eight weeks prior to the summative examination.
Duration
2 years part-time
Intakes
February
Campuses
Mode/s of study
Information
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