Master in Media Practices

Media professions are changing. Journalists, communicators, animators, producers and documentarists are becoming closer connected professionally. As the only institution in Norway, Volda University College is offering a Practical Media master's degree, where students from the various media professions meet.

The programme provides advanced knowledge of the media profession and its narrative forms; and specialized insight into each of the areas of the field, for example journalism, communication, animation, production or design. The master's degree creates a common learning environment for media students, where different fields meet through topics that are relevant to all types of professional performers in the media industry.

Students can choose between two types of master’s level productions:

• Practical media production combined with a written assignment
• Ordinary master thesis without production

Volda University College has the largest media education environment in Norway, and has educated professionals since 1971. The college also has a close relationship with the various media industries in Norway and abroad. The programme allows for 8-10 weeks practice in a cutting-edge media company or institution relevant for the candidate and their field, whether this is journalism, communication, animation, production or design.

Admission requirements for this program is a completed unversity degree equivalent to a Norwegian Bachelor’s degree (180 ECTS), which normally means an undergraduate degree of 3-4 years duration. From this degree, a minimum of 80 ECTS credits (or 1 1/2 year of full-time studies) of course work must be from the field of media or journalism studies, and applicants must have a minimum of 40 ECTS credits from practical courses. Relevant work experience may be used to compensate for this requirement if subjects are within practical fields.

A good grade point average (GPA) from the Bachelor’s degree is required. For Norwegian applicants this amounts to an average grade of C or better. For international applicants, no set grade point average is required, but the admission committee will review the applicant’s grades in light of the grading system of the university/country in question.

Applicants must upload a 1-page motivation letter stating why you wish to study in this programme and what you expect/hope to get from this opportunity. This motivation letter should also refer to links (URL) for your portfolio/show reel. For example to youtube, news articles, dropbox/drive locations, drawings, etc. The motivation letter must be uploaded with the rest of the supporting documents in your online application. We do not want you to upload your portfolio/show reel due to the possible size of such files and also the danger of file alterations resulting in inferior quality.

Applicants need to document a high degree of English language proficiency, either through standardized English test such as TOEFL (minimum 80 points overall on the iBT test) or the IELTS (minimum overall score of 6.0 on the Academic test). Applicants who have passed the course in English from Norwegian secondary school and applicants who have completed secondary school in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, UK and the USA are exempt from documenting their English language skills. Read more about the English language requirement and other possible exemptions on our website: https://www.hivolda.no/en/node/29011

Note: Admission for the Master in Media Practice is based on an overall review of the applicant based on the submitted transcripts/diplomas, examples of prior work (portfolio/show reel) and the motivation letter.

Student fees and scholarship

Volda University College is a state university and charges no tuition fees. However, students are required to pay a semester fee of approximately 700,- nok/semester. Exchange students do not have to pay the semester fee to VUC since they pay to their home university, but all other international student must pay the semester fee.

Volda University College does not offer any scholarships or financial aid for incoming students. 
Students from partner universities may inquire at their home university if it is possible to get an Erasmus+, Nordplus or EEA/Norway grant for an exchange period at VUC.

Financial eligibility

Non-EU/EEA citizens must apply for student visa/residence permit prior to coming to Norway. In order to be eligible for a student visa/residence permit, non-EU/EEA citizens need to guarantee they are financially capable of living in Norway. This means showing to an amount of approximately 110 000,-  nok/academic year, in a Norwegian account. You can read more about this on The Norwegian Directorate for Immigration's website.

EU/EEA students are not required to make proof of financial eligibility, but must finance the stay in Norway on their own.