A POSTGRADUATE course in- tended to help students to "think and
reflect theologically on the role of the media in a global society"
has been validated, and will take students from September.
The MA in Theology, Media, and Communication has been developed
by the University of Chester and the Church of England (News, 2 March
2012). It will be officially launched at an open day at the
University of Chester next Thursday, at which the Church
Times columnist Paul Vallely will speak on the topic:
"Religion and the Media: Collaboration or Conflict?"
Students can study for the MA full-time over one year, or
part-time over three years, either at Chester or via distance
learning. The Univer- sity of Chester website says that it is
"particularly suited to those already working in some aspect of PR
or communications who wish to understand the relationship between
religion and contemporary media".
The director of communications for Leicester diocese, Liz
Hudson, was seconded part-time to help develop the course. Speaking
last month, she said that, in a digital age, church communications
needed to be more professional than ever. It was also important for
communications professionals to have a theo-logical understanding
of what they do, she said, and for communications to be seen as
"mission".
www.chester.ac.uk/postgraduate/theology-media-and-communication