The Master's in Media Studies: New Media and Digital Cultures is for students interested in contributing to timely discourse surrounding critical media theory. It builds upon the pioneering new media scene that Amsterdam is known for, with an emphasis on the study of Internet culture. Students gain an in-depth knowledge in new media theory, viewed from the perspectives of media archaeological, materialist and other critical traditions, and applied to such topics as blogging, locative media, networks and protocol. Additionally students may be trained in the areas of info-aesthetics and visualization, with its emphasis on how to read, understand and critique information graphics, interfaces as well as online interactivity. Among the expertise available to students is the emerging area of digital methods; Internet research approaches and techniques that are specific to the new medium and the study of natively digital objects. Depending on interests and skills, students may participate in research projects that inform Amsterdam new media events, festivals, exhibitions and installations as well as international new media issues, such as Internet censorship.

Students maintain a new media issues blog, recognized as among the leading academic blogs on the subject of digital culture. Books, articles as well as new media objects are critiqued and discussed. Opportunities also may be available for students to undertake a research internship. Depending on the seasonal programming students follow and participate in a lively new media culture, both at the university, where internationally renowned speakers present work, as well as outside of academia, where events are often organized, such as at de Waag Society for Old & New Media, de Balie Center for Culture and Politics, the Netherlands Media Art Institute/Montevideo, Mediamatic as well as the Institute of Network Cultures, organizer of such events as Decade of Web Design, Incommunicado, Urban Screens, MyCreativity and Video Vortex. Students also participate in PICNIC, the creative industries festival.

To gain a sense of the New Media intellectual culture in Amsterdam, please visit the student blog, Masters of Media, http://mastersofmedia.hum.uva.nl/. For the Digital Methods Initiative, see http://www.digitalmethods.net/.