The Research Master Sociology of Culture, Media and the Arts prepares you for a PhD position in sociology, arts and culture studies, media and communication, and related fields, but is also a perfect steppingstone to a career in applied research, policy, or consultancy.
Academic career
More than half of all research master alumni proceed to do a PhD programme after graduation. It sometimes takes time to find an appropriate PhD position and it is to be expected that a considerable number of recent graduates will embark on a PhD trajectory. Graduates of the research master follow PhD programmes in a variety of academic fields, including Sociology, Media and Communication, Public Administration, Geo Sciences, Arts and Culture Studies, History, and Economics and Business.
Many of our graduates have acquired a position as a PhD candidate or lecturer at many prestigious universities, both within and outside of the Netherlands: for instance, at the Erasmus University Rotterdam (NL), Leiden University (NL), University of Antwerp (BE), University of Leuven (BE), University of Leeds (UK), and the University of Oslo (NO).
Career opportunities
Next to an academic career, the research master is also an excellent steppingstone to a career outside the university, such as in applied social research, cultural policy, and consultancy in the media sector or art world. Graduates of Sociology, Arts and Culture Studies, and Media Studies at Erasmus University have always been able to find employment in applied research, consultancy, or public affairs. They are currently holding a wide range of positions in a variety of fields and organisations, to name a few:
- Researcher at the Dutch Ministry of Security and Justice, Research and Documentation Centre (WODC)
- Communications Consultant at the Centre for Youth and Family (NL)
- Internal Account manager (Marketing and Advertising) at Royal Brinkman, Rotterdam (NL)
- Head of External Affairs at the Institute for Humanitarian Development (IHUMD), Amsterdam (NL)
- Online Learning Consultant, University of Kaiserslautern (GE)
- Business Analyst, OnRecruit, Utrecht (NL)
- Data Integration Developer, Nationale Nederlanden (NL)
- Manager, German Academic Exchange Service, Bonn (GE)
- Founding Director, Changerism (think-and do-thank specialized in sustainability challenges) (NL)