The document summarizes the curriculum development of the Media Management master's program at the University of Tampere. It provides details on the funding and structure of the program since its launch in 2008. It describes the courses offered, number of student cohorts enrolled, and thesis topics completed. It also discusses the pedagogical approach and notes the curriculum will be revised in 2014 to better integrate the program within the wider faculty.

1. Curriculum Development in
Media Management at the
University of Tampere
Gregory Ferrell Lowe
Professor of Media Management
11 June 2014 emma Pre-Conference at BF&M School in Tallinn

2. • Launched in 2008 with funding from C.V. Åkerlund
Säätiö (€650K)
• Lowe was acting professor in 2008, charged with
creating the curriculum. Later nominated professor in
spring 2009 (through 2012) and reappointed through
2017.
• Funding is still largely from ‘soft money’, provided by
CVÅ + the Communication Research Foundation (VTS)
= €600K. The School of Communication, Media &
Theatre (CMT) funds about €30K per year.
• As an international MA programme it has become more
important due to strategic intentions for UTA overall
Background to the Programme
Gregory F. Lowe 2014

3. • The first cohort of nine MA students began in autumn
2009 (all Finns). Seven graduated.
• The second cohort of ten MA students began in autumn
2011 and is international (Canada, China, Finland, Italy,
Mexico, Russia, USA). They are now doing thesis
projects (one has completed)
• The third cohort of thirteen MA students began in
autumn 2013, also international, but two dropped out
(Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, Finland, Germany,
Greece, Italy, Malaysia, Russia)
• The fourth cohort will apply next December and
successful candidates will begin studies in autumn
2015
Students
Gregory F. Lowe 2014

4. ü Applying Lewin’s model of change to assess
change management in a newspaper company
ü The future of retail advertising – combining legacy
and online platforms for better targeting
ü Crisis management in a Finnish newspaper
company
ü Managing the brand portfolio architecture at
Sanoma Group
ü Diversity and cross-cultural training at the Canadian
Broadcasting Corporation (2000 – 2012)
Thesis topic examples:
Gregory F. Lowe 2014

5. Media
Economy
Media
Policy
Media
Organisation
Media
Content
Business&Industry
Culture&Society
Company & Resources
Products & Services
Gregory F. Lowe 2014
4 Dimensions:
- Strategic Thinking
- Decision-Making
- Change Management
- Media Development

6. Curriculum 3 Structure & Courses
120 ECTS required to graduate
Master’s Thesis
Quantitative Methods
Qualitative Methods
Media Theory &
Policy for Managers *
The Media Firm as a
Financial Organisation
The Structure & Economy
of Media Industries *
Media and Society 10 ECTS Media Economics 10 ECTS
Research Methods 10 ECTS
Management of Media
Organisations *
Organisational Change
Dynamics in Value Networks
Strategy & Marketing*
Media Organisation 15 ECTS
Thesis Seminar:
Contemporary Issues
In Media & Management
CMT 10 ECTS
Thesis-related 50 ECTS
Audiences & Products 10 ECTS
Content Management
& Development *
40 ECTS
CMT 5 ECTS
CMT 5 ECTS
JKK 5 ECTS (Klaus af Ursin)
JKK 5 ECTS (Hannu Saarijärvi)
CMT 5 ECTS
JKK 5 ECTS (John & Lili Kihn)
CMT 5 ECTS (Robert G. Picard)
University provision
CMT = School of Communications, Media & Theatre; JKK = School of Management; TUT = Tampere University of Technology
Gregory F. Lowe 2014
1 period course
2 / + period course
* Open to broader enrollment
Management in Practice 5 ECTS
Management Practicum
Company Visitation Programme
CMT 4 ECTS
CMT 1 ECTS
Electives
5 ECTS
University provision
Challenges & Development
in the Digital Environment *
TUT 5 ECTS (Artur Lugmayr)
Perceptions & Use of Media *
CMT 5 ECTS
Elective Studies 5 ECTS
Joint Studies 5 ECTS
Thesis Writing (3 ECTS)
Basic Orientation (2 ECTS

7. Curriculum 2 Structure & Courses
120 ECTS required to graduate
Master’s Thesis
Media Markets &
Policy Analysis *
(quantitative methods)
Organisational Analysis
(qualitative methods)
Implications of Media
Policy for Management
The Media Firm as a
Financial Organisation *
The Structure & Economy
of Media Industries *
Media and Society 5 ECTS Media Economics 10 ECTS Research Methods 10 ECTS
Management of Media
Organisations *
Leadership & Human
Resources Management
Strategic Management &
Decision-Making
in the Media Firm *
Media Organisation 15 ECTS
Contemporary Issues
In Media & Management
CMT10 ECTS
Thesis Seminar
CMT & SM10 ECTS
Thesis-related Studies 20 ECTS
Product & Production 5 ECTS
Content Management
& Development * CMT & JKK 40 ECTS
CMT 5 ECTS
CMT 5 ECTS
JKK 5 ECTS
JKK 5 ECTS
CMT 5 ECTS
CMT 5 ECTS
CMT 5 ECTS
CMT 5 ECTS
JKK 5 ECTS
CMT = School of Communications, Media & Theatre; JKK = School of Management Gregory F. Lowe 2011
1 period course
2 / + period course
* Service course
Management Practice 10 ECTS
Management Practicum
Company Visitation Programme
CMT 5 ECTS
CMT 5 ECTS
Levelling & Finalising
CMT & JKK 5 ECTS

8. Gregory F. Lowe 2014
Study Schedule
Year 1 Studies Year 2 Studies
AUTUMN AUTUMNSPRING SPRING
Media Theory & Policy
for Managers
Management of
Media Organisations
Structure & Economy
of Media Industries Quantitative Methods
Contemporary Issues
Organisational Change
Dynamics in
Value Networks
The Media Firm as a
Financial Organisation
Qualitative Methods
Content Management
& Development
Strategy & Marketing
Management
Practicum
Thesis
Contemporary Issues Thesis Seminar Thesis Seminar
Course done in 1 study period
Course done over 2 or more periods
Company Visitation Programme
Perceptions & Use
of Media
Digital Challenges &
Development
Basic Orientation Thesis Writing

9. • The last six months (+) are devoted to individual thesis
projects
• The programme inculcates 4 essential skills, not only
knowledge: 1. time management, 2. communication, 3.
project management and 4. teamwork and leadership.
• Peer, course and teacher evaluation are routine
• The curriculum must lay a foundation for the first job in
management if starting out, or for promotion if
returning. And also for future pursuit of the Ph.D.
• Make it hard to make it matter. Students take pride in
what they find challenging to accomplish. I am quite
formal in year 1.
• Encourage the cohort to create a community. That is
the basis of a personal network
Notes on Pedagogy
Gregory F. Lowe 2014

10. What’s next?
Gregory F. Lowe 2014
• Curriculum version 4 will be a complete revamp in
autumn 2014. The first time I have a work group to
collaborate. The revamp is required because:
1. Results of the evaluation process confirm the
programme is not integrated nearly enough with
the wider faculty and student body at CMT
2. The professorship will have to be confirmed or
discontinued in 2017 and the decision will depend
on factors that are collegial in nature
3. A new course for upper level BA students begins in
autumn 2014
4. Possibilities for a more international teaching
arrangement via European exchanges