Certificate in Media Literacy
Develop critical-thinking skills to understand and teach how media impacts society.
Created by student interest and connected to the university's dedication to community engagement, the Media Literacy Certificate helps you better understand how media shapes our culture and society while sharing your knowledge with your community.
The Department of Communication at UMass Amherst is a national leader in media literacy education. Offered in-person and online, this certificate will deepen your knowledge about how media is constructed and how to deconstruct messaging across a variety of media and technologies. Courses also explore the role of the audience and the value of production.
Students make real-world impacts by engaging with local media literacy organizations. Students have taught visual literacy skills to third graders, worked with policy-makers on state-level media literacy legislation, and conducted media literacy workshops and lessons in schools.
Open to all undergraduates, the Media Literacy Certificate is particularly beneficial to students who are interested in pursuing teaching careers, working with youth (especially in community organizations, social work, health communication, and education), or moving on to an advanced degree in Media Studies.