LSE and New York University (NYU) will launch a double master’s degree in Media, Culture and Global Cities in 2026, following a formal signing ceremony held in New York.
The agreement establishes a new academic programme highlighting the pivotal roles of London and New York as leading global hubs for media production, distribution, and consumption. As the first double degree focused on media, culture and communication in global cities, it offers a unique opportunity to live and study in two of the world’s most connected capitals, examining their influence and interconnectivity beyond national borders.
Students enrolled in the double degree will spend their first year at LSE, earning an MSc in Media and Communications (Communication, Culture and Global Cities), followed by a second year at NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, where they will pursue an MA in Media, Culture and Communication.
Applications will open in the Autumn, with the inaugural cohort due to enrol at LSE for the start of the 2026/27 academic year.
LSE President and Vice Chancellor Professor Larry Kramer commented,
“LSE is thrilled to launch this exciting new programme with NYU. We expect it will become a signature programme for both universities, offering a unique opportunity for students who want to shape the global media landscape to study in the world’s most influential media capitals.”
NYU President Linda G. Mills added,
“This dual degree programme with LSE stands among our most important, both because we are now neighbours in London and also because it builds on a long-standing and much-valued scholarly collaboration. We learned long ago that ideas don’t have boundaries — this new program fulfils this important academic mission.”
The new NYU partnership joins a suite of existing double degree programmes offered by LSE’s Department of Media and Communications, including long-standing collaborations with the University of Southern California, Fudan University and the University of Cape Town. These programmes reflect the Department’s global outlook and commitment to interdisciplinary, cross-cultural education.
The launch of the first joint double degree follows the success of the LSE–NYU joint seed research fund, announced in March 2025, which supports collaborative research in areas such as sustainable growth, political science, data science, and AI and society. In July, eight projects were awarded a total of £80,000 in funding, paving the way for new forms of collaboration between LSE and NYU.