The focus of most media management programs is the acquisition of practical skills and knowledge necessary for a career in the media and entertainment industries. Students might encounter courses in television production, social media marketing, the music industry and media economics.

The PhD is a doctoral degree, specifically called a "doctor of philosophy" degree. This is misleading because PhD holders are not necessarily philosophers (unless they earned their degree in philosophy!). That said, PhD recipients are able to engage in thought experiments, reason about problems, and solve problems in sophisticated ways.