Human-Technology Interaction and Communication M.Sc.

 

We live in an increasingly technologized and digitized society. To participate in society, people need to be able to interact with, use, and understand technologies. But wherever people encounter technology, problems can arise, and specialists are needed who can understand human-technology interaction and understandably communicate technical content. Our master's program in Human-Technology Interaction and Communication at RWTH Aachen University is tailored to educate and train such specialists. The curriculum of the degree program of Human-Technology Interaction and Communication, or MTIK for short, comprises the following:

• Understanding human-technology interaction in all its facets, such as its forms, influencing factors, barriers, etc
• Designing technology – such as software interfaces and user interfaces – (for ease of use)
• Communicating complex technology (understandably)
• Describing technology (understandably), for example through technical information products.

Since nowadays, technology shapes all areas of our lives, both professionally and privately, the program is set up to deal with human-technology interaction and communication in many different contexts, including (electric) mobility and transport, IT and production, (renewable) energies and climate change, medical technology and healthcare, education and policy.

This master's program is interdisciplinary. Thanks to being offered at a technical university, the program is well positioned to bridge the gap between the different ways of thinking in the humanities and technical sciences. The Human-Technology Interaction and Communication degree program is unique in Germany regarding its orientation and structure. It is strongly influenced by the technical orientation of the university and the integration of its Faculty of Arts and Humanities into this context. The curriculum combines a high engineering component with a focus on written communication and electronic media. This joint major combines two areas of study: The first field is communication science, and the second is fundamentals of either computer science, mechanical engineering, or electrical engineering.

On the one hand, the master's program aims to expand the specialized knowledge and methods of the bachelor's program and, on the other hand, to train specific professional knowledge and skills. Students from purely technical disciplines who want to transfer into this combination track can make up for the missing communication science knowledge by fulfilling additional requirements. Another option is to pursue the program in addition to a pure computer science, mechanical engineering, or electrical engineering master's degree as a so-called double degree program.

This master's program is research-oriented. Students learn to reflect on complex scientific problems, understand larger technical contexts, familiarize themselves quickly with new issues, design solutions to problems, and apply them based on theories and models. The research orientation of the program also requires students to always explore application-oriented perspectives.

 

Degree Content

The master's program in communication science offers in-depth content on topics such as usability, media-supported communication in organizations, technology perception, communication, and acceptance when looking at various target groups in all their diversity. Students can enhance their academic profile by choosing tailored interdisciplinary elective modules on multiple aspects of human-technology interaction and communication – for example, technology assessment, sociology of technology, design thinking, and technology management. A 3-month company internship allows students to learn about professional practices and gain first work experience, helping to facilitate their transition into a career after graduation.

In computer science, students freely choose modules from the specialization areas of software and communication, applied computer science, data and information management, theoretical computer science, and the specialized field of digitization in industrial production, thus creating an individual, career-oriented profile. The modules offered cover the entire portfolio of computer science in research and teaching, for example Software Engineering, Information Systems and Databases, Social Data Science, Media Informatics and HCI, eLearning, Virtual Reality, and IT Security.

In mechanical engineering, students take a socio-technical elective and create a specialized track focusing on their later career choice by selecting professional field modules from the mechanical engineering portfolio. There is a choice of modules from the professional fields of production engineering, product development, energy engineering, process engineering, plastics engineering, textile engineering, automotive engineering, aeronautical engineering, and medical engineering.

The program in electrical engineering builds on the bachelor's degree in electrical engineering and information technology and consists of foundational modules and specialization options in power engineering or information and communication technology.

 

Prerequisites

Personal Requirements

A willingness to engage with the two intersecting worlds of technology and language/communication is an essential prerequisite for successful studies in the Human-Technology Interaction and Communication program. Interested applicants should have excellent mathematics skills, be able to express themselves well, and speak and write German fluently. Interest in working with texts and engaging in a discussion of technology and communication theory issues is expected, as are self-directed work and commitment.

Formal Requirements

A prerequisite for admission to the program is a first academic degree. The required educational background is defined in the examination regulations. Lateral entry, for example with an engineering bachelor's degree, is possible. The examination board is in charge of determining whether or not prerequisites have been fulfilled.

 

Career Prospects

This course of study aims to educate and train transfer specialists in technical facts; graduates should be able to prepare and present highly complex technical content for different target groups, media, and applications. The master’s degree will qualify participants – in addition to working in a management capacity – for academic activities, including doctoral studies.

Due to the dual qualification in linguistic mediation skills and technical knowledge, a broad spectrum of industries, career areas and jobs will be open to graduates of the Human-Technology Interaction and Communication course of study, such as:

• Corporate communication and PR
• Software development, ergonomics, web design and usability testing
• Product management, information management, media and knowledge management
• Technical documentation and communication
• Technical journalism, science journalism
• Consulting

 

Module Handbook and Examination Regulations

The module handbook provides a description of all modules of a degree program and offers a comprehensive insight into the program contents.

The examination regulations are comprised of legally binding provisions on learning objectives, prerequisites for study, the course structure and processes, and examination procedures.

Regulations that generally apply to all Bachelor's and Master's degree programs, including information on language proficiency requirements, can be found in RWTH's General Examination Regulations. These general regulations are further specified and complemented by the subject-specific examination regulations.

If two examination regulations are valid for a degree program during a transition phase, the most current version shall apply to students enrolling in the program for the first time.

Please note that only the German examination regulations are legally binding. The English translations of the examination regulations are intended solely as a convenience to international students.

Module Handbook (not yet published)
Subject Specific Exam Regulations
RWTH’s General Examination Regulation

 

Faculty

The course of study Human-Technology Interaction and Communication is offered by the Faculty of Arts and Humanities in collaboration with the faculties that offer the technical fundamentals:

Faculty of Mechanical Engineering

Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology

Faculty of Mathematics, Computer Science, and Natural Sciences