Digital Media Communication M.A.

 

From language use both privately and publicly to communication in careers and organizations to cross-media and social media - digital media communication studies facilitate advanced linguistic and communications fundamentals and enable one to competently work with different media formats of linguistic communication.

The focus of this course of study is on application-oriented, career-relevant questions and new, innovative research fields, such as e-humanities. It opens up perspectives to linguistic-communicative actions in electronic communication and interaction environments, digital action templates, and development trends. Media convergence and cross-media, mobile communication, and the "internet of things" are all taken into account.

After their studies at RWTH graduates are able to work in the application field of an increasingly digitalized linguistic-communicative world, supported by methods and theories. This includes the strategic or intentional use of language, its meaning and interpretation in political argumentation, and the task-specific design of communication processes in professional contexts. Additional focuses include communication studies and cognitive-ergonomic aspects. This program facilitates skills in assessing how humans interact and communicate with digital forms of media what meaning cognitive, communicative, and linguistic abilities have for interface design tailored to users.

Characteristics of the RWTH Course of Study

The strength of RWTH Aachen's linguistics and communication studies lies at the various cross-sections with humanities and social sciences and the natural and engineering sciences. It opens up transdisciplinary opportunities for its students to create individual profiles. The curriculum is shaped by the Institute of Art History, the Teaching and Research Area Economic and Social History and History of Technology, and the Institute of Educational Sciences. Students can pursue their own communication studies interests in these fields and others. These technical focuses can be advanced during the practical component of the course of study.

The course of study can be combined with different programs from the Excellence Initiative, for example with research initiated by the RWTH profile areas Information and Communication or Mobility and Transport Engineering. Two other projects also offer good opportunities for combination:

• In the interdisciplinary project association Uturn - Urbane Wende the social areas mobility, energy, and urban quarters are brought together with questions about acceptance, communication, environmental friendliness, and health in an aging society.
• At the Human-Computer Interaction Center at RWTH human interaction and communication are researched both at the disciplinary and interdisciplinary level.

The network between the Institute of Linguistics and Communication Studies with affiliated institutes such as the Institute for Industry Communication and Specialist Media and the HCI-Center or Human-Computer Interaction Center at RWTH Aachen open up additional access to practical partners.

 

Degree Content

The course of study is primarily composed of mandatory modules, in which students can choose from seminars that thematically differ. The second academic year offers the opportunity to determine a focus from among

• History of Visual Communication
• Cost Management
• Technology and Culture

Furthermore, students have the option to independently advance their studies during the mobility window during the second academic year.

Program Structure (simplified, beginning in winter semester)

Semester	Module	Topics
Semester 1 (WiSe)	Basic Module Introduction to the Discourse of Knowledge and Methodology	Research Methods Research Methods Forms of Representation of Science
	Advanced Module Language and Media I	Language and Media History of Visual Communication I
Semester 2 (SuSe)	Advanced Module Language and Media II	Language and Media Media Didactics Cost Management History of Visual Communication II or Technology and Culture
	Immersion Module 1 Media in Business and Technology	Corporate Communication Project Accompanying Research
	Practical Module 1	Internship
	Immersion Module 2 Media Use, Usability, and Acceptance	Comprehensibility und Usability
Semester 3 (WiSe)	Immersion Module 2 Media Use, Usability, and Acceptance	Usability, User Diversity, and Acceptance of Technology Media Use, Usability, and Acceptance Media Communication Research Topics
	Immersion Module 3 Media in the Public Space	Corpus Linguistics Public Language Use Public Relations
Semester 4 (SuSe)	Practical Module 2 Mobility Window	Master's Thesis

Internship

During their studies students complete a two-month internship that should be planned for the end of the second core semester. The internship can be completed externally at personally selected companies and organizations in the fields of media design, public relations, communication, etc. The Faculty of Arts and Humanities' Career and Internship Service supports students within finding a position.

Mobility Window

A mobility window is opened during the fourth core semester, enabling students to complete the Master's thesis at another university or an external company. If students have already completed the Master's thesis, they can complete an industry semester or a semester abroad. You can find an overview of RWTH's study abroad programs under Study Abroad.

 

Prerequisites

A prerequisite to beginning this course of study is an initial university degree. The background knowledge required is stated in the examination regulation. The examination board determines whether the admissions requirements have been fulfilled.

 

Career Prospects

The Master's program in Digital Media Communication prepares students for careers in the following fields:

• Communication in Organizations
• Media Communication
• Design, Assessment, and Optimization of Digital Communication Services
• Public Relations
• Continuing Education the Fields of Media Communication, Cross-Media, and Interface Design (Communicative and Cognitive Usability)

Graduates from the Digital Media Communication program are particularly qualified for these career fields, because they possess advanced knowledge about the structure, function, and means of digital communication and interaction formats. They can methodologically implement this knowledge in different fields of application in professional practice. They have particularly learned how to formulate digital communication so that it is appropriate for both the situation and the target group - an ability that is becoming increasingly important in numerous career fields. Furthermore, the Master's course of study enables to students to conduct research in the field.

Together with the Career and Internship Service located in the Dean's Office, students can establish contact early on with future employers, making their entry into professional life after their Master's studies much easier. An annual lecture series Career Prospects for Humanities Scholars presents concrete career prospects.

 

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.

Module Handbook
Subject Specific Examination Regulations
RWTH's General Examination Regulations

 

Faculty

The Master's course of study in Digital Media Communication is offered by the Institute of Linguistics and Communication Studies in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities.