Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

The transcript of records of the BA programme or the certificate submitted for the elective package "Media and Communication" should show that applicants have already successfully completed the following content:

• 5 ECTS-Credits from the core area of Media and Communication Theories
• 5 ECTS-Credits from the core area of Methods of Empirical Social Research
• 5 ECTS-Credits from the core area of Digital Communication
• 5 ECTS-Credits from the core area Current Discourses in Media and Communication Studies
• 10 ECTS-Credits from the core area Social Communication and Media Change

At the University of Innsbruck, the courses are offered in the BA elective package "Media and Communication". For graduates of the BA Sociology and BA Political Science, it is possible to have courses in the core area of Methods of Empirical Social Research (e.g. "Applied Methods of Social Science" and "Statistics" of the BA Sociology or "Applied Methods of Social Science", "Qualitative Social Research" and "Quantitative Social Research and Fundamentals of Statistics" of the BA Political Science) credited here. All other courses from these two degree programmes at the University of Innsbruck are assessed on a case-by-case basis - for example, courses from the introductory and specialisation modules in BA Sociology, from the "PM Structures and Change in Modern Societies" or the "PM Lebenswelt - Lebensformen: Individual and Society' in the BA Political Science, or the elective package 'Comparative Literature: Literature - Culture - Media' in the BA Comparative Literature. This list is not exhaustive, it merely serves as an example. In principle, the transcript of records is thoroughly checked for fulfilment of the requirements.

To compensate for significant subject-specific differences, supplementary examinations of a maximum of 30 ECTS-Credits may be prescribed, which must be completed by the end of the second semester of the Master's programme. Students who enrol in the corresponding courses in the BA elective package of the Department of Media, Society and Communication must note when registering for the respective course that they must make up the course as part of the supplementary examination for the MA degree programme. This will be taken into account for admission to these courses.

As you are applying for a degree programme taught in English, you must provide proof of English language proficiency of at least level B2 at the time of application. details

The application is made online at Online application form. You will need a transcript of records showing at least 30 ECTS credits in Media Studies or Communication Studies, including Social Science Methods (see above). As part of your application, you will be asked to indicate on a separate sheet which course(s) you believe should be recognised and which of the core areas you believe each of the courses to be recognised fits into. Proof of the necessary language skills must be provided in the form of language certificates or diplomas (see above).

The admission deadlines for the winter semester and the summer semester are
here will be announced.

However, courses in the winter semester begin on 1 October, so starting after the end of the admission period would mean that some introductory sessions would be missed. Attendance is compulsory from the first session onwards, including for courses with an examination component. It is therefore strongly recommended to be present at the start of the programme.

The programme can be started in either the winter or summer semester. If you start in the winter semester, it is advisable to attend the courses listed at Study plan. If you start in the summer semester, the courses of the 2nd semester are taken first, while the courses of the 1st semester can only be completed in the following winter semester.

You may only attend MA elective courses for the ECTS of the Master's programme. You can find examples of the elective packages as well as the interdisciplinary and generic competences for the summer semester 2023 at here.

The degree programme is currently not subject to admission restrictions. The fulfilment of the admission requirements is decisive for the allocation of study places. If these are not fulfilled, admitted students have a total of two semesters to complete the missing courses. After reviewing the application documents, applicants who fulfil the requirements will be admitted.

If you still have to complete some courses from the BA Media and Communication elective package as an admission requirement, this must be successfully completed within the first year of study. You must proactively inform the Admission Department when the requirements have been met in order for final admission to take place. This must be done by the end of the first year of study. Otherwise it will not be possible to start the second year of study.

It is generally advisable to ensure that you attend the relevant courses in your media, communication science or social science degree programme - in order to fulfil the above-mentioned requirements. Students of a Bachelor's degree programme in Social Sciences at the University of Innsbruck are recommended to complete the elective package or the courses of the elective package "Media and Communication" during their Bachelor's degree programme.

Please contact Central Student Counselling Service. It is the first point of contact for all questions regarding studying at the University of Innsbruck. If you have specific questions about admission or problems with the online application, please contact Admission Department.

This degree programme allows you to deepen and supplement your academic professional training. As a graduate, you will master the theories, methods and instruments of media and communication studies. You will be able to independently plan, conduct, analyse and process media and communication studies in science and practice. After graduating, you will have scientifically sound, theory- and method-based analysis and problem-solving skills. These skills will enable you to work independently on problems in new or unfamiliar contexts, to assess scientific knowledge and apply it in new research-relevant contexts and to work on relevant problems in their respective non-university professional fields in a scientifically sound and practice-relevant manner.

As a graduate of this degree programme, you will have both an understanding and a critical awareness of the dynamics of digitalisation and transversally networked media systems as well as the associated challenges in society, politics, business, public administration, culture and everyday life. You will be able to deal with the social, cultural, political and technical functions of media and issues of sustainability and diversity in an independent, critical and differentiated manner with a view to media and communication dynamics and social change. As a graduate, you will acquire an understanding of the ongoing digital transformation, which is of central importance for enabling and securing democracy, social self-determination and sustainable development. You will have the skills to apply your knowledge in a solution-orientated way. You will be able to critically reflect on the ethical and social consequences and requirements of the application of your knowledge. You will be able to understand complex media constellations and successfully manage unpredictable working or learning contexts. They are able to communicate the knowledge and competences acquired in the Master's degree programme in a comprehensible manner.

In addition to subject-specific knowledge, general qualifications are taught and deepened during the course of the degree programme; these include

• the ability to critically, objectively and clearly present the facts arising from the sources,
• the ability to combine analytical, critical, creative and artistic thinking,
• the ability to adopt an independent, critical position vis-à-vis existing academic and popular views, theories, ideologies and dogmas,
• the ability to reflect on gender issues in media and communication science discourse contexts and to take into account the results of contemporary gender research,
• the ability to anticipate future trends and keep pace with new technologies and the associated challenges.

As a graduate, you will also have (meta)cognitive strategies, in particular organisational techniques and elaboration strategies, which enable you to acquire new knowledge and additional skills largely independently and autonomously.

The professors and scientific employees of the Department of Media, Society and Communication are responsible for teaching the course content. A few courses, especially those with a strong practical focus, are taught by lecturers who have many years of practical experience.

During your studies, you will acquire skills that will enable you to work in managerial positions in media and communication professions as well as in media-related activities in companies, NGOs, organisations and administrations. Examples of this are

• Media and cultural work as well as institutional media work (e.g. in agencies, publishing houses, media companies, broadcasting organisations)
• Media research and opinion, market and survey research
• Public relations and media and communications consulting
• Media and communication management as well as content and programme management
• Evaluation of communication services, media strategies and media campaigns
• Media policy
• Media education as well as training and further education in the fields of media and communication
• Publishing and book trade, journalism

Each semester, around six courses are offered, each lasting 90 minutes. These are usually worth 5 ECTS credits each. Each ECTS point corresponds to a workload of 25 hours. You can therefore expect a workload of around 125 hours per course. After deducting the time you spend in the seminar room / lecture theatre (90 minutes per unit, approx. 15 units per semester), this leaves around 100 hours for self-study, exam preparation or the preparation of term papers / research reports. With six courses, this would be around 10 hours per week for attending courses and around 30 hours for self-study. Overall, the programme is designed as a full-time course. If additional courses from the elective package "Media and Communication" are completed in the first or first two semesters, the workload may increase accordingly.

The current course catalogue can be found at here. An overview of the compulsory and elective modules can be found at Curriculum of the degree programme (§ 8). The recommended course of study is set out at here.

This is a face-to-face study programme that may include online elements and blended learning configurations.

We use the university's OLAT system (= Online Learning and Training), which you log into with your access data.

This is generally possible and recommended, as the University of Innsbruck maintains numerous international contacts. Here you will find further information.

Credit points (ECTS credits) are awarded for all examinations within the degree programme. One ECTS credit point corresponds to a workload of 25 hours (60 minutes). Registration for the examinations takes place via LFU:online.

The examination regulations can be found at Curriculum. There you will find all the regulations for the degree programme.

No, a standard notebook will be sufficient for the vast majority of purposes. If no open source solutions are available for specific software applications, campus licences will be provided.