International Media Studies

The Master's programme "International Media Studies" is especially designed for graduates from developing and transitional countries with previous media experience. The IMS programme is a joint project of the University of Bonn, Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg, and Deutsche Welle. DW Akademie offers the perfect learning environment for up to 30 students per year. The whole programme is conducted in Bonn, Germany. Students from developing and transitional countries can apply for a full scholarship. (The scholarship amounts to 750 EUR per month. Tuition fees amounting to 6,000 EUR and travel costs will be also reimbursed.)

The bilingual study programme is conducted in English and German, combining topics such as media and development, journalism, communication science, and media economics. The full-time, four-semester Master's degree offers an unparalleled mix of research, lectures, and practical experience and prepares students for careers in the communications and media industries. As media becomes increasingly set in a global context, it is important that media professionals understand the close connection between media, development, and digitalisation.
Students conclude the course with a Master's thesis and receive the academic degree "Master of Arts" (MA).

The Master's degree programme is characterised by its interdisciplinary and international nature, whilst at the same time presenting a clear and defined structure. The course is a balanced combination of the above-mentioned development related topics. At the same time, it develops practical skills and abilities important in the world of media.

DW Akademie offers an intensive German course to first semester students. The programme starts in September with an introduction week, including excursions and workshops.

The first and second semesters give a structured introduction to the analytic relationship between media, politics, and society. The programme provides an explanation of media development, journalism, media economics, and media management, while considering various issues related to intercultural communication.

In the third semester, the syllabus covers topics such as empiricism, media planning, and market research. This will be complemented by interdisciplinary subjects such as project management and leadership training.

During the fourth semester, students are required to write their Master's thesis, finishing with a colloquium.

Educational organisation

M = Module

• First Semester

M 1 - Media and Development
Students learn about the content and methods of the Master's programme and acquire knowledge about the connection between media science, media systems, cooperative development and about the theoretical connection between the disciplines.
M 2 - Media, Education and Communication
Students conclude the module with a basic, scientific understanding of education, educational science, media didactics, and the applied educational research. They learn how to use media and multimedia materials and gain competencies in intercultural communication.
M 3 - Media, Politics and Society I
Students learn about the importance of the media in communicating political messages, as well as its specific institutional organisation for the functionality of democracy. They will know the basic systematic characteristics of the media and become familiar with its implications.
M 4 - Journalism
Students learn how to use the journalistic formats for news, interviews, features, commentaries, and moderation. They become proficient in the creation and organisation of editorial teams and learn how to plan and produce programmes professionally.
M5 - Media Economics
Students gain a better understanding about the work flow within a media enterprise and how it functions economically. They also get an overview of the economic structure and general legal conditions in the media industry.

• Second Semester

M 6 - Media Practice I
Students receive advanced, practical media training while gaining skills in video, audio, multimedia, and print. They gain competencies needed to create a high-quality, professionally-produced piece or a cross-media product.
M 7 - Media, Politics and Society II
Students learn about the interdependencies between media and media governance structures. They can evaluate concentration tendencies of media companies in different countries and its influence in political systems.
M 8 - Media and Communication Science
Students learn how to think conceptually and theoretically, while becoming familiar with the basic, media-related theoretical approaches and models for understanding media communication.
M 9 - Media Management
This module introduces specific competencies in the areas of accounting, personnel management and marketing/public relations. Students gain the knowledge to recognise alternatives for economic decisions and to make the connection to individual fields.
M 10 - Elective I/Media Practice II
Students can choose to advance their practical skills in media production or to expand their theoretical knowledge in applied media studies, including topics such as Environmental Communication or NGO Management.

• Third Semester

M 11 - Elective II/Media Practice III
See M 10.
M12 - Strategic Management
Students learn how to perform the strategic and operative tasks that a manager deals with in the communications sector. They receive further theoretical, empirical, and practical knowledge that forms the basis for editorial management.
M 13 - Project Work
Students are presented with a comprehensive task in at least one category of media. They develop this task professionally and complete it for publication.
M 14 - Empirical Methods II
Students acquire advanced knowledge of descriptive and inductive statistics. They will possess extensive knowledge of statistical analysis processes and deepen their comprehension of methods of empirical social research through practical application.
M 15 - Applied Research Projects
Students learn about the different phases and parts of a research process. They have the possibility to develop their research topic. During class discussions, the students sharpen their ideas and theoretical argumentations and find ideal methods according to their subject.

• 4th Semester

M 16 - Master's Thesis and Colloquium

Study abroad unit(s)

None

Forms of assessment

Forms of assessment vary, including written and oral exams, presentations, and project work.

Course objectives

Students will acquire the knowledge and skills that are essential for a career in the media field. They will be able to meet specific occupational requirements with expertise and communicative independence. The Master's programme trains students personally and professionally to be competent journalists and prepares them for a challenging role as experts or managers in the media sector.

Language requirements

Applicants must provide proof of their German and English language skills.

The excepted certificates are:

• German:

TestDaF at least level TDN 3 in all four parts of the examination, "Goethe Zertifikat" at least level B2 or DSH at least level 1

• English:

TOEFL iBT/CBT/PBT score of 83/220/557 or higher, IELTS score of 6.5 or higher, CESOLE score FCE (A) or higher, KFK Fremdsprachenzertifikat Stufe IV

Required DSH / TestDaF

Yes

Academic requirements

Applicants should have a Bachelor's degree or equivalent and more than one year of professional experience in a media-related field after obtaining their first degree. Applicants applying for a full scholarship should have at least two years of professional experience after their first degree.

The Master's degree programme is bilingual, and students will have to provide proof of their communication skills in German and English. This should be submitted in the form of the accepted language certificates mentioned above.

Enrolment fees

Approx. 260 EUR per semester. The fee includes a semester ticket covering public transport in the Bonn metropolitan area as well as public transport throughout North Rhine-Westphalia.

Costs of living

We recommend a budget of around 800 EUR per month for accommodation, living expenses, health insurance, and miscellaneous expenses (a limited number of scholarships are available).

Funding opportunities within the university

The Deutsche Welle will award full scholarships to up to 10 applicants each year. Prospective students from developing and transition countries can apply for the full funding. The scholarship amounts to 750 EUR per month, and covers costs of living and accommodation. The tuition fee and the flight will also be reimbursed. A committee will decide which applicants are to receive a scholarship after the application deadline has expired.
http://www.dw.de/tuition-fees-financing-and-scholarships/a-3766451

Arrival support

The Deutsche Welle provides arrival and start-up assistance for international students. Help with the visa procedure is also available.

Services and support for international students

Upon arrival in Bonn, the programme's registrar's office will be available to help with any practical questions, such as registration with the municipal government, etc. The number of students in the course is small (up to 30 students), so the registrar's office is able to provide support throughout the degree programme.

Accommodation

Accommodation is available in student residence halls or on the private market. Rent for a room in a student residence varies from around 250 EUR to 350 EUR. The programme's registrar's office offers assistance in finding suitable accommodation in student residences.