Our society is often described as a media or digital society. These are not just buzzwords. They refer to the socio-structural consequences of media development, the importance of which can hardly be underestimated. The basic assumption is that we cannot fully understand how politics, the economy, and other social systems function and develop without analysing communication. This means we need to analyse communication within their respective public spheres, considering the role of media such as social media, online platforms, print, or audiovisual media.

Therefore, in the Master's degree programme in Communication Science, students deal with the significance of different media for politics and business, society, everyday life, and culture. Questions such as "How does disinformation influence democratic society and what can we do about it?", "What use of AI is ethically justifiable?" and "How can journalism (re)gain the trust of the public?" are addressed using the toolbox of empirical and theoretical communication science.

The degree plan according to the most recent examination regulations includes a methods module, a research module, and a final examination module. In addition, there are thematic modules based on the following teaching areas: “Communication in Politics, Business & Society,” “Journalism & New Media,” and “Media Realities & Media Effects”. The programme also includes a “specialisation module” that allows students to choose an individual focus.

  • Module 1: Quantitative and Qualitative Methods of Empirical Social Research

    In the first semester of the Master's programme, this module expands and deepens the students’ knowledge in empirical methods of data collection and analysis. Building on their basic prior knowledge of quantitative (statistics) and qualitative social research, students learn to develop and apply individual and more complex methods, and research strategies. In addition, scientific work is reflected methodologically and epistemologically. The module therefore forms an important basis for the research module in the second and third semesters.

    Possible course topics

    • Multivariate analysis methods: Multivariate Data Analysis - Exercise RStudio
    • Specialised research methods or methodology

    - Methods of media appropriation and reception research: Qualitative interviews

    - Group discussions

    - Qualitative and quantitative typologisation methods

  • Module 2: Journalism & New Media

    The module examines the transformative significance of new media for journalism and social communication. The focus is on challenges such as multimedia, participation, and media trust as well as their influence on the structures, working methods, and financing of journalism. Current academic discourse and findings serve as a basis for analysing the interactions between digital communication and modern journalism.

    Possible course topics

    • Journalism and language
    • Between participation and polarisation: digital media and (alternative) public spheres
    • Areas of tension and synergies: journalism and strategic communication

  • Module 3: Communication in Politics, Economy and Society

    This module examines the relevance of the media society to political systems, economic activity, and social coexistence. Seminars therefore deal with phenomena such as the scandalisation and personalisation of politics and business, as well as the strategies of actors to react to media challenges. The fundamental assumption here is that communication in partial public spheres and the analysis of this communication play a central role in understanding today's social structures.

    Possible course topics

    • Silence - the other side of communication
    • Science competing for attention: truth under the conditions of media change
    • Career orientation and personnel recruitment on the Internet

  • Module 4: Media Realities and Media Effects

    The reality of the mass media is not a mere representation of reality, but has its own dynamic that needs to be understood and explained. In this module, students ask themselves how reality is produced in various media and how the media shape the image of science, sport, family, or religion in public perception through this representation. The focus is on processes of media communication, including their cognitive and social consequences, as well as the attribution of different meanings to different media, taking into account particular characteristics of communication channels, modes of reception, and situations.

    Possible course topics

    • Reporting on, use and impact of mHealth offerings in health communication
    • Use and effect of computer games
    • Conspiracy narratives
    • Advertising communication in the post-cookie era

  • Module 5: Specialization in Communication Studies

    The module allows students to individually focus on "Media Realities & Media Effects" (Module 4) or "Empirical Research Methods" (Module 2). Depending on their choice, they deepen their knowledge in analysing media effects and attributions of meaning or in applying and reflecting on quantitative and qualitative research strategies. The aim is to develop academic skills for solving complex research questions, for analysing media effects, and the social significance of media and communication.

    Possible course topics

    • The networks of political influencers and extremists - A social network analysis with R/igraph
    • Digitally political realities: Excursion to Re:publica:
    • Strategic sustainability communication and its perception and impact
    • Philosophical thinking methods

  • Module 6: Research Module

    The module teaches practical research skills as students independently develop and implement projects on communication science issues. Over the course of two semesters, students learn to master the entire research process from defining the problem to implementing the method and presenting the results. They use theoretical approaches and empirical data to develop scientifically sound answers and solutions.

    Possible course topics

    • Computational Methods (= Automated Communication Science)
    • Automated communication
    • Appropriation of digital media technologies in families: help, knowledge exchange, and practices between the family members
    • Experimental research: virtual reality and meaningfulness
    • News and information avoidance

  • Module 7: Master Thesis ("Master Module")

    The module supports students in the preparation of their Master's thesis and offers supportive discussions in the examination colloquium. The focus is on the independent processing of a scientific topic, methodologically sound analyses, and the development of well-founded conclusions. The aim is to independently apply and implement the theoretical and methodological quality criteria of academic work.

    Examination colloquium (individually organised by the supervisors of the Master's thesis, further information on the examination module can be found here).

    You can find the courses offered by semester in the electronic course catalogue of the University of Münster. Questions about registering and cancelling examinations are answered in our FAQ.

    The module structure may differ depending on the start of the programme, as different examination regulations apply to the respective students. The collected examination regulations (in the various versions) can be found at "Forms and Downloads".

Degree

Successful completion of the Master's degree programme requires the acquisition of 120 credit points within the framework of the modules studied. Of these, 25 credit points are allocated to the Master's thesis and 5 credit points to the examination colloquium, which is part of the MA module. Further information on the examination module can be found here.

Application and Enrolment

The programme can be started each year in the winter semester, i.e. in October. Information on admission and the application process can be found on the department's information pages. We offer places for a total of 18 students each year.