Master in Digital Media and Communication for Social Impact

"Shaping digital media and communication in the public interest"

Shaping media and communications in the public interest: the Master’s programme "Digital Media & Communication for Social Impact" combines research and practice on issues of digital media, social responsibility and social change. With us, you learn how media and platforms function in a digital society, how they can be designed to foster democracy, and how communication can have social impact and contribute to the common good – from digital journalism to strategic communication all the way to media governance. Innovative project seminars and practical courses on project management, communication strategies and research competencies help you acquire analytical, creative and organisational skills crucial for positions of responsibility in the media and communications industry, NGOs, politics and administration, or research. You can study either in English only, bilingually (English/German) or trilingually (English/German /French).

• Profile of the study programme

  "Shaping media and communication in the public interest" is the central idea underlying the Master’s programme "Digital Media & Communication for Social Impact" at the University of Fribourg. It combines science and practice on issues of digital media, social responsibility and social change.

  In this programme, you acquire a sound understanding of how media and platforms function in a digital society – and how they can be shaped and used to strengthen democracy, sustainability and social cohesion.

  • How do the media and communication contribute to the common good in a digitalised society?
  • How can media and platforms be designed to foster democracy and be used responsibly?
  • How can responsible communication have social impact?

  Here you learn how to answer these questions – scientifically substantiated, with a critical mind, in an interdisciplinary manner and oriented towards practice.

  The distinctive characteristics of the master’s programme "Digital Media & Communication for Social Impact" are:

  • Social relevance: You learn how communication influences social change – and how media and communication can be actively shaped.
  • International orientation: You benefit from a global perspective on research and teaching – in an English-language or multilingual Master's programme in Switzerland.
  • Practice-oriented research: You work on issues of great relevance to media and communication practice – in the form of innovative research and transfer projects.
• Fribourg profile

  The Master’s programme "Digital Media & Communication for Social Impact" combines theory and research with practice-oriented teaching formats.

  Content-wise, the Master’s programme focuses on how media and communication can be shaped and used for the common good. The programme consists of six modules:

  1. Core Topics: Democracy, media and technology; strategic communication; media and platform governance; media use and effects; persuasion and digital mobilisation; digital journalism and content creation
  2. Research Competencies: Research design, data collection, data analysis and visualisation
  3. Project Management & Transfer: Project management, leadership and strategies of science communication and public relations
  4. Project Seminars: Free choice of project seminars on a wide variety of subjects in which students in small teams work in a scientifically sound manner on projects of real-life relevance.
  5. Personalised Choice: Elective courses and/or internship
  6. Master’s thesis and colloquium including a defence.

  The Master’s programme "Digital Media & Communication for Social Impact" is not only unique in terms of its content, but also of its teaching and learning formats. Studying at the University of Fribourg offers you

  • Innovative teaching: Classroom-style teaching is a thing of the past. In our project seminars, you work in a critical and solution-oriented fashion in small teams on projects of practical relevance – such as communication strategies for NGOs, opportunities for digital participation, policy papers or tools for sustainable media use.
  • Personal mentoring: Close collaboration and regular feedback are an integral part of our master’s programme, whether in lectures, project seminars or when mentoring your master’s thesis
  • Multidisciplinary skills: In addition to the latest findings from media and communication research, you also acquire skills in project management, knowledge transfer, data analysis and visualisation.
  • Flexible structure of your studies: With fixed teaching days, block courses, elective courses and the absence of any predefined sequence of courses, we let you plan your studies to suit your needs.

  Our Master’s programme offers you the additional option of having an internship credited or studying abroad at one of our partner universities.

  A broad range of optional minor study programmes allows you to integrate subjects which interest you personally into your master’s programme in Digital Media & Communication for Social Impact.

  Moreover, with us you have an opportunity offered nowhere else in Switzerland: you can study in English only, bilingually (English/German) or trilingually (English/German/French) – and this will be mentioned on your diploma.

• Learning outcomes and career openings

  The Master’s programme "Digital Media & Communication for Social Impact" teaches you not only essential specialist knowledge, but also analytical, creative and organisational skills. You learn to ask the right questions, to reflect critically on digital media and communication, to use them effectively and to develop solutions to challenges in a digitalised society. You also learn how to successfully communicate your findings to stakeholders in politics, media, business and civil society. And in doing so, you actively contribute to shaping tomorrow's world.

  By studying with us, you prepare for positions of responsibility and career paths in

  • Media companies;
  • Communication and digital agencies;
  • NGOs and foundations;
  • Politics and administration;
  • Research and teaching in universities and thinktanks.
• Optional bilingual or trilingual studies

  The Master’s programme "Digital Media & Communication for Social Impact" consists of courses taught in English and German. You can study the Master’s programme entirely in English or bilingually in English/German.

  In order for your diploma to indicate that you have completed a bilingual programme (English/German), at least 40% of the ECTS credits that can be taken into account for this purpose must be earned in the second language of study.

  In addition, you can also voluntarily choose courses or write papers in French.

  In order for your diploma to indicate that you have completed a trilingual programme (English/German/French), at least 25% of the ECTS credits that can be taken into account for this purpose must be earned in each of the three languages of study. The following French-language courses can be credited:

  • Project reports (in project seminars) and/or master’s thesis in French
  • French-language seminars with seminar paper from the Master’s programme "Business Communication" as a substitute for German- or English-language project seminars
  • Other French-language courses from the University’s entire range of courses (including those from the Master’s programme "Business Communication" and the Bachelor’s programme "Sciences de la communication") within the module "Personalised Choice"

"Digital Media & Communication for Social Impact" can be studied in the master programme as a major (90 ECTS) and as a minor (30 ECTS). The major can be combined in many ways with other minors (30 ECTS) in German, French, or English.