Admission requirements

Prerequisite for admission to the Master study course Applied Media Research:
— a Bachelor's degree in media research / media practice or a university degree in communications science, journalism, media studies or a relevant social science course, in which basic knowledge of social science methods and statistics is imparted and
— English language at the B2 level according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages is required. Proof of the required English language skills is provided by means of a relevant examination certificate or language certificate. This can take the form of:
- Certificate of general or subject-specific university entrance qualification that serves as evidence of having learned English as a foreign language from grades 5-12,
- Certificate of higher education entrance qualification taken entirely in English or certificate of higher education entrance qualification taken entirely in English or
- Proof of a recognized English test e.g. IELTS: 5.5; TOEFL: 72; UNIcert II)

German language requirements

International applicants and German applicants with a foreign university entrance qualification are kindly advised to read the requirements for German-language courses.

Notes on the application process

If, at the time of application, proof of the first degree qualifying the applicant for a profession is not yet available, the application will be considered under the precondition that 80% of the credit points attainable for the degree have already been achieved based on completed module examinations or the final thesis and the colloquium (if applicable). A certification from the awarding institute of higher education (examination office) serves as proof of the above-mentioned academic achievements. You can find the appropriate form on the Admissions Office website.

General information about the degree program

Are you interested in media and communication? Do you have previous experience in empirical research or media practices? Have you earned your Bachelor’s degree in communication or a similar degree program? Is your Bachelor’s thesis the final hurdle, or are you already finished with it? Then you are welcome to apply! Start pursuing your Master’s at the Institute of Media and Communication now and submit your Bachelor’s thesis during the course of this semester.

In the Applied Media Research Master’s degree program, research seminars extending across two semesters will teach you how to conduct your own research projects from the draft proposal to the final poster. The main focus lies on the empirical investigation of socially relevant issues and new technologies as well as the societal transfer and the application of acquired knowledge. No courses are planned for the third semester, leaving it free for students to organize a stay abroad or vocational internship, or to consolidate the information and knowledge gained in the previous semesters. The opportunity for students to individually plan and design their Master’s thesis as they please – even as a collaborative paper with a company – and the flexible submission time frame facilitate the transition to professional life.

Study contents

During the course of study, the focus is on media and its impact on society. Students explore the perspective of the audience (e.g. via opinion and audience research) and of the content producers (e.g. control of communication activity). They focus on traditional mass media (e.g. press and broadcasting) and newer technologies such as social media, the Internet of Things, and artificial intelligence. Research content concentrates primarily on political, economic, scientific, technological, and risk communication. Choose from an extensive potpourri of fundamental issues ranging from climate and health to populism, human-machine communication, trust in new technologies, and much more.

Our smart home lab, close cooperation with the Center for Social Methods and the data analysis integrated into the degree program allow for a broad methodological approach, from online and telephone surveys to focus groups, (computer-based) content and network analyses to physiological measurements and experiments in a smart home.
View the module descriptions

View the module descriptions

Structure

The degree program is split into core and focus courses. The core courses comprise five compulsory modules and two elective modules with a total volume of 90 credit points (ECTS). The focus courses comprise an additional one or two modules with a total volume of 30 credit points (ECTS).

The core courses encourage the:

— Development of empirical research designs
— Application of adequate methods of communication research
— Analysis of data using different methods
— Interpretation of research results

The focus courses serve to set an individual concentration and offer the following combinable options:

— Internship
— Stay abroad during the course of the degree program
— Interdisciplinary, specialized and advanced research

Elective compulsory focus courses

Stay abroad

Would you like to spend a semester abroad? Whether it is a semester, an internship or a language course abroad, you will definitely benefit from the international experience. You can improve your knowledge of your subject and language skills, establish new contacts, make friends, get to know other cultures, and much more. You can find more information on the International Office’s website.

Occupational fields

Our graduates are educated for numerous professions and industries:
— Audience and reach research for print, broadcast, and online media
— Communications departments of companies, interest groups or political parties
— Target group analysis in marketing
— Opinion research
— Media content research
— Campaign conception & media planning in advertising agencies
— Public Relations & internal business communications
— Market research & consulting management
— Communication & usability department at IT companies
— Political consulting
— University communication research

Study documents

The official announcements of TU Dresden include all published regulations . Please use the search bar to find the document you need: Official proclamation

The regulations are also available on each institution’s website.

Contacts

Admissions Office

Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Science

International Office

Additional information