M. A. Digital Media and Society

To be eligible for admission, you must demonstrate:

1. A prior university degree in one of the following courses of study:

• Communication and Media Studies,
• Cultural Studies,
• Digital Media,
• or in a closely related field, with at least 180 credit points (CP) under the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) or equivalent coursework with similar content.

2. A minimum grade of 2.3 as the overall grade of the previous degree or the average grade achieved at the time of application (at least 130 CP)
3. At least 40 CP earned in communication and media studies, social sciences, research methodology, studies of journalism, content research, or media use, reception, and effect research.
4. English language skills at least equivalent to level C1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) documented with an appropriate language certificate, or either a higher education entrance qualification or last university degree conducted entirely in English

You can find a full list of admission requirements in our program’s admission regulations.

Officially, the admission committee and the Student Office are both responsible for evaluating applications. The faculty members cannot process preliminary eligibility checks, so we kindly ask that you do not address such inquiries to the program team. If you think that you meet the admission requirements, we look forward to receiving and reviewing your application.

Generally, the program is geared toward students with a previous degree in media and communication studies. Please also review the information on admissibility in the Admissions Regulations document.

In case of a strong interest in the program with signs of excellent studentship, the selection committee might consider interdisciplinary students or students from other departments. So, if you lack sufficient CP in media studies or a degree in this area, you should clearly express your reason for interest in the program in your motivation letter. Nevertheless, it is of course never guaranteed that it would be enough.

Please keep in mind that the formal requirements are always prioritized, but depending on the candidate pool, a possible decision for such cases can differ. Thus, if you express a strong interest in the program and your previous academic or industrial work is convincing in terms of your competency in the Digital Media and Society field, the selection committee might evaluate your application.

Yes, because the language of instruction in the M.A. program Digital Media and Society is English. Students must provide proof of sound English knowledge with their application. Please note that this proof cannot be accepted after the application deadline.

For a list of eligible English language certificates, please visit the University of Bremen’s website.

A previous university degree taught entirely in English is also accepted as proof of language proficiency. In this case, you are not required to submit a language certificate but must provide proof that your degree was conducted fully in English.

Specifically, see §1, paragraph (1) of the Admission Regulations :

“d. English language skills at least equivalent to level C1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Proof is also deemed to be furnished if applicants obtained their higher education entrance qualification or their last university degree in English.”

You can apply if you have not finished your degree yet, as long as you have completed at least 130 CP (equivalent to five semesters) of coursework and exams by the application deadline.

Specifically, see §1, paragraph (3) of the Admission Regulations:

“An application may also be submitted if the previous course of study has not yet been completed in the year of the application deadline, but course and examination work amounting to at least 130 CP (corresponding to five semesters of study) have been successfully completed.”

You can apply as an advanced student, if you are already studying in an ongoing master’s program and can demonstrate at least 10 CP of creditable achievements acquired in relevant disciplines that can be transferred to the M.A. Digital Media and Society.

If you hold a bachelor’s or master’s degree and have completed your studies, you can only apply regularly, starting in the winter semester.

Specifically, see §3, paragraph (4) of the Admission Regulations:

“Applications for admission submitted by advanced students must be accompanied by proof of at least 10 CP that can be recognized and allocated to the Master’s degree.”

Applications must be submitted online between February 1 and March 15 for intake in the next academic year (starting in early October) via the University of Bremen’s website: http://www.uni-bremen.de/en/master.html

In addition to formal certificates, we ask you to submit a motivation letter written in English (max. 2 pages) that articulates why you wish to be admitted to the M.A. Digital Media and Society in Bremen.

Specifically, see §3, paragraph (3) of the Admission Regulations:

“The following documents must be submitted:

• Application for admission,
• Proof of all the Admission Requirements specified in § 1,
• Tabular curriculum vitae,
• Description of the previous course of studies (course and examination work with allocated CP, Transcript of Records or comparable document),
• Letter of motivation in accordance with § 1 paragraph 1 item f.”

The application deadline is March 15 for the winter semester (for all applicants) and January 15 for the summer semester (for advanced students only).

There is no application fee. Applying for the M.A. program Digital Media and Society is completely free of charge.

The complete  review process of the submitted documents and applications by the admission committee and the Student Office typically takes about 2 months. Hence, candidates will be notified of the decision no later than June 1 of the application year.

Deferment of admission is not possible. Yet, candidates are welcome to reapply for the program. Notably, admission in a previous intake does not guarantee admission in future intakes. Since seats are limited, eligibility and admission depend on the candidate pool, which may vary each year.

No, all applicants are subject to the same application and admission rules. International students should, however, carefully follow the application portal’s instructions when entering their previous degrees and grades.

The M.A. Digital Media and Society is a full-time study program taking place on-site. Students are expected to attend the courses in person. 

No, the program does not include a mandatory internship.

You can choose the C.1 “Media Internship” module as part of the compulsory elective area of your curriculum, alongside other modules such as B.1 “Media Informatics,” B.2 “Further optional module,” and C.2 “Media Practice.” You must complete 3 out of these 4 modules, earning 27 CP in total (9 CP pro module).

The C.1 module is an elective internship, not compulsory, and students can opt for the other modules instead. Students are expected to arrange internships in the field of media and communication independently, though the ZeMKI internship coordinator can provide advice after enrolment. We cannot guarantee that students will definitely get an internship as it depends on various factors, such as their personal circumstances, effort, skills (including language), and availability of jobs in the labor market.

There are no tuition fees for M.A. program Digital Media and Society.

There is an administrative fee of €400 per semester, which already includes a flat rate ticket for public transport in Germany.

For scholarship opportunities, please visit the University of Bremen’s website.

ZeMKI is a research institute with several research labs that occasionally hire student assistants. Although the number of positions is limited compared to the number of students, those interested in joining the research environment can apply when positions become available.

For many other student job announcements, please visit the University of Bremen’s website.

Yes, many of our students work part-time. International students should keep in mind that full-time work is usually beyond legal limits on working hours associated with their student visa or residence permit.

Although language courses do not count as part of the program curriculum, students can sign up for various non-curricular language courses for a low fee at the Language Centre of the University of Bremen. To learn more about available language learning opportunities, please visit the University of Bremen’s website.

The M.A. Digital Media and Society qualifies students for decision-making positions in a datafied society. Our former students today shape the digital transformation in the media and tech industries, and work in various capacities within businesses, NGOs and governmental institutions.

Already during your studies we support your career with internships and media practice courses being part of the program. Students build professional experience, form networks for their future professional life, and develop their practical skills to be used for individual or organisational purposes.

University of Bremen does not have any dormitories, like many other German universities. However, there are several student residences near the campus and throughout the city. Some are privately operated, while others are run by Studierendenwerk. For detailed information, please visit the University of Bremen’s website.

A popular portal for finding shared flats and studio apartments is WG-Gesucht. Please use caution and follow the portal’s guidelines to avoid fraudulent activity.

Please note that assistance with accommodation is not within the scope of the faculty’s responsibilities. We kindly ask you to exercise caution with the suggestions given above. You do not have to use any of them, and we encourage you to look for more options yourself.