University degrees: Postgraduate
Course length: 2 years
Course city: Cologne
The ifs international MA Digital Narratives program offers dedicated media and cultural professionals an opportunity to develop and produce stories with and for the future of digital media.
The program combines creative processes exploring dramaturgy and design with theoretical investigations in the fields of media and cultural studies. Students will study and practice creative digital development and production methods that will enable them to create innovative and immersive narrative forms of communication for digital platforms and genres such as VR/AR, web series, apps, graphic novels, and games – to name a few.
The MA Digital Narratives supports young creatives to develop their artistic, practical and theoretical skills in the evolving business scene of digital culture.
The MA Digital Narratives supports young creatives to develop their artistic, practical and theoretical skills in the evolving business scene of digital culture.
The central elements of the MA Digital Narratives curriculum are:
• The Study of Digital Culture
Media-theoretical knowledge and research on digital transformation and disruption processes in society, economics, and the arts.
Investigation of the social responsibility in arts and media for a participatory society in the digital age.
• The Study of Narratives
Research and development of immersive narratives based on contemporary technologies and audience engagement strategies in digital media.
• The Study and Practice of Creative Methods
Analysis and implementation of aesthetic strategies and creative development methods in artistic projects and creative businesses.
Analysis and training of creative and agile methods for ideation, development, prototyping, and production in a highly interdisciplinary and collaborative working environment.
• Projects
Collaborative and individual work on artistic, entrepreneurial, and research projects together with external partners and supervised by professors and tutors.
Admission to the MA Digital Narratives takes place every two years in the winter semester.
Duration:
2 years (4 Semesters)
Residency:
The two-year MA Digital Narratives is a fulltime Master’s program (120 ECTS). It is divided into attendance time and self-study time. The attendance time during the first and second semester is twelve weeks (usually every day from 10.00 am to 4.00 pm). During the third semester, there are eight weeks of attendance time. The fourth semester is dedicated to writing the Master’s thesis, so the attendance time is only three weeks.
Degree:
Master of Arts (M.A.), 120 ECTS
Number of students:
max. 12
In the second year of study, the program also offers students classes to facilitate their professionalization, which include the study of business modelling, project financing, project marketing, deal making, and the practical aspects of intellectual property law. In addition, they can receive coaching and mentoring for their projects and for their professional life after their studies.
The program language is English. Studying in a small group of no more than twelve students ensures an intensive and collaborative work. During the first three semesters, the courses are aimed at self-study phases to support indivi-dual and shared research as well as project development. For this, the students can use a co-working space at the ifs. Excursions to internationally relevant conferences and festivals, such as Re:Publica, Transmediale and Clash of Realities are an integral part of the curriculum. It is also possible for students to visit cross-institutional events and create partnerships for research and project work in order to expand their networks.
