As an applicant to the Media Culture Studies master’s degree program, you should have the following:

• a keen interest in current and historical events and debates concerning how media shape culture and society
• a strong willingness to read complex literature and to discuss challenging texts
• a sufficient level of English proficiency in order to be able to read scientific literature in English
• excellent written and oral expression

A prerequisite for the “Media Culture Studies” master’s degree program is proof of a relevant bachelor’s degree in Film Studies, Theater Studies, or Cultural Anthropology/European Ethnology as taught at the FTMK institute. This subject may have been studied as either a major or a minor. You may alternatively present a comparable degree completed in the area of media, cultural or social sciences with at least 30 credits having been completed in the area of media and cultural studies at a university in Germany or abroad.

If you have not yet received your bachelor’s degree certificate by the application deadline, but have earned at least 135 credits in your bachelor’s program, you must apply by the set deadline with a transcript (certified copy issued by your university) of all coursework and exams completed to date, including your average grade to date.

Applicants who have not obtained a university entrance qualification at a German-speaking institution or a degree in a German-speaking course must provide proof of sufficient German language skills. These must correspond to the level DSH-2 of the “German Language Proficiency Examination for Admission to Higher Education for Foreign Applicants” and must be proven by the time of enrollment at JGU.

Good to know: The legally binding basis for the selection, admission, and enrollment process can be referenced in section 2 of the examination regulations.

This two-year degree program begins in the winter semester and comprises six regular modules and one final module, which will help you to prepare and write your master’s thesis.

1st semester:

Cultural media theory

• Concepts of media, theories of culture and technology
• Traditions of discourse and research paradigms

Methods of media culture analysis

• Digital and archival research
• Ethnographic perspectives
• Methods of art history, cultural anthropology, geography, history, and qualitative social research
• Workshops with external experts in media and cultural studies

2nd semester:

History of media cultures

• Development of media networks, e.g. social media, of media infrastructures, and of individual media (e.g., writing, books, visual media, theater, film)
• Media of historiography and decolonial perspectives

Research project on current research topics

• Research and conceptualization of your own thematic research projects
• Realization of project-based formats (exhibitions, conferences, publications, etc.)

3rd semester:

Aesthetics, performance, and the cultures of media

• Interdisciplinary topics covered by the subject range of the institute (e.g. body, power, knowledge, archive, testimony, theatricality, migration, art)

Research project on current research topics (continuation)

• Research and conceptualization of your own thematic research projects
• Realization of project-based formats (exhibitions, conferences, publications, etc.)

4th semester:

Preparation and defense of your final thesis

• You will carry out an extensive research project on a topic of your choosing that will be developed as a part of a colloquium and will be thoroughly supervised by your lecturers
• Final oral examination

Stays abroad

Would you like to live abroad for a semester or a year? Do you want to learn another language and get to know a new culture? Or gain a different perspective on your particular subject? A stay abroad provides you with the perfect opportunity to achieve this and is possible with every degree program – either self-organized or by taking advantage of one of the popular exchange programs. This is made possible by various cooperation agreements and partnerships with foreign universities.

For more information on this topic, please visit our websites on studying abroad. Visit our student exchange platform for an overview of cooperating universities in your field.

This program of study does not require you to spend time abroad, but you nevertheless have the opportunity to do so.

Internships

This program of study does not include a mandatory internship. However, voluntary internships are a great way to gain insight into a professional field.

An internship allows you to discover whether everyday life in a particular occupation suits your career expectations and interests. You can gain qualifications for a professional field and acquire important professional and personal skills to start a career. An internship helps you both shape your career path, and mold the remainder of your course sequence – in particular by selecting specializations that suit your practical experience.

You can find further information and relevant internships on the Career Service website.

The Media Culture Studies master’s degree program will qualify you to take on leadership positions in interdisciplinary and international working environments within the realm of media and/or culture. These areas require problem-oriented and independent thinkers who are able to transfer theoretical knowledge to complex practical contexts.

Potential professions and fields of activity:

• Academia and research
• Film, television and radio editorial offices and production companies
• Publishing houses specialized in media and cultural studies, newspapers and magazines
• Digital media and online platforms
• Cultural management as well as museums and archives
• Advertising and public relations
• Media and cultural policy institutions (associations, NGOs, etc.)
• (Continuing) education within the context of an increased need for media and cultural studies qualifications for teaching staff

Not sure what to do after graduation? Don’t worry!

A university degree generally does not prepare you for a single profession but qualifies you for a wide range of career paths – for example, in research, in a typical profession related to your field of study, or in one of many other academic fields.

This is why career orientation is also part of your studies. Gaining practical experience is key, and you can do so through internships, working student positions, part-time jobs or voluntary work, for example.

JGU’s Career Service will support you throughout the entire process with information, advice, workshops and numerous events – from career orientation and working on your profile and skills to finding your dream job and successfully applying for it.

Not sure what to do after graduation? Don’t worry!

A university degree generally does not prepare you for a single profession but qualifies you for a wide range of career paths – for example, in research, in a typical profession related to your field of study, or in one of many other academic fields.

This is why career orientation is also part of your studies. Gaining practical experience is key, and you can do so through internships, working student positions, part-time jobs or voluntary work, for example.

JGU’s Career Service will support you throughout the entire process with information, advice, workshops and numerous events – from career orientation and working on your profile and skills to finding your dream job and successfully applying for it.