Joint master’s programme Digital Communication and Creative Media Production - University of Applied Sciences of the Grisons

Sustainability in Digital Communication and Media Production
Digitalisation and sustainability are key concepts in this day and age. They both have a major impact on our communications and the media sector. This gives rise to questions regarding responsibility and sustainability in relation to the conception, production and distribution of media products, as well as media interaction. Economic, social and environmental factors play a significant role in this respect. Studio 1A is devoted to exploring the potential and challenges of digital media and communication aimed at establishing sustainability objectives in society, in addition to aspects relating to sustainability in communications and the media themselves. This includes, in particular, the importance of sustainability issues in media production and communications, sustainability communication strategies, green media production, sustainable governance and green nudging.

Community and Society in Digital Transition – Advancing Constructive Communication in Challenged Democracies
Digitalisation and mediatisation are transforming public life, democracy and society. New possibilities for communication and media interaction are giving rise to both unknown opportunities and unprecedented challenges at society level. Platforms are enabling new communities to be formed and objectives to be achieved beyond the level of the individual (follower networks and virtual communities). At the same time, however, we are seeing lines of conflict growing more intense and a fear of polarisation is emerging. Studio 1B is devoted to critically exploring the risks and potential for social cohesion which arise in the context of digital communications and networked media.

Strategic Communication in the Digital Age
Digital applications are now included in the standard strategic communications repertoire of many companies, political organisations and NPOs, as well as their stakeholders (customers, members, investors/backers, media, etc.). They use websites or their own app, for example, to publicise key organisational objectives and relevant content, to participate in debates on social media or to reach out to stakeholders with videos explaining corporate goals, products and services. Studio 2A teaches students theoretical principles and concepts and shows empirical findings and possibilities for using strategic online communications. This studio is also designed to offer a hands-on opportunity to develop and implement a digital application for strategic communications with a partner from the field of politics, business or society.

Media, Information or Digital Literacy? Developing Skills to Thrive in a Mediatised World
Given the ongoing developments associated with the advancing mediatisation of society and constant changes in the way media are used and produced, it is important to discuss the skills required in this regard. In this context, students explore key skills concepts such as media, information, digital and algorithm literacy and debate current developments and approaches to this issue, for example with regard to the risks and potential of media services, teaching the corresponding skills and their normative nature and potential in political terms. Within the framework of Studio 2B, students focus on a sub-area of media and digital skills and subsequently team up with a partner from practice to develop a service/application involving media/digital literacy for a specific target group based on relevant research and preliminary studies.

Journalism and Digitalisation
Digitalisation also presents new challenges and potential for the journalism sector: on the one hand, journalists are increasingly competing for the attention of their target audience, vying with the huge variety of information and entertainment content available online. On the other hand, they are being offered new opportunities for communicating news via multimedia output and for interacting with users in innovative ways. In Studio 3A, students closely investigate topics issues regarding news development and reporting, as well as changes to the way in which media are used in modern societies. They also develop innovative digital formats and applications for communicating information in cooperation with a partner from practice (from the field of journalism).

Media Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Digitalisation is opening up many new distribution channels, forms and formats for news, information and entertainment. Closely associated with this is the question of what new business models are possible in the digital world and which are particularly suitable The Media Innovation & Entrepreneurship Studio focuses on investigating this in terms of media economics and on the development of new business models. To this end, students consider and discuss the necessary basic concepts and approaches for the ongoing debate in the field of media innovation and in relation to media economics. They come up with new products and business models for the media and communication sector, testing them in cooperation with partners from practice.

Do you have a bachelor’s degree from a university of applied sciences, but not grade 5? But you can demonstrate that you have years of professional experience and have undertaken continuous professional development and are at least 25 years of age? If so, you have the opportunity to apply for admission by dossier. You may also be admitted to the study programme with an equivalent recognised qualification (see above). The Institutional Board and the Director of Studies decide on admissions on a case by case basis.

To arrange a transfer from another university, university of applied sciences or PET college, you must contact the Director of Studies. Credits for modules at master's level previously completed at another university may be awarded in consultation with the Director of Studies prior to the start of the programme.

There is a one-off enrolment fee of CHF 300, which is deducted from the tuition fee for the first semester. If you do not take up the offer of a place on the programme, the enrolment fee will be forfeited.

The tuition fee per semester is CHF 960 for students with Swiss citizenship or the Principality of Liechtenstein citizenship. The tuition fee per semester for all other students is CHF 1,550.

Foreign students who have resided in Switzerland for at least two years before the start of their studies and who are financially independent and not in education may be able to benefit from the reduced tuition fee of CHF 960. The reduced tuition fee has to be reviewed and approved by the UAS Grisons on the basis of documentation provided by the students.

Students not from Switzerland, the Principality of Liechtenstein, the European Union or the European Free Trade Association are charged a deposit of CHF 3,000.

The tuition fees do not include teaching materials, (subject-specific) software, travel, food or accommodation in connection with field trips, multiday seminars and the bachelor thesis.

You will need a suitably powerful laptop (Windows recommended).

The universities of applied sciences are recognised by the Swiss Confederation and the cantons, which means students may be entitled to grants. For further information, please contact the grants department of the Department of Education for the canton in question.

Students from outside Switzerland can contact the relevant public funding institutions in their home country.

The first-semester modules are held in Freiburg, Chur, Bern and Zurich or virtually via online lectures. The remaining content of the study programme is organised on a decentralised basis and is not bound to a specific location.

The degree programme is flexibly configurable and generally lasts four semesters. The modular structure of the study offer and creative learning formats mean it is possible to perform an additional professional activity. 

The first semester takes place in blocks that take in Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Teaching begins at 10.15 a.m. so that it is possible to travel in from various regions. Mondays and Fridays can then be used for self-study or work experience undertaken elsewhere.

European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS)

The European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) is a tool of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) for making studies and courses more transparent and thus helping students to move between institutions of higer education. ECTS credits are awarded based on the student workload required to achieve the objectives of a course or a programme. ECTS credits are the basis for the recognition of course or programm achievements and diplomas between institutions of higher eduction.

An ECTS credit point corresponds to a student workload of 30 hours. The student workload includes the lectures but also time needed to pre- and postprocess the lectures, prepare exams and for self-studying. 60 credits a year are acquired in a full-time study course, which corresponds to a student workload of 1800 hours. At University of Applied Sciences of the Grisons a bachelor's degree course is comprised of 180 ECTS credits, a consecutive master's degree of 90 ECTS credits.

The course is generally open to students from abroad. The International Office is at your disposal for further information.