Communication Sciences - Digital Media and Society

From virtual worlds, social media and the use of AI technology to online gaming – digital media re-shape society in various domains and inform the way individual people live, think and act. The international Master of Communication Sciences: Digital Media and Society provides a one-year master program in which you will study the nature, effect and meaning of digital media.

KU Leuven organizes regular online info sessions. You can find more information on the KU Leuven website.

About the program

You will get the chance tostudy the human consequences of digital media developments, the ways in which social factors shape these developments and the various domains in which digital media are developed, used and have an impact.During this master year you will get prepared for an academic career, a jobin marketing or in a digital media company.

The programof 60 ECTS credits brings variation in topics and teaching methods, allowing you to build your personal digital communication expertise via:

• Theoretical courses
• Interactive master classes
• Exercises in research design and digital methods
• An Internship
• Elective courses
• A master's thesis

Career opportunities

As a Digital Media and Society graduate you gained knowledge and insight into the nature, effect and meaning of digital media. You learned how to do empirical research and how to report on your findings in academic papers and policy reports. Based on your expertise, you are able to develop evidence-based communication strategies.

Given the sheer omnipresence of digital media in contemporary organisations, alumni of the Master in Digital Media and Society have ample opportunities for interesting jobs in numerous areas:

• Creative industry: You have the knowledge and professional skills to develop programs or formats in the creative industry and in media and news organisations. You are able to offer valuable insight into media policy in several areas of expertise. You are able to support traditional media companies and organisations in the transition from mass communication towards digital, interactive and personalised communication with the envisioned audience.
• Research and innovation: You can take 'key' positions in the field of consumer and market insights related to the psychology and sociology of digital media use and design. In NGOs, news agencies or commercial bureaus, you investigate understanding in consumer behaviour and the use of new media. You are able to develop policy guidelines and campaigns about topics such as fake news,digital media literacy, sexting or cyberbullying.
• Marketing strategy: You are employed by marketing agencies or support governmental organisations, NGOs and commercial businesses in the evaluation and improvement of internal and external communication strategies. You manage public relations through influencer marketing, podcasts, video content, inclusion and diversity awareness and the creation of content to reach out to consumers around the globe.

Courses include:

• Digitalization

• Psychology of Social Media

• Human-Computer Interaction

• Digital Marketing

• Production and Consumption of Digital Media

• Media and Crisis

• You are fascinated by the way digital media shape personal identity and wellbeing, culture and community, politics and policies, business and marketing.
• You want to specialize in theory, methods and research to study digital media and communication.
• You are motivated to work in the fields of research and innovation, social media, digital marketing, a commercial, governmental or non-profit context.