Applicants who want to explore media and new digital technologies and narratives both practically and theoretically, from fields such as storytelling, film, games, journalism, etc.

Applicants must have a BA or equivalent or higher degree and at least one year of specialised work experience or similar professional project experience. In justified exceptional cases, applicants with exceptional artistic talent who lack one or more of these formal requirements may apply to participate in this programme as professional training participants.

Graduates have the opportunity to develop their careers in the creative industries, academia, or a combination of both.

If they choose to continue their academic career with doctoral studies after the programme, they will be well prepared to do so in areas such as media and art studies, cultural studies, game studies, narratology, and digital culture. They are qualified to apply a research-creative or artistic-research approach.

In addition, graduates pursue the development of their own digital narrative projects in a variety of narrative formats and platforms, including XR, VR, AR, interactive web series, games, innovative journalism, interactive and digital documentaries, immersive and non-linear narrative formats and narrative worlds.

Our graduates are creatives who understand the ever-evolving language of digital media. They are people who actively shape the industry and engage in discussions around digitality, and they are involved in projects with strong social and ethical aspirations.

They can work in leading creative and artistic positions. Possible career fields for graduates of the Master's Programme Digital Narratives are:

• creative director / creative producer
• storyworld designer / story editor / content designer / narrative designer
• UX designer
• media artist
• media designer / doctoral student
• curator / media critic
• documentary filmmaker and/or journalist with a focus on digital storytelling formats

The media location North Rhine-Westphalia is one of the most innovative and economically potent metropolitan regions in Europe.
The city of Cologne not only has a 2000-year history, but has long since established itself as one of the most vibrant media hotspots in Germany. One third of Germany's television programmes are produced in Cologne. Major TV and radio stations, numerous renowned film, TV and web production companies, studios, publishing houses and creative agencies are based in the city and attract an innovative and artistic audience. In addition, a large and growing number of exciting international productions are being made in Cologne and NRW.

The ifs is located in the creative and media quarter Schanzenstraße in Cologne-Mülheim - in close proximity to TV production companies, studios, publishing houses, a radio station and the Schauspiel Köln theatre.

The 4-semester full-time Master's Programme is modularised and is composed of:

PROJECT MODULES
Including the master's project, students go through four project phases during the course of the programme, each with a different focus in terms of content and building on each other in terms of complexity. In these, ideas are found for projects, which are developed and produced.

MODULES DIGITALITY AND CHANGE
The modules Digitality and Change deal with the (media) theoretical and aesthetic foundations of digital narratives and critically engage with social and political implications of digital narratives.

MODULES NARRATIVES
The modules Narratives deal with dramaturgy, storytelling, and worldbuilding as narrative foundations of immersive, digital narratives.

MODULES METHODS
The modules Methods teach students the creative and technological skills to find, technically realise, and place projects in the marketplace.

SEMESTER 1
Digitality and Change 1:
Analysis and aesthetics of digital media, media theory

Narratives 1:
Storytelling and dramaturgy in digital media; audience-centered design strategies and formats; "Human Machine Interface"

Methods 1:
User experience design, collaborative and agile ways of working; creative writing for digital media; introduction to coding and overview of currently used softwares

Project 1:
Ideation: developing concepts for own projects with support from instructors and mentors, comparison with similar projects; presentation and discussion of the ideas

SEMESTER 2
Digitality and Change 2:
Connectivity, access, infrastructure, and network structures as core aspects of global online media; loop structures as a basic element of digitality; critical analysis of new forms of digital production and distribution.

Narratives 2:
Case studies of dramaturgical approaches and strategies in various industries; narrative system, transmedia storytelling, story worldbuilding; narrative and technical aspects of immersive technologies

Methods 2:
In-depth exercises in user experience design and creative writing for digital media; technologies for creating immersive storytelling experiences; project management tools and budgeting

Project 2:
Development: conceptual challenges (dramaturgy, narration, interaction, platform strategies, visual design, choice of technology), market research and funding options; artistic and technological definition of one's own project

SEMESTER 3
Digitality and Change 3:
Social and political issues and disputes about digitality; immersion as part of digital narratives.

Narratives and Methods 3:
Theoretical and practical perspectives on immersion; management and communication skills

Project 3:
Production: project production processes; legal aspects and market communication, including influencing and social media; integration of market aspects such as distribution, evaluation, and copywrights into the development phase

SEMESTER 4
master's thesis, master project and colloquium

SEMESTER 1
Digitality and Change 1:
Analysis and aesthetics of digital media, media theory

Narratives 1:
Storytelling and dramaturgy in digital media; audience-centered design strategies and formats; "Human Machine Interface"

Methods 1:
User experience design, collaborative and agile ways of working; creative writing for digital media; introduction to coding and overview of currently used softwares

Project 1:
Ideation: developing concepts for own projects with support from instructors and mentors, comparison with similar projects; presentation and discussion of the ideas

The Master's Programme Digital Narratives is a four-semester full-time master's program with 120 ECTS. The programme is offered in a blended learning format with face-to-face and online time. The language of instruction is English.

LECTURE TIMES PER SEMESTER:

• 1st semester: 12 weeks (6 weeks face-to-face / 6 weeks online)
• 2nd semester: 12 weeks (6 weeks face-to-face / 6 weeks online)
• 3rd semester: 8 weeks (4 weeks face-to-face / 4 weeks online)
• 4th semester: 3 weeks (2 weeks face-to-face / 1 weeks online)

In addition, there are phases of self-study.

After successful completion of the master's examination, students are awarded with the academic degree "Master of Arts" (M. A.).

Each module is completed with one or more examinations. These may be term papers, oral examinations, presentations, documentations or works samples.  

At the end of the programme, the master's thesis and a final work sample (Master Project) are prepared and supplemented by an oral examination (colloqium).

The work sample is an individually or collaboratively created prototype of a digital narrative. The master's thesis flanks the Master Project and reflects on the project from a (media) theoretical perspective.

In the colloquium, aspects of the project work and the theses of the master’s theses are discussed in the form of a professional discussion.