Global Communication: Politics and Society

Overview

This consecutive Master's programme, taught in English, explores media systems and communication cultures through international comparison rather than a single national perspective. Courses emphasize “global communication” by equally incorporating perspectives from the Global North and Global South and by focusing on cross-border communicative interactions such as foreign reporting and the globalization of everyday life. The curriculum is designed to deepen sensitivity to shared communicative challenges around the world.

The programme is rooted primarily in the social sciences while also drawing on cultural-studies approaches. Students develop academic research skills and learn both quantitative and qualitative empirical methods, alongside dedicated training in academic communication consultancy. A range of topical issues is examined in comparative perspective, and the research-oriented specialisation includes an optional fast-track pathway for students aiming to pursue a PhD. Graduates are prepared for careers in academic and commercial social research, market and media analysis, journalism, public relations, communication consultancy for politics and society (including government bodies, foundations, and NGOs), and other international professional contexts.

Representative topics you will study

• Media’s role in democracies, political transitions, wars and conflicts (e.g., foreign reporting, crisis communication)
• Interplay between media and globalization (information society, global entertainment, global public sphere)
• Media developments across Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America
• Migration and the public sphere (hate speech, racism, intercultural communication)
• Globalisation and everyday communication (e.g., tourism)
• Islamic–Western relations in media (stereotypes, diplomatic communication, terrorism as a communication strategy)
• Global business communication and corporate networks
• Contemporary changes in media production and use (journalism ethics, disinformation)

Requirements (profile and expectations)

• As a consecutive Master’s, applicants are expected to hold a relevant first degree (bachelor’s) appropriate for advanced study in communication or related social-science fields.
• Proficiency in English, since the programme is taught in English.
• Interest in comparative and global perspectives, including engagement with both Global North and South contexts.
• Willingness to acquire and apply quantitative and qualitative empirical methods and to train in academic communication consultancy.
• Openness to interdisciplinary approaches that combine social-science and cultural-studies perspectives.

This master’s curriculum opens with a required introductory module in the first semester that grounds students in the central theories and research methods of global comparative media and communication studies. Over the first three semesters, students build a tailored program by selecting four subject-area modules from politics, society, and media, allowing for both thematic depth and interdisciplinary breadth. In semesters two and three, the course adds methodological rigor through two optional empirical-methods modules, ensuring students gain practical skills in qualitative and/or quantitative approaches to research.

Alongside methodological training, students take two knowledge-transfer modules that focus on communication consultancy for political and social contexts. These modules combine applied coursework with a practical internship, which may be completed domestically or abroad, giving students direct professional experience in advising, campaigning, or public communication roles. The final (fourth) semester is dedicated to writing the Master’s thesis, culminating in an oral presentation and defence in a colloquium.

Key learning outcomes include:

• Mastery of theoretical frameworks and comparative methods for studying media and communication across global contexts
• Ability to design and conduct empirical research using appropriate qualitative and quantitative techniques
• Practical consultancy skills for communication practice in political and societal settings
• Professional experience through an internship and the ability to present and defend independent research

Program structure — core elements (concise)

• One mandatory introductory module (semester 1): theories and methods of global comparative media and communication research
• Four elective subject modules chosen across the fields of politics, society, and media (taken during the first three semesters)
• Two optional empirical-methods modules (semesters 2–3) to develop practical research skills
• Two knowledge-transfer modules (semesters 2–3) introducing communication consultancy and including an internship at home or abroad
• Fourth semester devoted to the Master’s thesis, presented in a colloquium

Graduates are prepared for roles in academic and commercial social research, market and media research, and for positions in journalism and public relations. The programme also equips students for communication consultancy roles in government bodies, foundations, NGOs, and international organisations where comparative and intercultural expertise is required.

Because of its research orientation and the optional fast‑track to doctoral studies, the degree also provides a pathway to an academic career in media and communication research.