Master of Arts in Digital Narratives

Da der Masterstudiengang Digital Narratives ein internationaler Studiengang ist, finden Sie alle weiteren Informationen in englischer Sprache.

Shaping Stories for the Digital Society

Our society is intertwined with the digital - especially in the storytelling, production techniques, and formats we use to tell stories. In the Master’s Programme Digital Narratives, media and culture creators gain the necessary theoretical and practical tools to critically engage and experiment with digital media, with a special focus on immersive technologies. A research-creation approach supports them in developing a professional career in a field characterised by ongoing transformations due to rapid technological developments.

The programme’s goal is the training of creative storytellers who master the narrative formats and production techniques of new digital media and experiment with them to develop innovative media formats. The programme combines academic and practical work and teaches students to question the affordances and limitations of digital technologies while engaging with current social issues and developing their own artistic and academic practices.

Key areas:

• Conceptualisation, dramaturgy, design, and production of digital narrative projects (e.g. XR, web series, AI-powered experiences, apps, locative media, interactive graphic novels, immersive installations ? to name a few)
• Immersive technologies
• Creative development and agile production structures and methods
• Experimenting and iterating as a way of learning
• Research-creation
• Theoretical debates and critical discourses in media studies and cultural studies
• Critical analysis around the ethical, economic, social equity, gender and diversity, and ecological ramifications of digitisation
• Social debates and responsibilities of creators

During the programme and as part of their MA thesis, students develop a master’s project with an allocated budget.

The Master’s Programme also prepares students for a practice- or art-oriented doctoral studies programme.

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Digital Narratives: Studieninhalte

Da der Masterstudiengang Digital Narratives ein internationaler Studiengang ist, finden Sie alle weiteren Informationen in englischer Sprache.

The MA Digital Narratives supports young creatives to develop their own artistic, practical, and theoretical skills, as well as their artistic position within digital culture in a collaborative and international environment. It is a space for learning to experiment, thinking and producing digital narratives.

The central elements of the MA Digital Narratives curriculum are:

Digital Culture

Critical analysis and research of media ecosystems - as spaces where debates around gender, diversity, social justice, ecology, and colonial histories are at play ? and the new possibilities digital technologies afford to rethink these structures. Investigation of the social responsibility in the arts and media in digital societies.

Narratives

Research and development of immersive narratives based on emerging technologies and audience engagement strategies in digital media.

Study and Practice of Creative Methods

Analysis and training in creative and agile methods for ideation, development, prototyping, and production of artistic projects. Work in creative businesses and in interdisciplinary and collaborative work environments.

Project Conceptualisation and Development

Throughout the programme, students conceptualise, design, and develop a digital narrative project. During the first three semesters, they focus on concept ideation, development and prototyping of their ideas.

Combined Master’s Project and Master’s Thesis

In the 4th Semester, their project becomes part of their Master’s thesis, with the students distributing the project and written thesis in an 80%-20% ratio or vice versa. Their work is supervised and guided by professors, tutors, and the Digital Narratives and Production departments.

Project Support

To complete their Master’s projects, students have access to the technical equipment of the ifs, support from the Production Department, and allocated financial support of max. €4,000 per student.

More information on this programme? Visit the website!

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Digital Narratives: Karriere

Da der Masterstudiengang Digital Narratives ein internationaler Studiengang ist, finden Sie alle weiteren Informationen in englischer Sprache.

Graduates expand their careers in the creative industry, academia, or a combination of both.

If they choose to pursue a doctoral degree after the programme, they are well suited to do so in areas such as media and art studies, cultural studies, game studies, narratology, and digital culture, and are qualified to do so from a research-creation or artistic research approach.

Additionally, 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 story worlds.

Our graduates are creators who understand the evolving language of digital media, actively shape the industry and participate in discussions around digitality. They are involved in projects with strong social and ethical ethos behind them. They may work in leading creative and artistic positions.

Possible professional fields for graduates of the MA Digital Narratives programme are:

• Creative director/creative producer
• Storyworld designer/story editor/content designer/narrative designer
• UX designer
• Media artist
• Media researcher/doctoral student
• Curator/media critic
• Documentary-maker and/or journalist with a focus on digital narrative formats

More information on this programme? Visit the website!

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Digital Narratives: Zulassung

Da der Masterstudiengang Digital Narratives ein internationaler Studiengang ist, finden Sie alle weiteren Informationen in englischer Sprache.

General Requirements

A Bachelor’s degree with proof of at least 180 ECTS (or a similar academic or higher degree). To ensure that the education certificates and diplomas acquired abroad comply with the admission requirements of the ifs (higher education qualifications), applicants can consult the following database.

At least one year of specialised professional practice or similar professional project experience after the Bachelor’s degree.

Proof of programme related aptitude for the MA Digital Narratives.

Language Skills

B2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, e.g. by a TOEFL score of a minimum of 72 points (internet-based) or equivalent test results. Native English speakers are exempted from this.

Information for international applicants

To ensure that the education certificates and diplomas acquired abroad comply with the admission requirements of the ifs (higher education qualifications), applicants can consult the following database. If your degree does not fulfil the ifs's admission requirements, but you have a recognisable talent and previous adequate experience, you may be invited to participate in a separate admission’s procedure to demonstrate your individual artistic aptitude.

Please also check at the German embassy of your home country whether you need to provide an APS certificate by the Academic Evaluation Center for your visa application.

To obtain a residence permit, international students have to demonstrate sufficient funds to secure their livelihood. The required blocked amount for a student visa application is based on the current BAföG rate - the national standard that defines the absolute minimum of a student’s necessary expenses for an adequate standard of living. As of the winter semester 2022, international students must prove that they have sufficient funds to cover an amount of €934 per month or €11,208.00 per year. Note that this amount may change from year to year due to the ongoing increase in costs for housing, electricity, food, etc.

More information on this programme? Visit the website!

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Digital Narratives - Impressions of your Masters study

More information on this programme? Visit the website!

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Overview of Masters programmes - ifs Internationale Filmschule Köln

		3D Animation for Film & Games
		Digital Narratives
		Entertainment Producing
		Serial Storytelling

More information on this programme? Visit the website!

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