STEOP provides an overview of relevant topics and research areas in the subject, career opportunities and current research findings from different areas of communication studies.

Successful completion of the STEOP is a prerequisite for all other courses and examinations on the programme!

In addition to the STEOP, the only other courses that can be taken at the same time in the first semester are the following

– UV Grundlagen 1: Einführung in das kommunikationswissenschaftliche Arbeiten (4 ECTS)

– VO/VU Grundlagen 2 (4 ECTS)

– VO/VU Grundlagen 3 (4 ECTS)

First-year students should definitely take these courses in their first semester, as they are only offered in the winter semester and are important prerequisites for other courses!

In Module 2, students will learn UV Grundlagen 1 – Einführung in das kommunikationswissenschaftliche Arbeiten the skills in scientific research, in the editing of texts, in critical reflection and in scientific writing that are required for the degree programme. It also provides knowledge of the processes and structures of media communication, which enables students to orientate themselves and serves as preparation for professional activities, e.g. general communication. Knowledge of media culture and processes of social change, media systems, media policy, media economics and media law.

The VO Grundlagen 4 will be offered in the summer semester. If you have already completed the basics 1 – 3 in the winter semester, you can use them to complete the module 2!

Module 3 deals with the fundamental theories and mid-range theories that are applied in the various research areas of communication studies, and makes a link with current research practice by having students engage with published research findings

The VU Theorien 1 will be offered in the SS, VU Theorien 2 in the WS. There are reading courses in both the winter and summer semesters.

This module introduces the research paradigms of qualitative and quantitative social research and their basic methods, with a focus on interviewing and content analysis. In preparation for independent quantitative research, descriptive statistics and the basics of inferential statistics are also taught.

Ideally, you should take VU Methods 1 in the second semester (summer semester), VU Statistics and PS Methods 2 in the following WS and PS Methods 3 in the following SS. Because:

Successful completion of Methods 1 is a prerequisite for participation in Methods 2. Participation in Methods 3 (Quantitative Communication Research) requires completion of both Methods 1 and the VU Statistics BA.

Successful completion of modules 1 to 4 is required to participate in seminars and bachelor seminars.! Please note: Methods courses from neighbouring disciplines are not credited, i.e. you must complete Module 3 at KOWI.

Module 5 deals with application and occupation-related issues. The module offers students the opportunity to set their own content priorities for their professional preparation.

Exercises will develop general skills for media and communication professions such as research, writing, presenting, etc., as well as technical skills for producing reports in different media sectors. This knowledge is put into practice in a number of media laboratories, some of which have been set up as teaching newsrooms, and is placed in an academic context.

This module provides knowledge of media, information and communication professions and key skills for professional practice. The post-processing of the practice and the classification of the experiences in the context of the study programme takes place in the course “KO Reflexion Praxis”.

Compulsory practice can be

1. in the form of a work placement (12 working weeks of 40 hours per week) or relevant professional activities (contact: Boris Romahn, MA, LL.B)
2. through a semester abroad (contact: Assoz.Univ.Prof. Dr. Thomas Herdin)
3. or through pre-approved (!) cooperation in research projects

completed.

The Research Fields module provides advanced skills for academic practice, e.g. the development of research questions In the other courses of the module, relevant issues and current findings in communication studies will be discussed, especially with regard to the theories and methods applied, and topics will be treated empirically or literature-based through students’ own research.

In this module, students write their final Bachelor thesis. In the bachelor’s seminar, they develop a theory and method-based concept that is implemented in the bachelor’s thesis.

Admission to the SE bachelor seminar requires the successful completion of modules 1 – 8 with the exception of SE Research Fields 4 and KO Reflection Practice (note: the 12 weeks of compulsory practice must still have been completed and recognised!) Ideally, however, these two courses – KO Reflection Practice and SE Research Fields 4 – should have been completed before attending the bachelor’s seminar.

Bachelorarbeit

The bachelor’s thesis can only be written as part of the bachelor’s seminar. The thesis is 40 to 55 pages long (100,000 to 140,000 characters, including spaces and bibliography). The formal guidelines for writing the Bachelor thesis include the application of the FB’s citation rules (available for download under Service encoded_tag_closed >Forms and Downloads). For further requirements, please contact the bachelor thesis supervisor directly.