The 4-semester, Digital Media master program, taught in English, is a joint program by the University of the Arts Bremen (Hochschule für Künste, or short HfK) and the University of Bremen (Universität Bremen or short UNI).

We offer an exciting program combining theory and technology, art and science, design and informatics. Students from both universities are encouraged to cross over to the other university respectively and take classes outside of their focus. Students do not only take classes at both institutions, they also have access to both institutions resources for a truly interdisciplinary experience.

The course of study at HfK is called Media Design and is awarded with the degree of Master of Arts (M.A), while the course of study at UNI is called Media Informatics and is awarded with the degree of Master of Science (M.Sc).

Description of the study program

The study program Digital Media is a 4-semester, international master’s program, jointly offered by the University of Bremen and the University of the Arts Bremen in English. It aims at students who are enthusiastic about both art and science and want to acquire skills and knowledge in both the design and the technology of digital media linked by a solid understanding of media theory. T^hus, in the Digital Media study program, computer science meets design, and engineering interconnects with the arts.

Media connect people, and digital media do so using connected computers that in turn interact with humans. Human-computer interaction has many facets, involving new devices and interaction metaphors, scientific evaluation, user experience design, (serious) games, computer graphics, cognitive foundations, as well as interactive art in a virtual or physical form and ultimately cultural and social questions. The computer is the central tool for digital media; therefore, programming is a central skill that allows “creating your own media without the bonds of existing software tools” (D. Shiffman). Building on this essential skill as a prerequisite, the program addresses algorithmic questions, e.g. in computer graphics or machine learning, questions of human centered software design, as well as generative design, the process of designing by writing a computer program.

The unique inter-university cooperation of the Digital Media study program lets students select from a broad selection of courses, giving them the opportunity to authentically experience all aspects of Digital Media. Students can take advantage of the university’s atmosphere of research as well as the University of the Arts’ creative environment. Flexible study conditions and project-oriented learning allow for the creation of individual profiles and fields of focus. This combination of two worlds is the unique opportunity of the digital media program in Bremen.

Focus areas

There are two branches within the program:

• Media Informatics / computational media (i.e., computer science with a strong connection to digital media, in German “Medieninformatik”)
• Media Design (in German „Mediengestaltung“)

Do you love programming? are you interested in computer science? Are you keen on understanding fundamental principles and theories underlying algorithms, software, and software engineering? Then the branch “Media Informatics” is right for you. Do you love art, design and technology? Are you interested in working in an experimental, applied and / or theoretical context? Then the branch “Media Design” is right for you.

Whichever branch you choose, all students in the program take part in common courses, such as “Introduction to digital media”. However, your choice between Media Informatics and Media Design is important because it has a number of implications:

• It determines whether your application should go to the University of Bremen (Media Informatics) or to the University of the Arts Bremen (Media Design).
• This also determines the criteria under which your application will be assessed,
• At which of the two universities you will get enrolled,
• The focus area of the courses you will choose from,
• The type of master project and focus area of the master group project you will take,
• The area in which you will perform your master thesis work, and
• Whether you will earn a Master of Arts degree (M.A.) or a Master of Science degree (M.Sc.).

Info brochure: Digitale Medien/Digital Media (focus area Media Informatics)