FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
Leuven, Belgium
MASTER OF COMMUNICATION SCIENCE:
DIGITAL MEDIA AND SOCIETY
INSTRUCTION LANGUAGE
English
DURATION
1 year (full-time), 60 ECTS
ACADEMIC CALENDAR
1st semester: end of September
> end of January (exam period)
2nd semester: half of February
> end of June (exam period)
www.kuleuven.be/academiccalendar
APPLICATION DEADLINE
1 March (for non-EEA citizens)
1 June (for EEA citizens)
Please visit our website for the full
application procedure and updates:
www.soc.kuleuven.be/dmas/
application
TUITION FEES
€ 938,8 (EEA students)
€ 3500 (non-EEA students)
The tuition fee for future academic
years can be higher as a result
of indexation. Please consult:
www.kuleuven.be/tuitionfees
From smartphones, tablets and social media to online games – digital media re-shape society
in various domains and deeply inform the way individual people work, live, think and act.
The international Master of Communication Science: Digital Media and Society provides a one-
year master programme in which you will study the nature, effect and meaning of digital media
from a social scientific perspective. The master trains students to become academic experts
in digital media and communication and teaches them to develop evidence-based
communication strategies for commercial companies, NGOs or governmental organizations.
Why choose Digital Media and Society?
• Are you fascinated by the way digital media shape personal identity and wellbeing,
culture and community, politics and policies, business and marketing?
• Do you want to specialize in theory, methods and research to study digital media and
communication?
• Would you like to develop evidence-based strategies in digital communication?
• Are you motivated to work in the fields of research and innovation, social media, digital
marketing, in a commercial, governmental or non-profit context?
• Do you want to study at KU Leuven – one of the oldest and prestigious universities in Europe?
When the answers to the questions above are ‘yes’, you might want to study the international
Master Digital Media and Society at KU Leuven!
Admission requirements
ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS
Only holders of the following university degrees can apply:
• Any Bachelor’s degree in the field of Communication Sciences
• Any Master’s degree in the field of Communication Sciences
Applications must go through KU Leuven’s international admissions procedure.
LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS
The Digital Media and Society programme is taught in English. Unless you are a native speaker,
you have to provide evidence of your proficiency in the English language. We are accepting
the following language certificates:
• TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language): minimum total score equals 600 (paper);
250 (computer); or 100 (internet).
• IELTS Administered Test (International English Language Testing System): minimum score
is no lower than band 7.0.
• CPE (Certificate of Proficiency in English): grade B is required.
• ITACE (Interuniversity Test of Academic English): C1 is required.
KU Leuven. Inspiring the outstanding.
 Programme
The programme provides you with the theoretical and methodological skills to study the nature,
effects and meanings of digital media. It brings variation in topics and teaching methods by
offering theoretical courses, interactive master classes, exercises in research design and
digital methods, an internship and a master thesis.

THEORETICAL COURSES

In the theoretical courses, you attain insight in social scientific theories about the production
and consumption of digital media, the way digitalization shapes individual identity, culture,
politics and business and how ICT and social media can be effectively used in communication,
advertising and marketing. In these courses you will learn to critically discuss theory and
develop scientifically interesting and societally relevant ideas for research.

MASTER CLASSES

The master class offers the opportunity for in-depth reflection on current issues and
developments in the field of digital media and society. In small, interactive groups, you will study
and discuss topical case-studies in the field of either media and design or games and society.

DISCOVER KU LEUVEN RESEARCH DESIGN AND DIGITAL METHODS

Situated in Belgium, in the heart of In this methodological course, you will learn how to do social scientific research by using digital
Western Europe, KU Leuven has sources and methods. The course is both theoretical and practical: you will develop research
been a centre of learning for nearly problems and collect, analyze and interpret (big) data on social media platforms.
six centuries. Founded in 1425 by
Pope Martin V, KU Leuven bears MASTER THESIS
the double honour of being the
In the master thesis, you will combine theory and method, by doing research under the
oldest extant Catholic university in
supervision of a scholar from the Institute for Media Studies or the Leuven School for
the world and the oldest university
Mass Communication Research. The master thesis is the keystone of your research in
in the Low Countries. Today,
the field of digital media and communications.
it is Belgium's largest university.
As a leading European research
INTERNSHIP
university and co-founder of the
League of European Research In the internship, you will learn to translate academic knowledge to practice. Based on your
Universities (LERU), KU Leuven interest, you will work for five weeks in an organization specialized in digital media and
offers a wide variety of international communication to gain experience with professional life and to further develop your skills
master’s programmes, all supported as a communication expert.
by high-quality, innovative, inter-
disciplinary research.

Since its founding, KU Leuven has UNIQUE TIMETABLE

been based in the city that shares
The programme’s timetable has been worked out around four equal education blocks,
its name. Leuven is a pleasant,
ensuring you to follow theoretical courses and work on your thesis in both semesters,
safe and bustling student town,
while also giving you the opportunity to do a ‘course-free’ internship. Please consult
where centuries-rich history meets
www.kuleuven.be/ma/dmas for a detailed timetable.
cutting-edge science. The city of
Leuven is located in the Dutch-
speaking northern part of Belgium,
approximately 25 kilometers east
of Brussels. Leuven is the capital of
the province of Flemish Brabant in
Belgium and has nearly 100.000
inhabitants.
 COURSE ECTS

THEORETICAL COURSES
Introduction to Digitalization 3
Production and Consumption of Digital Media 4
Psychology of Social Media 4
Human-Computer Interaction 6
Digital Marketing 4

MASTERCLASSES
Choose one.
Games and Society 6
Media and Design 6
TRUNCUS COMMUNIS
Research Design and Digital Methods 5 SUMMER SCHOOLS AND
Master Thesis 18 BEYOND

INTERNSHIP 10 Attend a Summer or Winter School

in Europe or overseas. Follow an
additional third semester at one of
our partner universities immediately
For a detailed description of the courses and for the course timetable, please consult
after you have completed your
www.kuleuven.be/ma/dmas
programme in Leuven.

www.soc.kuleuven.be/
Career prospects internationalization

Graduates from Digital Media and Society have gained knowledge and insight in the nature,
effects and meanings of digital media. They learn how to do empirical research and report on
their findings in academic papers and policy reports. Based on their expertise, they are able to HONOURS PROGRAMME
develop evidence-based communication strategies. Given the sheer omnipresence of digital IDENTITY
media in contemporary organizations, alumni of the master Digital Media and Society have
The honours programme gives
ample opportunities for interesting jobs in numerous areas.
talented students the opportunity
to further develop their academic
They are employed by marketing agencies or support governmental organizations, NGOs,
skills, leadership qualities and
commercial businesses in the evaluation and improvement of internal and external
personal identity. In interactive
communication strategies. They manage public relations through social media communities,
courses and assignments, students
produce content, develop brands or set up totally new, digital marketing campaigns to reach
are challenged to approach the
out to citizens or consumers.
topic of identity from different, multi-
and interdisciplinary perspectives.
Another venue is the creative industry. Graduated students have the knowledge and
professional skills to develop programmes or (journalistic) formats in media- and news www.soc.kuleuven.be/
organizations, or contribute to media policy. They are particularly able to support traditional honoursprogramme
media companies and organizations in the transition from mass communication towards digital,
interactive and personalized communication with the envisioned audience.

Yet another professional field that fits the profile is research and innovation related to the
psychology and sociology of digital media use and design. In NGOs, news agencies or
commercial bureaus graduated students are able to research trends in new media, analyze
the impact on the life-world and develop policies, guidelines and campaigns around topics
such as fake news and digital media literacy, addiction, sexting or cyberbullying.

STUDENT CAREER CENTER

Interested in volunteering, entrepreneurship or just looking for a first (student) job related
to your field of study? In all cases, the Student Career Center will be fully at your service.

www.kuleuven.be/studentservices/studentcareercenter
 KU LEUVEN
FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
Parkstraat 45, box 3600
3000 LEUVEN, Belgium
www.soc.kuleuven.be/english

Publisher: Marketing Office, Isabelle Van Geet, Minderbroedersstraat 8, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. Last update: March 2019. Changes may have been made since the printing of this fact sheet. Please visit www.kuleuven.be/internationalprogrammes for any updates.
Application procedure
In order to apply for the Digital Media and Society programme, your application must go through
KU Leuven's international admissions procedure*.

You can download and submit your application via www.kuleuven.be/application by following
four steps below

• STEP 1: Set up a guest account for application.

• STEP 2: Complete application with document uploads.
• STEP 3: Mail certified copies of diplomas and transcripts.
STUDY AT THE FACULTY OF • STEP 4: Pay the application fee: 75 euros.
SOCIAL SCIENCES
Read the full procedure on www.soc.kuleuven.be/dmas/application
The Faculty of Social Sciencies
is situated in the heart of Leuven
– a lively city in a historical
environment that is brimming with (*) Attention to applicants with a degree issued within the Flemish Community:
student activities. The education of
If you wish to apply for the programme and obtained a Bachelor's or Master's diploma in
our faculty is of excellent quality
Communication Sciences issued within the Flemish Community, you are NOT required
and grounded in the research of
to submit an online application to KU Leuven International Admissions. You can register
our professors who are active on
at the central registration office instead. Please consult www.kuleuven.be/inschrijven
national- and international fora
through academic publications in
peer-reviewed journals, policy reports
for governments and public debates.
It is the ambition of the Faculty to
substantially contribute to progress
and improvement of society
through education and research.
Its department of communication
science is ranked amongst one of
the best in Europe and the world.
Professors at the department have
extensive networks in the field of
digital media and communication,
both in the Low Countries and
worldwide.

PANGAEA: WHERE WORLDS MEET

More information and downloads
Pangaea is the label for all www.soc.kuleuven.be/dmas
welcome and integration activities
by KU Leuven’s Student Services.
Located next to the Faculty of Social Preparing your stay in Leuven
Sciences and Leuven’s student
restaurant ALMA, it aims to create a www.soc.kuleuven.be/dmas/preparingyourstay
home-away-from-home feeling for www.soc.kuleuven.be/dmas/preparingyourstudy
international students in Leuven.
It also helps them with their social
integration in the Leuven university Contact
community by organizing different
intercultural activities and projects. Prof. dr. Stef Aupers Mr. Niels Bibert
Programme Director Programme Assistant
www.kuleuven.be/pangaea
stef.aupers@kuleuven.be niels.bibert@kuleuven.be
+ 32 16 37 23 07 +32 16 37 39 34