Master Programme Computer Science for Journalists

new from winter term 2011/2012

Master Programme Computer Science for  Humanities and Social Sciences

The master programme Computer Science for Journalists complements the educational profile of the Department of Informatics by one further important interdisciplinary component. Thereby, an advanced education programme for degree holders of undergraduate (bachelor) programmes of the humanities, which introduce them to journalistic working fields, is offered for the first time.Normally, journalists have to deal with state-of-the-art technology in their occupational practice but do not have enjoyed the respective technological preparatory training. However, successful journalists increasingly require not only educational foundations which are based on communication aspects but need more and more skills in the area of Informatics in order to being able to use various technologies and media efficiently. Examples are web editors who are usually educated in the humanities and, thus, often autodidacts in technological matters. But also foreign correspondents feel increasingly real-time pressure paired with unforeseeable technical conditions. The education in Informatics based on a basic journalistic education provides the basis for handling various technologies and media such as radio, TV or the world wide web properly.

Such a journalistic orientation of an Informatics master programme is unique in Germany and is particularly dedicated to needs of journalists. Thus, we have designed the degree programme in a very application-oriented way. Students of this programme learn basic methods of informatics as well as aspects of IT technologies and media informatics which enable them to work self-sufficiently with complex informatics products. In the course of this degree programme students are not enabled to conduct any research in the area of informatics.

Within the degree programme Informatics for Journalists students are provided with all necessary skills for their later professional life in an IT-based journalistic environment. Here, the term "IT-based" has deliberately been chosen for ambiguity. On the one hand, the profession of a journalist increasingly relies on information technologies in order to ensure real-time publication of news from all over the world. On the other hand, we particularly aim at students who, in the future, will work as journalists in the IT sector.

The master programme for journalists with an overall scope of 120 credit points is an outstanding programme within our department because it is the only non-consecutive degree programme. The degree programme has been designed for holders of a humanities degree who are interested in a continuative degree programme. Accordingly, the structure of the degree programme does not revert to skills of bachelor holders of Informatics degrees but offers additional basic course units which can directly be combined with continuative courses, i.e. this master programme offers a combination of basic und advanced courses.

The degree programme comprises three pillars:

• Methods of Informatics
  This pillar conveys principles of the informatic thinking, i.e. how to formulate complex problems so that they can be solved with algorithms. The avail for journalists is that they are introduced to the world of informatics as well as its problems and solutions. Such a detailed knowledge of the informatic way of thinking will be helpful not only for communicating with computer scientists but also for understanding software products.
   
• Information Technology
  The second pillar focuses on technological aspects of informatics. Here the principles of technical informatics are taught in theory and practice. While Media Informatics primarily emphasises high-level solutions, this segment extensively works with hardware components. Thus, both facets complement one another perfectly without demanding too much from students.
   
• Media Informatics
  
  
  Being a section of Applied Informatics, Media Informatics familiarises students with the informatic way of thinking by help of real objects. Here, the applications used in the field of Media Informatics are generally of great societal interest. Thus, students will be taught about principles of e-learning, cooperative collaboration, ergonomics, information search and the preparation and analysis of various media.

These three subject areas are simultaneously introduced during the first term and intensified over a period of two terms. Thus, it is possible to actively combine these fields. The first two terms form the foundation of the programme, whereas in the third term students already work self-sufficiently on an introductory topic in the course of a work placement. This work placement serves as an introduction into scientific working techniques and, thus, as preparatory means for the final master's thesis in the fourth semester.

Structure of the Master Programme Informatics for Journalists

 

You can apply via internet at https://sbservice.tu-chemnitz.de/onlbew.

You can also apply by use of this form:Antrag auf Zulassung/Immatrikulation.

For documents and further information on enrolment please refer to:

• Technische Universität Chemnitz
  Studentensekretariat
  09107 Chemnitz
  
  Office: Straße der Nationen 62, Zimmer 043
  Phone: (0371) 531-33333
  
  
• Internet: http://www.tu-chemnitz.de/verwaltung/studentenamt/abt12

  Further informations

Course Guidance

Technische Universität Chemnitz
Fakultät für Informatik
09107 Chemnitz

Prof. Dr. Maximilian Eibl
Sitz: Straße der Nationen 62, Zimmer 316c
Tel.: (0371) 531-25780
E-Mail:maximilian.eibl@informatik.tu-chemnitz.de

Dipl.-Math. Margitta Pippig
Sitz: Straß;e der Nationen 62, Zimmer 226f
Tel.: (0371) 531-31363
E-Mail:margitta.pippig@informatik.tu-chemnitz.de

Student Advice and Counselling Centre

Chemnitz University of Technology
Student guidance and counselling centre
09107 Chemnitz

Office: Straße der Nationen 62, Room 046
Phone.: (0371) 531-55555, -31637, -31690
Fax: (0371) 531-12128
Email: studienberatung@tu-chemnitz.de

• Impressum
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