Kommunikationswissenschaft

Tracks and specialisations

• Kommunikationswissenschaft als Kernfach · 120 ECTS

From the evaluated documents we could not derive a semester plan that matches the programme’s duration and ECTS – so the modules are listed without semesters. The university’s study plan is authoritative.

• Required modules13 modules

  Depending on track: Kommunikationswissenschaft als Kernfach

  • Introduction into Communication ScienceSummary by OWWZ: The module introduces concepts, theories, history and fields of communication science, connecting communication, media and the public sphere with media use and effects.Kommunikationswissenschaft als Kernfach · winter semester onlyExam (in German): Klausur5 ECTS
  • Empirical Research MethodsSummary by OWWZ: Empirical research is introduced through measurement, surveys, content analysis and experiments. Students assess research approaches, their aims, assumptions and limitations.Kommunikationswissenschaft als Kernfach · winter semester onlyExam (in German): Klausur5 ECTS
  • Journalism and News ProductionSummary by OWWZ: The module examines journalism’s social role and conditions of news production. Theories and findings link political, technical, economic and organisational contexts to journalistic practices and media content.Kommunikationswissenschaft als Kernfach · winter semester onlyExam (in German): Klausur5 ECTS
  • Scientific PracticeSummary by OWWZ: Literature searches, citation, argumentation and text organisation establish academic writing skills. Students learn to handle sources, data, tables and figures appropriately.Kommunikationswissenschaft als Kernfach · winter semester onlyExam (in German): Hausarbeit5 ECTS
  • Descriptive StatisticsSummary by OWWZ: Students use statistical software to describe data through tables, graphs and numerical measures. Basic estimation, tests and association analysis are applied to communication research questions.Kommunikationswissenschaft als Kernfach · summer semester onlyExam (in German): Klausur5 ECTS
  • Basics of StatisticsSummary by OWWZ: Descriptive and inferential statistics, probability, estimation and hypothesis testing support critical assessment of empirical media research.Kommunikationswissenschaft als Kernfach · summer semester onlyExam (in German): Klausur5 ECTS
  • Internet and the PublicSummary by OWWZ: Digital communication is examined in its technical, social and public context. Theories and cases explain interactions between internet use, public spheres and social actors.Kommunikationswissenschaft als Kernfach · summer semester onlyExam (in German): Klausur5 ECTS
  • Psychology of Communication and Media UseSummary by OWWZ: Psychological approaches explain understanding, media use and media effects. Personality, social, motivational and evolutionary psychology are related to interpersonal and mass communication.Kommunikationswissenschaft als Kernfach · summer semester onlyExam (in German): Klausur5 ECTS
  • Inferential StatisticsSummary by OWWZ: Students learn multivariate methods including regression, analysis of variance and factor analysis. They conduct basic analyses and critically assess statistical findings in research studies.Kommunikationswissenschaft als Kernfach · winter semester onlyExam (in German): Klausur5 ECTS
  • Strategic CommunicationSummary by OWWZ: Strategic communication is examined through its actors, forms and effects, including public relations, crisis and risk communication, and propaganda.Kommunikationswissenschaft als Kernfach · winter semester onlyExam (in German): Klausur5 ECTS
  • InternshipSummary by OWWZ: A subject-related internship lets students apply communication science knowledge in professional practice. They document tasks, results and experience in a report.Kommunikationswissenschaft als KernfachExam (in German): Praktikumsbericht (5–10 Seiten), unbenotet10 ECTS
  • Bachelor ThesisSummary by OWWZ: Students independently investigate a communication science question theoretically or empirically. An accompanying colloquium discusses the question, theoretical framework and, where relevant, research design.Thesis · Kommunikationswissenschaft als Kernfach10 ECTS
  • Work Areas of Professional PracticeSummary by OWWZ: A seminar introduces a professional communication field and its practical methods. Options may cover public relations, advertising, employee communication, journalism, digital marketing or civic education.Kommunikationswissenschaft als KernfachExam (in German): Studienbegleitende Leistung, unbenotet5 ECTS
• Elective areachoose 10 ECTS · 4 modules

  Depending on track: Kommunikationswissenschaft als Kernfach

  • Focus on the Internet and the PublicSummary by OWWZ: Original studies explore selected questions about the internet and public spheres, such as disinformation, platform economies or framing. Students compare theories and methods and develop research questions.Semesters 3–6 · Kommunikationswissenschaft als KernfachExam (in German): Hausarbeit oder Projektbericht5 ECTSRequired elective
  • Focus on Psychology of Communication and Media UseSummary by OWWZ: Current studies explore media psychology topics such as hate speech, social identity and trust in media. Students analyse empirical methods and formulate research questions.Semesters 3–6 · Kommunikationswissenschaft als KernfachExam (in German): Hausarbeit oder Projektbericht5 ECTSRequired elective
  • Focus on Strategic CommunicationSummary by OWWZ: Studies of strategic communication are discussed in terms of actors, interests, communication forms and effects. Students assess research approaches and develop scholarly questions.Semesters 3–6 · Kommunikationswissenschaft als KernfachExam (in German): Hausarbeit oder Projektbericht5 ECTSRequired elective
  • Focus on Journalism and News ProductionSummary by OWWZ: Journalistic quality, framing, news values and bias are compared conceptually and empirically. Students assess methods and findings on news production, especially in political and digital contexts.Semesters 3–6 · Kommunikationswissenschaft als KernfachExam (in German): Hausarbeit oder Projektbericht5 ECTSRequired elective
• Elective areachoose 20 ECTS · 4 modules

  Depending on track: Kommunikationswissenschaft als Kernfach

  • Interview Methodology in Research PracticeSummary by OWWZ: Small teams address a research question through a survey, developing the instrument, collecting data and analysing the results statistically.Semesters 3–6 · Kommunikationswissenschaft als KernfachExam (in German): Projektbericht als Gruppenarbeit (15 Seiten, 30.000 Zeichen)10 ECTSRequired elective
  • Content Analyses in Research PracticeSummary by OWWZ: Teams conduct a content analysis project by developing an instrument, coding media material and interpreting the statistical results.Semesters 3–6 · Kommunikationswissenschaft als KernfachExam (in German): Projektbericht als Gruppenarbeit (15 Seiten, 30.000 Zeichen)10 ECTSRequired elective
  • Experimental Research PracticeSummary by OWWZ: Teams plan and conduct an experiment addressing a communication research question, developing the design, collecting data and interpreting the analysis.Semesters 3–6 · Kommunikationswissenschaft als KernfachExam (in German): Projektbericht als Gruppenarbeit (15 Seiten, 30.000 Zeichen)10 ECTSRequired elective
  • Computational Methods in Research PracticeSummary by OWWZ: Teams apply computational methods in a research project, developing tools for automated analysis and assessing the resulting data and findings.Semesters 3–6 · Kommunikationswissenschaft als KernfachExam (in German): Projektbericht als Gruppenarbeit (15 Seiten, 30.000 Zeichen)10 ECTSRequired elective
• Required elective from Kommunikationspraktische und allgemeine Schlüsselqualifikationenchoose 15 ECTS · 2 modules

  Depending on track: Kommunikationswissenschaft als Kernfach

  • Key Competencies in Communication Practice ASummary by OWWZ: An elective seminar develops practical communication skills such as rhetoric, media design, journalistic research, presentation or science communication. Small-group exercises complement theory.Kommunikationswissenschaft als KernfachExam (in German): Studienbegleitende Leistung, unbenotet5 ECTSRequired elective
  • Key Competencies in Communication Practice BSummary by OWWZ: A further seminar, different from the first selection, extends practical communication skills. Possible topics include rhetoric, media design, research, presentation and science communication.Kommunikationswissenschaft als KernfachExam (in German): Studienbegleitende Leistung, unbenotet5 ECTSRequired elective

Topic profile · Track Kommunikationswissenschaft als Kernfach

ECTS by topic from the curriculum’s modules; together at most the programme’s ECTS.RequiredElective

• Communication science and journalism20 ECTS: 15 required, 5 elective20 ECTS
• Statistics20 ECTS: 15 required, 5 elective20 ECTS
• Empirical social research15 ECTS: 5 required, 10 elective15 ECTS
• Media and communication psychology8 ECTS: 5 required, 3 elective8 ECTS
• Public relations and corporate communication8 ECTS: 5 required, 3 elective8 ECTS
• Data science and data analysis5 ECTS: 0 required, 5 elective5 ECTS

Curriculum sources

• Modulkatalog zum Studiengang pdf, 492 kb – KommunikationswissenschaftModule handbook · Version PO-Version 2021; Stand (Druck) 31.03.2021 · checked 15 October 2026
• BA Kommunikationswissenschaft – Musterstudienplan KernfachStudy plan · checked 15 October 2026
• Studienordnung der Fakultät für Sozial- und Verhaltenswissenschaften für das Fach Kommunikationswissenschaft als Kernfach / Ergänzungsfach in Studiengängen mit dem Abschluss Bachelor of ArtsStudy regulations · Version Lesefassung, Stand 21. März 2024; Erste Änderung vom 8. Februar 2024 · checked 17 October 2026