Executive Master Media Innovation (online)

1-year professional master's programme | English-taught

Master
Professionals
1 year
Part time
English

Innovative and future-oriented concepts

The Executive Master Media Innovation had been designed to provide in-depth knowledge of digital media processes and to bridge the gap between theory and practice in media studies.

With a focus on problem-based thinking at its heart, this master's programme also considers how recognisable elements can be recombined to create new connections and new innovations. The programme aims to allow students to 'bring something new into use' through the creation of innovative and future-oriented concepts.

New form started in September 2022!

Learn about the cutting edge of the media industry and how to come up with new groundbreaking concepts that are innovative, future-oriented, and bring something new into use. Based on media industry cooperation, and with an international team of lecturers, the Executive Master Media Innovation will prepare you to lead the way in a world of erratic change and disruption. This executive master’s programme is offered fully online, so you can attend it from anywhere in the world.

Buas student Executive Master Media Innovation

Why choose this master's at BUas?

  • Study innovation, design thinking, and cutting-edge media
  • Successfully blends theory and practical application
  • Offered exclusively online: can be joined from any country in the world

 

Study overview

Starting point

Since its inception, the objective of the Executive Master Media Innovation has been to educate students who can develop insightful media-related research and innovative, market-oriented media products. In order to do this, students are exposed to a wide variety of topics including media theory, business models, emerging technologies, user-centred design, communication theory, and more.

Study programme


The course is delivered online and adopts the following system:

  • Short video lectures are made available to you  in advance in order that you can watch them at a time that suits you. You will be provided with a viewing guide and a suggested timeline for consumption.
  • Weekly live seminars are given via Microsoft Teams, providing you with an opportunity to discuss, debate, and question the lecture material with both their lecturers and your peers.
  • Additional live lectures and workshops will also be made available to you throughout the year.

Innovation

In developing the Executive Master Media Innovation, the objective was to educate people capable of anticipating future developments in the field of digital media and taking advantage of those developments. These innovators can be recognised by:

  • Their ability to initiate, shape or partially shape, monitor or manage a very complex processes: innovative media products are created in an ingenuous process in which technology, content, design, business and knowledge about consumers and markets are optimally geared to one another and integrated functionally;
  • Their ability to anticipate the future. After all a new product will only be used if it is so special that it creates a new market as it were, or appears to seamlessly align with an obvious or latent market need. Timing and anticipation, in other words, are factors that should not be underestimated.
  • Their ability to reshape analytical insights. In the manufacturing process of a product, analysis is no longer a goal in itself (such as a report, article or scientific or other publication), but a creative guiding principle: the building blocks for a product yet to be developed.

Focus

The Executive Master Media Innovation offers students a programme that trains them to systematically obtain the strategic skills necessary to be innovators. You will learn to look beyond the surface of digital media to reveal some very decisive core processes (ontologies), understand the way in which they function, and obtain the ability to apply these skills in creative innovative and future-orientated media products.

International network

The Master Media Innovation is a highly international programme; not only are a large percentage of our students and lecturers international, but students will also come into contact with international researchers and industry partners during the programme. The media industry is a global industry, and graduates of the Master Media Innovation are equipped to work in that industry. 

 

Course details

The Executive Master Media Innovation is an international programme with lecturers from a number of academic and commercial disciplines in the field of digital media. The programme has a unique, multidisciplinary approach; training students to acquire analytical skills and to look beyond the surface of digital media, while encouraging them to apply those skills practically in innovative media concepts.  The programme takes place online and covers 12 months; it is comprised of four modules (44 ECTS), an industry case (3 ECTS) and a graduation project (13 ECTS). 

Details on these aspects can be found as follows:

Media Theory (11 ECTS credits)

The Media theory module introduces you to the field of (contemporary) Media Studies and Media Theory. Media Studies is defined as an academic interdisciplinary field of study that deals with the content, history and effects of various media. In order to reflect this interdisciplinary nature, the module will introduce several theoretical angles and subjects including, but not limited to, transmedia, semiotics, digital (media) ethics, and narratology.

Business (11 ECTS credits)

The Business module aims at providing you with knowledge, tools and practical insight necessary in managing intellectual property, strategy, innovation, business models, and consumer behaviour. Besides generic concepts and topics, particular characteristics in the media and entertainment industry will be emphasised.

Media Technology (11 ECTS credits)

Media Technology has been developed on the basis of three pillars: methods for understanding and eliciting user requirements; principles for prototyping the user interface and user interaction for the proposed concept; and aspects addressing the technical feasibility of the proposed concept. The backdrop framework of the module is human-computer interaction (HCI) and user-centred design. The module assumes that students possess no prior technical or programming knowledge and is thus suitable for students from all disciplines.

Research and Communication Studies (11 ECTS credits)

The objective of this module is twofold; first, it provides you with a solid understanding of research methods and the general knowledge and basic practical skills of conducting applied scientific research at master's level and applying research insights to create innovations. Secondly, it gives you a theoretical grounding in communication theory and academic skills and theory based argumentation in general. These two objectives are thus entwined throughout the duration of the programme.

Industry case (3 ECTS credits)

Since a considerable amount of the teaching material has a strategic content, the Executive Master Media Innovation also utilises an industry case study, which is presented to the you alongside the four modules. Every year, a different industry client is selected and offers a real-world case to our master's students, giving them the opportunity to utilise theory obtained within the programme and apply this theory to the solution of real-world problems. Every year involves a unique case but the core concept - students using their knowledge of media theory, business and technology, to solve core problems and suggest conceptual solutions - remains a consistent factor. The industry client is involved in establishing the case problem, providing formative feedback, and helping to provide assessment of the student’s final work. Examples of clients are: IBM, KLM, and Samsung.

Final graduation project (13 ECTS credits)

In the final part of the programme, students choose one of two graduation options; either a pure-thesis or a product-based graduation track. In both options, you will write a thesis in which you reflect on the knowledge acquired, while in the product-based graduation track you will also work under supervision in creating conceptual documentation and an electronic prototype of your innovative idea.

Study load and coaching

The Executive Master Media Innovation is a one-year part-time programme with a total study load of 60 ECTS credits. With 1 ECTS credit being equivalent to 28 hours of study, this means that the programme has a study load of approximately 40 hours per week.

We offer you a small-scale study environment as the number of students involved in this master are limited. The programme coordinator is always available to help you with day-to-day issues. Additionally, if you wish to discuss personal problems that may be affecting your life as a student, you can turn to our student counsellor.

The best fit for my passion and curiosity in media & innovation

After my Bachelor in Journalism in Bulgaria, I wanted to expand my knowledge and experience by obtaining a master’s degree abroad. I chose the best programme that ideally fitted my passion and curiosity in media and innovation. This programme provided me with priceless practical skills, taught me how to sell my ideas and expand my international business network.

Gabriella

Graduate I TV News Reporter at bTV Media Group EAD in Bulgaria

I was looking for depth and creativity

I chose this master’s programme, because I wanted to conduct research and create concepts based on advanced insights. I was looking for depth and creativity. Topics like Media Theory and Technology gave me a good understanding of the psychology behind media and human-centric design. Other modules like Research and Communication provided me with the mindset to hink on both a strategic and creative level.

Piet

Graduate I Creative at Norvell Jefferson

Incredibly innovative work

I always strive to ensure that I engage, enthuse, and entertain my students – with the occasional touch of dry English humour of course. But most importantly, I’m trying to get my students to think both critically and creatively. And where I gain the greatest satisfaction in my work is when I see our students heading off into the media industry, utilising that critical and creative thinking, and doing incredibly innovative work.

Oliver Davies

Lecturer Master Media Innovation

Admission

You are eligible if you hold a bachelor’s degree in the field of Business Administration, Media Studies, Communication Studies, IT, or another media-related field. Applicants with equivalent industry experience will also be considered. Also five years (at least) of equivalent industry experience is required.

Please check out the full admission requirements and the additional criteria.

Application

If you meet the admission requirements, you are invited to apply for this programme. Please check out the application procedure.

Costs 

In the academic year 2024-2025 the statutory tuition fee for master's programmes is €2,530. In addition to the tuition fee, you will need to take into account additional costs for the purchase of study materials such as textbooks. Read more about study costs.

Your career

The Executive Master Media Innovation offers you the required qualifications for a range of media positions including, but not limited to: product owner, innovation lead, creative lead, digital marketer, creative consultant, digital strategist, and digital brand strategist. After your graduation you are entitled to the degree of Master of Arts.