Graphic showing multiple laptops and mobile phones.

PLG_CONTENT_COURSEINFO_DEGREE: Bachelor's degree
Start of studies: Summer and winter semesters
PLG_CONTENT_COURSEINFO_DURATION: 6 semesters
Admission mode: No permit required
Study location: Giessen
PLG_CONTENT_COURSEINFO_LANGUAGE: DE

Until the summer semester of 2023, the degree program was called "Social Media Systems."
Social media is still an essential component of the Digital Media Systems program. However, this program also encompasses other areas and fields of application. For this reason, the name was made more general—particularly at the suggestion of the students.

Digital media permeate business, technology, and society. The Digital Media Systems degree program teaches the ideas, concepts, and techniques of digital and social media in the communication and organization of our digital world

If you:

the organization and processes of companies and their interaction with markets,
Target group-oriented communication both internally and externally, including via social media,
the underlying IT systems,

If you want to not only understand but also design, implement, and apply digital media systems, then this interdisciplinary program will provide you with diverse knowledge and individual development opportunities. Digital Media Systems fosters a love of learning through exemplary and holistic approaches and aims to guide our companies, with you as a sought-after graduate, into the world of "digital natives.".

Contents at a glance:

Studies

Study content

Digital Media Systems can help you shape your professional life successfully. This includes:

to take up qualified employment.
to work scientifically in order to further qualify oneself in a master's program and perhaps later even a doctorate.
to become socially involved and to further develop your personality.

To achieve these goals, it is not enough to simply impart technical knowledge. In addition to technical skills, you need methodological skills, social skills, and personal skills.

Professional expertise

They understand the fundamentals of business and marketing, are proficient in basic business and market analysis, and can use standard enterprise software in practical applications. They can create and edit information across various media and communicate it internally and externally via social media. They are skilled in languages, tools, applications, and frameworks for the application-oriented development of web-based systems. They can creatively apply this knowledge in projects. They possess in-depth knowledge in one of the following areas: "Media," "Management," or "IT.".

Methodological competence

You can analyze and evaluate the professional and interdisciplinary aspects of your work and make informed decisions. You can acquire and implement new knowledge and develop innovative and interdisciplinary approaches. You do so using a scientific method.

Social skills

They engage with the perspectives of others and represent and shape their own position autonomously and responsibly. To this end, they communicate openly, both in individual conversations and in groups. They take responsibility and formulate solutions, even in critical situations. In doing so, they consider professional, organizational, and social aspects. They are able to work in and lead teams.

Personal competence

You possess self-competence. You reflect on your behavior and are open to criticism. You are self-motivated and willing to contribute. You work carefully, persistently, and reliably. In everything you do, you consider your moral principles and thus also assume social responsibility.

Study program

Your degree program begins with a one-year orientation phase. During this time, you will attend courses that, as part of a joint project, will provide you with the most important foundations from all three areas (management, media, and IT). After this year, you can decide what truly interests you – and then explore that in greater depth for the remainder of your studies.

In the specialization phase , there are no longer any mandatory courses. You choose your modules from "pools," giving you considerable freedom to tailor your studies to your individual needs. These pools allow you to deepen your chosen area ("specialization pool"), acquire additional knowledge in the other areas ("Electivepool"), and develop yourself personally and in other professional fields ("interdisciplinary").

1-2

1ST AND 2ND SEMESTER (ORIENTION PHASE)	SWS	CrP
Business Administration 1 and 2: Fundamentals, Business Software, Marketing	12	15
Digital Media and Communication 1 and 2	12	15
Web-based programming 1 and 2	12	15
Integration project (orientation phase - end of 2nd semester)	12	15
TOTAL 1ST AND 2ND SEMESTER	48	60

3 - 5

3rd - 5th semester (advanced phase)	SWS	CrP
In-depth pool ²⁾	X ¹⁾	24
Free Elective pool	X	27 - 39 ³⁾
Interdisciplinary Elective pool	X	12 - 24 ³⁾
Advanced seminar	2	6
Final project (advanced phase)	4	9
TOTAL 3rd - 5th SEMESTER	X	90

¹⁾ The number of semester hours per week (SWS) for the respective courses in the 3rd - 5th semester results from the selected courses from the specialization pool, the free Elective pool and the interdisciplinary Elective pool.

²⁾ During the specialization phase in the 3rd to 5th semesters, students choose one of three specialization pools: Management, Media, or IT. In addition to the 24 ECTS credits required in that specialization pool, they must also complete the advanced seminar (GEN1002) and the integration project (GEN1003) of their chosen specialization pool.

³⁾ Students take a total of 51 ECTS credits in the Free and Interdisciplinary Elective Pool. Between 27 and 39 ECTS credits are taken in the Free Elective Pool, and between 12 and 24 ECTS credits are taken in the Interdisciplinary Elective Pool.

6

6TH SEMESTER (FINAL PHASE)	SWS	CrP
Practical phase	2	15
Bachelor thesis with colloquium		15
TOTAL 6TH SEMESTER	2	30

The detailed study program can be found in the module handbook.

Overview of the course of study:

In-depth pool

management

The Management specialization expands the necessary skills for collaboration, innovation, marketing, and entrepreneurship using digital technologies in digitized companies. The spectrum ranges from media transformation through cross-media planning, brand management, e-commerce, and data-driven social media marketing to digital business through digital business processes, digital leadership, business intelligence, digital social collaboration, and digital social entrepreneurship.

MODUL NAME	SWS	CrP
E-commerce	4	6
Advertising, advertising planning and cross-media	4	6
Information management	4	6
Business Intelligence	4	6
Social Collaboration Management	4	6
Business process management	4	6
Brand Management	4	6
Data Driven Social Media Marketing	4	6
Social Media Data Analysis	4	6
Digital Leadership	4	6
Digital social entrepreneurship	4	6

media

The Media specialization expands the necessary skills for the professional design and targeted use of social media.

From writing for the web to designing (audio-)visual media, techniques of media development, editorial and community management are explored in depth, and different areas of application of social media in corporate strategy are taught.

MODUL NAME	SWS	CrP
Digital photography and image editing	4	6
Video concept and production	4	6
Digital writing	4	6
Communication and creative strategies for social media	4	6
Content and community management	4	6
Social media communication campaigns	4	6
User-centered design	4	6

IT

The IT specialization deepens the ability to handle digital data, develop complex software, and understand the underlying systems, both theoretically and, above all, practically. Accordingly, knowledge and skills in handling digital data, software development, the most important systems, and some necessary theoretical foundations are imparted.

MODUL NAME	SWS	CrP
Theoretical Computer Science 1	4	6
Theoretical Computer Science 2	6	6
Web technologies	4	6
Concepts and implementation of object-oriented programming	2	3
Concepts of modern software development	6	6
Operating systems and computer networks	6	6
Interactive systems	4	6
Social Media Data Analysis	4	6

Career prospects

Perspectives

Digital Media Systems trains you to be interdisciplinary all-rounders who, depending on your specialization, have diverse perspectives in the fields of management, media, and IT – often in coordinating roles that require extensive and comprehensive knowledge. After graduation, you will be versatile and employable in a variety of roles, such as eCommerce Process Manager, New Media Consultant, Product Manager, Product Owner (in Scrum projects), or Software Developer or Digital Media Software Developer.

Application and enrolment

matriculation

degree: Bachelor (B.Sc.)
Standard period of study: 6 semesters
Accreditation: ACQUIN Bayreuth
Study options: Full-time studies
Main language of instruction: German
Study location, site: Giessen
Cost: Semester fee
Admission mode: The course is open admission. You only need to enroll within the respective deadline and meet the enrollment requirements to secure a place.
Requirements: The prerequisite for enrollment is proof of participation in the online self-assessment by Digital Media Systems.
Start of studies: Winter and summer semesters
Bridge courses: Before the start of lectures, THM one-week bridging courses in subjects including mathematics, physics, programming, and chemistry. First-year students can use these courses to refresh their prior knowledge and fill any gaps.
Enrollment period: June 1st to September 20th (winter semester)
December 1st to March 20th (summer semester)
Application period for international students: Applications are accepted via uni-assist from April 1st to July 15th (winter semester) and from October 1st to January 15th (summer semester)
Further information for international applicants is available from the International Office.
matriculation: Continue to enrollment

Digital Media Systems