First Semester

Students will start with the compulsory specialization seminars: Marketing Communication and Health Communication. You will also start your thesis process by following Thesis preparation groups. In block 3 you take the course Research Methods Tailored to the Thesis course, in which you’ll refresh, train and further develop your research skills before starting to write your Master’s thesis in the following semester. 

Second Semester

In the second semester, you can personalise your Master’s by choosing two electives, allowing you to create a Master’s programme that suits your interest best. There is a range of excellent electives offered each semester, including, for example, Media Strategies and Persuasion and Resistance. You can find all electives here (selection of electives varies each semester).

Master’s thesis

Finally, in the second semester, you will complete your Master’s thesis (18 ECTS). You will be guided and supervised in the creation, design, conduct, analysis and reporting of an academic empirical study. Previous research topics include: how playing advergames affects brand recall and brand attitudes; the effects of health warning labels on cigarette packages; the effects of addressing the behaviour of important others (social norms) in persuasive messages; overcoming resistance towards persuasive messages; how advertising influences Electronic Word of Mouth; how social network sites may influence brand attitudes; how to enhance doctor-patient communication. 

Workload

This Master's is a full-time programme. You will have weekly tutorials and lectures. In addition, a large part of your programme focuses on self-study (e.g., preparing for tutorials, working on assignments).