The minor explicitly combines theory, methods, and critical reflection. In other words, you will - for example - not only learn what a news recommender is and how it influences communication processes, but will also train such a system, and reflect upon its limitations, ethical, and normative challenges. You will therefore be able to apply existing knowledge to propose, execute, analyze, and critically reflect upon communication activities in digital environments. Throughout the minor, you will often learn by doing – and as such will get familiar with (or deepen your knowledge of) the programming language Python and its application in computational communication science specifically.
Study programme
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Communication in the Digital Society: Theories and ChallengesPeriod 46
In this course, you are introduced to the topic of communication in the digital society. The course provides a brief overview of the classical communication science paradigms and introduces the technological and societal characteristics of the digital society. You will discuss the implications of these characteristics for existing communication theories.
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Computational Communication Science 1Period 46
This course provides an introduction to the computational methods and practices that allow researchers and practitioners to study different phenomena in the digital society. You receive a comprehensive introduction to programming in Python for data science, including best practices for data wrangling, generating basic descriptive and inferential statistics, as well as data visualization in Python.
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Computational Communication Science 2Period 56
This course focuses on computational techniques behind new digital ways of communication and provides a basic understanding of their design principles, implications, and teaches how these methods can be used for science. You will work with some of these methods yourself in the weekly tutorials to get hands-on experience with these techniques and experience the advantages and limitations first-hand.
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Communication Science Topic coursePeriod 56
You can choose one of the four elective courses that focus on different aspects of communication in the digital society: “Topic All things media? Emerging communication technologies and their impact on us and society”, “Topic Always Connected: Key insights in youth, media and technology”, “Topic Health Communication: From Theory to Practice”, “Topic Algorithmic Persuasion in the Digital Society”.
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Digital Society Research ProjectPeriod 66
In the final course of this minor you will apply the theoretical knowledge, methodological skills and critical attitude developed during the previous courses of the minor into a group research project.
The lecturers tell you more about it in the video on the right.
Entry requirements
Communication in the Digital Society is a complex phenomenon, and you will best learn it in a diverse, interdisciplinary environment. As such, the minor is open to students from different Bachelor programs. Communication Science students are explicitly encouraged to follow this minor, as it complements and extends what is taught in the regular courses with a sharp focus on the Digital Society while also covering computational communication science skills. This minor has a maximum capacity of 50 students (of which 25 spots are reserved for Communication Science students); a selection will take place if more than 50 students apply that meet the entry requirements listed in the Course Catalogue.
Application and Admission
Check the Course Catalogue for information on the procedure for application and admission.