1. Who are our students? Insights from a Communication Studies program,
Insights from a Communication Studies program
Susanne Kirchhoff
(with Alexander Rauschnick)

2. M.A. Communication Science
351 Master students (71% fem, 29% male; % Aut, 40% Ger, 10% other)
University programs in Vienna, Munich, Passau, Augsburg etc.
Universities of Applied Sciences in Salzburg, Munich, St. Pölten and others
New framework regulation for curricula led to restructuring of the BA and MA programs in
>> Why do our students come to Salzburg?
>> What do they expect from us?
>> What is their attitude towards the MA program?
Source: Wikipedia ,

3. M.A. Communication Science
New framework regulation for curricula led to restructuring of the BA and MA programs in
>> Why do our students come to Salzburg?
>> What do they expect from us?
>> What is their attitude towards the MA program? ,

4. Research design
sample 41 master students: 9 male / 32 female, 1st to 5th semester method guided interviews; conducted by BA students in qualitative methods introductory course; min/average: 45 min; guideline motivation & information, expectations, performance, career plans & options, personal background & circumstances (originally inspired by field theory) analysis qualitative content analysis (cp. Mayring 2014) development of inductive categories via paraphrases and reduction; categories used for frequencies and as dimensions for construction of types (Kelle & Kluge 2010) ,

5. Was communication science your favourite choice
Was communication science your favourite choice? 47% yes 21% among other alternatives 21% refused by University of Applied Science 11% couldn‘t think of alternatives
What tipped the balance to take up communication science in Salzburg? (multiple answers) ,

6. (in terms of entry into the job market, payment, advancement etc.?
Do you think your career prospects will be better because of your studies
(in terms of entry into the job market, payment, advancement etc.?
39% yes – skills, knowledge and degree
39% yes – only due to the M.A. degree
11% yes – only due to internships
7% uncertain
4% no ,

7. 27% not yet specified which profession they want to go into
75% work during semester
27% not yet specified which profession they want to go into
>> „Communication Science is everything and nothing – that’s a strength but also a weakness“ ,

8. Type construction: dimensions
Dimensions derived from inductive category development and organized into two sets
notions about academia includes:
Relationship between “theory” and “practice” / knowledge and skills
Expectations towards teachers and way in which classes are held
Courses they are most interested in
Rationale behind taking classes
Ultimate goal of student education
Taking part in academic life
positioning of self includes:
motivation behind taking up studies at a university and in Salzburg in particular
contentment with the program
Effort put into studies
Evaluation of career options and steps taken towards that goal
overall evaluation of decision to go to university ,

9. interest in scientific content Didn’t expect training for a profession
Type 4:
interest in scientific content
Didn’t expect training for a profession
favor knowledge over skills
think soft skills will help them in their future profession
think “theory”-”practice” is well balanced
open structure is a plus
University of Applied Sciences not alternative
Satisfied because expectations were met
Type 2:
No/little interest in scientific content
Expected a training for a profession
favor skills over knowledge, accept that they learn them mostly outside
Preparation for profession has to be gained from jobs and internships
too much “theoretical” input
University of Applied Sciences alternative or first choice
expectations not met, adapted and mostly satisfied
Type 3:
favor skills over knowledge
Don’t expect to have interests met
too much “theoretical” input was expected
University of Applied Sciences not alternative (>university M.A.!)
expectations were (mostly) met, discontentment with curriculum is accepted because degree is goal
Type 1:
No interest in scientific content
Disappointed by lack of job training
sceptical about chances, feel unprepared
too much “theoretical” input is a mistake
open structure is a minus
Dissatisfied because expectations were not met ,

10. Type construction: key quotations
„I don‘t think that the purpose of communication or social sciences at a university is to prepare you directly for the labour market … they should show you how large the world is. So that you realize you have to be critical, you have to analyse things from different perspectives and figure out for yourself what is important to you.”
Type 2:
„I believe I‘m only now appreciating some of the content we discussed in the courses and I’m now thinking that it is important somehow. In particular anything that is connected to media and democracy. … What I learned about journalism practice I mostly learned during my internships anyway.“
Type 3:
„I know it is a science-oriented program, which means that I have only myself to blame.“
„I want an M.A. degree … I want that qualification, but don’t expect the [content of the] program itself to truly prepare me for the job market”
Type 1:
„In my opinion the universities must accommodate the actual demands that are put on you by today’s work environment. Because once you’ve finished your degree and are applying for a job, nobody cares wether you know Habermas’ theories or not.”

11. spread of cases within types
Knowledge-oriented
notions about academia
skills-oriented
Type 4:
Type 2
(mostly) positive
within the curriculum
Self-positioning ,
(mostly) negative
Type 3
Type 1

12. What did you like about your favorite courses?
We wrote press releases in our cross media PR-course and organized a mock press conference.
I met some really good lecturers, who were role models for me in a way, because I learned how they did things and how they carved out a career for themselves.
When your are part of a larger research project with other students and discuss your results with media organisations etc. So much of what we do is never seen by people on the outside. ,
It was about press freedom and that was extremely interesting because there were so many examples, what is going on right now. That‘s really at the pulse of the time.

13. M.A. Communication Science reloaded
2016
2013
Introduction (8 ECTS)
Introduction (15 ECTS)
incl. Theories & Methods
Theories & Methods (14 ECTS)
Communication Science
Digital Comm. Cultures
------
Specialization (18 ECTS)
Specialization (22ECTS)
incl. Media Production
Media Production (16 ECTS)
Research Project (14 ECTS)
Research Project (17 ECTS)
Other subjects (12 ECTS)
Other subjects (24 ECTS)
Master (38 ECTS)
Master (48 ECTS) ,

14. Conclusions Desiderata for the new curriculum:
deepen our contacts with media organizations and be more creative in how to employ them
give students more room to show off what they are doing in ways that are meaningful to them
make students “work” more often with communication/media/social theories and background knowledge to demonstrate their relevance beyond direct applicability on the job
start early in explaining to students what communication science is about and let them experience it as much as we can

15.
University of Salzburg
Department of Communication Studies
Rudolfskai 42
A-5020 Salzburg