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Program
The Institute of Social and Cultural Anthropology (Department of Political and Social Sciences) at the Freie Universität Berlin, a university of excellence, is offering an innovative continuing education Master's (M.A.) program in Visual and Media Anthropology. The two-year, full-time Master's program comprises 120 ECTS. It is an advanced graduate degree program educating both researchers and media professionals. The language of instruction is English. It is a web-based E-learning M.A. program with in-house workshops in blocks (2-3 weeks twice a year). The program is highly international. Since its inception (winter semester 2008/2009), Prof. Dr. Undine Frömming has been directing this program with a successfully high high rate of applicants. Our students come from countries all over the world. The program immatriculates between 20 and 25 students every year. In march 2012, the application process for the fifth generation will begin.
The program is a combination of E-learning and in-house learning with five main units:
1. The distance E-learning modules
2. Four in-house workshops (lasting from two to three weeks long)
3. An internship in a TV production company, film festival, ethnological museum, film archive or other related fields
4. A short film or media project
5. The master's thesis and/ or the film project
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Curriculum
The master's Program focuses on the relationships between culture and media in a number of areas, such as: problems in representation of culture and gender through media, the significance of ethnographic films and photography for Social and Cultural Anthropology, the development of media in Indigenous, Diaspora, and non-Western communities, the influence of film/media on cultures, transnational problems of media distribution.
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Learning Methods
This is a blended learning program (a combination of e-learning and in-house-classes). The emphasis will be placed on e-learning via the Internet, which will be used to convey the course contents, along with other media. The other part will be presented during the in-house workshops (four workshops during the two years) at the Freie Universität Berlin, Germany. You can stay in your country while studying the online-modules. The students need to come to Berlin only for the two-to-three weeks long lasting in-house classes at the beginning of each semester.
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Transnational Aspects
Students of the Master's Program learn several visual anthropological research methods. The program emphasises ethnographic film and other visual and auditive means as tools for successful communication between anthropologists, researchers, journalists and transnational or local communities and networks. The Master's Program in Visual and Media Anthropology is an international program. Our students come from countries all over the world.
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Job Opportunities
The Masters' Program in Visual and Media Anthropology provides students with theoretical and practical knowledge of Visual and Media Anthropology. This advanced degree program teaches the requisites necessary for an employment in a wide range of media fields such as: production of ethnographic films, specialized programming and distribution of ethnographic films and video, ethnographic and documentary film festivals, community-based documentary production (indigenous filmmaking), management of ethnographic film/ video libraries and archives,etc.
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Structure of the Program
Overview: Program Structure (download grafik-pdf)
First Semester
The Master program starts in the first winter semester with a 2-week in-house workshop in Berlin, Germany (October 3rd to 15th, 2011) with Modules 1a, 1c, 1d and 2a of the two basic modules. The students need to organise travel and accommodation on their own. We will provide information for low priced accommodation. The students are expected to start preparing for the in-house classes as of Sept.15th, with the help of mini-online packages which will be made available to them.
The rest of the first semester takes place as distance learning via e-learning (LMS Blackboard) where you can find well-prepared multimedia online courses, a virtual classroom, a chatroom, a discussion board and other modern features for communication and learning where you can meet your lecturers and other students, exchange documents and work in groups. You will learn everything you need to finish Module 1b and 2b in the virtual learning platform.
Second Semester
The Master program starts in the summer semester with a two week in-house workshop in Berlin, Germany (April 1rst to April 15th 2012). The students are expected to start preparing for the in-house classes as of mid-March with the help of mini-online packages available online for the in-house course preparations. Students should choose two of the three profile modules (six classes).
The rest of the second semester takes place as distance learning via e-learning (LMS Blackboard and with avatars in several virtual worlds). Note, that you should create your own avatar in Second Life (and learn to control it) for Profile Modul B2 in advance (membership is free): http://secondlife.com
Please check your system requirements for your PC or Mac in advance: http://secondlife.com/support/sysreqs.php
For those who chose profile Modules A and B, the three full-online courses will start after the in-house class is over.
Third Semester
Internship
During the third semester the students should complete their internship (9 weeks) in a film production company, TV-station, NGO, a museum or other related field of the master program. Students can decide to start the internship before the winter semester or later. This internship shall give students an insight into potential areas of employment and confront them with the professional demands in one of the related fields. The Internship is accompanyed by an online-seminar "Professional Perspectives in Visual and Media Anthropology" (see modules). In special cases (such as if one student gained already enough professional experiences), students can ask for exemption from the internship.
Supervising courses
The second part of the third semester is comprised of several supervision courses. Students can choose one or two supervisors and start to work on their idea and the first production steps of their final master project. Students should use at least one or two months of the third semester for their self organised fieldwork.
We offer individual in-house class supervising as well as individual online supervising (via e-mail, skype and virtual classroom). Additional courses such as a Super 8 workshop on "Transcultural Montage" will be offered during the third semester for students coming to the in-house-class from 30th of September to 15th of October 2011 (not mandatory but recommended).
Fourth Semester
The last semester of the Master program starts in the summer semester with an in-house workshop in Berlin, Germany (March 24th – April 8th 2012). Students should attend all three supervision modules.
The rest of the fourth semester is dedicated to the final M.A. project/thesis. Students should complete within three months one of the following options:
- A Master's thesis of about 18,000 words (60 pages);
- A film (30-40 min) accompanied by a Master's thesis of about 8.000 words (25 pages);
- A photography project (25 pictures, each with a caption) or other media project (Second Life, Web 2.0 projects etc.), also accompanied by a Master's thesis of about 10.000 words (30 pages).
Students may choose the topic they wish to elaborate on. The topic has to be closely connected to the subject matters studied. Great importance is attached to the correct use of methodology, the application of theoretical models as well as an acceptable format.
The thesis is due on October 4th. It will be evaluated by two professors.
The Master's degree will be awarded if all in-house classes have been attended, all modules have been completed successfully, a report on the internship or study project has been handed in and a Master's thesis has been completed.
Supervision Courses
See *Modules* for detailed information about the courses
See official regulations for detailes study and examination regulations
Regulations for the allocation of study places [download pdf]
Study regulations [download pdf]
Examination Regulations [download pdf]
Tuition Statue [downlaod pdf]
Link to the official regulations (German version)
