General Information

The international Master program in Media Informatics was introduced in 2002 at the Bonn-Aachen International Center for Information Technology (b-it). Media Informatics is offered by RWTH Aachen University and the University of Bonn in co-operation with the Fraunhofer Institutes at Birlinghoven Castle in Sankt Augustin near Bonn.

This interdisciplinary program will educate the participant to successfully master the novel technical and economic challenges at the crossroads of computer science, software engineering, next-generation communication systems, and media.

The program is distinguished by its international orientation, its focus on IT competence, and its high level of integration of research and teaching.

The master's program in Media Informatics consists of three main blocks:

  • Computer science and mathematical foundations
  • Multimedia Technology
  • Media science and business aspects

The program is characterised by a significant proportion of research lab courses embedded in both basic and applied research of the participating Fraunhofer Institutes of Applied Information Technology (FIT), and Intelligent Analysis and Information Systems (IAIS).

Major topics include:

  • Internet Infrastructures
  • Data Communication
  • Digital Interactive Media
  • Management of Information
  • Computer Graphics/Animation/Visualisation
  • Speech/Image/Video Processing and Technology
  • Game Design
  • Security and Cryptography
  • Designing Interactive Systems
  • Cooperative Work Environments
  • E-Business
  • Knowledge Management
  • Virtual and Augmented Reality
  • Software Engineering

Special courses on modelling of spatial and mobile aspects, and on usage, annotation, and retrieval of spatial data provide for a special focus in the important application domain of Geographical Information Systems.

The program of study also includes methodological aspects of designing media informatics systems from the perspectives of software engineering, usability, media design, and business requirements.

The final six months of the program are dedicated to the master thesis.

The course contents is structured according to the ECTS (European Credit Transfer System).

Media Informatics has been successfully accredited by ASIIN. It was also the first Computer Science Master Program (together with its two cooperating partner programmes) to get the European Euro-Inf quality label from EQANIE.

Goals of the Program

Whilst a Bachelor degree in Computer Science typically qualifies a person to participate in large software projects, the Master degree provides the skills needed for leadership. 

Graduates of the program Media Informatics can be expected to be technically innovative, to work as system architects, and to manage large projects. 

Students who excel during their Master's program will also have the necessary qualifications to pursue a doctoral degree. 

After the successful completion of the study the graduates will have a solid foundation to successfully meet the challenges in that broad field now and in the future. This includes e.g. the necessary competences in the core areas of Media Informatics like Computer Graphics, Data Communication and Internet Technology, Designing Interactive Systems, and Object-Oriented Software Construction. 

The graduates are able to work e.g. in the area of digital interactive media, information technology, communication technology, security, distributed and mobile cooperative work environments, knowledge management, audio, video, virtual engineering and many more.

They can solve problems also taking into account media cultural and business aspects and have experience in working in small groups and in working on actual research and development projects.

They can present scientific and technical information oral as well as written in a convincing manner. 

The graduates can apply the methods and techniques in the broad area of Media Informatics, solve problems on their own and develop relevant solutions in a greater scientific context.

Career Opportunities

Computer scientists with an applied focus have been in great demand in the past, and this trend is expected to continue for the foreseeable future. 

With an M.Sc. degree in Media Informatics you will be well-prepared for the typical challenges faced when working in computer systems engineering and for creative work with audio-visual media.

The alumni of Media Informatics are doing their PhD in Germany or abroad or are working at prestigious companies. In a survey by the Economics journals Wirtschaftwoche and Handelsblatt in 2009 the head recruiters of the biggest German companies were asked to evaluate the universities in Germany. In the ranking RWTH Aachen was selected as best university in Germany. RWTH Aachen secured a first place not only in one but directly in five categories. The alumni with a degree of RWTH Aachen are deemed to be best prepared for the job and are preferred to be hired by the companies. That result has been confirmed in consecutive years, e.g. in 2013. The research quality of it's Computer Science department was once again also confirmed in the 2009 edition of the prestigious CHE Rating by the weekly ZEIT. As one of only four universities in the German-speaking countries it again reached the top research rating. Quite a number of our alumni thus do a PhD after their study (at RWTH Aachen, University of Bonn, or other universities in Germany or abroad).

The ABCD region (Aachen, Bonn, Cologne, Duesseldorf) is home to many prospective employers, including global players such as Microsoft, Philips, Ericsson, Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone, Bertelsmann Group, as well as many television stations such as WDR, VIVA, etc. and about 2/3 of our alumni stay in Germany. The others return to their home country or work in other countries of the EU or abroad.