Heidelberg University: New Master’s Programme “Communication and Society in Ibero-America”
What is the role of communication in the societies of Ibero-America? How is public opinion in Ibero-America formed? To what extent do languages underpin identity? These will be some of the questions explored in the new interdisciplinary master’s programme “Communication and Society in Ibero-America”, which begins with the 2021 / 2022 winter semester at Heidelberg University and is located at the Heidelberg Center for Ibero-American Studies (HCIAS). It combines different approaches from the humanities and social sciences in order to convey a holistic understanding of the complex interplay of communication and society in the macro-region Ibero-America. Applications open on 1 May 2021.
In an intercultural approach to research and teaching closely linked to existing HCIAS research, students will explore how social factors characterise the linguistic, political, and economic spaces of Ibero-America and how social and communication dynamics interact in these spaces. Special emphasis will be placed on the impacts of these processes on Ibero-American cultures and peoples, as well as their natural environment. Besides fundamental and specialist knowledge, attention will be paid to imparting appropriate methodological and communication skills. These will be further deepened and supplemented by practical learning during an integrated “mobility window”. Students will be offered the opportunity to gain research or professional experience during their stay abroad, helping them to sharpen their own profile and gain professional orientation for the future.
The interdisciplinary Heidelberg Center for Ibero-American Studies is a central research institution of Heidelberg University. At the HCIAS, researchers from different disciplines tackle interdisciplinary topics relating to Latin America and the Iberian Peninsula, and likewise to regions with which they are closely linked for historical or socio-economic reasons. Perspectives from environmental studies are also incorporated into their investigations. The goal of the HCIAS is to establish sustainable research, teaching, and knowledge transfer on, with, and in Ibero-America and its contact regions.
The courses of the master’s programme “Communication and Society in Ibero-America” take place in English and Spanish. The prerequisite for admission is an undergraduate university degree in a subject from the humanities or social sciences. Furthermore, applicants must provide proof of language competence in English (C1) and in Spanish (B2) according to the Common European Frame of Reference for Languages. The application period for international students runs from 1 May to 15 June 2021, and for students with a German degree from 1 May to 15 September 2021. Courses will commence in October.