Digital Society Major programme

The Master’s Digital Society programme with 90 ECTS credits will start in the autumn semester of 2025. Enrollments are currently open and possible via UniFR admission until April 30, 2025. For any questions or preliminary inquiries, please contact the Digital Society study advisor.

General description

The Digital Society master major programme of 90 ECTS credits is part of the social sciences with an emphasis on digital technologies. It is focused on the social dimensions and impacts of digital technologies in contemporary societies. It combines perspectives from sociology, anthropology, as well as science and technology studies (STS) with foundations of computer science to focus on issues and challenges of the digital society. This entails the exploration of digital technologies as social objects being shaped by economy, policy, and culture, but also of the role digital technologies play in shaping processes and structures.

Graduates will have gained skills and knowledge in the domains of culture, political economy, computer science and epistemology, which empower them to critically analyze and understand the ongoing digital transformation in society, politics, and culture. The Digital Society Master’s programme also advances the study of theoretical competences and development of analytical methods needed to understand these transformations. It examines the emergence, as well as the uses and impacts of digital technologies on societies from diverse social science perspectives and expands the students’ understanding of computer sciences and digital skills.

Structure

The Digital Society master major of 90 ECTS credits consists of 4 modules and the Master exam (thesis + defense).

The modules contain both compulsory and elective learning units. Courses and seminars may in principle be taken in any order (exceptions apply).

Digital Society Master major module structure

The Digital Society master major of 90 ECTS credits can be complemented by a 30 ECTS credits master minor of the Faculty of Humanities or from another faculty. Please consult the official UniFR webpage for possible master minors and note that conditions of admission may be set by a minor programme.

It is not possible to combine the Digital Society master major with the Digital Society master minor.

Language

In principle, all Digital Society courses are held in English. Exams and written works are also to be conducted and prepared in English. While there is no diploma requiremend during the admission process, it is recommended that students have good written and oral English skills. It will be expected that students can read English research papers and communicate in English both orally and in writing. In exceptional cases, supplementary courses in German or French will be integrated into the course programme. The main administrative languages of the University of Fribourg are French and German.

Admission

Admissions for the autumn semester 2025 are currently open and happen via the UniFR admission office. Click here to enroll.

Start date & duration

Students can start the Digital Society programme in the autumn or spring semester.

The min. duration of the programme is usually at least 3-4 semesters. It is in principle possible to complete the programme successfully while studing part-time. However, the max. duration of the programme is set at 9 semesters for the 90 ECTS major (or 12 semesters if combined with a 30 ECTS MA minor). Please discuss with the study advisor how to best organize your studies.

Admission requirements

Please note that the information on this website is subject to change; solely the ratified study plan in German is binding; the UniFR admission office evaluates diplomas and equivalences during admission.

Without conditions

The Digital Society Master’s major programme of 90 ECTS credits is open to holders of a bachelor's degree from a Swiss or recognized foreign university or university of applied sciences in one of the following fields (minimum 60 ECTS credits) without conditions:

Political Science, Sociology, Social Policy and Social Work, Social and Cultural Anthropology/Ethnology, Religious Studies, Cultural Studies, Educational Sciences
STS (Science and Technology Studies
Computer Science, Software Systems
Business Administration, Economics, Business Informatics
Bachelor's degrees from universities of applied sciences in Business Informatics, Business Administration, Economics, Social Work, Communication
Communication and Media Studies, Communication Systems
Geography, Environmental Sciences
Applicants with bachelor's degrees from the University of Fribourg in the following programmes are also admitted to the Digital Society major programme without conditions: Eastern European Studies (UniFR and UniBE), Business Communication, Environmental Sciences and Environmental Humanities, Contemporary History.

With conditions

Law
Philosophy, History, Art History, Musicology, all Language and Literature Studies (e.g. English Studies, German Studies), Theology
Human Medicine, Sport Sciences and Motor Control, Psychology
Applicants with bachelor's degrees from the University of Fribourg in the following programs: Biomedical Sciences*, Economic and Legal Studies

All other CRUS fields of study not listed in the above sections may be admitted with a preparatory programme of up to 60 ECTS credits.

Click here to enroll.

Institutional anchor and affiliation of the programme

The Digital Society master major programme of 90 ECTS credits is offered in cooperation with the Department of Social Sciences, the Department of Social Work, Social Policy and Global Development, and the interfaculty Human-IST Institute of the University of Fribourg.

Questions and inquiries

If you have any questions, please get in touch with Anna Jobin. As the current student advisor you can contact her regarding any issue of the Digital Society programme.

Disclaimer

This website exists for informational purposes only. Solely the official study plan is binding.