Contextual Studies

1. Core studies:

The compulsory fundamental subjects in core studies establish the specialist academic skills and support your professional competences.

2. Specialisation studies: 

In the chosen field of specialisation, you will enhance and specialise – depending on the degree programme – your professional access based on your interests and career goals. 

3. Contextual studies:

In a selection of more than 20 modules, you cross the boundaries between:

• Disciplines and schools of thought (interdisciplinarity),
• Cultures, languages and countries (internationality) and
• Current knowledge and the future (research and development).

Your degree programme takes you through all three basic elements. This process allows you to deepen and broaden your skills while letting you incorporate your personal interests in your programme of study.

FH Vorarlberg offers you plenty of scope for being involved in the design of your degree programme. Depending on your motivation and ambition, the contextual studies programme provides you: 

• Modules for the format "SERIOUS-thinking" from Research & Development

  Research projects are your stepping stone into sophisticated research work. Follow your curiosity and use valuable know-how – for your master's thesis or for a future dissertation you may pursue.

• Modules for the format "LATERAL-thinking"

  What sparks your imagination? Independently pursue explorative research – together with other students and instructors – in interdisciplinary issues that excite you.
  Innovation Classes give you the opportunity to develop your own product ideas at the university – in a small team and with access to the laboratories of the University of Applied Sciences Vorarlberg.  

• Modules for the format "FRESH-thinking"

  The world around you has more facets than there is room in your lecture notes! Expand your knowledge and discover new territory by transcending scientific borders and adopting new perspectives, accompanied by Master's students from other disciplines.

• All master students of the 18th and earlier years who still need modules from the contextual studies, please contact the administration.

• Application for modules of the format "SERIOUS-thinking" from Research & Development and for the modules of the format "LATERAL-thinking" is accomplished by personal contact with the person responsible for the module. Contact details are provided in the description of the modules in the digital booklet, which you will receive by e-mail in calendar week 38 resp. 39. The deadline for application is 26 October 2019; selection interviews will follow depending on the module. The application process for these two module formats is completed by 8 November 2019. If you have decided on one of these modules, you will be informed in calendar week 46 at the latest by the person responsible for the module whether you have received a place.

• Application for modules of the format "FRESH-thinking" is accomplished personalized via FH Vorarlberg`s administration system A5. As a Master’s student in the first semester, the modules of the format "FRESH-thinking" are available for you to choose from on your A5 portal from 20 to 27 November 2019. Here you have the possibility to register for modules of the format "LATERAL-thinking" afterwards, whereby it is then also necessary to contact the person responsible for the module.

• If a course does not take place due to too few participants, there is the possibility for those affected to change their booking.

• On 21 December 2019 the application process for your contextual studies is completed. The courses you have chosen are fixed and available on your A5 portal under "My Study > Courses".