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 provides you:

Innovation Classes give you the opportunity to develop your own product ideas at the University of Applied Sciences Vorarlberg – in a small team and with access to the laboratories of the university.

• 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 chance to create your own productions at the university - in a small team and with access to the laboratories of Vorarlberg University of Applied Sciences.

• 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's students of the 20^th and earlier years who still need modules from Contextual Studies, please contact the administration.

The following applies to the master's students of year 21:

• 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. The respective contact details can be found in the module description of the digital booklet, see download. The deadline for application is 2 November 2021, selection interviews will follow depending on the module. The application process for these two module formats is completed by 15 November 2021. 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 19 to 26 November 2021. 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. During the voting period, you can follow the application figures for your chosen courses on your A5 portal. You help to determine whether a course with a minimum number of participants of usually 9 people can take place or not. 

• If a course does not take place e.g. due to the number of participants is too low, there will be a second round of voting from 3 to 7 December 2021, in which those affected can change their booking.

• For language-variable modules, participating students from international degree programmes (International Marketing & Sales MA or International Management and Leadership MA) can request a change to English as course language by sending an email to the person responsible for the module by 10 December 2021.

• On 20 December 2021, the application process for your contextual studies is completed. The courses you have chosen are fixed and available on your A5 portal in the respective semester.