The Lucas Cranach Campus in Kronach is launching a programme in the 2024/25 winter semester that is unique among state colleges and universities in Germany and is particularly aimed at people who want to actively shape the future of society: The new Master’s degree programme “Smart Society (M.Sc.)” at the Faculty of Interdisciplinary and Innovative Sciences at Hof University of Applied Sciences (INWISS) is designed to enable students to improve the quality of life of people in various life situations. The focus is on the use of digital technologies and at the same time on the socially responsible implementation of technical innovations.
After completing a Bachelor’s degree, interested students can lay the foundations for actively shaping the future as a leader in an intelligent and networked society. “Our interdisciplinary degree programme skilfully combines future concepts from mobility, urban development, local planning and healthcare on the one hand, with those from digital infrastructure, smart work and smart production on the other. It is characterised above all by the combination of proven management practices with creative methods,” says course director Prof. Dr Oliver Schuster, explaining the new approach, which will be implemented at the Lucas Cranach Campus from October 2024. The lecturers want to overcome the often one-dimensional view of future challenges and provide a better and holistic overview of future developments.
Maximum flexibility for students
The on-campus courses of the degree programme take place in blocks on two weekends per month. The teaching concept also provides for several modules to be based on practice-orientated questions – for example in project work or case studies. Blended learning approaches are also used – i.e. learning models in which computer-based learning and traditional teaching are combined.
Smart Society is therefore particularly aimed at those who would like to complete a full-time degree programme with the greatest possible flexibility, for example to combine studying with family and/or work.”
Prof. Dr Oliver Schuster, Head of degree programme
Graduates with a Bachelor’s degree should have 210 ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) points to qualify for the Master’s degree programme. However, those who only have 180 ECTS can still make up the missing 30 ECTS. Due to the interdisciplinary orientation, the Bachelor’s degree does not have to fulfil any subject-specific requirements.
Comprehensive qualification for jobs of the future
A Master’s degree in “Smart Society” qualifies graduates for a whole range of future-oriented professions and tasks, the demand for which is already increasing today: for example, managerial positions in urban and regional planning are just as conceivable as those in city management, as a smart city strategy consultant or as a manager in business and urban solutions. Jobs as project managers in IT, energy and logistics companies or generally in the industrial sector as well as experts are also open to graduates of the new degree programme. “Our aim is to provide you with a solid foundation in management, to further develop your theoretical knowledge and to promote practical skills that will give you a competitive advantage in our modern, digitalised world,” says the course director.
Application deadline
The application period for the new degree programme starts on 1 May 2024 and is expected to run until 15 July 2024. The standard period of study is three semesters.
All information about the Master’s degree programme “Smart Society”…
