Master in Management, Communication & IT

Master in Management, Communication & IT is one of 5 English-taught Communication & Media programmes at master’s level in the register, offered by 5 institutions. 5 of them list an annual fee for students from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland, from EUR 727 to EUR 1,453; this programme lists EUR 727 a year. 3 are at a public university, where EU, EEA and Swiss students pay no tuition within the standard duration plus two semesters.

What you study

This is an English-language Master's programme at MCI in Innsbruck. It mixes management, communication and IT, with a focus on digital transformation and entrepreneurship. The programme is built around questions like how to develop a start-up, launch digital products and services, finance projects and market innovations. You also look at which channels to use for marketing and communication, and how to identify the right technical solution.

The curriculum is interdisciplinary. You work on an entrepreneurial mindset, in-depth IT know-how, and social and intercultural skills. The module overview splits the workload like this: Business and Management 41%, Information and Communication Technology 25%, Communication and Social Skills 13%, and Master Thesis and Exam 21%.

In the second and third semesters you choose elective modules for specialisation. Digital Entrepreneurship Labs and Projects let you follow your own interests. The programme also lists Digital Transformation topics: Data Analytics and Business AI, IT Security and Privacy, Digital Interaction and Human-centered Software Engineering, Operational Excellence and Agile Governance, and Digital Communication and Next Gen Work.

How the programme is organised

The Master's runs over two years, four semesters, and carries 120 ECTS. It is full-time but job-friendly: seminars and lectures take place from Wednesday noon to Saturday afternoon, with 8 teaching units per day. That schedule is meant to let you keep working or gain practical experience while you study.

Internationality is part of the setup, in the lecturer team, the student group and the curriculum. You can spend an optional semester abroad, and there is a Study Tour to Silicon Valley for contacts with globally successful companies. Students who successfully apply can join a Dual/Double Degree Program and earn an extra degree at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) in the USA or at Haaga-Helia in Finland. The UNO track leads to a Master of Science in MIS or an MBA alongside the MCI Master of Arts in MCiT. The Haaga-Helia track combines the MCI Master of Arts in Business with an MBA at Haaga-Helia. For the Finnish double degree, two years of professional experience after your Bachelor's are required, and you spend the third semester in Helsinki. The programme states there are no additional tuition fees at the partner institutions.

Teaching mixes seminars and lectures with projects and labs. The programme says business experts teach in small groups and that cooperation with companies of different sizes and sectors is a cornerstone of the MCI concept.

Who it suits

This programme is for people who want to shape digital business and entrepreneurship. The page describes students as multi- and interdisciplinary, international and curious. It is aimed at those with a creative interest in the digital world who want management and ownership positions in it. Career paths involve solving business issues that need deep knowledge of digital entrepreneurship and the innovative use of information and communication technologies.

You should be comfortable with an interdisciplinary mix. The admission requirements already expect prior coursework in three areas, so you will build on business, IT and communication basics rather than start from zero.

Admission, language and next steps

Teaching is in English. Admission is open to graduates of relevant Bachelor and Diploma programmes and other relevant post-secondary institutions. You need a Bachelor or equivalent degree with at least 15 ECTS in IT and ICT, 20 ECTS in Management and Business Management, and 10 ECTS in Communication and Media. Relevant fields include Strategic Management, Business Administration, Marketing, Controlling, Accounting, Programming, Project Management, IT Strategies and Communication. The Head of Studies decides on the relevance of previous qualifications.

Applications are accepted on a perpetual basis and submitted online. Step one is the online application with CV, letter of motivation, and information on education, qualifications, professional career, social achievements and academic and professional goals. Step two is an online admission interview about your motivation and your professional and personal goals. You are told the admission decision within three weeks after the interview. You may apply for more than one programme if you explain your motivation for each. Applications go directly to MCI, and the programme page gives the application periods and interview dates.

Graduates receive the title Master of Arts in Business, MA. The completion also qualifies you for a relevant doctoral programme.

The master's programme deals with the following topics: Founding of start-ups, development of products and services, financing of projects. In the 2nd and 3rd semesters the students can choose between various elective modules that allow for specialisation. In Digital Entrepreneurship Labs and Projects the students have the possibility to pursue their individual interests.

Optional double degree in partnership with the University of Nebraska, USA, or Haaga-Helia, Finland

There is no central application portal in Austria: you apply to the institution, here MCI | The Entrepreneurial School. Universities of applied sciences set their own application periods and admission procedures, so read them on the programme page. Entrance examination, as the register states it: Online application, interview. Entry requirements and language tests are set by the institution, so start from the official programme page. Our guides cover tuition fees, the student residence permit and housing.