Contextual Studies
Interdisciplinary teaching for FHV master’s students
Contextual Studies as part of the master's degree
All FHV master's degree programmes are characterised by three elements:
Core Programme: The compulsory basic subjects in the core study programme establish the technical and scientific craft and promote your professional skills.
Specialisation Studies: In specialisations, you expand and specialise your technical approach, tailored to your interests and professional goals.
Contextual Studies: With the ~40 courses to choose from, you will cross boundaries between disciplines and schools of thought (interdisciplinarity), cultures, languages and countries (internationality) as well as current knowledge and the future (research and development).
Your degree programme will take you through all three basic elements. You will deepen and broaden your skills by incorporating your personal interests into your studies.
Diverse selection of courses
You can choose from a pool of interesting courses, some in English, a Study Trip, Research Projects and international courses. Your commitment to the Austrian Students' Union will also be recognised. Here is an overview:
| Courses | ECTS | Language |
|
Creating Innovations and Solving Problems with Design Thinking |
6 | EN |
| Innovation Ecosystem Explorers (Study Trip 2025 to Tallinn and Helsinki, 2026 to Kuala Lumpur and Singapore) | 3 | EN |
| NEW: AI in Action - Shaping Society and the Economy | 3 | EN |
|
Disruptive Technologies: Fundamentals, Applications and Opportunities |
3 | EN |
| NEW: Unleashing Ideas in Research | 3 | EN |
| Data Visualisation and Analytics | 3 | EN |
|
Introduction to the Solidarity Economy |
3 | EN |
|
Human Rights in the Professional Context |
3 | EN |
| Models of Change and Personality Development | 3 | EN |
| Intercultural Communication and Diversity Training | 3 | EN |
| Introduction to Financial Markets – Overview | 3 | EN/G |
| Introduction to Financial Markets – Market Strategy | 3 | EN/G |
|
Knowing in Everyday Practice |
3 | EN/G |
|
Health Promotion for Employees and Managers |
6 | G |
|
Systems Thinking |
6 | G |
|
New Authority – Application of Method and Attitude |
6 | G |
| Gaming Simulation, Serious Play, Gamification | 6 | G |
|
NEW: My Life - Balance and Perspective |
3 | G |
|
Health Promotion at the Workplace: Holistic Health |
3 | G |
|
ZEN-Meditation and Self-Coaching |
3 | G |
| Philosophicum – Presence of Mind | 3 | G |
|
Writing Lab: Creative Writing |
3 | G |
For a Research Project, you register for an interview with the relevant contact person right at the beginning of your first semester. With a Research Project you take 6 ECTS in the 2nd and in the 3rd semester, so your Contextual Studies are complete with 12 ECTS. Depending on your needs, support in a Research Project can be carried out in German or English. The time slots are agreed individually with the supervisor or regulated with the research center or group. Costs can arise in a Research Project if, for example, participation in a conference supports the Research Project.
| Reseach Projects | Contact person | ECTS |
| Business Informatics | jens.schumacher@fhv.at, martin.dobler@fhv.at and steffen.finck@fhv.at | 12 |
|
Computer Science |
armin.simma@fhv.at or martin.dobler@fhv.at | 12 |
|
NEW: Digital Business Transformation |
sabrina.schneider@fhv.at | 12 |
|
Digital Factory |
robert.merz@fhv.at and ralph.hoch@fhv.at | 12 |
|
Energy Technology |
peter.kepplinger@fhv.at | 12 |
| Gaming Simulation | willy.kriz@fhv.at | 12 |
| Human-Centred Technologies | guido.kempter@fhv.at | 12 |
| Micro Engineering | dana.seyringer@fhv.at | 12 |
| Smart Engineering Technologies | benedikt.reick@fhv.at | 12 |
| Social Sciences | erika.geser-engleitner@fhv.at | 12 |
‘International Activities’ include short-term academic mobility - Short Advanced Programmes (SAPs), Blended Intensive Programmes (BIPs), Summer/Winter School and others, including online formats - or a semester abroad (if provided for in the degree programme).
The Learning Opportunities of the RUN European University (RUN-EU) network can be found on the RUN EU website.
The regulations of your master’s degree programme apply to semesters abroad and double degree programmes.
The Austrian Students' Union (ÖH) represents the students at the FHV. The ÖH has departments for culture, politics, economics and much more. You can work here in your second and/or third semester to the extent of 6 or, in individual cases, 3 ECTS per semester. The performance of a specific ÖH function or the implementation of an ÖH project is creditable as 'Active Involvement in the Austrian Students' Union' for the Contextual Studies.
If you are interested, please contact the Austrian Students' Union directly.
You can find more detailed information about the courses on the master's programmes page under ‘Content of Studies’. Under ‘Learning content in detail’, you can select a semester to view. Courses from the Contextual Studies are marked with (CS).
Students can view details about the courses on their student portal and get an overview of the current offerings, information on course selection and more on the internal information platform of the Contextual Studies.
How do the Contextual Studies work?
During the selection periods, you can register for Contextual Studies courses from the 1st to the 3rd semester. These are offered for the 2nd and 3rd semesters (we recommend booking 6 ECTS per semester). You select your courses one semester in advance until you have reached the total amount of 12 ECTS (that is 10% of your master's degree). If a course is overbooked, the lot will decide.
FAQs
The following time slots are reserved for the interdisciplinary courses of the Contextual Studies in all FHV master's programmes in the 2nd and 3rd semesters:
- Weekly - Thursday evenings (6.20 pm to 9.35 pm) and
- Two intensive training weeks per semester (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday: 8.50 am to 4.30 pm and Thursday: 8.50 am to 2.45 pm).
Starting in the summer semester of 2026, the following time slots will apply:
- Weekly - Thursday evenings (6.20 pm to 9.35 pm) and
- Two intensive training weeks per semester (Thursday, 6.20 pm to 9.35 pm and 3 weeks later: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday: 8.50 am to 5.15 pm).
Slight timing deviations are possible in individual cases.
International offerings (SAP, BIP, ...) take place independently of FHV timetables. Therefore, check your timetable yourself to see whether it is possible for you to take part.
In order to ensure the quality of your personal interdisciplinary exchange with fellow students from other master's programmes, most events in the Contextual Studies take place in person. At the same time and on site, the highest level of interactivity is possible through personal experience.
In online units, the exchange also takes place synchronously, i.e. at the same time, but with local flexibility online via MS Teams.
Asynchronous units allow you greater flexibility in terms of time, as you can deal with the learning material independently of others.
Due to the travel preparations, the Study Trip represents a binding choice for us from the registration deadline.
In contrast to trips as part of a Short Advanced Program (SAP) or other international offers, this Study Trip is not funded and must be paid for by yourself. It can be extended into a longer, individual vacation according to your taste and options.
Please feel free to contact us
If you have any questions or would like to arrange an individual consultation, please feel free to contact us:
