Information on individual educational components (ECTS-Course descriptions) per semester

Participating students are required to have an academic interest and the ability to work independently and ask questions. Selection is therefore based on a letter of application and an associated selection interview.

Application deadline: September to 31.10.2025. 

Send the written expression of interest (content: Who am I? Why am I interested in research in this area?) to willy.kriz@fhv.at.

Students will be selected for the research project on the basis of a personal interview. 

Acceptance or rejection must be made by 15.11.2025 at the latest.

If you are accepted, the research project will be listed together with the other courses on your A5 portal under "Grades" from December. With 12 ECTS, the entire Contextual Studies are thus defined and booked.

In the event of rejection, other courses for the summer semester 2026 with 3 or 6 ECTS in the compulsory elective area are available for selection on the A5 portal until 25 November 2025. 

Scheduling takes place with those responsible for the research project.

Course costs: For any intended visits to scientific conferences, the travelling expenses or participation fees incurred will be borne by the students.

Sustainability: SDG 4 - quality education

FHV Future Skills: Appropriate Application, Foster Critical Thinking, Create Environmental & Sustainable Awareness

The prerequisite for attending this course is the willingness to carry out the project started in the summer semester over two semesters with 6 ECTS credits each and to continue it in the following winter semester. If the student is unsuccessful, the Contextual Studies will be continued in the winter semester outside the course.

The continuation of the research project as part of a Master's thesis is strived. The aim is to publish the research results in the form of a publication, a research report, a conference paper, a video or similar.

Due to the required prerequisites, students are not entitled to admission to the course.

This course discusses different types of research related to gaming simulation. Students develop an appropriate research design for a relevant research question, carry out the necessary research steps and develop a work that deals with the research question in a meaningful way and that is presented and discussed and reflected on in the public or scientific community.

General learning outcomes of research projects:

• Students produce a scientific paper by developing, independently working on and answering a research question.
• Students know the cornerstones and milestones of a research project (research question and objectives, theses, falsification, experiments, quality criteria, etc.).
• Depending on the research centre or group, students learn about different research methods - from qualitative/quantitative methods, understanding and operating programmes and production facilities to the use of specific IT tools, etc.
• Students can integrate relevant aspects of research ethics and data protection into research projects.
• Students can present research content in the context of team meetings, events or publications.
• Students know their expertise and passion for research and are aware of their next steps in deepening their research expertise, including PhD options.
• Students know elements of interdisciplinary collaboration.
  
  

Specific learning outcomes of research projects:

Students familiarise themselves with aspects of current research projects in the field of gaming simulation.

The detailed, scientific learning outcomes are agreed and documented individually with the students before the start of the course as part of the formulation of their research questions.

Students expand their knowledge and skills from the courses “Systems Thinking” and “Gaming Simulation, Serious Play, Gamification” and develop a research question on current issues in the field of gaming.

Students work on relevant topics at the interface of gaming as analytical science or simulation game-based experimental research designs and design science or design-based research.

Students can work on research questions with adequate scientific methods and interpret results critically as well as derive park recommendations for action or findings.

Students present and discuss research results in the scientific community and can use feedback and reviews for the further development of a work.

Specialised input, reflections, exercises, literature work, research work, case studies, simulation games.

1. Research expose with internal presentation
2. Public research output (eg poster or paper or scientific workshop at a conference, published book chapter or journal article etc.), and/or dicussed game artifact or gamification application etc. "Public" means it is dicussed in the scientific community and was part of at least one feedback and review cycle.

The course "Research Project: Gaming Simulation" will be continued under the same name in the coming winter semester. 

Will be provided in ILIAS.

• Self-organised learning and independent work according to the standards of the respective research unit
• Collaboration and presence in the team and participation in working groups
• Coaching and guidance
• Experiments, field research, laboratory work, etc.
• Moderation and presentation techniques
• Project completion in the form of a publication, research report, poster, video, etc.
  
  

Partly face to face (compulsory attendance) seminars with combined seminars of “Systems Thinking” and “Gaming Simulation, Serious Play, Gamification”. Mainly self-study phases with coaching regarding the own research process.