The Web Documentary course provides practical and theoretical knowledge about fact-based or fact-claiming narratives on the web. The course provides vocational and hands-on experience in the production of an interdisciplinary project for the web. It also provides critical analytical perspectives to understand narrative strategies for web-based media.

Web documentary is an evolving media genre involving elements of film, animation, journalism, web design and PR strategies. The genre has its roots in the long tradition of film and TV documentary's "creative treatment" of current and historical affairs, and of personal, local, regional, and global stories. As in traditional documentary, having a critical and independent voice, and being deeply engaged with an issue, are essential requirements for the successful production of a web documentary project. Yet web documentary also provides a space through which to explore non-linear narratives, and through which documentarists can expand the outreach of their projects. This involves understanding how to use multiple media channels and platforms, and understanding the uses of cutting-edge technologies (e.g. virtual and augmented reality in mobiles, location-based services) to deliver a fact-based history.

The course aims to provide specializations tailored to the student's own needs. For this purpose, students will work in small interdisciplinary teams where they can use their individual skills in the development of a practical web documentary project.

At masters level, the practical project expertise is complemented by the completion of a short applied research project in the first half of the semester and delivery of an individual research report. The applied research project gives masters students the opportunity to engage with current literature and use it to investigate current cases of web documentaries.