Brand & Communication Design

Digital Design – Bachelor of Arts

Digital media are ubiquitous, visible and clickable in everyday life – whether websites, apps, VR, AR or wareables. Designing our digital lives is one of the most exciting and versatile professions.
It’s not just creativity that counts, but also strategic, technical, economic and social skills.

Digital design creates digital experiences that touch and fascinate people. In order to provide you with the right skills, in Digital Design focus in the Brand Design B.A. you get…

comprehensive design training,
in-depth digital competences,
an eye for the big picture of innovation, strategy, brands and design,
space for your personal and creative development,
experience in real-life practical projects for companies and agencies.

Digital Design at a glance

Start of Studies:	Winter Semester (October 1st) // Summer Semester (April 1st)
Contents:	brand design, graphic design, typography, digital design, corporate design, motion design, generative design, transmedia storytelling, audiovisual branding, elective focus modules, practical projects
Duration:	6 semester (full-time)
Credit Points:	180 ECTS
Apply until:	September 15th // March 15th (EU)
Language:	German, English
Location:	Hamburg, Germany
Degree:	Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
Career prospects:	e.g. as Creative Director, Motion Designer, UX Designer, Creative Technologist, Interaction Designer, Digital Strategist, Innovation Strategist, Social Media Manager

Impressions

Profile

Content

As a digital designer, you are ready for today’s business requirements and for tomorrow’s challenges. Whether as a designer, storyteller, inventor or entrepreneur – you are in demand in advertising and design agencies as well as in innovative corporations or as the founder of your own start-up.

Develop your individual creative handwriting in the Digital Design focus of the Brand Design Bachelor’s programme. Our professors and lecturers will accompany you on your way to becoming a digital pioneer and will give you the freedom to develop your personality and your team spirit to find innovative solutions.

How does Brand University of Applied Sciences give you the decisive advantage for an exciting career in the creative industries? Expert knowledge on brand development and the latest findings from communication research complement the classic design training in graphic design. With interactive, hands-on teaching.

This means that you are not only in demand as a freelance designer or in digital and communication agencies, but also receive a stepping stone into publishing houses, film productions and cultural institutions.

What do you need to bring?
Are you passionate about brands or illustration, film or digital media? Future Brand Design students do not have to be professional strategists, illustration artists, camera technicians or programmers to apply. Passion is all that counts!

“If you start studying now, in 3 years you may have a profession that doesn’t even exist today. As a digital designer, you are ready for today’s business requirements and tomorrow’s challenges.”

Course director Prof. Michael Jonas

Projects

Test your knowledge and skills during your studies and make contacts!

Leading companies and agencies appreciate the cooperation with enthusiastic talents. Our project partners invite you to provide valuable input for real projects. At the same time, you will establish valuable contacts – the cornerstone of your professional network.

Course Structure

1st Semester

Foundation Semester*

Brand Design Basics
Form & Proportion
Photography
21st Century Skills

2nd – 5th Semester

Individual focus semesters with 8 elective modules*

Mandatory Modules:

Design & Society
User Experience Design
Characters & Font
Motion Design
Brand Management Basics
Design Thinking
Speculative Design
Multisensory Branding
Design Research
Sustainability
Interdisciplinary Practice Project

Option to do a semester abroad between the 5th and 6th semester

6th Semester

Bachelor Semester

Practice Transfer Project
Bachelor Thesis
Colloquium

Elective modules in the 2nd – 5th semester

Design your degree programme according to your interests:

Take 8 freely combinable elective modules from different design disciplines in the 2nd to 5th semester to set your individual focus.

DIGITAL DESIGN

Gamification & Game Design
Generative Design
Prototyping & User Testing
Wearables & Tangible Media

COMMUNICATION DESIGN

Corporate Design
Graphic Design
Illustration
Packaging

INTERDISCIPLINARY SEMINARS

Artificial Intelligence
AV BrandingBrand Innovation
Creative Leadership
Creative Technologies
Design English
Design Management
Digital Branding
Film & Motion Design
Free Transfer Project
Communication Management
Media Science & Advertising Psychology
Service & System Design
Transmedia Storytelling
Trend Research
Typography & Publishing
UX Strategy

* The order of the modules may vary depending on the start of the semester in April or October.

Career Prospects

What is a… ?

After successfully completing our Brand Design course with a focus on digital design, many opportunities will open up to you as an expert in the creative industry. You will possess above-average design and brand knowledge combined with future-oriented digital expertise. As the person responsible for user-oriented, digital communication as well as products and services, you will be able to manage pioneering projects for brands.

Learn more about the career opportunities a degree in Brand Design opens up for you.

UX Designer

UX stands for User Experience, the user experience of digital applications. These can be apps, websites or online shops, for example. UX designers take care of the smooth flow between functions, their goal is optimal usability. Their task refers more to the concept and logic of a user interface than to the visual design. This makes UX designers the intermediary between users and developers. In order to know what users want, UX designers usually also carry out market research.

What skills does a UX Designer need?
Analytical and systematic thinking, empathy, creativity, an eye for detail, basic knowledge in web development

This is also what UX designers are called:
Interaction Designer

UI Designer

UI stands for User Interface, which describes the user interface of digital applications such as apps, websites and online shops. UI designers ensure optimal interaction between users and applications. In contrast to UX designers, they work on the visual design. This includes, for example, the definition and implementation of design guidelines for a successful, harmonious overall image for the digital corporate identity.

What skills does a UI designer need?
Creativity, analytical and strategic thinking, graphic tool skills, basic technical understanding

This is also what UI designers are called:
Interface Designer, Screen Designer

Digital Strategist

Digital strategists develop innovative strategies for brands and companies. Their task is to detect trends among customers, so that new technologies are taken up by companies in marketing. This enables them to strengthen the connection to their customers. Should my company have a TikTok account? This question is asked by a digital strategist, for example.

What skills does a Digital Strategist need?
Analytical and strategic thinking, interest in technologies and innovation, customer orientation

This is also what Digital Strategists are called:
Digital Marketing Strategist, Innovation Strategist, UX Strategist, Service Designer

Motion Designer

Motion designers are responsible for the animation of film sequences. For example, they create advertising clips, social media videos, explanatory films or games. Their job also includes the animation of individual interactive elements. This way, they bring logos and icons to life.

What skills does a motion designer need?
Creativity, graphic and video tool skills, film editing, sound design, conceptual thinking

This is also what motion designers are called:
Multimedia Designer, Animation Designer

Creative Technologist

Creative Technologists are creative people with a great enthusiasm for new technologies. Their task is to implement unusual ideas using innovative technologies. Creative Technologists often work as programmers and are active in a field of research in which a lot of experimentation takes place. From the initial idea to the prototype, they work closely with designers and are responsible for the technical knowledge.

What skills does a Creative Technologist need?
Creativity, understanding of technology, interest in innovation, programming skills, conceptual thinking

This is also what Creative Technologists are called:
Creative Coder, Creative Developer

Art Director

Art directors develop ideas and concepts for advertising campaigns. Their focus is on the visual implementation of a campaign. They usually design advertising for all media, i.e. print, TV and online. Their tasks include working with a team of graphic designers and often, for example, supervising photo shoots and filming. The most popular employers for art directors are advertising agencies. But publishing houses hire them for work on magazines and journals too.

What skills does an art director need?
A feeling for aesthetics, customer orientation, creativity, conceptual thinking, graphic skills

Corporate Designer

Corporate designers ensure that companies have a consistent visual image. Their task is to create the visual recognition of a company or a brand. To achieve this, they design everything that has to do with the company or brand image – from the logo to the stationery, they think everything through in detail. For a coherent image, corporate designers develop colour concepts, design guidelines and specifications for the visual language. In this way, they create a harmonious, cross-media appearance both online and offline.

What skills does a corporate designer need?
A feeling for aesthetics, creativity, customer orientation, confident use of graphic tools, accuracy, knowledge of brand management

Packaging Designer

Packaging designers ensure that products receive the ideal packaging. In their job, they combine form and design and try to arrange space optimally and efficiently. Packaging designers must therefore think practically and never lose sight of aesthetic requirements. In the development process they often work with 3D technology and decide on the choice of materials. They work closely with marketing and production departments.

What skills does a packaging designer need?
A feeling for aesthetics, creativity, conceptual thinking, graphic tool skills, knowledge of brand management, customer orientation

Brand Strategist

Brand strategists ensure that a brand strategy is anchored in the company and that it is carried to the outside world for a consistent appearance. They make sure that every point of contact where a customer encounters the brand’s product or service corresponds to the brand strategy. To achieve this, they define success criteria and often mediate in companies between the marketing, sales, development and controlling departments. Their goal is to increase the recognition value of brands.

What skills does a brand strategist need?
Organizational skills, business management understanding, strategic and analytical thinking, a feel for trends

Fees and Funding

Course Fees

As a leading state-recognised, privately owned university, Brand University of Applied Sciences is financed exclusively through course fees.

Course fees for students from Germany and the EU:
495,- Euro per month
890,- Euro one-off matriculation fee,
200,- Euro one-off examination fee.
Total costs: 18.910,- Euro

Course fees for students from countries outside the EU:
890,- Euro per month,
2.300,- Euro one-off matriculation fee,
200,- Euro one-off examination fee.
Total costs: 34.540,- Euro

Exceptions may be made for students who already have long-term residence permits for the EU.

Financing

You can obtain finance under the Bundesausbildungsförderungsgesetz (‘BAföG’ or German Federal Educational Assistance Act). If you want to know anything about financing you should contact the Student Financing Advice Centre.

Students at Brand University of Applied Sciences can also obtain financial support from foundations and financial institutions in Hamburg and further afield. At a national level there is the Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW) which offers the ‘KfW-Studienkredit’.

Admission and Deadlines

The following documents must be submitted for admission:

Completed application form
Qualification to enter a university (Abitur or Fachabitur).
With appropriate previous experience, applicants can also be admitted to studies in individual cases without a (Fach-)Abitur.
Curriculum vitae and certificates
Proof of German language skills B2 level
Motivation letter
Portfolio

You will find more information about the application documents and formal requirements on the application form.

If they assess your application documents positively, our applicant manager Nina Rubin and course director Prof. Michael Jonas will look forward to getting to know you in a personal interview and finding out more about your own particular career so far, your specific aptitudes, and your personal aims which you wish to pursue in connection with the course.

If your application interview is successful you will be admitted to study.

Application Deadlines

Applicants who do NOT require an entry visa for Germany:

September 15th and March 15th

Applicants who require an entry visa for Germany:

June 30th and December 15th

Student Advisory Service

Do you have any questions about the programme? Contact us now.

Nina Rubin

Student Advisory Service
Fon +49 (0) 40 380 893 56-14
Mail nina.rubin@brand-university.de