| Dates: | Winter semester (October, 1st) // summer semester (April, 1st) |
| Contents: | Brand Innovation, Creative Concepts & Storytelling, UX Strategy, Creative Leadership, Creative Techs & Tools, Business Strategies, Coding for Beginners, Entrepreneurship, Practical Projects |
| Duration: | 3 semesters full-time. Track shortening is possible if credit is recognised. |
| Credit Points: | 90 ECTS |
| Application Deadlines: | September, 15th // March, 15th |
| Languages: | English |
| Location: | Hamburg |
| Degree: | Master of Arts (M.A.) |
| Prospects: | e.g. as Design Researcher, Design Consultant, UX Researcher, Creative Strategist |
Design & Innovation
Master of Arts
Algorithms and artificial intelligence sound awfully important but also terribly complicated?
You don’t want to hold on to a craft the need for which might soon be gone?
Do you need marketing knowledge and strategic competence for the next step in your career?
With us you can:
- Develop digital products and designs that are based on real user needs,
- understand disruptive technologies and apply digital tools,
- work creatively and strategically, implementing your own ideas.
In the new master’s programme Brand Innovation with a focus on Design & Innovation you will learn how to develop exciting products and services, create digital innovations and apply relevant technologies.
In small groups and a creative atmosphere, you’ll work on real projects with major corporations, agencies or startups, making valuable contacts for your future career path.
Design & Innovation at a glance
Impressions from the study
Profile
Design & Innovation – what you will learn:
Inventors, strategists and problem solvers have never been more in demand than they are today.
That’s why innovation is at the core of your studies: which methods, techniques and developments do I need to know? How do I create digital innovations? How can human behaviour and feelings be positively influenced by technology?
Technology & Creativity
In addition to a broad understanding of human-centered design processes, you’ll learn about disruptive technologies and get to know digital (and analog) methods and tools to generate and communicate new ideas and solutions that are used in practice.
You’ll develop routine in creative concepts, storytelling and UX strategy in order to understand modern digital user behavior, to design and implement user journeys.
You will also learn digital development environments and tools. Together with professionals, you’ll develop prototypes and your own applications for AR and VR. You’ll work with big data and learn to use artificial intelligence purposefully and creatively.
UX & Brand Thinking
In the study specialisation Design & Innovation designers become strategists. We make a connection to marketing in order to examine the benefits of UX thinking and its impact on branding.
Personality & Practice
In small groups you also expand your soft skills such as creativity, teamwork and leadership. Our dedicated professors, who are internationally experienced and successful strategists, consultants, designers, founders and executives, are committed to help you get the most out of your experience here.
Study flexibly: You can also attend modules from the Marketing or Entrepreneurship tracks.
In boot camps and practical projects, you will find solutions to real problems of well-known companies, agencies and startups – in Hamburg and abroad, if you wish.
“Today’s students might have a job after graduation that doesn’t exist yet. We will prepare you for the business requirements of today and the challenges of tomorrow.”
What is the Brand Innovation master’s programme about? How do digital technologies affect our future? How do I position my brand successfully? Get to know the Brand Innovation course in the video preview that gives you a first brief insight into the topics that await you in the programme.
YOUR KNOWLEDGE IN REAL LIFE
Leading brand companies and established agencies are waiting for your input. You can apply your new knowledge in real projects with our partners such as Bosch, Beiersdorf and Thjnk. Contribute your ideas and expand your professional network by making valuable contacts.
In each semester you will take three mandatory modules, which are taught together for all specialisations.
In addition, you will take two elective modules per semester, which correspond to your study specialisation.
The order of semester contents depends on the individual start of study.
Design & Innovation
Full-time Track with 90CP
Winter Semester
- Brand Innovation
- Brand Thinking
- Digital Technologies & Development
- Creative Concepting & Storytelling
- UX Strategy
Summer Semester
- Data Science
- Artificial Intelligence
- Brand Bootcamp
- Creative Leadership
- Creative Technology & Tools
Final Semester
- Practice Project
- Master Thesis
Marketing & Innovation
Full-time Track with 90CP
Winter Semester
- Brand Innovation
- Brand Thinking
- Digital Technologies & Development
- Digital Branding
- Intern. Brand Communication & Experience
Sommer Semester
- Data Science
- Artificial Intelligence
- Brand Bootcamp
- Brand Lab & Consumer Psychology
- Digital Customer Experience
Final Semester
- Practice Project
- Master Thesis
Entrepreneurship & Innovation
Full-time Track with 90CP
Winter Semester
- Brand Innovation
- Brand Thinking
- Digital Technologies & Development
- Brand Entrepreneurship
- Agile Product Development
Summer Semester
- Data Science
- Artificial Intelligence
- Brand Bootcamp
- Business Modelling & Growth Financing
- Growth Hacking & Platform Economy
Final Semester
- Practice Project
- Master Thesis
What is a… ?
The programme Brand Innovation with focus on Digital Design provides you with the tools and the knowledge you need to understand and create digital innovations.
Learn more about the career opportunities a degree in Brand Innovation opens up for you.
Digital Marketing Strategist
Digital Marketing Strategists develop innovative marketing strategies for brands and companies. Their task is to detect trends among customers so that new technologies can be picked up by companies in marketing. This enables them to strengthen the connection to their customers. Should my company have a TikTok account? This is a question a digital marketing strategist might ask himself.
What skills does a Digital Marketing Strategist need?
Analytical and strategic thinking, interest in technologies and innovation, customer orientation
This is what Digital Marketing Strategists are also called:
Digital Strategist, Innovation Strategist
Entrepreneur
Entrepreneurs are founders, owners of companies. Sometimes they also work as Business Developers for big companies. However, they are more than managers. Entrepreneurs are characterized by their ability to promote innovative ideas that are ahead of their time. They pursue a vision and drive it forward with their company. They take responsibility for this and out of everyone in their comapny bear the most risk. In recent years, various types of entrepreneurship have developed, such as social entrepreneurship, ecopreneurship or high-tech entrepreneurship.
What skills does an Entrepreneur need?
Creativity, commitment, willingness to take risks, business management knowledge, interest in innovation, analytical and strategic thinking
This is what Entrepreneurs are also called:
Founder, Business Developer
Business Developer
Business developers are responsible for the strategic and operational development of companies. They develop business ideas to open up new business fields, products and customer groups. As they deal with future-oriented issues of their company, they often work with trend forecasts and apply their creativity to think ahead. Business developers work on strategies and draw up business plans. To do so, they must always be up to date in their own business area and regularly dare to think outside the box.
What Skills does a Business Developer need?
Creativity, curiosity, analytical and strategic thinking, business management knowledge, customer orientation, interest in innovation, sense of trends, communication and negotiation skills
This is what Business Developers are also called:
Business Development Manager
Start-up Consultant
Start-up consultants are experts who advise founders and help them to make their start-up a success. If a founder has an idea but has no experience with founding a business, the Start-up Consultant provides the expertise. He is usually not a part of the team, but only provides advice on a temporary basis to give a neutral perspective from outside. They do this, for example, in the form of method coaching, the evaluation of business plans or by conducting market research.
What skills does a Start-up Consultant need?
Analytical and strategic thinking, customer orientation, business management knowledge, interest in innovation, strong communication skills
Brand Manager
Brand Managers are responsible for the creative concepting, strategic planning and coordination of brand development. Their goal is to build a distinctive and attractive brand image that will attract loyal customers and increase sales. To achieve this, Brand Managers need to know the market well, conduct competition and target group analyses and always keep an eye on the overall brand image. In companies they often work very closely with the production, marketing and sales departments.
What skills does a Brand Manager need?
Business management knowledge, strong communication skills, creativity, analytical and strategic thinking, a sense for trends.
This is what Brand Managers are also called:
Brand Specialist, Brand Consultant
Online Marketing Manager
Online marketing managers position companies in the digital media. This includes, for example, the conception and implementation of online marketing campaigns, search engine advertising (SEA) and optimization (SEO), social media management and e-commerce management. In large companies, the various areas are often taken over by several people who specialise in more detail and are then called, for example, Social Media Managers or E-Commerce Managers.
What skills does an Online Marketing Manager need?
Economic understanding, analytical thinking, creativity, sense of trends, basic technical understanding.
This is what Online Marketing Managers are also called:
Digital Marketing Manager
Creative Strategist
A creative strategist is a mixture of strategically acting media planners and creative concept developers. They often work in advertising agencies and are responsible for the strategic planning of advertising campaigns. On the one hand they conduct target group and market analyses. On the other hand they produce the campaign and work together with graphic designers and copywriters.
What skills does a Creative Strategist need?
Analytical and strategic thinking, creativity, business management knowledge, customer orientation
Growth Hacker
Growth Hackers are specialists for growth strategies. Their goal is to use the simplest and most cost-effective means possible to let a company, a product or a channel grow quickly. To achieve this, they use their network, creativity and curiosity to develop little tricks, so-called hacks, with which they increase reach and conversion. Growth Hackers are part of the marketing team. Working as generalists with a strong product focus they are often also familiar with web development and data analysis, but the focus can vary depending on their skills.
What skills does a Growth Hacker need?
Creativity, curiosity, analytical and strategic thinking, empathy, technical know how, networking
Juliana Mara Ferreira Martins, Brazil
Being a student at Brand University of Applied Sciences is great:
The Professors are highly skilled and have long experience in brand and marketing management, plus they are friendly and always make sure students are feeling welcomed.
The facilities are well structured and the staff are always seeking to keep an organic and nice atmosphere at the university. The classes are carefully prepared and taught, I always learn something new and interesting that helps me grow as a future brand manager.
I could see from day one that, applying for a master program at Brand University of Applied Sciences was my best decision as a student.
Ayla Hourani, Bahrain
Originally Palestinian, born in Bahrain, lived in Denmark, moved back to Bahrain, then Lebanon, followed by The States, and finding myself in Germany, I thought this was as international as cultural exposure can get. But then I started my masters program at Brand University of Applied Sciences. My class consists of 70% international students, and 30% German (from different areas). That is the true cultural exposure.
With no doubt, Germany has a reputable standard when it comes to many elements – especially education. But the Brand University of Applied Sciences has exceeded that reputation. Not only are the courses offered in a project-based learning system, the university is based in the center of the manufacturing world. Collaborating with well-established companies allows us, as students, to start our careers with professional teacher-supervision.
The university also allows us to create learning environments by encouraging participation and mistakes. Project briefs are announced vaguely, and we then have the opportunity to choose the path we want to take. Working in groups of students with different backgrounds allows you to choose the one that interests you most – be it design or market-research oriented. This approach, along with the smaller-class systems, develops personal teacher-student relationships enhancing both challenges: intellectually and socially.
Larissa Böhm, Germany
The students in the Master’s degree course International Brand Communication come from many different backgrounds and countries.
This helps in developing new ideas since everyone views a topic from different angles.
This university pushes you out of your comfort zone to get you to view topics on other angles.
Ana Maria Bernal Suarez, Colombia
Brand University of Applied Sciences is the university where BRANDS is the common language. People from different parts of the world are united around by the same subject. One of the biggest reasons, why studying here is so interesting, is the cultural interaction that makes an in depth analysis more internationally oriented.
People from all over the world with one language in common: BRANDS. It is not easy to find a university that specializes in brands and even harder to find one that knows the scale and influence, which the brands have in each culture.
Some, like me, have to fly 9.200 km to find the perfect place to study, because not everywhere you can find a university that is so unique like Brand University of Applied Sciences. In BU everyone, no matter where they come from, is thinking in the same line and that´s what makes it so interesting and special.
New country, new city, new university, new friends, new culture, but same language: BRANDS. When you have found what you want, it is easy to change everything in your life, in order to have it. The good thing is, that BU makes everything to make you feel like at home.
Study fees
Brand University of Applied Sciences is a state-approved private university and thus fully funded by tuition fees.
The full-time regular programme with 90 CP lasts 18 months.
By taking credits and non-academic skills into account, you can take the fast track and shorten your studies to 9 or 12 months.
You can also study part-time with a regular study period of 24 months at 90 CP.
STUDY FEES EU:
The cost per CP is € 178.
There is a € 890 one-time enrollment and examination fee.
Tuition fees for full-time study with 90 CP for students from Germany and the EU:
€ 890 per month
Total fees: € 16.910
STUDY FEES NON-EU:
The cost per CP is € 228.
There is a € 1.150 one-time enrollment and examination fee.
Tuition fees for full-time study with 90 CP for students from outside the EU:
€ 1.140 per month
Total fees: € 21.670
There may be exceptions for long-term EU residents.
Financing
- You can obtain funding according to the Federal Law on Support in Education (BAföG).
- Your contact for all financing questions is the Advisory Center of Student Finance.
- In addition, students of Brand University of Applied Sciences can receive financial support from foundations or financial institutions in Hamburg and beyond.
- At the federal level the Reconstruction Loan Corporation (KfW) offers the “KfW Student Loan”.
Following admission requirements apply to the Master’s programme:
- first university degree in a related field with at least 210 CP
- first university degree in a related field with at least 180 CP and relevant professional experience of at least one year worth 30 CP
- first university degree in a related field with at least 180 CP and acquisition of 30 CP through additional studies at Brand University
- first university degree in a non-thematic area of at least 210 CP and a completion of a topic-related bridging course
- first university degree in a non-thematic area of at least 180 CP, relevant professional experience of at least one year worth 30 CP and a completion of a topic-related bridging course
- first university degree in a non-thematic area of at least 180 CP, acquisition of 30 CP through additional studies at Brand University and a completion of a topic-related bridging course
Please find detailed information on formal requirements on the application form.
In case your application documents are not complete due to the current situation, it is possible to hand in later the missing documents.
After we examine your application documents, our application manager Anna Braun and our course director Prof. Dr. Limon-Calisan are happy to meet you in a personal interview and to learn more about your individual career, your professional attitude and your personal goals in connection with your studies.
After successfully completing the interview, you will be admitted to the programme.
Application deadlines
Applicants who do NOT need an entry visa for Germany:
- September 15th and March 15th
Applicants who need an entry visa for Germany:
- June 30th and December 15th
Application deadline Summer semester: March 15th
Advisory Service
Do you have questions about our degree program? We are happy to advise you.
Anna Braun
Advisory Service
Fon +49 40 38089356-23
WhatsApp +49 160 – 5566783 (weekdays 9 am to 4 pm)
Mail anna.braun@brand-university.de