Overview
On this course, you’ll explore the ways in which you can convey messages and meaning through a diverse range of media - from illustration and motion to digital - and you’ll be encouraged to develop new skills to strengthen and inform your design language.
During your studio-based studies, you’ll collaborate with other members of our creative community and courses to enhance your workflow skills and interdisciplinary understanding in the areas needed to become a creative leader and innovator within the field of visual communication. This is an area that spans from Graphic Design, Illustration, Animation, User Experience Design, Brand Design, Motion Design, Web & App Design, Virtual and Mixed Reality Design, Exhibition Design and Advertising.
MA Visual Communication is designed to help you develop your identity as an author and thought leader, equipping you with the skills and knowledge to identify and solve design problems within complex cross-media environments, including digital printmaking, still and moving image productions – both digital and virtual.
You will enter the professional world with a confident design voice, a specialised and specified informed design language and an outstanding portfolio.
Berlin School of Business and Innovation is in partnership with University for the Creative Arts (UCA). As a result of this partnership, BSBI is able to offer the MA Visual Communication programme. UCA is an acclaimed creative institution in the UK that ranks highly in all three of the major UK league tables. The university has also been ranked 13th out of all UK universities in the Guardian League Table 2020.
Secure your place on this programme by applying today for 2023 intakes- Find out how to apply here.
What will you experience?
Central elements of this course include the appropriate environment for evaluation and testing of a compelling proposal development practice. Interdisciplinary key discussion embedding theory, text and design case studies are core elements of this programme. Exploration and pushing the boundaries of contemporary visual solutions in the culmination of methods and strategies for independent research and practice, will enable you to show a cohesive and innovative final body of work.
The course is delivered 100% on-campus with full access to state-of-the art facilities. Students will also have additional access to course and reading materials via the University for the Creative Arts platform.
Who should take this course?
As one of the highest ranked creative education institutions, we aim to attract the most creative and proficient individuals who will be equipped and facilitated with an educational foundation to develop a focused and structured framework. We are looking for individuals aiming to thrive as leaders in the professional environment of a generic creative pathway, relating to our three specialisations in Illustration, Graphic Design and Animation.
Why study this course?
This programme pushes students to investigate and further their knowledge of the possibilities of the fast-evolving creative industry, while refining their mindset with the dedicated support from our expert faculty who have a wealth of industry experience.
Your learning will be enhanced through a well-informed magnitude of contextual and contemporary engagement in order to develop convincing proposals and solutions in the field of Graphic Design, Illustration, Animation and Visual Communication in general.
Course Price
2023 INTAKES
International students Price: €12,600 | EU students Price: €8,000
Special offers effective Jan 2023: Up to 33% discount for International Students | 10% discount for EU Students
Terms and conditions apply. Find out more here.
The School's admissions process is subject to the Consumer Contracts (Terms and Conditions). Information on your Right of Withdrawal and our Refund Policy can be found in the BSBI study agreement.
Programme Structure
This 18-month (Level 7) Visual Communication MA consists of three terms of study and six months dedicated to your dissertation.
The first two terms include a range of lectures and seminars and you’ll start to explore your creative practice in order to inform the detailed development of your project proposal later in the course.
In the third term you begin developing your MA project, evaluating and testing out the aims of your proposal over a sustained period of self-directed study.
In the final stage, you'll apply the knowledge gained through your research to create a final body of work where you can either take a generic approach or select one of the following three specialisations in relation to our BA courses: Graphic Design, Illustration or Animation.
The modules of this programme are offered and delivered 100% on campus. Students will also have additional access to course and reading materials via the University for the Creative Arts platform.
Term 1
Defining your
practice
- Explore creative practices to identify a creative project methodology
- Cultivate your creative discipline
Term 2
Context and Method
Project Development
- Learn theory, context, method, and engage in cultural and intellectual debates in your discipline
- Plan and develop your final MA project
Term 3
Realisation and
Dissemination
- Demonstrate and execute your final MA project
- Write your MA dissertation
Defining your practice
◥You'll explore creative practices in order to inform the detailed development of your project proposal later in the course. The unit aims to provide a structured framework to allow you to investigate the potential of methods, ideas and themes in your discipline as well as helping inform and locate your practice.
Context and Method
◥Through a series of lectures and seminars, you’ll actively engage in a range of current debates which provide cultural and intellectual context for the consideration of ideas in visual communication. The programme addresses interdisciplinary issues through the discussion of theory and the consideration of specific design-led work and texts.
Project Development
◥In this unit, you will develop the themes and focus of your final project in the fields of illustration, graphic design, animation or visual communication. This will allow you to evaluate and test out the aims of your proposal over a sustained period of self-directed study. At this stage, the development of your project will be guided and questioned through tutorials, group critiques and presentations, which will support the progress of your work and provide rigorous critical appraisal from staff, peers and professional practitioners. While encouraging the continued exploration and questioning of your ideas, you will continue the process of developing appropriate methods and strategies for your project’s realisation as you begin to work more independently as a researcher and practitioner, refining your research questions and the research methods you are using.
Realisation and Dissemination
◥You'll apply knowledge and experience gained in previous units to the realisation of your final MA project - the culmination and consolidation of your studies in the form of a resolved piece, or body of work. It should show coherence and innovation at a professional level of resolution. You'll also be required to prepare a critical paper intended to reflect upon the specific practical outcome of the MA project, its interpretation and its success as a demonstration of your approach to creative practice through research.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the course students should be able to:
Knowledge:
- Identify and meticulously investigate appropriate sources using adequate research methods leading to innovative concepts or insights into existing visual communication practice
- Methodically and critically analyse and evaluate existing knowledge proposing new hypotheses
Applications:
- Demonstrate an advanced set of skills and methods appropriate to visual communication and produce work in a highly advanced manner in line with the fast-evolving industry standard
- Demonstrate commitment to the subject, engagement and appearance with the course, appropriate time management, organisation, critical reflection and self-directed project management and study
Skills:
- Demonstrate a broad and critical understanding of visual communication as well as within the fields of Graphic Design, Illustration and Animation
- Demonstrate experimentation, risk taking, problem solving and reasoning in relation to both ideas and materials in order to equip your practice for fast-evolving demands
Career Progression
BSBI’s industry focused environment provides the ideal support to our students in their personal and professional development. Upon successful completion of this course, you’ll be able to pursue the following careers:
- Graphic Designer
- Branding/Corporate Designer
- Web and App Designer
- UI/UX Designer
- Art Director Digital
- Creative Director Digital
- Video Director
- Motion Designer / VFX Artist
- AR/VR/MR Designer
- Visualiser/Visual Creative
BSBI’s dedicated Careers Service helps visual communication students and alumni reach their career goals and realise their potential. The Service offers specialised support and aims to build long-lasting relationships with local and national employers. To find out more about the support available, visit the Careers Service website.
Key Programme Information
◥Location: HAMBURG
- Delivery: On campus
- Duration: 18 months
- 2023 Intakes: February, May, October
- Campus: Hamburg, Germany
- Degree awarded by University for the Creative Arts
- 2023 Price: €12,600 (international students)| €8,000 (EU students)
The School's admissions process is subject to the Consumer Contracts (Terms and Conditions). Information on your Right of Withdrawal and our Refund Policy can be found in the BSBI study agreement.
Entry Requirements
◥Minimum age: 21
Academic qualifications
Strong undergraduate degree from a recognised university or equivalent qualification in the subject or a related discipline.
If you do not meet the academic requirements, you may be assessed based on 3 years of relevant work experience (illustration, animation, graphic design or general visual communication), demonstrating your ability to study at postgraduate level.
English Requirements
- Official English Tests
- IELTS - minimum OS 6.0 (with min 5.5 in each component);
- Password test - minimum OS 6.0 (with min 5.5 in each component);
- PTE (Academic) - minimum OS of 56 (with min 51 in each component);
- TOEFL IBT OS 80 (Listening 17, Reading 18, Speaking 20, Writing 17);
- Cambridge English Advanced (CAE) or Cambridge English Proficiency OS 69 (min 162 in each component);
- LanguageCert International ESOL SELT OS B2 Communicator High Pass (min 33 in each component);
- Duolingo test with an overall score of 105;
- Applicants who achieved a bachelor's degree or above* from a recognised university (according to ECCTIS UK), where the Method of Instruction was entirely in English (teaching and assessment) must submit a Medium of Instruction Letter;
- Canadian nationals who have completed a bachelor's degree at an English-speaking university must submit a Medium of Instruction Letter;
- West African Certificates (WAEC AND NECO only) as a stand-alone with a minimum of C6 in English and issued within the last five years. Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) is also accepted with an overall grade C or above. For Tanzania and Cameroon, we request an IELTS (or equivalent certificate);
- WAEC/NECO must be enhanced by a successful (50%+) Internal English Assessment if issued more than five years ago;
- Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge AICE certificates;
- International Baccalaureate Diploma can be accepted if: English Syllabus A: Standard or Higher Grade 4, or above and English Syllabus B: Standard Grade 5 or Higher Grade 4, or above;
- Nationals of a majority English-speaking country who have taken their academic qualifications in that country, do not need to sit an English test (Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Malta, New Zealand, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, UK and USA)
*Above bachelor’s degree can be postgraduate certificate, postgraduate diploma, master’s degree, etc.
- Documents
- For this course, we’ll need to see your portfolio for review. We’ll invite you to attend an Applicant Day so you can have your portfolio review in person, meet the course team and learn more about your course. If you would prefer to upload a portfolio digitally, there is also the option to submit it online via our BSBI Submission Portal. Further information will be provided once you have applied.
Technical Entry Requirement
◥Portfolio Submission
◥Your Portfolio Submission
You are required to submit an online portfolio via our BSBI Applicant Portal. Before submitting your artwork, please have a look through the Portfolio Cookbook
What is a portfolio?
- Your portfolio is a collection of your best work. We want to see what inspires you, how you develop your work, your creative thinking processes, how and what you create and what makes you a unique creative individual.
What should my portfolio contain?
- Your portfolio might contain sketches and paintings, digital art and design. It might also contain sound work, short films.
- Upload up to 12 pieces of work which can include audio or video files.
How do I submit my portfolio?
- We’ll only be accepting portfolios digitally. You can do this once you’ve applied via our online submission system within the Applicant Portal.
- You can also link to external websites such as Vimeo and YouTube.
Further information on how to compile and upload your portfolio will be provided by our admissions team via our admissions portal once you have applied.
Online application
◥You can apply now to study with BSBI! It’s quick and easy, here’s how it works:
- Create an account here
- Select the programme and intake you want to apply for
- Complete all sections of the online application
- Submit online application
- Our Admissions Team will liaise with you with regards to next steps
Living in Hamburg
◥Learn all about what Hamburg has to offer as an international study destination by clicking here
The Virtual Student Lounge
BSBI offers you the opportunity to attend our Virtual Student Lounge to help you gain an insight into life at the school. Through a video call consultation, you’ll be able to get a virtual campus tour, learn more about our programmes, bursaries and scholarships, and get answers to any questions you might have regarding the admission procedure.
You’ll also be able to discover more about living and studying in Europe’s start-up capital, Berlin and find out more about the services on offer at BSBI.