Master of Arts in Creative Direction Pforzheim University

German 50%, English 50%

Participants can choose to write the Master's thesis in either language.

The teachers of the programme are designers, artists, scientists and business experts. The majority of them come from the five different design programmes of the Faculty of Design. The profile in teaching is expanded by external lecturers: For a differentiated and creatively special design potential, the breadth of experience and one's own horizon is quite essential. An important part of this Master's programme is the direct contact with artists, designers and researchers who bring their experience, research and thinking to the curriculum. Multidisciplinary projects, inviting exciting (international) personalities, are part of the programme. Students thus train and test their newly learned skills and competencies in the project work. This dynamic aspect of the Master's programme always sets topical priorities and directly shapes the graduates' capacity for development and agility. 

The educational programme for MACD students is composed of the teaching areas Creative Competence, Creative Market Competence and Creative Leadership.

30 April for the following winter semester

Please be aware that since 2018, tuition fees of approx 1,500 EUR are being charged to international students from outside the EU.

Creative Competence:
In this teaching area, the creative and methodological resources of the students are deepened and expanded. These include, for example, the ability to change perspectives, the confident handling of complex issues and the ability to critically reflect on their own work. Last but not least, this also includes reflecting on one's own position as a designer and cultivating an adequate view of the phenomenon of design. The application-related examination of complex cultural, design-specific and technical problems also enables students to design successful product and brand identities.

In addition to professional and methodological competence, which includes state-of-the-art knowledge, argumentation skills, conceptual and interdisciplinary thinking as well as independent further education and a systematic approach, techniques for finding, evaluating and implementing ideas play an important role. 

Creative Market Competence:
Specific knowledge of markets, trends and developments is an elementary component of a future-oriented design strategy. Innovative and creative top performances require the confident handling of methods and knowledge of different disciplines. Students analyse market and consumer behaviour and use the insights gained to develop perspectives for developing or improving forward-looking communication and design products. In the area of New Business, students learn to strategically plan new business areas from the idea to the product to its successful establishment on the market and to manage its implementation. Added to this are skills in building and maintaining successful customer relationships. Through the user and customer orientation inherent in design, students are able to conceive innovative marketing and sales approaches. 

Creative Leadership:
The Creative Leadership area develops students' leadership skills. Anyone who wants to lead employees in a managerial position under innovative auspices must not only be able to develop ideas and visions, but above all be able to organise creative processes and communicate objectives adequately. In addition to the usual social skills such as the ability to work in a team and engage in dialogue, students must also be able to assume a wide range of responsibilities.

Varied

Please be aware that since 2018, tuition fees of approx 1,500 EUR are being charged to international students from outside the EU.

All students at Pforzheim University are charged fees for student services and administration, currently approx. 160 EUR per semester. However, costs for materials, books or their own technical equipment may be incurred within the courses.

• Bachelor's / "Diplom" degree qualifying for Master's studies (design studies with at least 180 ECTS), if applicable with German or English translation
• Letter of motivation
• Portfolio with work samples
• Interview

Please check
https://designpf.hs-pforzheim.de/en/ma_creative_direction/bewerbung

German language certificate is mandatory for all non-native speakers:
DSH exam (DSH 2), TestDaF (> 16), telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule, or Goethe Zertifikat C2

Good English skills are strongly recommended!

30 April for the following winter semester

No

Through collaborations with renowned companies and well-known designers, students can immediately apply and test their knowledge in real projects. The development of creative competence is the focus, and sciences such as psychology, behavioural science, philosophy, ethics and cognitive science form the foundation for this. Please refer to our website for a list of past cooperation partners.