This content is only partially available in English.

Communication Design B.A.

As a communication designer you develop creative and strategic solutions across all media. You develop concepts, you do layouts, you take care of typography, you photograph, you write, you draw or illustrate. You design fonts, books, magazines, posters, flyers, corporate designs, websites, apps, interactive installations and animations, and are always in a dialog with other disciplines. Together with architects, you plan trade fair stands or exhibitions and develop signage systems for museums, buildings and festivals. In cooperation with curators, you will design the concept of exhibitions - from posters and wall texts to the opening event. As a designer, you bring the messages of companies and institutions to the point through visual concepts and appearances. And perhaps you will discover your strengths as a copywriter during your studies and find the right words. Multimedia design concepts and cross-media forms of communication are created in your agencies and studios, as are photographs and illustrations for scientific and business communication.

“Design is an art of situations. Designers repond to a need, a problem, a circumstance, that arises in the world. The best work is produced in relation to interesting situations - an open-minded client, a good cause, or great content.”
Ellen Lupton, graphic designer and author

Your professional prospects

The career prospects for graduates of our degree program are varied. After successfully completing their studies, designers with interdisciplinary experience can work in business and industry, cultural and state institutions, design studios, advertising agencies and as freelance graphic artists with their own studio.

At a glance

Degree: Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) 
Standard period of study: 7 semesters
Starting semester: summer or winter semester 
Aptitude test: yes
ECTS credits: 210 

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Application deadlines

Selection process (portfolio review)

Winter semester 2024/25: April 15th, 2024 to May 1st, 2024
Summer semester 2025: October 15th, 2024 to November 1st, 2024

Online application

Winter semester 2024/25: Estimated as of now for mid-May 2024 to June 15th, 2024
Summer semester 2025: Estimated as of now for mid-November 2024 to December 15th, 2024

Calender (only available in German)

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Structure of the degree program

In the first two semesters, you will acquire sound technical and theoretical design fundamentals in our courses. In addition, there are introductions to realization techniques (computer technology, program training) and workshops (bookbinding, digital printing, traditional printmaking, screen printing , photo lab, photo studio and library).

 

In the first two semesters of the draft year, you will expand and deepen your knowledge and skills, and you will be able to explore and define your first focal points.

Conception and drafting

In this module you will familiarize yourself with different design methods taking theoretical and aesthetic basics into account. The module gives you the opportunity to set your own personal study focuses according to your own criteria and with the help of the study advising previously received.

Design initiatives

Design initiatives focus on the design of simple communication systems, for example for a series of lectures, an information event, a small publication or for presentation at the end of the semester.

Communication design theory

The subjects of this module provide you with theoretical, vocational and general academic competences.

 

The third year is characterised by its strong practical relevance and prepares you for entering the world of work. 

Practical semester 
You will spend the internship semester, for example, at an advertising agency, a design office, in the communications department of a museum, at a publishing house, at a radio or TV station. As an alternative to the practical semester, you can also take a semester abroad at one of our partner universities.

Interdisciplinary projects
In interdisciplinary projects you will work on complex tasks from all areas of applied and free design. It is crucial that different creative and scientific methods are combined in these projects. The study and research results and the visual results of these projects are regularly published, presented in exhibition cooperations with museums, and reflected in symposia or series of lectures with representatives from the practical side.

 

The seventh semester serves to prepare your bachelor's thesis. This is accompanied by the module "Exhibiting", which covers different approaches to present one's own work to the public. Special theory courses which prepare you for additional aspects of professional practice such as law or foreign languages round off the programme.

You complete your studies with your bachelor's thesis and the public exhibition of your bachelor's project. Afterwards, you can start your professional career. The bachelor's degree also qualifies you for admission to the master's degree program, where you may further develop your practical and theoretical skills.

 

Advertising
Art and Cultural History
Book Design
Conceptual Design
Corporate Design
Copywriting
Cultural Orientation
Design Management
Drawing
Editorial Design
Exhibition Design
History of Design

Illustration

Information Design
Interactive Design

Marketing
Media Technology
Photography
Media Informatics
Photography
Psychology
Speculative Design
Theory of Design
Typography
Web Design

 

Gregor Ade – Corporate Design/Corporate Identity
Monika Aichele – Illustration/Drawing
Kirstin Arndt – Free Design
llka Becker – Art an cultural history
Johannes Bergerhausen – Book Design/Typography
Katja Davar – Experimental Drawing
Petra Eisele – History of Design/Theory of Design
Stefan Enders  – Photography
Florian Jenett – Media Informatics and Digital Design
Nadja Mayer – Text Design
Isabel Naegele – Fundamentals of Design/Typography
Claudia Nass Bauer – Design strategy
Sylvie Pagé – Text Design
Philipp Pape – Conceptual Design/Typography
Holger Reckter – Media Informatics
Matthias Riedel  – Marketing/Psychology
Anna-Lisa Schönecker – Information Design/Interactive Design
Charlotte Schröner – Conceptual Design
David Voss – Editorial design/Typography

 

Semester abroad or internship semester

The Communication Design degree program is globally networked with universities and academies with similar focal points. The partner universities are located in almost all European countries, as well as in Australia, North America, South Korea, India, Thailand, Israel, Jordan and Turkey. Information on partner universities and the exchange program can be obtained from the International Office. As an alternative to a stay abroad, you can also complete an internship.

Mainz as a location

 The city of Mainz am Rhein is strongly influenced by the students of Mainz University of Applied Sciences and Johannes Gutenberg University. Original restaurants, small owner-managed shops, trendy pubs, theaters and museums enliven the city center and enrich the everyday life of students. At the same time, numerous companies in the media industry - including ZDF, SWR, publishers and agencies in Mainz and the Rhine-Main region - will enable you to complete various internships and later on to easily start your career.

Studying and family

Mainz University of Applied Sciences guarantees all students childcare facilities for children starting at the age of six months. For further information on the network of daycare providers or the on-campus nursery school (Kita Campulino) please contact the University's Equal Opportunities Representative. Mainz University of Applied Sciences has been awarded the basic certificate "Family-friendly university".

CLASS SCHEDULES

Class schedules and dates are only partially available in English.

Summer semester 2023

Structure of the degree program (only available in German)

PROGRAM STRUCTURE VALID WITH THE START OF YOUR STUDIES FROM WINTER SEMESTER 2020/21

SEMESTER 1
30 CP/25 SWS
SEMESTER 2
30 CP/25 SWS
SEMESTER 3
30 CP/16 SWS
SEMESTER 4
30 CP/16 SWS
SEMESTER 5
30 CP/3 SWS
SEMESTER 6
30 CP/16 SWS
SEMESTER 7
30 CP/ 9,33 SWS

Design basics
6 CP/5 SWS

Photography
6 CP/5 SWS

Photo technology
1 CP/2 SWS
Concept and design A
10 CP/5 SWS
Concept and design C
10 CP/5 SWS
Work placement or semester abroad
25 CP
Interdisciplinary project A
10 CP/5 SWS
Bachelor-Thesis
12 CP/0,33 SWS
Typography 1
6 CP/5 SWS
Typography 2
6 CP/5 SWS
Concept and design B
10 CP/5 SWS
Concept and design D
10 CP/5 SWS
Colloquiums
5 CP/3 SWS
Interdisciplinary project B
10 CP/5 SWS
Bachelor documentation and colloquiums
8 CP
Language and text
6 CP/5 SWS
Art history
5 CP/3 SWS
Self motivated work
5 CP/3 SWS
Design initiative
5 CP/3 SWS
Theory of communication design B
5 CP/3 SWS
Professional experience A
3 CP/3 SWS

Drawing
6 CP/5 SWS

Art basics
6 CP/5 SWS
Design history/theory
5 CP/3 SWS
Theory of communication design A
5 CP/3 SWS
Theorie of communication design C
5 CP/3 SWS
Professional experience B
3 CP/3 SWS
Interactive design basics 1
6 CP/5 SWS
Interactive design basics 2
6 CP/5 SWS
Exhibition
4 CP/3 SWS

PROGRAM STRUCTURE VALID WITH THE START OF YOUR STUDIES BEFORE WINTER SEMESTER 2020/21

SeMESTER 1
30 CP/23 SWS
SEMESTER 2
30 CP/23 SWS
SEMESTER 3
30 CP/16 SWS
SEMESTER 4
30 CP/16 SWS
SEMESTER 5
30 CP/1 SWS
SEMESTER 6
30 CP/23 SWS
SEMESTER 7
30 CP

Fundamentals of Design
6 CP/5 SWS

Fundamentals of Design 2
6 CP/5 SWS
Conception & Design 1
10 CP/5 SWS
Conception & Design 3
10 CP/5 SWS
Practical semester or semester abroad
30 CP/1 SWS
Interdisciplinary project 1
12 CP/10 SWS
Bachelor's thesis
12 CP
Typography 1
6 CP/5 SWS
Typography 2
6 CP/5 SWS
Conception & Design 2
10 CP/5 SWS
Conception & Design 4
10 CP/5 SWS
Interdisciplinary project 2
12 CP/10 SWS
Bachelor's colloquium
8 CP
Sprache&Text
6 CP/5 SWS
Photography
6 CP/5 SWS
Design Initiative 1
4 CP/3 SWS
Design Initiative 2
4 CP/3 SWS
Theory 3
6 CP/3 SWS
Work experience 1
5 CP

Foundations of Art
6 CP/5 SWS

Foundations of Art 2
6 CP/5 SWS
Theory 1
6 CP/3 SWS
Theory 2
6 CP/3 SWS
Work experience 2
5 CP
Historical Foundations
6 CP/3 SWS
Historical Foundations 2
6 CP/3 SWS

Shhowcase

Our Showcase presents student projects, news, and additional information about our programme. Sign up to our newsletter to stay up to date.

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Gutenberg Design Lab

The institute views itself as an interface between research and teaching in communication design. Free and applied research and third-party funded projects are institutionally anchored through the Institute of Design Laboratory Gutenberg (only available in German).

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Archive (ONLY AVAILABLE IN GERMAN)

We can look back on a long and varied history of communication design. The project Timeline depicts these.

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Online shop

Mainz University of Applied Sciences is one of the first design schools in Germany with an online shop for publications and design objects. There you can view and order selected publications of the Communication Design degree program online.

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Who to contact

Prof. Florian Jenett
Head of Programme, Communication Design
Katharina Wons
Secretary | Raum H3.02

Assistance

Marie-Theres Birk
Research assistant | Room H3.06
Micaela Zellhofer
Research assistant | Room H3.06

Office hours

 

Secretary

Room H3.02
kd (at) hs-mainz.de

Mo. – Thu. 10am – 12pm
Due to Covid-19 regulations any in-person visits must be arranged in advance.

Address

Mainz University of Applied Sciences
School of Design
Holzstraße 36
55116 Mainz