The Study Programme in Visual Communication at the Kunsthochschule Kassel

Contributions to Designing Social Reality

The degree programme in Visual Communication at the Kunsthochschule Kassel is organized as a project study programme with a view to imparting creative and artistic methods in various media areas. It aims to enable students to develop significant contributions to the design of our social reality by encouraging them to think in an extensively practical, analytical and critical manner and to examine the functions of art and culture, technology, science and market. In a decidedly transdisciplinary study structure, the foundation for new perspectives and approaches is worked out through a combination of theory and practice, with students being encouraged to develop an individual design stance and their own work methods.

In addition to subject-specific content and methods, the degree programme in Visual Communication places particular emphasis on developing students' ability to work in a team beyond the boundaries of their own subject  and to integrate aspects of social responsibility into their own projects. Collaborative ventures and innovations are constituted not only between the specializations, but also across the degree programme: in an interactive, multifaceted, exciting, unregimented, free and obliging manner. A manageable number of students makes it possible to provide targeted and constructive criticism, which allows students' own work to grow.

In the first year of their studies, students complete a transdisciplinary foundation course, which teaches them design foundations and techniques from different visual media. From the third semester onwards, students choose their specializations.

The following can be selected as specializations:

  • Animation
  • Film and Motion Picture
  • Games
  • Photography
  • Illustration and Comic
  • New Media
  • Graphic Design
  • Sound
  • Theory and Practice of Visual Communication

Duration of Studies, Degree

The study programme comprises 10 semesters and ends with a final project and final project defence. The final project consists of a written theoretical and a practical part. Once a student has passed the final examination, a graduation certificate in respect of a successfully completed university-level art study programme equivalent to a Master's degree is issued.

Particularly gifted individual students may be nominated as master-class students and given an opportunity to work for a further two semesters at the University.