Industrial Design BA

Educational qualifications
Acceptance to the admission procedure regarding degree programmes in the field of Design (Industrial Design, Interior Architecture and Scenography, Fashion Design, Process Design at Hyperwerk, Visual Communication and Digital Spaces) commonly requires one of the following certificates:

• a certified vocational baccalaureate
• a certified specialized baccalaureate
• a certified upper secondary school baccalaureate
• proof of equivalent education at upper secondary school level obtained otherwise

Language of tuition
The language of tuition is German. Applicants with a foreign language background are required to submit proof of their language proficiency in German at level B2 (or equivalent) before commencing their studies.

On-the-job work experience or preparatory course in design
In addition, candidates need to provide proof of one year of on-the-job work experience or completion of a two-semester preparatory course in design. The work experience must include practical as well as theoretical knowledge in a professional field related to the subject of study.
Note: Proof of work experience or completion of a preparatory course in design is not required of candidates who are able to provide proof of a vocational baccalaureate in a professional field related to the subject of study, a Swiss certified baccalaureate with a focus on visual design, or a specialized, design-based baccalaureate. The attained degree need not explicitly be in a profession related to the specific field of study.

approved professional fields (german)

Catching up on the vocational baccalaureate
Candidates who have not completed at least three years of upper secondary education (level II) are not legally entitled to admission to a Bachelor's degree programme. Information concerning full-time or part-time, on-the-job training courses focusing on a vocational, design-based or specialized baccalaureate is provided by the local vocational schools.

Admission on the basis of exceptional talent
In exceptional cases, candidates can be admitted to the Bachelor’s degree programmes in Design and in Fine Arts without being in possession of an upper secondary school leaving certificate (level II), namely if they can provide proof of exceptional talent, either in a design-related or an arts-related field. The application documents must include a portfolio, a CV in tabular format, a reasoned request, and a letter of motivation. The head of the respective degree programme decides on the basis of the submitted documents whether such proof is provided.
Note: Candidates that fulfil the admission requirements on the basis of a completed upper secondary school education (level II) are excluded from admission on the basis of special talent.

How to proceed with regard to an “admission on the basis of exceptional talent” and how to register online.
We recommend that you register or at least make inquiries no later than 8 February, considering that it takes some time to review the submitted documents.

• Inquire in writing by email to YWRtaXNzaW9uLkJBLWluZHVzdHJpYWxkZXNpZ24uaGdrQGZobncuY2g= and arrange an appointment with the respective head of the degree programme.
• Normally, you submit the following documents for assessment: 
  
  • Portfolio
  • CV in tabular format
  • Reasoned request
  • Motivation letter
• Only then do you register via online registration (deadline 15 February).
• If the head of the degree programme accepts your application, you will receive from the degree programme’s office an invitation to the aptitude assessment.
• A successful aptitude assessment is prerequisite for admission to and enrolment in the degree programme.

To apply for a place at the HGK, the required documents must be submitted by 15.02.2023.
You will find the details here shortly.

Info aptitude assessment 2023 (german)

Dates

• 15.02.2023
  Registration deadline and deadline for submitting the required documents for the aptitude assessment.
• 18.09.2023
  Fall Semester begin 2023/24

Industrial Design, Bachelor PDF Download

The degree programme Industrial Design targets inquisitive and creative minds who wish to design and change things. It addresses students who are not interested only the form and function of serial goods but also wish to know how these products are used and in what contexts they develop impact. The degree programme calls for a wide range of interests on the part of the students and a curiosity to understand the social, cultural, economic, and technological challenges society faces. Hereby the focus is on the perspective of users. Apart from conceptual aspects, major emphasis is placed on the practical, hands-on design work including the materials, existing procedures as well as new technologies.

The courses offered reflect socially relevant issues: three labs were set up in order to address such issues in teaching. The Design Culture Lab offers the opportunity to apply critical thinking and understand new design perspectives. The Material@Sustainability Lab focuses on sustainability and the Digital Integration Lab gives our students a broader perspective and infrastructure with regard to the digital transformation. Students get to experience the latest design technologies such as three-dimensional sketching, virtual project presentations or coding.

Thematic focal points range from sustainable production to medical design and transport; from social innovation to home and living and interface design. It also addresses design questions related to capital and consumer goods. Critical reflection on the content and specifications as a requirement for innovative concepts and solutions is essential for doing so.

In selecting modules students are able to set their own training priorities.

As a graduate of the Industrial Design bachelor’s programme, you can expect a multifaceted professional field, in some cases highly specialised. You will be in a position to work in companies’ design departments and at design studios or to start your own business. In the context of information and communications technology, many new fields of activity for Industrial Design – such as in the area of digital services – are opening up. If you are aiming at leadership job in the design field, teaching or academia, continuing your education in our Industrial Design master’s programme is an ideal way of preparing for it.

As a rule admission to the enrolment procedure requires the following:

• Swiss state-certified high school diploma (Matura)
• Swiss state-certified professional Matura diploma
• Teacher’s College degree
• Swiss state-certified vocational Matura diploma
• Three-year certificate from a state-certified intermediate commercial college (Handelsmittelschule)

 In the case of other degree qualifications, the Basel Academy of Art and Design FHNW carries out an equivalence test.

Concerning application to the Bachelor of Arts FHNW course in Product and Industrial Design, the Academy requires in addition by way of proof one year of professional experience or the completion of a one-year preparatory course in Design. Work experience should include practical and theoretical knowledge in a field related to the intended study course. Here is a list of relevant professions (PDF, 53 KB).

Proof of professional experience or the completion of a preparatory course is not required from students with a professional Matura diploma in a field related to the intended study course, a Swiss state-certified high school diploma (Matura) with a focus on visual art and design, or a professional Matura diploma in a design-oriented field. It is not mandatory that the degree be in a profession related to the intended study course.

With its studios and central Campus.Workshops, HGK offers ideal conditions for combining craft curiosity, the acquisition of technical skills, and the necessary digital know-how. In addition, all students have their own 24/7 workspace in one of the spacious studios. In the degree programme Industrial Design, students experiment with the classical tools and machines used in wood, metal, and plastic processing but also with cutting-edge equipment such as laser cutters, CNC milling machines, and 3D printers. They develop prototypes out of numerous and different materials made available by the Institute. They have access to the Digital Integration Lab allowing them to work with virtual reality, 3D scanning, Arduino and Raspberry Pi, and AI. The facilities are open to students 365 days a year.

Here you will find everything you need to know about the enrolment process at the Basel Academy of Art and Design FHNW.

Outgoing students

The Basel Academy of Art and Design FHNW is part of a network of universities and academies at home and abroad. Our affiliation with renowned schools in Europe, America and Asia provides students the opportunity to complete an exchange semester and advance their knowledge in their specific field of study from a different perspective and against the backdrop of a different cultural environment. The Academy supports applications for an exchange semester in the context of the European Erasmus scholarship programme and, at the same time, welcomes applications by foreign students to study in Switzerland.

Incoming students

The Academy welcomes students from other universities at home and abroad to its study programmes. For more information and the correct Application Form see under “Incoming students”.

For more information on exchange and mobility please contact the director’s office of the respective institute or the International Office:

Andrea Zeller
Phone: +41 61 228 44 99
Email: aW50ZXJuYXRpb25hbC5oZ2tAZmhudy5jaA==

In the Masterstudio Industrial Design, the Master of Arts FHNW in Design enhances the individual qualifications and skills required in the world of professional design.

Basel Academy of Art and Design FHNW
Institute Contemporary Design Practices (ICDP)
Freilager-Platz 1
Postfach

CH-4002 Basel

Basel Academy of Art and Design FHNW
Institute Contemporary Design Practices (ICDP)
Industrial Design BA degree course

Oslo-Strasse 3
4142 Münchenstein near Basel

Building: A 0.13

Phone: +41 61 228 40 44
Fax: +41 61 228 42 87
Email: aW5mby5pbmR1c3RyaWFsZGVzaWduLmhna0BmaG53LmNo