Visual Communication and Digital Spaces BA

As digitisation progresses, visual communication is becoming increasingly important, and developing a critical approach to images is becoming increasingly important. The bachelor’s degree in Visual Communication and Digital Spaces focuses on the reflective development of visual messages for everyday and specialised communication contexts. The aim of this programme is to acquire the ability to design, evaluate and consciously apply visually perceptible messages. Moving away from traditional images plays a central role in the practice of visual communication. In order to achieve these objectives, students are taught manual, technical, artistic and analytical skills, while at the same time they have access to up-to-the-minute studio spaces and workshops. Students can choose between the two majors Visual Communication and Digital Spaces. These different focal points enable them to deepen their skills in a specific area and pursue their individual design interests in a targeted manner.

When applying for the study programme, students have the option between two areas of specialisation: ‘Visual Communication’ and ‘Digital Spaces’. Thanks to the different areas of specialisation, students have the possibility to gain more in-depth knowledge in a specific area and pursue their own design interests. After a foundational education during the first two semesters, students in both areas have the option to develop their own design stance in the individual projects.

Specialization Visual Communication
This area of specialisation is aimed at students who wish to focus their creative interest on design processes, which are derived from analogue cultural techniques. In this field they can further develop their creative talent by applying proven design principles and methods. Conceptualising, designing and analysing communication media is at the centre of the curriculum. Students work with the familiar methods of design, drawing, illustration, photography, typographic composition and type design as well as their digital counterparts in software tools for moving images, animation and interface design. They deal with form-finding, narration, corporate identity and the visualisation of information. Students practise the analytical use of established visual languages and at the same time try out the impact of new and experimental visual messages.

Specialization Digital Spaces
This area of specialisation deals with the design of digital communication spaces. Technological developments serve as a source of inspiration for studying and exploring design possibilities. This involves an in-depth study that goes beyond the standard software products. The technological achievements of human-computer interaction, digital animation, generative design, creative coding, augmented or virtual reality, etc. are the jumping-off point for designing messages in digital communication environments. With this in-depth knowledge, you will be in a position to incorporate technological innovations and place them in the communication context as examples. The planning, designing and analysing of means of communication are at the heart of the curriculum.

 The Visual Communication and Digital Spaces bachelor’s programme is intended for students who demonstrate a strong talent in design. They can choose one of the two areas of specialisation depending on their preference.

Through the mix of theoretical knowledge and practical applications, bachelor’s students are able to design sophisticated visual messages and use them effectively in different analogue and digital communication fields. With a broad spectrum of teaching content and practice-oriented training, the study programme prepares students for a variety of professional opportunities. In addition, graduates are in a position to anticipate social changes and help solve these challenges with their creativity and skills. In this way they take active part in the social discourse on topics such as diversity or sustainability.

The Visual Communication and Digital Spaces bachelor’s programme prepares students specifically for the challenges of the steadily growing professional fields in which networked and analytical thinking, independent design, visual competence and technical and skilled know-how are needed. The goal of the study programme is to help you develop and advocate your own concise design position. Once you have graduated, you will be qualified to work as a designer of communicative messages. You can work in communication, media or corporate design agencies, publishing houses, the communication departments of companies and public institutions, in design offices or even in their own studio. This wide range of job opportunities enables you to use your creative skills in many ways and to move confidently in the professional world.

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.

Educational requirements
For admission to the aptitude assessment for the bachelor’s programmes in Design (Industrial Design, Interior Architecture and Scenography, Fashion Design, Process Design, Visual Communication and Digital Spaces), one of the following qualifications is generally required:

• a certified vocational baccalaureate
• a certified specialized baccalaureate
• a certified upper secondary school (level II) baccalaureate
• proof of an equivalent educational degree at an upper secondary school (level II) obtained otherwise (Swiss education system)
  

Language of tuition
The language of tuition is German and partly English (both B2 or equivalent). Proof of language proficiency is required at the start of the degree programme.

Workplace experience or preparatory course in Design
In addition, candidates need to provide proof of one year of workplace experience or completion of a two-semester preparatory course in Design.

Is a list of approved vocational trainings and professional fields, respectively.

Catching up on the vocational baccalaureate
Applicants who have not completed at least three years of upper secondary schooling (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 colleges.

Admission on the basis of exceptional talent (1)
In exceptional cases, applicants can be admitted to the Bachelor’s degree programmes without being in possession of an upper secondary school (level II) certificate (Swiss education system), namely if they can provide proof of exceptional talent, either in a design-related or an arts-related field. 
Note: We recommend that you make enquiries by means of an email to the office of the respective degree programme at admission.BA-viskom.hgk@fhnw.ch at least two weeks prior to the application deadline (15 February), or arrange an appointment with the Head of the degree programme.

____________
(1) If you are in possession of one of the following educational degrees, you are eligible for this mode of admission:
Federal Certificate of Vocational Proficiency EFZ (apprenticeship), Professional Certificate EBA, Specialized Secondary School (FMS), Compulsory Schooling, no educational qualification

To apply for a place at the HGK Basel, the required documents must be submitted by deadline 15.02.2025.
Please send the specific enquiries to email address.

• 01.11.2024
  Publication of the detailed information on the aptitude assessment
• 15.02.2025
  Registration deadline and deadline for submitting the required documents for the aptitude assessment.
• 01.- 12.09.2025
  Introductory weeks at the HGK Basel (mandatory)
• 15.09.2025
  Fall Semester begin 2025/26

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