6 Design Degree Programs in Switzerland

The MDes UIC addresses students who want to be part of an international program influenced by the tradition of the Swiss Graphic Design and the current academic perspective as well as the standards of the Institute Digital Communication Environments of the HGK Basel. Of special interest for students is the opportunity to graduate with an internationally accredited double degree: Master of Design (MDes) from the UIC and its Swiss equivalent, MAS in Graphic Design I, Iconicism and Graphic Design II, Mediality from the HGK Basel.

The digital transformation of business is accelerating, and customers are increasingly empowered and selective. This program will give students the skills to design effective digital marketing campaigns, apply a strategic approach to planning digital transformation, re-design and re-imagine businesses and products driven by new technologies and understand consumer motivation and the fundamentals behind search engine algorithms.

You will explore a variety of artistic courses and dive into Fashion, Fine Arts, Graphic Design, and Illustration. Developed by the Canvas School of Arts, the European Foundation Degree in Art & Design aims to let students create by having fun, travelling and learning a new language!

Switzerland is a privileged country in terms of know-how in the field of luxury and craftsmanship. Building on this tradition, this Master of Advanced Studies is for the holders of a Bachelor or Master’s degree wishing to further their knowledge in industrial design and investigate sectors of excellence as diverse as fine watchmaking, tableware, or specific techniques using noble materials. Through collaborations with prestigious brands (some with century-old heritage) and workshops provided by designers of the international scene, students experiment with all production stages: from designing an object to its completion, via 3D rendering models or photography. They also have the benefit of brand identity analyses and conferences delivered by experts in the field, as well as tours of luxury goods manufacturers. Many projects are singled out by partner companies to be produced, exhibited, and published in the international press. After one year at ECAL, the students are able to submit a varied portfolio to the highest professional standards. Highly sought after by international agencies and world-leading companies, they also often have the opportunity to simultaneously establishing their own business. Graduates are frequently offered internship opportunities right at the end of their curriculum – often leading to steady employment. Since the beginning of 2018, students from this programme have been benefiting from a partnership with IMD Lausanne Business School, a world leader in its field; this partnership is allowing them to learn about what is at stake when launching a brand and starting a business.

The focus of the master's program is the qualification of students for a complex work environment, be it in the field of practice / company, placement / communication or research / innovation. Master students not only deepen and broaden their knowledge and skills, they also prepare their careers. The course of study and the own master project are correspondingly individual and project-oriented. Master theses can also be created with partners from business, science or education. The personal workstation at the ZHdK promotes a deeper professional discourse with fellow students and lecturers. A rich infrastructure of laboratories, workshops and media offers space for experiments and realization of one's own work.

The study in the Bachelor's degree in Scientific Visualization conveys the conceptual, creative and methodological foundations for the contemporary communication of scientific content: the appropriation of realistic-illusionistic presentation techniques, the use of different media such as interaction, e-learning, 3D animation and virtual reality and cooperation with science.