Think Tanks and Laboratories: a Brief Overview
Vorstellung des Studiengangs »Medienkunst / Mediengestaltung«
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The study of Media Art & Design not only provides students with training for careers in the art & design media, it also functions as a type of think tank and laboratory, producing new media forms and formats and finding answers to the most pertinent questions posed by a globalised media world.
Theory and practice are thus closely related in our courses; the artistic design of our everyday media existence is closely connected to the academic reflections of Media Studies, as well as the technical rudiments of Computer Science & Media. In other words, great significance is attached to the interdisciplinary aspect. In addition, the faculty provides a flexible infrastructure of studios and workshops; there is a media house with its own TV studio, and audio production studio and the ›Digital Bauhaus Lab‹, the own research and laboratory centre of Bauhaus-Universität Weimar. Together, these facilities provide ideal training conditions.
The following professors are responsible for the programme:
- Acoustic Ecologies and Sound Studies (Jun.-Prof. Kerstin Ergenzinger)
- Electroacoustic Composition and Sound Art (Prof. Maximilian Marcoll)
- Experimental Radio (Prof. Nathalie Singer)
- Media Environments (Prof. Ursula Damm)
- Interface Design (Prof. Martin Hesselmeier)
- Media Events (Prof. Wolfgang Kissel)
These core subjects are supplemented by academic and technical courses offered by the chairs of Media Studies and Computer Science and Media.
Note:
The interdisciplinarity between the Media Art and Design, Visual Communication, and Product Design has expanded and been further simplified through a revision of all study and exam regulations. Since the winter semester 2019/2020, Media Art and Design students in particular will have easier access to courses offered by other degree programmes. In addition, the recognition of credit points will be simplified.
The current curricula are listed in the appendix of the respective study regulations. A graphical depiction of the English curriculum provides a quick overview on the courses you have to choose.
»The responsibility of the artist is not to give answers. It is to ask questions.«
Robert Wilson, visiting professor at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar (2011-2012)
New Public Spheres and Interpersonal Relationships: the Bachelor’s Degree Course in Media Art and Design
It’s all about information, media information. How can you disseminate and edit it? How can you imagine new futures and new fictions, and how can you turn them into reality? How can you create and reflect on media events? Or develop new public spheres and communicative spaces? Or design new interfaces for interpersonal relationships? This course gives you the opportunity to contribute towards designing the objects of the future, or even to revolutionise media art, and, while you are at it, television and radio, too. Science, technology and art are not mutually exclusive. They belong together. That is the Weimar tradition.
In concrete terms: if you take the Bachelor’s Degree Course in Medienkunst/Mediengestaltung (Media Art and Design), you can expect small groups and individual projects, practical courses and unconventional approaches – artistic, technological and organisational. Close to our everyday media existence.
The auditory and the visual, the eventful, the conceptual and the interactive: these areas all overlap, and the permutations are legion. That is our unique profile. That is Media Art and Design at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar.
From Elementary to Advanced: Course Structure
The initial two-semester basic study stage focuses on simple technical and practical questions: how do I operate a camera?; what exactly is a radio play?; what is there in my artistic ›tool kit‹?; what should the mobile phone of the future be able to do?; should it have even more functions?; should it even smell nice? Ask yourself these questions. Try them out. Play about with your ideas.
The subsequent four-semester specialist study phase has a more thematic focus. You will have opportunity to specialise in a particular artistic field, thus expanding your knowledge and becoming familiar with experimental forms of expression. You will be able to analyse and transform academic findings through the prism of your art. Optional courses from the chairs of Media Studies and Computer Science & Media as well as from the scientific disciplines of the Faculty of Art and Design will also give you a broader perspective. The same goes for external work placements and study periods spent at universities abroad. These are supported and recognized by the programme.
The standard study period for the Bachelor’s degree course in Media Art and Design is eight semesters. Upon completion and defence of the Bachelor’s thesis, students are awarded the academic degree of »Bachelor of Fine Arts« by the Faculty of Art and Design.
From directors, sound designers and media artists: the professional fields.
To design and to decide, to design yourself or have someone to design for you, freelance or employed on a permanent basis: With the degree programme in Media Art and Design, many options are open to you. You will work wherever a creative and critical approach to media possibilities is required: in editorial offices, editing rooms and artistic laboratories; at the desk, in the studio or way out there.
A small, incomplete list of the career opportunities the degree programme offers you:
- film production, directing, cinematography, lighting, editing, SFX in the fields of feature film, animated film and documentary film
- freelance designer
- curator for art and media festivals
- artist on the independent art market
- radio journalism, editing, radio drama and feature, writer, director, sound production, sound art
- Editor and responsible person in the entertainment and information industry (television, games, internet, radio, leisure design, interface design)
- Work in an academic environment
- Sound design and computer-aided composition
- TV directing, TV editing, TV journalism
- Web design/interface design, graphic design
How can I apply?
The application for all degree programmes of the Faculty of Art and Design at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar is exclusively conducted digitally via the online applicant portal. Registrations for the aptitude tests are possible from 1 December of the year up to and including 31 March of the following year (closing date). Please complete your registration by uploading all necessary documents by 31 March.
The Bachelor's programme in Media Art and Design begins each winter semester.
The prerequisite for admission is the Allgemeine Hochschulreife (German higher education entrance qualification) or equivalent qualification. Applicants must also pass an artistic aptitude test, the specifics of which are determined by the Qualifying Examination Regulations in Media Art and Design. In the case of outstanding artistic talent, applicants may be admitted without the German higher education entrance qualification.
There are three steps to passing the aptitude test:
- Registration/application for participation in the aptitude test. After the registration deadline, we will send you a homework assignment with dates and details of the examination procedure.
- Upload of the homework solution, a signed declaration that the submitted work has been produced by you (Download Declaration of Originality), your curriculum vitae with details of your education, previous knowledge if applicable and the most recently obtained school certificate as proof of the general higher education entrance qualification.
- Personal interview and presentation of original artistic/design work samples (portfolio).
The aptitude test committee of the degree programme makes a preselection after reviewing the solution of the homework. Those who make it to the shortlist will be invited to the further aptitude test and take part in a personal interview, to which please bring artistic/design work samples (portfolio). Further details on the aptitude test are regulated by the aptitude test regulations (Accessible document) (only available in German language).
Please register online via the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar online applicant portal by 31 March of the respective year. An assignment to complete at home will be sent to you at the beginning of April. Your digital application can only be completed once all the required documents and the assignment have been uploaded via our portal.
Prerequisites for International Students:
Please note that passing the aptitude test does not mean automatic admission to the degree programme. Please submit a current proof of language proficiency with your application documents, which shows that you will reach the required language level by the time of your matriculation at the latest.
German language skills of level C 1 (DSH-2 or TestDAF TDN 4). If you have any questions relating to certification, please contact Frau Johanna Theuerkauf at the Office of Student and Academic Affairs: johanna.theuerkauf[at]uni-weimar.de
Applicants who pass the aptitude test can then enrol online.
Registration deadline: 31st March of each year
Enrolment deadline: 30th September of each year
The Master’s Degree Programme in Medienkunst/Mediengestaltung (Media Art and Design)
Creativity, design and experimentation – open to current trends, but also with a view to the future: that is the philosophy of the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar’s Master’s degree programme in Medienkunst/Mediengestaltung (Media Art and Design). The curriculum covers organisation and technology, as well as developing creative, analytical and critical skills. The combination of these disparate elements forms the main focus of the programme, as it is the basic prerequisite for creative professional work in the media – either freelance or for a company. The primary goal of the programme is to develop designers of strong character who will be able to enrich, and indeed determine, the everyday media environment of the future with their practical knowledge and artistic creativity.
Programme Contents: What Are My Study Options?
Programme Contents: What Are My Study Options?
The search for a personal signature and form of expression is one of the essential aims of the Master’s degree programme in Media Art and Design. You will build on and expand the basic knowledge you have acquired from your previous university education or professional experience, bringing your creative potential to full fruition. Once you have decided on your specialist subject in art and design from the individual core subjects of the various professorships, you will have the opportunity to work on it more intensively on a project-oriented and interdisciplinary basis. You can also integrate further modules from the university’s degree programmes into your personal study programme.
The following professors are responsible for the degree programme:
Overview: How is the Programme Structured?
Overview: How is the Programme Structured?
The following applies to students who have completed an 8-semester Bachelor's degree (240 ECTS):
The standard period of study for the Master's programme in Media Art and Design is two semesters. The first semester includes a Master Project Module as well as a compulsory Master Specialist Module and a compulsory elective Master Specialist Module. The second semester is dedicated to writing the Master's thesis and is accompanied by the Master Colloquium. Upon completion and defence of the Master's thesis, students are awarded the academic degree of »Master of Fine Arts« by the Faculty of Art and Design.
For applicants with a Bachelor's degree with at least six semesters of standard study time and at least 180 credit points, the duration of study is extended by so-called bridge semesters - by two semesters for a Bachelor's degree with 180 credit points and by one semester for 210 credit points. Further details are listed in the study regulations.
Partial study abroad is particularly recommended if no semester abroad was completed during the Bachelor's programme. The Faculty has contacts with a large number of notable international partner universities for this purpose.
We have prepared a short overview with relevant information especially on the Master's thesis examination for you.
My Degree: How Can It Help Me?
My Degree: How Can It Help Me?
Graduates of the Master’s degree programme will have acquired media skills and competences which are in demand in countless media professions. They will have become familiar with the practice of art and design and will have learnt about interdisciplinary contexts and methods. This means that they are ideally prepared for the many challenges they will face in their everyday media existence. In concrete terms, possible career choices could include:
- film production, direction, camera work, lighting, editing, and dubbing for feature films, animation and documentaries
- freelance design
- curatorship of art and media festivals
- creative art on the free art market
- radio journalism, editing, radio drama and features, scriptwriting, direction, sound production and effects
- editorial work and management in the entertainment and information industries (TV, computer games, internet, radio, leisure, interface design)
- teaching and artistic development
- sound design and computer-assisted composition
- TV direction, editorial work and journalism
- web design / interface design, graphic design
The degree programme offers the following international programme of studies:
Media Art and Design (MAD) – Master’s degree programme
The English-language Master’s degree programme in Media Art and Design (MAD) is structured along the same lines as the standard Master’s degree programme in Media Art and Design.
The Master’s Degree Programme in Medienkunst/Mediengestaltung (Media Art and Design)
Creativity, design and experimentation – open to current trends, but also with a view to the future: that is the philosophy of the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar’s Master’s degree programme in Medienkunst/Mediengestaltung (Media Art and Design). The curriculum covers organisation and technology, as well as developing creative, analytical and critical skills. The combination of these disparate elements forms the main focus of the programme, as it is the basic prerequisite for creative professional work in the media – either freelance or for a company. The primary goal of the programme is to develop designers of strong character who will be able to enrich, and indeed determine, the everyday media environment of the future with their practical knowledge and artistic creativity.
Programme Contents: What Are My Study Options?
The search for a personal signature and form of expression is one of the essential aims of the Master’s degree programme in Media Art and Design. You will build on and expand the basic knowledge you have acquired from your previous university education or professional experience, bringing your creative potential to full fruition. Once you have decided on your specialist subject in art and design from the individual core subjects of the various professorships, you will have the opportunity to work on it more intensively on a project-oriented and interdisciplinary basis. You can also integrate further modules from the university’s degree programmes into your personal study programme.
The following professors are responsible for the degree programme:
FAQs about the MFA programme »Media Art and Design«
Can I submit my application by e-mail?
Can I submit my application by e-mail?
Applications cannot be submitted by e-mail and must be submitted exclusively using the online applicant portal.
If I want to study in the English-language MFA Programme Media Art and Design, can I only provide proof of English language skills?
If I want to study in the English-language MFA Programme Media Art and Design, can I only provide proof of English language skills?
No, although the Media Art and Design MFA Programme offers an English-language curriculum, proof of German language skills of level A2 is required for admission to the MFA Programme Media Art and Design.
If I want to specialise in Interface Design, can I only provide proof of English language skills?
If I want to specialise in Interface Design, can I only provide proof of English language skills?
No, although the curriculum of the professorship for Interface Design is offered in English, proof of German language skills of level A2 is required for admission to the MFA Programme Media Art and Design.
Do I have to provide certified copies of academic and language certificates when applying?
Do I have to provide certified copies of academic and language certificates when applying?
It is possible to submit uncertified copies of certificates for the initial application; however, it is necessary to subsequently provide certified copies before enrolment.
Can I apply via Uni-Assist?
Can I apply via Uni-Assist?
No, applications to the English-language MFA Programme Media Art and Design are not accepted via Uni-Assist and must be submitted through the online applicant portal.
When will I be notified about my application status?
When will I be notified about my application status?
Results of the aptitude test and announcement of application status are generally announced six to eight weeks after the application deadline.
How long is the study period for the MFA Programme Media Art and Design?
How long is the study period for the MFA Programme Media Art and Design?
The standard study period is two semesters for applicants with a previous Bachelor qualification of at least eight semesters and 240 ECTS points.
Applications with a Bachelor qualification of minimum six semesters and minimum 180 ECTS points may also enrol, but are required to complete additional Bridge Semesters (two Bridge Semesters for Bachelor qualifications with 180 ECTS, or one Bridge Semester for Bachelor qualifications with 210 ECTS).
How are the MFA Programmes Medienkunst/Mediengestaltung and Media Art and Design different?
How are the MFA Programmes Medienkunst/Mediengestaltung and Media Art and Design different?
Both Medienkunst/Mediengestaltung and Media Art and Design build on the same curriculum and are governed by the same program structure, however offer two different application contexts with distinct language requirements.
International applicants who wish to study in English must apply to Media Art and Design.
Applicants who wish to study in German must apply to Medienkunst/Mediengestaltung, and must submit proof of German language skills at the C2 Level.
Concurrent application to both programmes is not possible.
» Additional information regarding application and enrolment requirements
Where can I find curriculum information and course descriptions?
Where can I find curriculum information and course descriptions?
The curriculum of the Faculty of Art and Design is dynamic and is updated every semester. Information regarding courses currently and previously offered is available in both English and German on the official online course catalogue »Bison«.
Additional specific course information from the Media Art and Design Program is also available on the MediaWiki: www.uni-weimar.de/kunst-und-gestaltung/wiki/Main_Page
How can I apply for German language courses?
How can I apply for German language courses?
The University offers language courses including German every semester through the Language Center.
What scholarships and funding opportunities are available to international students?
What scholarships and funding opportunities are available to international students?
International students can find more information about funding opportunities through the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD): https://www2.daad.de/deutschland/stipendium/datenbank/en/21148-scholarship-database/ https://www2.daad.de/deutschland/stipendium/datenbank/en/21148-scholarship-database/
Are there tuition fees?
Are there tuition fees?
No, there are no tuition fees, however enrolled students must pay a semester contribution fee.
Where can I find accommodation?
Where can I find accommodation?
Studierendenwerk Thuringen is the organisation responsible for student housing in Weimar and offers more information here:
http://www.stw-thueringen.de/english/housing/residential-homes/weimar/index.html
Where can I find information on student jobs?
Where can I find information on student jobs?
More information regarding employment eligibility for international students, as well as visa, tax and insurance factors is available from DAAD here:
https://www.daad.de/en/study-and-research-in-germany/first-steps-germany/side-jobs/
The Career Service of the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar offers a job board at:
https://stellenticket.uni-weimar.de/de/offers/
Studierendenwerk Thüringen maintains a student job market here:
https://www.stw-thueringen.de/en/karriere/student-job-market/
How can I apply?
The application for all degree programmes of the Faculty of Art and Design at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar is exclusively conducted digitally via the online applicant portal. Registrations for the aptitude tests are possible from 1 December of the year up to and including 31 March of the following year (closing date). Please complete your registration by uploading all necessary documents by 31 March.
Students can begin the English-Language Study Programme in Media Art and Design (MAD) in the winter semester.
Application and Admissions Procedures:
The prerequisite for admission to the degree programme is either a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Media Art and Design from the Faculty of Art and Design or a first university degree recognized as professionally relevant by the responsible examination committee. Applicants must also pass an aptitude test based on their artistic portfolio. The specifics of this are determined by the aptitude test regulations in Media Art and Design (German) / English reading version (not legally binding) (Accessible document). A personal interview is usually not a compulsory part of the procedure.
The following documents must be submitted completely by March 31 via our online applicant portal:
- Artistic portfolio, i.e. a compilation of own artistic/creative works (formats: PDF (max. 20 MB); if applicable, links to hosted interactive or time-based works [Soundcloud, Vimeo, Github, private website, etc.])
- signed declaration that the work submitted has been created by you (Download Declaration of Originality)
- completed form detailing planned areas of specialization
- motivation letter explaining the desire to study and work presented comprehensively on around one A4 page
- Curriculum vitae in table form (incl. contact, name, e-mail address, postal address)
- if relevant unauthenticated copies of previous academic certificates
- if relevant certificates or evidence of internships, or a list of previous exhibitions, artistic-design works or publications
- School leaving certificate
- Passport photo
- Identity card
- German language certificate A2 and English language certficate C1 (e.g. TOEFL or IELTS)*
* Language requirements for international students:
Please note that passing the aptitude test does not mean automatic admission to the degree programme. Please submit a current proof of language proficiency with your application documents, which shows that you will reach the required language level by the time of your matriculation at the latest.
In order to be admitted to the study programme, international students are required to provide proof of German language skills of level A2 in accordance with the Common European Framework of Reference (CEF). In addition, candidates must provide proof of very good English language skills C1 (e.g. TOEFL min. 95 points or IELTS min. grade 7.0).
Please note: The Professorship »Interface Design« offers a complete English-language course programme. The other chairs offer partial English-language course programmes. As a significant number of the projetcs and specialist modules are taught in German, we recommend that applicants have attained a level of German higher than the stipulated A2.
Before the beginning of each summer and winter semester (in March and September), the Language Centre of the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar offers intensive German courses.
For further information or questions concerning these requirements, please contact Johanna Theuerkauf at: johanna.theuerkauf[at]uni-weimar.de
Please bear in mind that passing the aptitude test does not in itself mean admission to the degree programme. Along with a positive reply, you will be provided with a link to the online application form. We will then check whether your enrolment is valid on the basis of the documents you have submitted (previous academic certificates and proof of language skills). This confirmation of your artistic aptitude is valid for 2 academic years, i.e. the year of your application and the following year of study.
Application deadline: Applications for the artistic aptitude test can be submitted (Application received) as of 1 December by 31st March.
Enrolment deadline: Successful applicants can enrol online by 30th September.
Overview: How is the Programme Structured?
The standard study period for the English-language Master’s degree programme in Media Art and Design (MAD) is four semesters/two years. The current curricula are listed in the appendix of the respective study regulations. A graphical depiction of the curricula is currently being prepared.