The Master’s Degree Course 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 course in Medienkunst/Mediengestaltung (Media Art and Design). The tuition 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 course, as it is the basic prerequisite for creative professional work in the media – either freelance or for a company. The primary goal of the course 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.
Course Contents: What Are My Study Options?
Course 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 course 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 chairs, 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 other degree courses into your personal study programme.
The following professors are responsible for the degree programme:
Overview: How is the Course Structured?
Overview: How is the Course Structured?
The following applies to students who have completed an 8-semester first Bachelor's degree qualifying them for a profession with 240 credit points:
The standard period of study for the Master's programme in Media Art and Design is two semesters. The first semester includes a Master's project module and two »Fachmodule«. The second semester is dedicated to writing the Master's thesis and is accompanied by the Master's 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 first Bachelor's degree qualifying for a profession with at least six semesters of standard study time and at least 180 credit points, the duration of study is extended by so-called bridging semesters - by two semesters for a Bachelor's degree with 180 credit points and by one semester for 210 credit points. Further details are regulated 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.
My Degree: How Can It Help Me?
My Degree: How Can It Help Me?
Graduates of the Master’s degree course 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 learned 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
How can I apply?
Attention: Due to the current situation surrounding the spread of the Coronavirus, we kindly ask you to apply digitally for the aptitude tests in the degree programme Media Art and Design (MfA). It is currently unsure whether personal selection interviews can take place. You may receive an invitation to a video conference. We will inform you in good time about the further procedure.
In exceptional cases, you can still apply by analogue means. For clarification, please contact Katarina Steinbiß: katarina.steinbiss@uni-weimar.de.
Students can begin the Media Art and Design master programme in the winter semester.
Application deadlines:
Applications for the artistic aptitude test should be submitted (Application received) by 31st March (NEW!).
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 board. Applicants must also pass an aptitude test based on their artistic portfolio. The specifics of this are determined by the Qualifying Examination Regulations in Media Art and Design. A personal interview is not a compulsory part of the procedure.
The following documents must be submitted completely online via our 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
- completed form detailing planned areas of specialization
- Cover letter (max. 1 A4 page; letter of motivation, incl. nomination of planned area(s) of specialisation from the Degree Programme in Media Art and Design)
- Curriculum vitae in table form (incl. contact: name, email address, postal address)
- unauthenticated copies of previous academic certificates
- School leaving certificate
- Passport photo
- Identity card
- roof of German language skills*
* Language requirements for international students:
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 Master's programme, international students are required to provide proof of German language skills at the level C1 (DSH- 2 or TestDaF TDN 4). 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.
Enrolment deadline:
Successful applicants can then enrol online by 30th September.
The degree programme offers the following international programme of studies:
Media Art and Design (MAD) – Master’s programme
The English-language Master’s degree course in Media Art and Design (MAD) is structured along the same lines as the standard Master’s degree course in Media Art and Design.
The Master’s Degree Course 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 course in Medienkunst/Mediengestaltung (Media Art and Design). The tuition 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 course, as it is the basic prerequisite for creative professional work in the media – either freelance or for a company. The primary goal of the course 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.
Course 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 course 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 chairs, 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 other degree courses into your personal study programme.
The following professors are responsible for the degree programme:
How can I apply?
Attention: Due to the current situation surrounding the spread of the Coronavirus, we kindly ask you to apply digitally for the aptitude tests in the English-Language Study programme in Media Art and Design. It is currently unsure whether personal selection interviews can take place. You may receive an invitation to a video conference. We will inform you in good time about the further procedure.
In exceptional cases, you can still apply by analogue means. For clarification, please contact Katarina Steinbiß: katarina.steinbiss[at]uni-weimar.de.
Students can begin the English-Language Study Programme in Media Art and Design (MAD) in the winter semester.
Application deadline:
Applications for the artistic aptitude test must be submitted (Application received) by 31st March (NEW!).
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 board. Applicants must also pass an aptitude test based on their artistic portfolio. The specifics of this are determined by the Qualifying Examination Regulations in Media Art and Design. A personal interview is not a compulsory part of the procedure.
The following documents must be submitted completely online via our 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
- completed form detailing planned areas of specialization
- Cover letter (max. 1 A4 page; letter of motivation, incl. nomination of planned area(s) of specialisation from the Degree Programme in Media Art and Design)
- Curriculum vitae in table form (incl. contact: name, email address, postal address)
- unauthenticated copies of previous academic certificates
- 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 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 Chair of 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.
Enrolment deadline:
Successful applicants can enrol online by 30th September.
Overview: How is the Course Structured?
The standard study period for the English-language Master’s degree course in Media Art and Design (MAD) is four semesters/two years. The curriculum gives you a short overview of the course structure.
Master's examination: How to get your M.F.A.
What steps do you need to follow on the way to your Master's degree?
» Important information on deadlines and prerequisites can be found here