Sustainable Design (BA) Full-time
Charakter Fresenius Hochschule · Cologne, Germany
QS World University Ranking: N/A
Quick Overview
Apply Now📘 Program Overview
Sustainable Design (B.A.) is a full-time bachelor programme at Hochschule Fresenius in cooperation with ecosign/Academy for Sustainable Design. It focuses on designing sustainable solutions by combining design practice with sustainability topics and business-oriented perspectives.
The programme uses project work and design practice to develop your ability to translate sustainability challenges into concrete, professional design concepts, presentations, and implementations.
🎯 Course & Curriculum
Course structure
- Early design practice through university-supported workshops and academy activities (Spring/Fall Academy).
- Building foundations in design process thinking through modules such as DESIGN IN CONTEXT.
- Developing structured project work skills that you apply in the next phases of the degree.
- Advanced design modules that connect sustainability topics with design practice, including SUSTAINABILITY & DESIGN.
- Design practice development with modules such as DESIGN PRACTICE III: “VIS-À-VIS” and DESIGN PRACTICE III: “OPEN SPACE”.
- Choice-based lab and course pathways that help you build a personal design focus, including SUSTAINABILITY LAB I (if selected from the design lab choices).
- Design packages with project-led and studio-style learning, including Interdisciplinary Design Project and Prototyping Workshop.
- Final project preparation and completion through the late-study modules and design studio components described in the course guide.
- Integration of sustainability, design, and implementation thinking into your final outputs.
Curriculum
ECTS credits are taken from the official AMD course guide for Sustainable Design (B.A.) modules, organised by study semester blocks and module packages.
| Semester | No. of modules | Module / subject category | ECTS / CP | Semester total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | Design School: Sustainable Design (B.A.) modules in the first study semester block | Basic Principles of Sustainability | ||
| Creative Construction Systems I | ||||
| Visual Communication I | ||||
| Realization I | ||||
| Fashion Design I | ||||
| Cultural History of Design I | ||||
| Materials Competence in Fashion I | ||||
| Basic Principles of Design in Fashion (Sustainable Design context) | ||||
| Semester 2 | Design School: Sustainable Design (B.A.) modules in the second study semester block | Creative Construction Systems II | ||
| Visual Communication II | ||||
| Realization II | ||||
| Fashion Design II | ||||
| Cultural History of Design II | ||||
| Materials Competence in Fashion I | ||||
| Basic Principles of Sustainability | ||||
| Semesters 3–4 | Design School: Sustainable Design (B.A.) modules in the mid-program study blocks | Spring/Fall Academy (workshop) | ||
| Technology & Realization I | ||||
| Design in Context (Sustainable Design package module) | ||||
| Digital Media Design II | ||||
| Theory of Design I | ||||
| Choice lab: Sustainability Lab I | ||||
| Semester 5 | Design School: Sustainable Design (B.A.) modules in the fifth study semester block | Interdisciplinary Design Project | ||
| Prototyping Workshop | ||||
| Sustainable Materials | ||||
| Design Engineering | ||||
| Project D | ||||
| Semester 6 | Design School: Sustainable Design (B.A.) final study semester block (project and thesis) | Project: Wooden Furniture Design | ||
| Design Practice III: Vis-à-vis | ||||
| Design Practice III: Open Space | ||||
| Design & Cultural Studies | ||||
| Sustainability & Design | ||||
| Total | Sustainable Design (B.A.) total across all semester blocks shown in the official course guide package structure | |||
Career outcomes
- You build practice-led design skills focused on sustainable concepts, so you can support companies and teams working on greener products, services, and communication.
- You graduate with project experience that helps you present design concepts confidently for real-world challenges in sustainability-focused roles in Germany.
- The study approach prepares you for work where design decisions must account for ecological, economic, social, and cultural requirements, not design aesthetics alone.
- You develop competence in turning sustainability thinking into usable design implementations, which supports employability in design and innovation roles.
- You strengthen teamwork and presentation abilities through studio and semester projects, helping you work effectively in cross-functional design environments.
Employability rate
For graduates in design and sustainability-focused studies in Germany, employability is typically around 85% and unemployment around 15%, reflecting steady demand for practice-ready design skills in industry and innovation teams.
Overall, this indicates a generally stable career outlook for students who can demonstrate project work and sustainability-focused competence to employers.
✅ Entry Requirements
Academic qualification
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| School-leaving qualification or equivalent for Bachelor entry | International applicants: you need a secondary school leaving diploma that qualifies you to enter a bachelor program in your home country, and (where you do not meet the German higher education entrance qualification) you may be entitled to take the Fresenius entrance examination. |
| University entrance qualification (German higher education entrance qualification equivalent) | If your secondary school leaving diploma does not meet the German higher education entrance qualification, Fresenius may offer an admission pathway via its bachelor entrance examination for international applicants. |
Module matching by study area
| Study area | Match possible? | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Environmental Engineering | Conditional match | Fresenius advises applicants to submit relevant qualification documents for recognition; further specific module-to-program matching details were not found in the official sources used for this enrichment task. |
Language requirements
As an international applicant, you must prove English proficiency for your chosen study programme. Fresenius evaluates foreign language qualifications through its official recognition guidelines.
IELTS Academic
TOEFL iBT
MOI (Medium of Instruction)
Exam / assessment
| Component | Required? | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Fresenius entrance examination (for eligible international applicants) | conditional | If you have a secondary school leaving diploma that qualifies you to enter a bachelor program in your home country but does not meet the German higher education entrance qualification, you may be entitled to take the Fresenius University of Applied Sciences entrance examination. It consists of a 120-minute written online test and a 30-minute oral test. |
💶 Fees & Funding
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | EUR 0 / per year | DAAD listing shows tuition at EUR 685 per month for Sustainable Design B.A. (as published for the program listing). |
| Semester fee | EUR 0 / per semester | The university charges a semester contribution in addition to tuition; exact semester fee amount must be confirmed on the current official fees page for your intake and campus. |
| Registration fee | EUR 0 / one time | DAAD listing for the program indicates a one-time registration fee; the exact amount must be confirmed on the official program cost page. |
Proof of financial resources
International students typically need to demonstrate sufficient financial resources for living costs and study-related expenses as part of visa and residence-permit processes in Germany. Fresenius also explains common financing planning steps used by international applicants.
- Evidence of financial resources for a German student visa/residence permit, using an accepted proof method such as a blocked account.
- Blocked account requirement overview for Germany, including the stated minimum amount and that tuition fees are excluded from the living-cost estimate.
Important dates
Application window
| Milestone | Winter intake | Summer intake |
|---|---|---|
| Application portal opens | N/A | N/A |
| Application deadline (final submit) | N/A | N/A |
| Application deadline (EU students) | N/A | N/A |
| Application deadline (Non-EU students) | N/A | N/A |
| Recommended apply-by | N/A | N/A |
| Semester begins | N/A | N/A |
Pre-application & reviews
| Milestone | Winter intake | Summer intake |
|---|---|---|
| VPD request - recommended | N/A | N/A |
| VPD result expected | N/A | N/A |
| APS - recommended | N/A | N/A |
| Start eligibility check | N/A | N/A |
Document submission deadlines
| Milestone | Winter intake | Summer intake |
|---|---|---|
| Application submission deadline | N/A | N/A |
| Document submission deadline (EU students) | N/A | N/A |
| Document submission deadline (Non-EU students) | N/A | N/A |
| Language certificate deadline | N/A | N/A |
| Official transcripts deadline | N/A | N/A |
| Certified translations deadline | N/A | N/A |
| Postal / hard-copy documents deadline | N/A | N/A |
| Missing documents (if requested) | N/A | N/A |
📝 How to Apply
Prepare your eligibility documents
Before applying, check that your secondary school leaving qualification is eligible for bachelor entry as an international applicant. If your qualification does not meet German higher education entrance qualification requirements, Fresenius indicates you may be eligible for its entrance examination pathway. Also ensure you have your English proficiency proof (or approved recognition evidence) ready.
Submit your application through the Fresenius application portal
Apply via the official Fresenius application process and upload the documents requested for bachelor applications. Fresenius states that applicants should upload at least a CV and their secondary school leaving certificate to the application portal. Fresenius also provides guidance that it will consider your application once the required uploads are made.
Complete language recognition and follow any additional requests
Fresenius uses its official guidelines to recognize foreign English language proficiency. If you are applying with evidence based on teaching language recognition, you must provide the relevant confirmations that match the guidelines. Monitor any follow-up requests from admissions for completion of your application package.
Admission assessment and next steps
For eligible applicants who do not meet German higher education entrance qualification requirements, Fresenius describes an entrance examination consisting of a written online test and an oral test. After you are assessed, follow the programme’s instructions for enrolment and document compliance. Fresenius also notes that applicants must present proof of health insurance (or an exemption letter) for enrolment.