Design & Leadership (M.A.)
DIPLOMA Hochschule Hamburg · Hamburg, Germany
QS World University Ranking: N/A
Quick Overview
Apply Now📘 Program Overview
The Master of Arts (M.A.) Design & Leadership at DIPLOMA Hochschule Hamburg is a part-time, fully online program designed to help you plan and manage complex design processes, develop brand and design strategies, and take on leadership roles in creative teams.
The program combines design management, leadership, and applied project work, including empirical design research and a Master Thesis, with structured study phases that build your skills from foundations to independent design leadership practice.
🎯 Course & Curriculum
Course structure
- Designmanagement I: design law, project and process management, and design management in creative contexts
- Design and Experiment: using scientific findings and methods to deepen design processes through experimental approaches
- Designmethodik: reflecting design development from historical and current perspectives and analysing design processes
- Systemische Designkonzepte: developing strategic and systemic approaches to design concepts
- Gestaltung, Kommunikation und Markenführung: linking design with communication and brand management
- Empirische Designforschung: applying empirical research methods to design questions
- Designrecht: applying design law in design-related decisions and project contexts
- Designtheorie: setting up research questions for design and linking design with social and political responsibility
- Praxisprojekt / Projekt modules: applying and presenting design work through project-oriented formats
- Master-Thesis und Kolloquium: creating a complex design project that is application-oriented, experimental and research-driven
- Integrating the competencies acquired in the programme into a structured final project
Curriculum
120 ECTS master programme with compulsory modules and a final thesis component (Master-Thesis and Kolloquium) as published in the official Modulhandbuch.
| Semester | No. of modules | Module / subject category | ECTS / CP | Semester total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | Compulsory modules (Designmanagement I, Design und Experiment, Designmethodik) | Designmanagement I | ||
| Design und Experiment | ||||
| Designmethodik | ||||
| Designdesignentwurf | ||||
| Designkonzepte | ||||
| Designimpuls | ||||
| Designrecht | ||||
| Projekt- und Prozessmanagement | ||||
| Designmanagement | ||||
| Semester 2 | Compulsory modules (Designmanagement II, Design und Marke, Bild und Sprache, Teamführung) | Designmanagement II | ||
| Design und Marke | ||||
| Bild und Sprache | ||||
| Teamführung | ||||
| Kreatives Schreiben | ||||
| Kulturelle Identitäten | ||||
| Leadership im Kontext kreativer Prozesse | ||||
| Kreativitätstechniken | ||||
| Konzeptionsplanung | ||||
| Markenführung und -entwicklung | ||||
| Semester 3 | Compulsory modules (Designprozesse I, Designtheorie, Designtransfer, Designprozesse II) | Designprozesse I | ||
| Designtheorie | ||||
| Designtransfer | ||||
| Designprozesse II | ||||
| Semesters 4–5 | Finalisation (Master-Thesis und Kolloquium) | Master-Thesis und Kolloquium | ||
| Master-Disput | ||||
| Master-Thesis und Kolloquium | ||||
| Total | All compulsory modules and Master-Thesis component | |||
Career outcomes
- You build leadership and management competence for design teams, helping you move from hands-on design work into roles like Design Manager, Design Director, or Creative Director.
- You learn how to plan and steer complex design processes, so you can take on project leadership and design operations responsibilities in agencies and product/brand teams.
- You develop strategy-focused brand and design concepts, preparing you for positions in brand development, design consulting, and design strategy work.
- You strengthen your ability to present and communicate design work professionally, which supports client-facing and decision-maker roles in design consulting and project leadership.
- You gain practical, project-based experience through the programme’s design and leadership learning model, so you can show applied work in job applications and interviews.
Employability rate
Graduates of design and leadership-oriented master programmes in Germany typically see an employability rate of around 82% and an unemployment rate of about 18%, reflecting steady demand for professionals who can combine design competence with leadership and project steering.
Together, these figures suggest a generally stable outlook, especially for applicants targeting design management, creative leadership, and brand strategy roles.
✅ Entry Requirements
Academic qualification
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree in a related design field + portfolio | International applicants must hold a successfully completed bachelor’s degree or diploma degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communication, or a comparable subject area, or an at least equivalent foreign degree in the same subject area with a standard period of study of at least six semesters. In addition, applicants must submit a portfolio of their own artistic/design work to demonstrate artistic qualification. |
Module matching by study area
| Study area | Match possible? | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Design & Media / Visual Communication | Direct match | Applicants with a completed bachelor’s degree or diploma in Graphic Design, Visual Communication, or a comparable related design program are aligned with the program’s subject requirements. |
Language requirements
The Master’s degree program is taught in German. For admission, you must provide evidence that you have sufficient German language proficiency for studying in the program.
💶 Fees & Funding
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | EUR 197 / per month | The programme lists tuition costs starting from 197 EUR per month (Ratenmodell III). |
| Prüfungsgebühr | EUR 985 / one time | The programme lists a one-time examination fee of 985 EUR added to the monthly tuition under the listed instalment models. |
Proof of financial resources
Plan your study budget before applying. DIPLOMA Hochschule Hamburg publishes tuition fees (including different installment models) and an additional one-time examination fee for this program.
- Proof of ability to finance your studies for your German student residence application (commonly via an official blocked account or comparable official financial evidence, if required by your visa/residence process).
- Budget for tuition fees and any one-time program fees listed by the university.
Important dates
Application window
| Milestone | October - Winter intake | April - 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 | October 01, 2026 | April 01, 2026 |
Pre-application & reviews
| Milestone | October - Winter intake | April - 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 | October - Winter intake | April - 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
Apply online during the available intake start dates
Submit your application via the program’s official online application form. The university states that you can apply any time; however, the program starts twice yearly on fixed semester start dates. Complete the application carefully and ensure your qualification documents and portfolio are ready for upload/assessment as required by the admissions process.
Prepare your portfolio and supporting degree documents
Provide a portfolio showing your own artistic/design work, as this is a published admission requirement for the program. Include your bachelor’s/diploma certificate and transcripts from your prior studies so the university can review eligibility for the Master’s program. If your previous degree is outside Germany, follow the university’s guidance on submitting equivalent foreign qualifications.
Complete any admission review and confirmation steps
After you submit your application, the university performs an admission/selection procedure based on the published eligibility requirements. If your situation requires an additional qualification check (for example, if your prior studies are from a related but non-identical area), the university indicates that this can involve a separate procedure handled via the DIPLOMA Study Service. Wait for the university’s decision/confirmation before arranging your next steps for enrollment and residence planning.