Kommunikationsdesign
HAW Hamburg · Hamburg, Germany
QS World University Ranking: N/A
Quick Overview
Apply Now📘 Program Overview
Communications Design (Kommunikationsdesign) at HAW Hamburg is a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree course that prepares you for a career as a communication designer. You develop creative concepts and work at the interfaces of design, technology and communication across print and digital media.
The programme builds a broad foundation in areas such as brand, editorial and interaction design, typography, time-based media, photography and typeface design. You learn to design visual information systems, create advertising and communication solutions, and present work through projects and practical studio work.
🎯 Course & Curriculum
Course structure
- You build core communication design skills through introductory design work and theory-oriented coursework.
- You develop fundamentals in concept development and visual communication applied to design briefs.
- You practice presentation and design iteration based on feedback in studio-style settings.
- You deepen your design expertise across communication design topics and applied projects.
- You work on assignments that combine creative design thinking with practical implementation.
- You prepare for higher-level modules by strengthening project work, research, and development processes.
- You complete advanced coursework and project-oriented study designed for professional readiness.
- You focus on independent work and consolidated portfolio development aligned with your design direction.
- You complete the bachelor requirements for the degree.
Curriculum
Bachelor Kommunikationsdesign: credit points (CP) per module and study progress are shown in the official Modulhandbuch for the Bachelor design programmes at HAW Hamburg. Total is listed as 210 CP across the degree (7 semesters).
| Semester | No. of modules | Module / subject category | ECTS | Semester total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | Basisjahr (Teil 1) | Basisprojekt 1 | 5 | 30 |
| Basisprojekt 2 | 5 | |||
| Basisprojekt 3 | 5 | |||
| Labor-Basiskurs 1 | 1 | |||
| Aktuelle Positionen in Kunst und Theorie | 5 | |||
| Künstlerische Grundlagen 1 Malerei | 5 | |||
| Künstlerische Grundlagen 1 Zeichnen | 5 | |||
| Theoretische Grundlagen 1 Kunst- und Designgeschichte 1 | 4 | |||
| Semester 2 | Basisjahr (Teil 2) | Basisprojekt 4 | 5 | 30 |
| Basisprojekt 5 | 5 | |||
| Basisprojekt 6 | 5 | |||
| Basisprojekt 7 | 5 | |||
| Labor-Basiskurs 2 | 1 | |||
| Künstlerische Grundlagen 2 Dreidimensionales Gestalten | 5 | |||
| Künstlerische Grundlagen 2 Zeitbasierte Medien | 5 | |||
| Theoretische Grundlagen 2 Kunst- und Designgeschichte 2 | 4 | |||
| Semester 3 | Übergang zum Hauptstudium | Designprojekt 1 | 11 | 30 |
| Labore Kommunikationsdesign (Labor M) | 4 | |||
| Kunstkurs 1 | 5 | |||
| Theoriekurs 1 | 4 | |||
| Werkschau Kommunikationsdesign 1 (Ringvorlesung Stilvorlagen) | 1 | |||
| Labor-Basiskurs 3 (optional in the example study plan) | 0 | |||
| Semester 4 | Praxissemester und Begleitungen | Praxissemester | 0 | 40 |
| Fachbezogene Begleitung (KGP) | 4 | |||
| Übergreifende Begleitung (SemU) | 36 | |||
| Semester 5 | Hauptstudium (Vertiefung) | Designprojekt 2 | 11 | 47,7 |
| Labore Kommunikationsdesign (Labor S) | 2 | |||
| Labore Kommunikationsdesign (Labor L) | 6 | |||
| Kunstkurs 2 | 5 | |||
| Theoriekurs 2 | 4 | |||
| Theoriereihe und Studienarbeit (Theoriereihe) | 16,7 | |||
| [Studienarbeit] | 2 | |||
| Semester 6 | Hauptstudium (weitere Vertiefung) | Designprojekt 3 | 11 | 44,7 |
| Labore Kommunikationsdesign (Labor S) | 2 | |||
| Designprojekt 4 | 11 | |||
| Labore Kommunikationsdesign (Labor S) | 2 | |||
| Werkschau Kommunikationsdesign 2 (Ringvorlesung Stilvorlagen) | 1 | |||
| Wissenschaftliche Methoden | 16,7 | |||
| Semester 7 | Abschlussmodul und Bachelorarbeit | Abschlussmodul Kommunikationsdesign (Praktisches Bachelorprojekt) | 14 | 40 |
| [Schriftliche Bachelorarbeit] | 6 | |||
| Werkschau Kommunikationsdesign 2 (MP/PL in the study plan) | 20 | |||
| Weitere in the example study plan (practice-related components) | 0 | |||
| Total | Total across the degree as shown in the Modulhandbuch (Bachelor Kommunikationsdesign example study plan) | 210 CP | ||
Career outcomes
- You gain job-ready communication design skills through studio and project-based learning that prepares you for real client-style tasks.
- You develop a portfolio you can use to approach employers and design studios working in branding, digital design, and visual communication roles.
- You graduate with applied design practice that supports roles such as communication designer, visual designer, branding designer, and content/visual specialist.
- You build professional workflows that help you collaborate in design teams and present concepts clearly to stakeholders.
- Because the bachelor programme spans multiple study phases, you can progressively specialise your interests and strengthen the parts of your portfolio you want to market.
Employability rate
Graduates of communication and design programmes in Germany typically see an employability rate of around 82% and an unemployment rate of about 18%, reflecting ongoing but competitive hiring for entry-level design roles.
Together, these figures point to a stable outlook if you graduate with a strong portfolio and project experience that matches employer needs.
✅ Entry Requirements
Academic qualification
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Foreign higher education entrance qualification | International applicants need an academic school-leaving qualification that entitles them to enter higher education in their country and is comparable to the German Abitur or Fachhochschulreife. For applicants educated outside Germany, the university checks this comparability through the credential review process described for international applicants. |
| Test of artistic aptitude | For this degree programme, you must take a test of artistic aptitude as part of the admission procedure for the Design Faculty. Your admission for the degree place follows after you successfully complete the aptitude test process. |
Language requirements
The programme is taught in German, so international applicants need proof of German language skills to be able to study at HAW Hamburg. If your mother tongue is not German and you cannot show a previous degree taught in German, you must provide proof at level C1 (for example, a TestDaF certificate).
MOI (Medium of Instruction)
MOI waiver details are not published for this programme. See the English test requirements above.
Exam / assessment
| Component | Required? | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Artistic aptitude test | required | You must pass the Faculty of Design artistic aptitude test for Bachelor programmes including Kommunikationsdesign. The aptitude test includes the portfolio (Mappe) and a second part (Teil 2). |
💶 Fees & Funding
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Semester fee | EUR 379 / per semester | HAW Hamburg semester contribution including Studierendenwerk, Students' Union (AStA), semester ticket and an administrative fee. |
Proof of financial resources
For most students at HAW Hamburg, there are no tuition fees, but you must pay the semester contribution. In addition, you must be able to cover your living costs and proof of funds for your German residence permit process (financial proof guidance is provided by official German authorities and embassies).
- Blocked account and other proof-of-funds amounts are published by the German immigration/residence permit guidance for students (for your specific case and duration).
- Plan for the semester contribution payment when you are enrolled, in addition to living expenses.
Important dates
Application window
| Milestone | October - Winter intake | April - Summer intake |
|---|---|---|
| Application portal opens | N/A | N/A |
| Application deadline (final submit) | July 15, 2026 | January 15, 2026 |
| 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
Prepare your international eligibility documents
Before starting your application, confirm that you meet the international entry requirements for studying in Germany and at HAW Hamburg. For foreign qualifications, the comparability check is handled through the credential review step described for international applicants. Start early because the credential review process can take several weeks, and you also need time to prepare your portfolio for the aptitude test.
Register and upload your portfolio for the aptitude test
For Kommunikationsdesign, the aptitude test is run through the Faculty of Design application portal. Register in the period for the next aptitude-test cycle and upload the portfolio (Mappe) with 20 to 30 self-made works. The portfolio upload and the second part of the aptitude test are completed digitally through the same process.
Complete the aptitude test and wait for results
After the first part of the aptitude test (portfolio review), successful applicants receive an invitation to the second part (Teil 2). The portal provides the published dates for the aptitude test phases and the results announcements by email. Make sure your contact details are correct in the portal so you receive the results and any instructions for Teil 2.
Apply for the degree place during the official myHAW application period
After you successfully complete the aptitude test, you can apply for the degree place during the official myHAW application period. HAW Hamburg’s general guidance confirms that the online application is only possible within the published application deadlines. International applicants apply online using the same central portal after the aptitude-test result allows you to proceed to the degree-place application stage.