Course: Visual Communication.
FACTS:
Summer Semester: 1st April
Winter Semester: 1st October
6 semesters (full-time) / 3 years
Certificate: Communication Designer
425 € / month
Successful application interview, portfolio of creative projects
High School Diploma, General Certificate of Secondary Education or higher.
THE COURSE:
The Visual Communication course that the HTK – Academy of Design offers is divided into 6 semesters and lasts 3 years.
At the HTK – Academy of Design you learn all the phases of design projects: starting with generating ideas, developing concepts and then combining text and images into exciting layouts for adverts, brochures and posters, for example. You then learn the various technical requirements of the production phase of design projects in digital and print media.
For an effective and successful Visual Communication course, the Academy itself is just part of the story: we seek talented applicants who not only bring with them creative ideas and artistic skills, but also the ability to work on projects both independently and in groups, a sense of discipline, as well as an open and positive attitude.
You have access to a range of technical resources and facilities, such as photographic studios, video editing suites and, of course, Apple iMac computers with design software.
COURSE PROJECTS AND ASSIGNMENTS:
Many of the course projects are usually related to contemporary culture and themes and are often reality-based assignments from real clients, giving you the opportunity to present your ideas and designs to visiting clients - and receive their feedback directly!
An intermediate examination takes place at the end of the 3rd semester, which also defines the end of the foundation semesters. Following this examination, in the 4th and 5th semesters, you have the opportunity to select specific course options from the key areas of Visual Communication: Advertising Design, Digital Media, Editorial Design and Illustration.
CAREER DEVELOPMENT:
During the 6th semester, the emphasis moves to preparing you for your professional career as a designer: employed in a design studio, as a freelance illustrator, in-house working directly for clients or in an innovative start-up for example.
FINAL PROJECT AND EXAMINATION:
Over the last 3 months of the course, you will prepare a major design project and your portfolio of finished course projects and assignments. You will present the project and your portfolio to a board of examiners during the final examination, which takes place at the end of the 6th semester.
The board of examiners consists of professionals from the design industry, eg. creative directors from advertising agencies, designers from publishing companies, marketing or human resources executives from design companies. These external examiners, together with representatives from the Academy: directorate and course lecturers, form the board of examiners, providing a balanced and objective assement.
The grading for the final examination is based on the major design project, as well as the final portfolio of projects and assignments and the grades during the 3-year course. Following a successful final examination, you will be awarded a certificate, confirming the grades from the final examination and successful completion of the training course in Visual Communication. Furthermore, the final grade may be awarded with or without distinction, depending on the assement of board of examiners.
EXHIBITION:
Visitors to the HTK – Academy of Design are welcome to view our permament exhibitions of creative and innovative projects, showing examples of both course assignments and final design projects. These examples of advertising design, digital media, editorial design and illustration confirm the quality of training we offer, as well as the fact that so many of our alumni have begun successful careers in Visual Communication: in Germany or internationally.
EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES:
As well as using traditional teaching methods and training techniques, the HTK – Academy of Design places great emphasis on modern design technology. Right from the start of the course, you will have access to - and be shown how to use - the same hardware and software used by professional designers working in design studios, publishing companies, advertising and multimedia agencies. This helps provide you with the optimal skills, knowledge and experience to begin your career in the design industry, following the successful completion of the training course.
Not only will we teach you how to use the latest design and digital media software, we provide free access to e-mail and the internet through our Campus Wi-Fi networks, so that you can communicate, store and send data throughout the 3-year training course
