No Doubt: About Decisions
Type + Concept
Where are the limits of design? Three semesters of time for your own project with a focus on typography. Workshops, excursions, teamwork: the new Master’s in Communication Design at Mainz University of Applied Sciences starts in October 2021.
»When in doubt, give it the benefit of the doubt.« – Tocotronic
We live in changeable times. But crises also always mean opportunities for new beginnings.
The master “No Doubt: About Decisions” asks about currently urgent decisions: For our society as well as for us as designers.
Many questions arise: What is our social responsibility? What are the relevant issues? And what is my creative attitude? What are my individual strengths? How far can I go and how far do we have to go to achieve change? What can I achieve as a designer? Decisions have to be made, always, also in design. But how do we create change? This includes: doubts about the familiar and the existing, experiments and setbacks, digressions and unexpected discoveries.
Together we will start a discourse in the Master’s programme about what is necessary and what is superfluous. From this, we will develop conceptually sharpened typographic master projects that – ideally – leave no doubt.
Directors of Studies:
Prof. Dr. Petra Eisele
Prof. Dr. Isabel Naegele
Prof. David Voss
What we have planned:
Through joint reflections and design experiments, we nourish the Master’s projects. The content can be a project for an NGO or an independent campaign on socially relevant topics. It can ask questions about the editorial design of tomorrow or be a free augmented reality-based installation. Or what no one has thought of yet …
The Master Communication Design is aimed both at those interested with a pronounced focus on typography or editorial design and at those who want to catch up: typographic expertise, technical backgrounds, gaining project experience, thinking about design. The Master’s programme has also proven itself as a contact exchange for successful entry into professional life.
As “visual authors”, designers take responsibility for the content, reflect social, technical and cultural contexts in their designs and organise extensive design projects in teams. The skills required for this are taught in the Communication Design Master’s programme in the context of complex design projects as well as in the development of an independent Master’s thesis.
Online information event with portfolio consultation
— 02 February, 2021, 10:00 a.m. (online)
— 17 March 2021, 5:00 p.m. (online)
— 14 April 2021, 5:00 p.m. (online)
— 11 May 2021, 5:00 p.m. (online + information on application procedure)
We will be happy to advise you on the selection of your work. We invite you to upload up to 15 selected projects in a folder bearing your name here. Don’t forget to include a text file with your name and email address. All data cannot be viewed by external parties and will be deleted immediately after our talks. Please send a parallel registration for which date you would like to come to: kd@hs-mainz.de
Dates, Dates, Dates
— 15 June 2021 Application deadline aptitude test with CV and portfolio
— 1 July 2021 and 2 July Interviews
— by 15 July 2021 online application
— 4 October 2021 start of studies
Details regarding the application process are available at hs-mainz.de.
No Doubt: About Decisions
Type + Concept
The Master’s programme in Communication Design at Mainz University of Applied Sciences trains up to sixteen Bachelor’s or Diploma graduates in the field of cross-media design practice and research. The aim is to expand design, conceptual and organisational skills.
Design in Mainz
Where Johannes Gutenberg once invented typography is now home to one of the largest design departments in Germany. In the Communication Design degree programme, the use of type is a central focus. The Master’s programme deepens detailed typographic knowledge.
Workshops
All workshops in the department are open to you for your design experiments: Photography, Interactive Workshop, Digital Printing, Screen Printing, Printmaking, Bookbinding, Computer Pools and an extensive library. Other workshops such as model making, light lab or wood workshop are also accessible.
24/7 workplace
Each student is provided with a workstation accessible 24 hours a day on a specially equipped master floor with a view over the roofs of the city of Mainz. Here you can work in a team: Printer, beamer, internet, kitchenette, etc. are provided by the university – however, you should bring your own computer.
Study and family
Mainz University of Applied Sciences has been awarded the “Family-friendly University” certificate. All students are guaranteed childcare places for children from the age of six months. For further information, please contact the Equal Opportunities Officer at Mainz University of Applied Sciences.
Career prospects
Graduates of the Master’s programme work as freelance designers or in management positions where a high degree of professional and personal competence is required. In addition to independent, entrepreneurial work, possible career fields include art direction and creative direction in education and research – in agencies, publishing houses, design offices, cultural institutions, media houses and design departments. The Master of Arts degree is also a prerequisite for doctoral studies and enables a career in higher service.
Application procedure
Applicants must have completed their studies with an overall grade of at least “good” (2.5) in a design-oriented Bachelor’s or Diplom degree programme. Application is made via a multi-stage procedure: the portfolio and aptitude test (submission of CV and portfolio followed by an oral examination) and online application. Applicants with foreign degrees must submit their transcripts via Uni-Assist.
Past Themes
2020: Deep Speed Typography
2019: stuffed birds
2018: type+code: ›bauhaus.labor‹
2017: Type+Code
2016: Blaue Zipfel
2015: Deep Typography
2014: Future Spaces
2013: Design for Participation
2012: Wie verändere ich die Welt
2011: Das Neue – Zukunft im Design
2010: Wissenschaft & Gestaltung
Directors of Studies
Master Programm 2020/2021
Prof. Johannes Bergerhausen
Prof. Dr. Petra Eisele
Prof. Florian Jenett
Prof. Philipp Pape
Directors of Studies
Master Programm 2018/2019
Prof. Dr. Petra Eisele
Prof. Florian Jenett
Prof. Dr. Isabel Naegele
Directors of Studies
Master Programm 2017/2018
Prof. Philipp Pape
Prof. Holger Reckter
Weitere Dozenten:
Prof. Tilman Baumgärtel
Prof. Florian Jenett
Directors of Studies
Master Programm 2016/2017
Prof. Monika Aichele
Dr. Karen Knoll
Prof. Nadja Mayer
Prof. Charlotte Schröner
Directors of Studies
Master Programm 2015/2016
Prof. Dipl.-Des. Johannes Bergerhausen
Prof. Dipl.-Des. Ulysses Voelker
Directors of Studies
Master Programm 2014/2015
Prof. Katja Davar / Zeichnung
Prof. Dr. Petra Eisele / Designgeschichte und -theorie
Prof. Holger Reckter / Medieninformatik
Prof. Anna-Lisa Schönecker / Informationsdesign
Prof. Bettina Tabel / Designmanagement
Directors of Studies
Master Programm 2013/2014
Prof. Dr. Petra Eisele
Prof. Dr. Isabel Naegele
Prof. Philipp Pape
Prof. Holger Reckter
Directors of Studies
Master Programm 2012/2013
Prof. Johannes Bergerhausen
Prof. Stefan Enders
Taner Ercan
Prof. Sylvie Pagé
Prof. Matthias Riedel
Prof. Charlotte Schröner
Prof. Bettina Tabel
Directors of Studies
Master Programm 2011/2012
Prof. Kirstin Arndt – Freies Gestalten
Prof. Dr. Petra Eisele – Designgeschichte, Designtheorie und Medientheorie
Prof. Anna-Lisa Schönecker – Informationsdesign und Interaktives Design
Prof. Dr. Katrin Simons – Kunst und Kulturgeschichte
Prof. Robert Paulmann – Corporate Identity
Prof. Ulysses Voelker – Typografie und Editorial Design
Directors of Studies
Master Programm 2010/2011
Prof. Johannes Bergerhausen
Prof. Dr. Petra Eisele
Prof. Dr. Isabel Naegele
Prof. Philipp Pape
Contact:
For all questions concerning admission requirements:
Mainz University of Applied Sciences
Study Office
Tel: +49 (0) 6131-628-7386
studierendenbuero@hs-mainz.de
For information and advice on the content of the Master’s programme, please contact:
Design Department
Holzstraße 36
55116 Mainz
Tel +49 (0) 6131-628-2211
kd@hs-mainz.de
www.hs-mainz.de