Strategic Design
What you will learn
You develop your strategic thinking skills at the interface between innovation management, brand strategy and the management of creative processes. You will not only learn to understand social and technological innovation, but also to think about it holistically and shape it for the future.
To this end you will immerse yourself in methods and theories of corporate and brand management, design thinking, social design, transformation design, system thinking and critical thinking.
You learn user-centred research, focused synthesis and systematic idea development. You will deal with creativity techniques, business models, sustainability and intercultural communication.
Soft skills such as presentation skills and the development of your personal leadership style are specifically promoted through specially designed teaching units. The teaching of methods of scientific work creates the basis for writing a Master's thesis in the fourth semester of the programme.
YOUR CAREER PROSPECTS
Our innovative approach that pays off
More than ever before, companies, institutions and startups alike are realising that brand management and shaping a strategic brand identity are key to gaining and maintaining a competitive advantage. The demand for specialists in design and brand management, as well as, creative direction is accordingly high. Service design and experience design are also popular occupations for strategic designers and alumni of our programme.
Another professional field constantly growing in popularity for strategic designers is innovation management. Driving innovation in enterprises, institutions and startups is increasingly being led and moderated by strategically-trained designers, as they can connect creative and strategic processes. Strategic designers can be found in many strategy departments of large companies.
With an internationally recognised Master of Arts (M.A.) degree and the diploma supplement, the programme meets the EU requirements of the Socrates/ECTS programme.
BEHIND THE SCENCESStrategic Design students talk about their studies
BROCHURES
Get more information about the study programme!
Study programme brochure and more ...
REQUEST YOUR PROGRAMME BOOKLET
PROJECT
Coca-Cola Social Innovation Project
How do you motivate Coca-Cola customers to recycle packaging?
PROJECT
Workshop and communication concepts for Migrantas
The M.A. Strategic Design students conduct a workshop for Migrantas e.V. to find concepts for the communication of the initiative's projects and pictograms.
SRH STORIESGet inspired
for Unesco World Heritage Railway Tunnel
Master your field research skills
MUSIC & ARTSSELECTED | Exhibition of final projects24.02.2023
Students of the Berlin School of Design and Communication present their final projects to the public
EventONLINE INFO SESSIONHow do I apply? | Webinar01.03.2023
Meet our study advisors and learn how our application system works and which documents and proofs you need to provide. 3 pm CET
Impressions
STUDY PLAN M.A. STRATEGIC DESIGNYour curriculum
4 SEMESTER120 ECTS
1. Semester30ECTS
1. SEMESTER
- Strategic Design Introduction | Strategic Design Mindset, Methodology and Tools, Innovation Strategies, Design Thinking, Project Management and Agile/Lean Principles5
- Strategic Design Research | Human Centered/Qualitative Research, Participatory Design Strategies and Ethnography, Systems Thinking, Data Driven/Quantitative Research5
- Strategic Design Synthesis | Analysis and Synthesis Frameworks, Data Analytics, Strategic Information Design and Graphic Recording5
- Content Management | Documentation and Writing Skills, Methodology Toolbox, Individual Mentoring and Peer Evaluation5
- Theory I | Brand and Personality I, Sustainability I, Trends and Future Technologies, Media Ethics I5
- Strategic Design Profession and Best Practice I | Intercultural Communication, Alumni and Expert Talks, Guided Excursions to Strategic Design-Related Exhibition/Events5
2. Semester30ECTS
3. Semester30ECTS
4. Semester30ECTS
CAMPAIGN AGAINST HATE SPEECH
Don't Be Silent
How does it feel to be a victim of online hate speech? What can you do to fight it? The "Don't Be Silent" project takes a firm stand against online hate and helps the student team from the M.A. Strategic Design and M.A. Marketingkommunikation programmes to win first prize in the "Peer To Peer: Facebook Global Digital Challenge" with their Don't Be Silent campaign.
Learn more about "Don't Be Silent"
YOUR LECTURERSWe help you achieve your goals
STUDY PROGRAMME DIRECTORProf. Katrin AndroschinProfessor
STUDY PROGRAMME DIRECTORProf. Julia LeihenerProfessor
Prof. Dr. Benjamin SchwennProfessor
Prof. Dr. Holger ZumholzProfessor
Virginie GaillingAssistant lecturer
Kristina JahnAssistant lecturer
Katrina GüntherAssistant lecturer
Fabian GamppAssistant lecturer
Edda DietrichAssistant lecturer
Britta PosnerAssistant lecturer
Bernd RiedelAssistant lecturer
Andrea BauerAssistant lecturer
Prof. Jasper HalfmannAssistant lecturer
Joost AlleblasAssistant lecturer
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Our requirements
Convince us with your creativity and uploead the following donline application:
- Bachelor's degree in a design discipline such as design, architecture, art, photography or film - please submit your degree certificate and your transcript of records. If you do not have the degree certificate yet, you can also submit it before you start your studies.
- proof of English language proficiency
- Secondary School Certificate
- letter of motivation: What goals do you want to achieve with the Master's in Strategic Design and what is Strategic Design for you?
- curriculum vitae
- portfolio with 15 to 20 own creative works - you can upload the portfolio with your application, send it to us or bring it with you when we invite you for a personal interview.
Next steps after submitting your application:
First of all we check your application documents. If the examination is successfull, we will invite you to a personal admission interview. Here we want to find out what goals you are pursuing with the MA degree in Strategic Design. In addition, we will ask you questions specific to your course of study to get an idea of your theoretical knowledge and practical skills. If you are unable to visit us in Berlin, we will be happy to make an appointment via an online platform, such as Skype or Zoom.
Details portfolio & English requirements
FEES AND FUNDING
Your tuition fees
As a state-recognised, private university, the SRH Berlin University of Applied Sciences is financed by tuition fees. This revenue goes towards equipping our campus, providing services for our students, and quality assurance. In this way we ensure that you receive the best possible education under optimal study conditions.
Tuition fees
- citizenship | EU/EEA (incl. Switzerland, Western Balkans and Ukraine): EUR 800 / month
- citizenship | Non-EU/EEA: EUR 5400 / semester
The monthly/semester tuition fees remain the same for the entire duration of the study programme.
An additional enrolment fee of EUR 500 (EU/EEA) / EUR 900 (non-EU/EEA) is to be paid once at the start of the programme.
Learn more about financing options on our Financing Your Studies page.
APPLY NOW
Application process and deadlines
Please find the Application and Late Arrival deadlines here.
We are happy to welcome you to our university. This is our application process:
- You submit your online application via the SRH Application portal
- If you meet the admission requirements, we will invite you to a personal/phone interview
- If the interview is successful, you will receive an acceptance letter and the study contract
- You sign the study contract and send it back to us
- You pay the enrolment fee (all students) and – if you are a non-EU/non-EEA student - a EUR 3000 deposit
- You receive your letter of admission
- You take part in our Welcome Week and then you are good to go!
