Communication Design

Editorial. Typography. Identity.

We design with attitude – aesthetically, experimentally and holistically. Our work combines creative design with sustainable and strategic design approaches.
The focus is on corporate identity and information visualisation – from the initial idea to immersive brand experiences.

Web. Social media. Campaigning.

You will learn to combine analogue and digital media conceptually and creatively – from micro to macro typography. There is a special focus on content production (photography, illustration, artificial intelligence) as well as strategies in campaigning and advertising.

Hands-on. Design studios. Design lectures.

The programme offers space for intensive, experimental engagement with current design issues. Research-based projects take you from conception to implementation – accompanied by individual supervision and your own research topics.
Inspiration from expert lectures on topics such as emotional design, animation and interactive information systems enriches everyday life and encourages active participation in shaping the digital transformation.

The Communication Design study track offers you the opportunity to deepen your design expertise and collaborate on interdisciplinary projects with students from Communication and Exhibition Design as well as Interaction, Media and Sound Design. This results in creative and research-oriented projects that combine visual communication, spatial design and digital media in innovative ways.
In the fourth semester, you will complete your Master’s thesis, including your own design piece – flexibly, independently of location and with a practical focus. This allows you to develop an individual portfolio project that showcases your personal creative style and strengthens your career opportunities.

Graduates work in leading positions as art directors, creative directors, content creators, UX/UI designers or advertising managers – in design and advertising agencies, social media studios, corporate PR departments or as freelance designers in analogue and digital fields.

Whether branding, editorial design, motion design or visual strategy – in the Communication Design study track, you will develop a deep understanding of the future of design and learn to implement creative processes independently and in a research-based manner.

Study mode

The Master’s course in Communication Design is organised to fit in with part-time work commitments with lessons taking place between Tuesday and Friday. The average required attendance during the first three semesters is 19 hours per week. It is therefore possible to combine your studies with a part-time job. The fourth semester is dedicated to writing the Master’s thesis.
During the semester, classes take place from 9:00 to 18:30 from Tuesday to Friday. E-learning sessions are not available.

Self-study

The workload is based on the following ECTS credits: each semester, students are credited with 30 ECTS points for a workload of approx. 750 hours. Around 20 units of attendance are deducted from this during the first three semesters and the supervision of the Master’s thesis in the fourth semester. This results in a workload of approx. 520 hours during the first three semesters, or 34 hours per week. The Master’s thesis should correspond to a workload of 750 to 800 hours.

Attendance

There is compulsory attendance in all courses of FH JOANNEUM. You may be excused if you present a doctor’s certificate to show that you were ill. Students require a minimum 80% attendance level. If you miss more than 20%, you will fail the course and won’t be able to sit the first examination. The head of degree programme has the final decision about the consequences of absence as well as exceptions to compulsory attendance. We try to accommodate any extra-curricular design-related activities our students may wish to pursue.