Study design at the University of Applied Sciences (HfG)
– shape the future, today.
- Critical
- Critical and practical-oriented: not a contradiction for us.
- Well-thought-out
- But don’t get too cerebral: thinking makes you beautiful and so so does creating.
- Holistic
- Those who only know about design, don’t know anything about it.
- Personal
- Intimate and uncrowded: small groups, first-class supervision.
- Visionary
- The past cannot be shaped – but the future can.
- Tradition-conscious
- You don’t have to reinvent the wheel on the shoulders of giants.
- Innovative
- Making the world a better place – that’s what we try to do.
- Functional
- Functionality plays a predominant role.
Studying Design
What is good design? With good design and meaningful design, we solve everyday and future problems. That’s why we’re not just about making the world a nicer place. With us, you use your talent where it benefits society and the environment. Sustainable design is the keyword.
For the HfG Schwäbisch Gmünd, design is an innovative discipline with scientific, social and technical references. It contributes to influencing cultural, technical and economic developments in a responsible and sustainable way. The university deliberately dispenses with artistic or artisanal prerequisites in the teaching of design fundamentals. In contrast, all five study programs focus on scientific knowledge and the rational justification of design decisions.
Interaction Design
Digital Product Design and Development
Communication Design
Product Design
Strategic Design
Degree programs
Internship Semester
Theory is important – practice indispensable. In the practical semester (the 5th semester) you will get into the creative working day.
You will work on projects at agencies, companies, institutions or design studios in Germany and abroad, thus broadening your horizons. The practical semester is an essential part of your university education and must be successfully completed for admission to the 6th semester. Information on internships, address lists and contact persons at suitable institutions can be obtained from the student secretariat.
Student Secretariat
Semester Abroad
Students of design need a special feeling for cultural differences. Self-organisation, foreign language skills and communication skills are crucial prerequisites for working successfully in the design industry.
During your 6th semester in the bachelor’s program you have the opportunity to spend a semester at one of our 50 partner universities worldwide. The International Office of the HfG is responsible for the coordination. There you will also receive all important information about your semester abroad.
Workshops and
seminars
An integral part of a semester at the University are various workshops and seminars for students. Every summer semester, for example, the University in Schwäbisch Gmünd transforms into an international place of study with lectures and workshops by professors and lecturers from all over the world. During the Laboratory Week in the winter semester, students can take courses and workshops such as model making, 3D printing, photography, programming and project management to figurative drawing and much more, according to their individual interests and focus.
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International Seminar Week
Every summer semester, the HfG goes international. The regular study program is suspended for one week. During this time, professors from partner universities from all over the world as well as speakers from the fields of from science, business and industry offer lectures and workshops on a general topic. English becomes the language of the university. Students are not bound to their disciplinary specializationbut instead, they can consciously choose events that are otherwise part of other courses of study. Students get new input and inspiration for their study projects. The International Seminar Week turns the university into an international and interdisciplinary field of experimentation.
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Lab Week
At the beginning of each winter semester, the Laboratory Week takes place. Similar to the international seminar week, students in all bachelor’s degree programs choose from a workshop offering a topic that interests them. The university offers courses ranging from model making, 3D printing, photography, programming and project management to representational drawing. The workshop instructors are university employees, external designers and also students with special expertise. At the end of the lab week, the students present their work in the workshop rooms. Like at an exhibition, everyone then roams through the university and looks at the work of their fellow students.
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Wednesday Seminars
Speakers from the fields of design, art and culture, science and business are invited to the Wednesday seminars to give lectures on current practical topics. Students, university members and interested guests are welcome.
Constitued student body
All enrolled students of our university form the “Constitued Student Body“. Together, we help shape everyday life at the university and organize a wide variety of events.The “Constitued Student Body “ is a public corporation with legal capacity. It is responsible for its own affairs within the framework of the legal provisions and is subject to the legal supervision of the university’s rectorate. The task of the “Constitued Student Body “ is to represent the interests of the students.
Format
A magazine of the student body – would you like to work creatively while studying? You can participate in the „Format“ with editorial contributions, photos, illustrations or also in layout design.
Living In Schwäbisch Gmünd
Gmünd is not Berlin nor is it Cologne. Could you afford a room with a roof terrace in Cologne or Berlin on the market square and only 10 minutes from the university? Schwäbisch Gmünd offers not only affordable rents, but also has a creative environment with design offices, start-ups or
co-working labs. On top of that, there’s a great landscape with sports facilities right on the doorstep.
Financing and advising
Anyone can study at the HfG because with us there are normally no tuition fees. All you have to pay is a small semester fee for administration. Our internal counseling centers as well as the Student Services Organisation Ulm offer students at the Hochschule für Gestaltung
assistance to solve personal or study-related problems.
International
Students
We appreciate your interest in studying at the University of Design Schwäbisch Gmünd. Every semester we host more than 20 exchange students from our partner institutions! Of course we also welcome applications from degree seeking students from all over the world.