If we are not currently offering an information event, here is an overview of the most important questions. If your question is not answered, please contact Ms. Klunk.

Which internship do I need and how long does it have to be?

The internship from the BA can be credited, we will check this individually. You can complete it before enrollment or, if necessary, make up for it during your studies, for example by working with a company/institution during your thesis.
If you are already in employment, working as a student trainee or have completed two internships, there is a good chance that we will recognize this. A strategic orientation is important to us. The minimum is 15 weeks, but in our experience it makes a lot of sense to do a longer internship to gain professional experience.

I am not a designer - how should I submit my portfolio?

We want to understand how you think, what your processes and ways of solving a task are and what knowledge you bring to the table.
That's why the portfolio of non-designers shows

• Task and objective
• Ways and processes to arrive at solutions > Description of what you have learned (what skills have you acquired?) and why you needed them. An example: "Independent creation and expansion of the xyz diagram" (plus screenshot) or "Cost calculation for the xyz project" (with presentation of the Excel table)
• More graphic/visual representation of the process up to the solution (i.e. no long texts, but rather keywords and explanatory screenshots)
• Presentation of the result

Please do not try a design! Experience has shown that this goes wrong and, in the spirit of plurality, we look forward to non-designers with other skills and abilities; we can design ourselves ;-)

What size should the portfolio be?

As of April 2021, we check and review the applications on the monitor, so it makes sense to submit the pdf in landscape format. About 5 projects on about 30 slides are "normal".

I have a design portfolio and still have questions

Show us what and how you think:

• Introduce us to the assignment and the objective, how long did the project take, in which semester did you do it and what role, if any, did you play in it.
• Illustrate the thoughts, paths and processes you followed to arrive at solutions,
• Show us the design results and why you arrived at them, why you came up with this solution (but not just pretty renderings, but the way you got there)
• Check whether it is clear what the question was, what problems/potentials you found and how you solved them.
  ** The strategy you used to get to the solution is the most important thing.

What are the contents of the course?

There is a main project in each semester, which is accompanied by different module components. In other words, there is man coverage from different sides: sometimes three lecturers are involved, each contributing their subject-specific input on the topic. For example, in the workshop weeks, methods are taught that fit the project and the current status of the project.

What is the course like?

The course is methodical and process-oriented, personal and informal.
The students work together in a small interdisciplinary team - everyone contributes what they do best and learns from each other through the perspective of their respective professional backgrounds - a great synergy!

What is the difference between a Bachelor's and a Master's degree program?

In our Master's program, a semester topic is set as the main project and you tend to set the tasks yourself (in the BA it's usually the other way around: you are given a task that you have to solve).
As a group of students, you research suitable methods and approaches and find your role in the team. The professors see themselves more as a guide and coach.
Of course, you will be provided with methods and process steps, but self-organization is still required. With a Master's degree, we train managers with the perspective to find solutions independently - and to ask the right questions.

Why should I study the Master's in Innovation?

Our students have different reasons for studying.

• It is permissible to feel that you are not yet fit enough for the job market (even if this is usually a misjudgement - you are better than you think ;-)
• Designers sometimes discover during their studies that they love design, but are also interested in research, planning and the bigger picture: looking beyond design.
• You want to design on a different level, more strategically and methodically
• You can imagine taking on management positions
• You realize in your professional life that you are coming up against glass ceilings, you would like to join the company at an earlier stage in the innovation process and help make decisions
• You would like to learn strategies and methods for developing and communicating innovations in a targeted manner

How long does the program take?

The course lasts four semesters (three "regular" semesters plus one thesis semester). It is possible for designers to be placed in the 2nd semester by the aptitude assessment committee, in which case the course is shortened to three semesters.

What is the topic for the Master's thesis in design?

You can develop the topic of your Master's thesis yourself and propose it to the examination board.
Topics can be, for example

• Development of a concept for collaboration between designers and non-profit organizations
• How can digital participatory methods enrich innovation processes dynamically and qualitatively?
• Development of services and products in the agricultural sector to promote micro-entrepreneurship (using a specific project as an example)

What and where can I work after graduation?

There is no job description looking for a Strategic Innovation Designer yet. But once companies understand what you bring to the table after graduation, they will be thrilled because they couldn't even imagine that you could find everything in one person!
Broadly speaking, there are two areas:

1. innovation or product development departments in companies and
2. Design agencies that offer strategic design.
   The job advertisements go in the direction of innovation management. Our graduates work at insurance companies, energy companies or telecommunications companies, for example - at global players and SMEs.
   And they are all in jobs!