Digital Media (B.A.)

The Bachelor's degree in Digital Media is designed to be flexible. The mandatory basic courses at the start of the semester are followed by advanced and in-depth courses, a Bachelor group project and a Bachelor thesis that concludes the course. The course is structured in modules – according to the framework of the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). The course includes 180 credit points (CPs), with one CP corresponding to an estimated workload of 30 hours. Students enrolled in media informatics are being taught on design components at the HfK Bremen and students enrolled in media design are being taught computer science components at the University of Bremen. 

At the HfK, a personal mentoring system ensures individual creative development and orientation in the course, which is both creatively and technologically demanding and designed for providing individual freedom, in which each teacher accompanies a small group of students throughout the entire course. 

The first and second semesters introduce the basics of media informatics, media theory and media design. Programming skills are acquired, creative exercises are carried out and a conceptual foundation for reflection on new, digital media is laid. 

The following four semesters are advanced and will further explore teaching subjects. They are characterised by projects, compulsory elective modules and the Bachelor's thesis. An individual focus is encouraged here. The semester abroad is mandatory for students majoring in media informatics and optional for students majoring in media design. It usually takes place in the fifth semester. Exchange places are available at several dozen partner universities worldwide. 

The Bachelor's thesis completes the course of study. The task of this project work is to demonstrate the ability to work independently, to apply scientific findings and methods or to use new, digital technologies in a creative and artistic way. The topics are set by the students independently or chosen from those offered by the supervisors. A more detailed module description can be found in the PDF document Bachelor Module Manual Bachelor-Modulhandbuch.

The Bachelor's programme in Digital Media is carried out in cooperation between the University of the Arts Bremen and the University of Bremen. The media design department at the HfK and the faculty for media informatics at the University of Bremen jointly cover all relevant areas of technology, science, art, design and theory, as well as new technologies. All students from both universities in the course attend teaching sessions at the HfK and the University of Bremen, some together and some separately. Anyone who applies to the HfK Bremen will study media design and will only be enrolled at the HfK. 

The study programme media design at the HfK offers aspiring designers in-depth training in the artistic and functional application of digital media. By combining experimental and artistic elements with applied studies, young designers are encouraged to think about the broader social contexts and the impact of new technologies, while their studies also equip them with the know-how to express their artistic vision. The course explores the new possibilities of communication and artistic expression created by digital media, as well as their cultural, social, historical and ethical contexts and effects. An innovative learning environment ensures that students develop into responsible designers who can apply their specialist knowledge to contribute to the development of future technologies.

The course places great emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration and promotes the development of design skills and technological expertise as well as a structured approach to design practice. The course offers a solid foundation for interdisciplinary professional practice in such diverse areas as interaction design, interface design, information design, generative design and media art. 

The Bachelor's degree at the HfK Bremen is completed with a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.). In addition to the semester projects, students can also choose from a range of additional courses. The course is supported by a personal mentoring system. Lecturers accompany small groups of students through a demanding course of study that combines design and technology with plenty of scope for individual accents.

The study programme includes the following areas of teaching that are being represented by individual teachers:

• Audio-visual media
• Experimental design of new technologies
• Electro-acoustic composition
• Basics of design
• Interactive design
• Interaction and spaces
• Interface design
• Inter-medial design
• Cultural and media history / theory
• Sound studies
• Temporal architecture
• Diverse areas in informatics and media informatics at the University of Bremen

The University of Bremen offers a degree programme in media informatics – a computer science course with a multimedia design application focus. In this programme, the focus is more on the scientific and technological fundamentals. The focus is on understanding and developing tools. In media informatics, the degree Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) is awarded. Further information is available here.