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Deutsch Who is the Bachelor Illustration at SRH University suitable for?
The Bachelor degree programme in Illustration in Berlin is aimed at creative individuals who want to professionalise their drawing talent and apply it in various media and contexts. If you want to tell visual stories, enjoy designing, and are interested in both analogue and digital illustration methods, you will find the right course here. The target group especially includes school graduates with a general university entrance qualification, those with subject-specific higher education entrance qualifications, or professionally qualified persons who are enthusiastic about illustration, visual communication, design, or media. Career changers from related fields such as graphic design, fine arts, or media design can also benefit from the practice-oriented approach of the course.
Admission requirements for the Bachelor Illustration
- General university entrance qualification (Abitur) or advanced technical college entrance qualification: Corresponds to the classic access to university studies in Germany.
- Professional qualification: A relevant professional qualification can also enable access. Professionally qualified applicants with at least two years of vocational training and a minimum of three years of relevant professional experience may be admitted via an aptitude test.
- Creative portfolio: A portfolio with about 20 original creative works is used to assess your design skills and suitability for the course.
- Curriculum vitae with a recent passport photo.
- Copy of ID: For German nationals, a copy of the identity card; for international applicants, passport or National Identity Card.
- Selection interview: After submitting your documents, you will be invited to an interview.
- For international applicants, language proofs in German or English may be required, depending on the chosen language of instruction.
The course has no NC, i.e. no numerus clausus. A preliminary internship is not compulsory. Further details can be found in the official information material of the university.
Personal requirements
- You are creative and enjoy drawing, designing, and experimenting with different techniques (analogue and digital).
- You have an interest in communication through images and want to learn how to convey content visually.
- You are characterised by initiative and openness to artistic challenges.
- You are willing to work independently on projects, take criticism constructively, and further develop your design skills.
- Good powers of observation and the ability to implement ideas clearly and individually will help you in your studies.
- Illustrators also benefit from perseverance and an interest in familiarising themselves with new software and methods.
What content can you expect in the Bachelor of Illustration?
In the Bachelor's degree programme in Illustration at SRH University in Berlin, you will develop both your creative handwriting and professional illustration skills. The curriculum is practice-oriented and combines classical drawing skills with modern technologies. The central teaching contents include:
- Design basics and illustration foundations: Developing design skills and creating your own drawing style
- Storytelling, research, and conception: Developing image ideas and using narrative devices for visual communication
- Working with analog techniques such as screen printing, risography, and etching
- Use of digital tools, including common software for illustration, typography, and editorial design
- Subject-specific modules such as Character Design, Concept Art, Animation, Narrative Illustration, and editorial illustration
- Transferring illustrations into three-dimensional space and interacting with the environment
- Practical work in the media lab, a mandatory internship in Germany or abroad, and a freely selectable illustration project
- Artistic research and academic colloquium as a link between theory and practice
- Additional elective modules for individual emphasis
Working with real clients and regular visits to illustration and animation studios complement the practical training. In either German or English language variants, you will learn to use images as a versatile central communication medium and create innovative illustration solutions.
How is the study structured and organized?
The Bachelor's degree programme in Illustration at SRH University spans over seven semesters in full-time and is designed as an on-campus study programme in Berlin. The structured training phase comprises 210 ECTS points and is characterized by the following elements:
- Starting the programme is possible on the 1st of April and 1st of October each year
- The modules combine theory and practical phases, including project work, media labs, and an external internship
- A fixed portion of elective courses for individual profile building
- The programme can be completed entirely in German or English, depending on the chosen track. In case of cohort consolidation, many events are offered in English, but written work can still be in German.
- The practice-oriented CORE principle ensures self-responsible, action-oriented learning with direct practical relevance
- The final phase includes an extensive free illustration project, as well as a bachelor's thesis and colloquium
Regular contact with instructors and engagement with practical partners facilitate a seamless transition between studies and professional life. The flexible module structure enables targeted specializations and the acquisition of current methods.
What career opportunities do you have with this degree?
With a Bachelor of Arts in Illustration, you qualify for a variety of creative and conceptual activities. The programme systematically prepares you for the following fields of work:
- Self-employed or employed illustrators for print and digital media, book publishers, advertising agencies, as well as film and television studios
- Participation in the areas of Character Design, Concept Art, Animation, and Visual Development for video games, animated films, and interactive applications
- Editorial illustration, Editorial Design, magazine and newspaper illustration
- Designing non-fiction books, children's books, and graphic novels in publishing
- Consulting, conception, and coordination in the media or cultural sector, e.g. for scientific institutions and museums
- Further activities in 3D visualization, special effects, and animation for TV and online formats
The degree is internationally recognized and serves as the basis for further Master's programmes in art, design, and media management.
What are the costs and what financing options are available?
For the Bachelor's degree in Illustration at SRH University Berlin, the following tuition fees apply:
- EU/EWR, Swiss, Western Balkans, and Ukraine nationals: €750 per month, totaling €31,500 over the course of study (7 semesters)
- Non-EU/EWR nationals: €4,950 per semester
- One-time registration fee: €750 (EU/EWR), €1,000 (Non-EU/EWR)
The monthly or semester fee remains constant throughout the entire duration of the study. Various options are available for financing your studies:
- Educational loans and study loans, from banks or KfW
- Scholarship programs, such as those from talent promotion foundations or the university itself
- Support from employers or funding according to the Federal Training Assistance Act (BAföG)
- Possibility of tax deduction as educational expenses
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