Decennial
Ten years ago, we celebrated our first graduating class of the MDes Basel, our International Master of Design UIC/HGK program. Revisiting the tradition of the Basel School of Design, this opportunity invites designers from around the world to hone their skills and further develop their approach to visual communication. With an emphasis on the design process, each project goes through countless iterations, is printed and rendered and discussed one on one, in pursuit of a relevant and meaningful solution. As we moved to our new campus in 2014, joining nine creative institutes that form the HGK (Academy of Art and Design FHNW), state-of-the-art workshops in metal, wood, and rapid prototyping have, in addition to our familiar silkscreen and bookbinding facilities, shaped how our students realize their own visual language. By providing each student with a fixed desk within a 24-hour accessible studio space, ideas can be developed and explored in a creative atmosphere. Participating in our summer workshops in practice-led research, typography, algorithmic, and poster design, each student's network and knowledge are further expanded as international designers join our four intensive one-week sessions. Our annual student trip to other cities, studios, and museums, offer first-hand experiences from which to glean new inspirations. Since our first graduating class of 2009, our alumni have been called on to teach at universities all over the world, establish their own studios and assume diverse roles in the international field of design. We look forward to continuing this tradition and welcome you to join its growing history.
The International Master of Design UIC/HGK (MDes Basel) is a collaboration of the University of Illinois, Chicago (UIC) and The Basel School of Design, Visual Communication Institute HGK FHNW. It focuses on graphic designers, visual communication designers and media designers, with a bachelor's degree and professional design experience.
Summer Workshops
MDes candidates are invited to participate in our international Summer Workshop series following their first year, an event their fellow master students from UIC also participate in. Developing a network with these students is key, as every other year the students of Basel travel to Chicago to further enrich this collaboration. Summer workshops include weekend field-trips to local design highlights within and across the German and French borders, including: Vitra Design Museum (G), the Isenheimer Alter (F) or Ronchamp (F). In Basel the Fondation Beyeler, Tinguely Museum, Museum of Fine Arts, Schaulager and the Museum of Contemporary Art are world renown.
Since 2014, we're located at a new campus in the Dreispitz areal of Basel. With the move, we join forces with our fellow institutes of the Academy of Arts HGK, expanding the shared pool of resources available to each student.
Our alumni's impact is found across the globe.
A selection of profiles since our first graduate class of 2009:
Pouya Ahmadi, Iran
Assistant Professor UIC
Mano Ahn, South Korea
Art Director, 17717
Pegah Ahmadi, Iran
Designer, Morningstar Inc
Pablo Berger, Mexico
Founder, berger + co
Emily Verba, USA
Associate Professor, DAAP
Sungwon Chang, South Korea
Senior Designer, Microsoft
Riem Ibrahim, Dubai
Assistant Professor, American University of Sharjah
Co-Founder, Mobius Design Studio
Engy Aly, Egypt
Assistant Professor, American University in Cairo
Jude Kang, South Korea
Adjunct Professor, Seoul
María Marín de Buen, Mexico
Lecturer Mexico City
Hala Al-Ani, Dubai
Assistant Professor, American University of Sharjah
Co-Founder, Mobius Design Studio
Pedro Neves, Portugal
Visiting Scholar, UIC
Sent by post or Email:
Theodore Davis
Visual Communication Institute HGK
Freilager-Platz 1
Postfach
4002 Basel
Switzerland
theodore.davis@fhnw.ch
Subject: MDes 2021 Application
The portfolio should consist of up to 20 examples, we strongly encourage process work alongside final outcomes.
Limit image sizes to 1280px, 72dpi and keep PDF file size under 10Mb. A second PDF may be uploaded if necessary. For media or interactive works, please provide screenshots and/or links for online viewing. Three letters of recommendation, requested from teachers or professional contacts, organized in Slideroom. Place additional documents listed above at the beginning of a multipage PDF, followed by your portfolio work. Do not send by E-mail, please use Slideroom.
If accepted by HGK Basel, you‘ll proceed with an online application for registration with UIC.
This requires official university transcripts (translated if necessary) and TOEFL/IELTS proficiency tests in English.
Deadline: March 29th, 2021
Notification for interviews: April 6th, 2021
Confirmation of participation: May 4th, 2021
Waiting list notification: May 11th, 2021
For additional questions, please feel free to contact us.
The International Master of Design Program UIC/HGK is a collaboration of University of Illinois at Chicago and University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland.
Brigida Brunetti, Administration
brigida.brunetti@fhnw.ch
+41 61 228 43 47
Ted Davis, Program Coordinator
theodore.davis@fhnw.ch
+41 61 228 41 24
Prof. Michael Renner, Head of Institute
michael.renner@fhnw.ch
+41 61 228 40 85
Stay informed for Fall 2022