Shaping Tomorrow Today
Are you interested in developing products, services, or systems in an international and interdisciplinary context? Do you want to create business and marketing strategies to bring these innovations to the global marketplace?
If so, the Master of Arts program in Design Entrepreneurship is the right choice for you! This is a three-semester program taught entirely in English.
Design Entrepreneurship equips young designers with the skills needed to navigate the complexities of modern product and system development at the international level and transform innovative ideas into real business opportunities.
Design Entrepreneurship students learn how to develop products, systems and services within an intercultural and interdisciplinary context, how to prototype, prepare and implement these into production, and how to generate informed business strategies to bring these goods to the international marketplace. They engage in project-based collaborative work, develop real design projects that have the potential to be transferred into a business, and have the opportunity to study abroad at design departments of international universities.
News
The M.A. Design Entrepreneurship will start in September 2025 (subject to accreditation). The call for applications will open this winter so please check back regularly for updates.
The degree program at a glance
- Degree
Master of Arts (M.A.)
- Program type
Full-time
- Start of studies
Winter semester (September)
-
Language of instruction
English
- Standard period of study
3 semesters
- Credit points
90 ECTS credits
- Admission restriction
None
- Location
Osnabrück – Westerberg Campus
- Special features
Applied project work and optional semester abroad
Further Information
At Osnabrück, project-based learning is seen as an essential aspect of design education. Design Entrepreneurship students will work on the development and implementation a main design project throughout their studies (in addition to recuring collaborative project work), which should be fully developed, ready for production and connected to a marketing and business strategy by the end of their studies.
The interdisciplinary nature of product and system development plays a central role in the program. Design is viewed as an integral, though not exclusive, component of system and product development. Perspectives and insights from outside the core discipline—such as social, cultural, technological, economic, and ecological factors—are integrated into the curriculum in an interdisciplinary manner. Lecturers from the fields of design, engineering, computer science, business management, and start-up consultancy contribute to the teaching of the degree program.
Additionally, the program offers an area of electives that can be used to further develop interdisciplinary knowledge and skills, enhancing the designer's profile.
The master's program is designed for both German and international students who hold a first degree in design (e. g., industrial design, interaction design, product design) or in related disciplines that incorporate design methodologies, such as information technology, computer science, or mechanical engineering. Applicants must demonstrate English language proficiency at a minimum level of B2 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
A central skill increasingly required of designers is the ability to engage in intercultural communication and cooperation on an international level, alongside the ability to respect and navigate diverse cultural traditions. For design education, this necessitates training students in intercultural and communicative competencies within an internationally oriented and networked program.
The Design Entrepreneurship program is structured to equip students with the ability to undertake real project work within intercultural and interdisciplinary teams, while also offering the opportunity to experience different cultures firsthand through a semester of study abroad.
Students in the Design Entrepreneurship program can choose to spend their second semester abroad at one of our partner universities. This allows them to specialize in their design methodology (e.g., service design, industrial design, integrated design) while experiencing new cultural environments.
Incoming exchange students can develop their skills in interdisciplinary and intercultural project work within a program totaling 30 ECTS. Design project courses focus on the development of products, systems, or services and their implementation in production (15 ECTS). Additionally, a business administration course provides students with the foundational knowledge to run their own business (5 ECTS), and an area of electives allows students to expand their individual knowledge and skill profiles in areas of their choice.
Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences is once again one of the most popular universities in Germany and once again the most popular among colleges and universities in Lower Saxony. As in 2023, it was named “Top University 2024” by the university evaluation portal StudyCheck.
Students and graduates can rate their university and their studies on StudyCheck, they can write individual experience reports as well as rate various categories using stars.
96 percent of students recommended studying at Osnabrück UAS to others. In the ranking of colleges and universities in Lower Saxony, Osnabrück UAS is in first place, ahead of G?ttingen University and Osnabrück University in the following places. In the nationwide ranking of all universities of applied sciences (HAW and FH), Osnabrück UAS is in tenth place.
To the university ranking: www.studycheck.de/hochschulranking (in German)
Contacts
Would you like to talk to someone about the Design Entrepreneurship study program, ask specific questions or simply find out more? Then we look forward to hearing from you via one of the following contact options.