Design Entrepreneurship (MA)

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.