Graphic Design, Media Concept Design

The application period for Master’s Degree Programmes has ended 15 Feb 2012. Next application period will start at the beginning of 2013.

Would you like to develop and deepen your skills as a graphic designer? The Master's degree programme will equip you with a broad competence for planning and management tasks in the field.

In the Master's degree studies, you will get to implement demanding design concepts that require aesthetic and technical design skills and methodological competence in artistic and scientific research. You will develop a responsible view of the effects of visual communication and have an opportunity to deepen and broaden your competences.

Studying in the Master's degree programme
The two-year Master's degree programme helps you create contacts with companies and the surrounding society through project work. Foreign lecturers and students and possible study periods spent abroad give the Master's degree programme an international dimension.

The content and schedule of both specialisation areas of the Master's degree programme have been planned so that students can complete the studies in two years. All studies included in the study plan support the Master's thesis that can also be done as a commission for a company in the field. The personal study plan builds on the students own interests and special skills. It provides the student with an opportunity to complete minor subject studies in the other schools of the Aalto University.

Media Concept Design area of specialisation

In the specialisation area Media Concept Design students gain experience in magazine design and implementation for different platforms and are trained in visual design tasks in the field of media. Key design skills include understanding usability and audiences and being familiar with multiprofessional work processes. The studies include a demanding project on magazines and new publishing platforms. The project is carried out in cooperation with media companies and the Aalto University's students of economics and technology. Teaching involves close contacts with the multidisciplinary Media Concepts research group that also supports student theses.

Working as a graphic designer
A graphic designer has a responsible vision about the effects of visual communication from the view point of sustainable development and understands the opportunities that new forms of technology offer.

The studies will provide students with the ability to work in various tasks in the field, for example as graphic designers, visual designers in marketing and electronic communications, illustrators and designers for magazine and book layouts. In the media sector, the focus of graphic design is often on creating new media concepts. The outcome of the work of a graphic designer or a multidisciplinary design team is usually published in mass media or more targeted media, but the outcome of the process may also be an immaterial concept, a service, a corporate image or a brand.

The Master's degree programme provides extensive working life skills needed in planning and management tasks in the field, including concept design and an art director's tasks. In addition, the Master of Arts degree enables students to continue research in the field and to apply for doctoral studies in art.

Evaluation principles in student admission
In the admission process, applicants are evaluated in terms of artistic talent, motivation and development potential. In addition, students are required methodological abilities for conducting artistic and scientific research, a preliminary study plan and a proposal for a thesis subject.

Selection Process 2012

     

Portfolio
Include a paper portfolio in your application. The portfolio should present your skills and competences and your possible area of specialisation within graphic design from a broad perspective. The maximum size of the portfolio is A2 (420 x 594 mm).

Also see general portfolio instructions.

Motivation letter
The letter should comprise two parts: In one part, please present the reasons why you want to study in the specialisation area Media Concept Design; in the other, please describe your study plan based on the Study Guide (into.aalto.fi). The motivation letter replaces the study plan.

Essay
Write an essay (maximum length 5,000 characters) on the following topic: Visuality of the media.

Required Application Documents
See Required Application Documents.

How to Apply
Read the application instructions carefully: How to Apply.