Elastique.: Virtual Production Cave MixedReality. BehindTheScenes. Photo: Manuel Nagel
Elastique.: Virtual Production Cave MixedReality. BehindTheScenes. Photo: Manuel Nagel

Best of both worlds

The dual degree programme in media design cooperates with more than 500 design and creative companies throughout Germany. As “dual partners”, they work together with the DHBW to qualify young designers at university level and with maximum practical relevance. Our combination of artistic and creative exploration and practical project design skills is unique in Germany and provides a profile extremely sought after in today’s creative industry.

Up to date & individual

First-class design training, tailored to contemporary requirements of the media industry, in theory and practice: our dual partners appreciate this combination and secure the best minds of tomorrow with our study concept.

State-of-the-art content – Our dual partners are involved in the orientation and contextualization of our academic programme. Experienced agency CEOs and CCOs, creative directors and international experts as external lecturers establish a close connection to professional design practice. This combination makes our study model one of the most successful creative study programmes in Germany.

Meet & Match – As university partners, the companies select their students themselves. This ensures that the respective study places are given to the most suitable candidates. An average dropout rate of less than ten percent at the DHBW – a unique top value in the German higher education landscape – clearly shows how well this approach works.

(Images: ©️ elastique.de)

MeireMeire/Elastique.: Dornbracht Hyper-Fountain
MeireMeire/Elastique.: Dornbracht Hyper-Fountain
Loftoffice by Elastique.

Our experience

Today, pro-active recruitment of young talent plays an increasingly important role in the creative industries. For many of our partners, offering a cooperative design degree programme based on the dual model is therefore an important building block for finding, developing and sustainably integrating young talent.

Advantages for your company

Eight good reasons for a study partnership with the DHBW’s Media Design programme.

Young talent in-house

When looking for suitable personnel for your company, during the three years of study you can not only get an impression of the creative performance, but also of the overall personality of your student(s).

High motivation

People who take on a DHBW degree programme are usually more committed and motivated than average, have their goal clearly in mind and are hungry for new challenges and opportunities to apply what they have learned.

Excellent level

The Media Design degree programme is considered one of the most creative talent hotbeds in Germany. As a company, you benefit from our know-how in teaching creative, technical and economic content, methods and backgrounds. In the practical phases, our students take on responsibility at an early stage and can directly apply the knowledge they have acquired in the theoretical phases. Companies also benefit from the mutual exchange with the university and the specialised event formats of the study programme.

No training period

Within their study and training period, students are integrated into company-specific work processes and customer structures. He/she knows the business “from the ground up” and can therefore take on responsible tasks earlier. The practice shock does not happen!

War for talents

It’s up to you: By selecting your student from the large number of prospective students, you as a company take responsibility for the promotion and development of design talent. In this way, you also document to your customers that you are making your contribution to the development of our society.

Promote career

You can pave the way to a university degree for junior staff. By building a career springboard, you create a bond between young people and your company. Many graduates therefore remain with their partner companies after their studies.

International orientation

We promote the international competence of our students. These have the opportunity to spend a theory semester abroad to gain intercultural experience. We work together with numerous international colleges and universities. Of course, the academic achievements are fully recognised.

Recognised intensive study

Thanks to the integration of theoretical and practical content, students also complete part of their coursework during the practical phases and receive 30 additional ECTS points for this. As a result, our study programme is assessed with 210 ECTS points and is nationally and internationally accredited as an intensive study programme.

Some of our partner companies

The Media Design degree programme cooperates with over 500 design offices, branding agencies, digital agencies, but also publishing houses and broadcasting companies as well as industrial companies with their own design or media department throughout Germany. We have a long-standing and trusting relationship with many of our dual partners, from which the students in particular benefit. Here are just a few examples of many:

MeireMeire/Elastique.: Dornbracht Research Lab
MeireMeire/Elastique.: Dornbracht Research Lab
  • Merkle. A Dentsu Company

Become a partner

Our study concept sounds convincing and you are interested in a partnership with our deegree programme? Good decision! In the following, we describe the individual steps towards a joint dual partnership.

We mainly cooperate with creative companies in graphic design, digital media and film industries, but also with industrial companies and institutions running an internal design department.

We check the suitability of potential dual partners using a defined accreditation process. This determines the extent to which the company has the necessary prerequisites for a study cooperation in the creative media sector.

(Images: ©️ merkleinc.de)

Merkle people talking
Merkle personas brainstorming
Merkle nday19 audience
Merkle Design Engineering
Merkle Innovation Designer

Requirements

In order to ensure the quality of study content also during the practical phases, certain requirements apply to prospective partner companies for the design qualification of junior staff. These include requirements with regard to company staff and resources or the individual support and supervision they are able to provide to their students.

For instance, a partner company is expected to employ at least five people in their design department and should be well established within their market (5+ years). Companies appoint experienced supervisors (with HE degree in Design) to liaise with the university and support DHBW students during their practical phases. The remuneration of students is based on the German standard agreements for vocational design training in the media sector: Bundesinstitut für Berufsbildung and IHK. More details can be found in the corresponding guideline of the DHBW Ravensburg. The final decision on admission as a dual partner lies with the university council with equal representation (§ 27 c LHG).

Accreditation

Six steps to a dual partnership for your business.

Registration via company form

If you are interested in a dual partnership, please contact us through the company form. Here you will be asked for basic data about your company and supervising staff.

Qualifying examination

In the second step, our programme management checks whether your company is suitable for a dual partnership with the programme. To this end, we will contact you directly for preliminary talks, individual consultations and/or company visits.

Accreditation

If the qualification is confirmed, you will be officially accredited as a dual partner by the DHBW University Council.

Reservation of study place

Now the partnering company is able to reserve one or more study places and to start recruiting future dual students. Dual partners can opt in to be included in the official list of companies to be published on our websites. This list is being updated regularly.

Selection process for dual students

Candidates for our dual media design degree programme are selected by the dual partners according to their respective criteria of creative and design aptitude and experience. A basic academic requirement on the part of the DHBW is the general or subject-specific higher education entrance qualification (Abitur). Under certain conditions, students with a higher education entrance qualification and those with vocational qualifications can also be admitted (more).

Dual partnership

After the study contract has been signed and the student has sent all relevant documents (original study contract, a certified copy of the Abitur certificate, CV, 2 photos, if applicable FH certificate with confirmation of passing the delta test or the study counselling) to the Media Design office, the prospective student is admitted and enrolled. Congratulations on the dual partnership!

Documents and downloads

All relevant documents and downloads for a dual study partnership.

For partner companies

↘ Firmeneignung (12/2019)

Guideline for the eligibility requirements and admission procedure of dual partners

↘ Firmenbogen MD

The company sheet provides information about business areas and opportunities for support within the partner company.

↘ Reservierungsformular

With this form, a partner company can reserve a study place as well as choose the phase in which the applicant will study.

↗ Studienvertrag (aktualisierte Fassung 7/2018)

Current version of the standard DHBW contract for admission to studies

↗ Erläuterungen DHBW Studienvertrag

Detailed explanation of specifics in the current DHBW study contract

↘ Formular Reflexion Praxisphase

Notes and form on the procedure and reflection of the practical phase

↘ Blockbildungsplan A/B Phase 2022

Timetable for the duration of theory and practical phases for courses MD22A and MD22B

↘ Blockbildungsplan A/B Phase 2021

Timetable for the duration of theory and practical phases for courses MD21A and MD21B

↘ Blockbildungsplan A/B Phase 2020

Timetable for the duration of theory and practical phases for the courses MD20A and MD20B

For applicants

↗ Firmenliste Mediendesign

The list of companies includes companies that have a place available at the next start of the degree programme. Unsolicited applications to companies that are not yet cooperation partners are also possible.

↗ Studienvertrag (aktualisierte Fassung 7/2018)

Current version of the standard DHBW contract for admission to studies

↗ Erläuterungen DHBW Studienvertrag

Explanations of the individual points of the current DHBW study contract

General

↘ Flyer Media Design

Information brochure on the Media Design degree programme at DHBW Ravensburg

↘ Flyer Duale Partner

Information brochure for DHBW Ravensburg dual partner companies

↘ Flyer Media Design

Information brochure about Media Design at the Cooperative State University Ravensburg.

↗ BYOD (11/2022)

Recommendations regarding our Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy(Version 11/2022)