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Deutsch Who this online Communication Design B.A. suits – and what you need to get in
This part-time, fully online programme suits you if you want an international Bachelor’s at low cost while keeping your job. Typical profiles include: working media designers or junior graphic designers aiming to formalise skills and move into branding, editorial or interaction; marketing or communications professionals transitioning into UX/UI and visual communication; and internationally based creatives building a portfolio degree from abroad with the flexibility of remote study.
Admission requirements
There is no numerus clausus (NC). You have several entry routes; choose the one that fits your background:
- Standard university entrance: German Abitur or Fachhochschulreife; also accepted are a Meister qualification or comparable higher vocational qualification.
- Without Abitur: admission is possible via a relevant vocational training plus professional experience or via an artistic aptitude assessment (Begabtenprüfung). For the aptitude route, you submit a portfolio, complete timed design tasks and attend an interview. A portfolio is not required if you already hold a higher education entrance qualification.
- With foreign school-leaving certificates or prior study: international qualifications must be recognised as equivalent for entry to a German Bachelor’s degree. Documents are checked for equivalence during admission.
- Language of instruction: the programme is taught in German; you need German at minimum B2 level to follow study materials and live online seminars. Proof of language proficiency is required. (Specific test formats are determined during the application.)
- Start dates: April or October; individual start by arrangement. 180 ECTS over 7 semesters (part time), delivered 100% online.
- Accreditation: programme accreditation by FIBAA; valid until 01/03/2031, state-recognised Bachelor of Arts.
Personal requirements
Remote study from abroad is feasible if you plan realistically and work consistently. Expect a weekly workload of roughly 12–18 hours during teaching periods for reading, project work, critiques and exam preparation. You will benefit from solid time management, steady self-study habits, and the perseverance to iterate on design briefs and respond to feedback. As live seminars and critiques are in German, you need confident reading, listening and discussion skills in German; written clarity matters for project documentation and your thesis. Be ready to coordinate time zones for optional live sessions, engage proactively with tutors, and keep a regular cadence on deliverables. Curiosity for tools (including KI-assisted workflows) and a willingness to build a coherent portfolio across branding, editorial, motion and interaction will help you succeed over seven semesters.
What will you study in the Communication Design (B.A.) at DIPLOMA University?
This programme is taught in German. To study from abroad you need German at about B2 level (for example Goethe-Zertifikat B2 or TestDaF as proof). You earn 180 ECTS over seven part-time semesters in a Fernstudium – German for distance learning – at a private Fachhochschule (a university of applied sciences focused on applied teaching and practice). The course is fully online, project-led and ends with a bachelor’s thesis and online colloquium.
You build a solid design toolkit across analogue and digital media. Foundations include typography and visual perception, two- and three-dimensional design, and image, motion and video basics. You learn how form, contrast, grid and hierarchy guide attention and how to turn ideas into coherent visual systems.
The digital and interactive track develops your screen design skills: UI patterns, usability and information design, plus human–computer interaction for responsive interfaces. You work with contemporary design software and explore how to use AI-supported tools responsibly within concept and production workflows.
Concept and storytelling are a second pillar: research and ideation methods, editorial design and visual narration, transmedia communication and integrated brand messaging. You learn to frame briefs, test concepts with users and present design decisions clearly to clients and teams.
Professionalisation runs throughout: iterative project work and presentations, insights into markets and roles in the design industry, and entrepreneurship basics including a start-up simulation and a practical phase. Your studies culminate in the bachelor’s thesis and an online defence.
Electives let you shape your profile from semester 4:
- Cross-media Illustration and Editorial Design: medien-spanning concepts and targeted storytelling in print and digital formats.
- Holistic Brand Management: corporate design, integrated communication and brand systems that scale.
- Interfaces and Interactions: advanced UI, usability and interactive applications, e.g. for e-learning and knowledge platforms.
Note on terminology: the ZFU is Germany’s state authority that approves distance-learning courses for consumer protection. Many Fernstudium programmes carry a ZFU approval number; if listed, it confirms remote-study suitability. DIPLOMA runs this course as a fully online programme with live seminars and projects.
How does the Communication Design distance programme work?
You study 100% online in part-time mode over seven semesters. Learning combines self-study with live online seminars in German, project coaching and remote assessments. There are no mandatory on-site days in Germany, so a visa is not required for a purely remote study path.
Teaching language and proof
The teaching language is German. For applicants with foreign prior education, German at B2 level is expected. Typical proofs include Goethe-Zertifikat B2 or TestDaF. All live sessions, study materials and exams are conducted in German.
Learning format and study materials
This is a Fernstudium (distance learning): structured self-study with digital study guides, an e-library and licenses for MS Office and Adobe Creative Cloud. You join regular live online seminars in small groups; attendance is recommended but not compulsory. Project phases are supported by online tutorials and feedback rounds. Optional “Creative Camps” and a voluntary D.SIGN Summit add intensive workshop formats.
Exams and where you take them
Exams are held online or at DIPLOMA exam centres across Germany. The final colloquium for your bachelor’s thesis is conducted online. This setup allows you to complete the programme entirely from outside Germany if you choose online examination formats.
On-site sessions in Germany
There are no mandatory on-site days. Occasional in-person events (e.g. the D.SIGN Summit) are voluntary and designed as short, intensive workshops for those who can and want to travel.
Weekly workload, time models and time zones
The programme is scheduled as a 7-semester part-time track with two main intakes in April and October; an individually agreed start is possible. Expect a steady weekly workload alongside your job. Live sessions follow German local time (CET/CEST); if you live in a distant time zone, plan accordingly. A free extension of up to four semesters is possible depending on your payment plan.
What does the Communication Design (B.A.) cost?
Tuition is billed monthly in euros, plus a one-off examination fee. Over the standard duration, totals differ by instalment model: the lowest monthly rate spreads costs over a longer period, the highest monthly rate finishes earlier. You can extend your study time by up to four semesters without extra tuition.
| Model | Months | Monthly | One-off exam fee | Typical total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ratenmodell III | 72 | €177 per month | €695 | €13,439 |
| Ratenmodell II | 54 | €227 per month | €695 | €12,953 |
| Ratenmodell I | 42 | €277 per month | €695 | €12,329 |
Fees include access to the e-library and software licenses for MS Office and Adobe Creative Cloud. Payments are in euros. If you pay from abroad, account for exchange rates and possible bank transfer charges from your provider.
What careers and recognition does the Communication Design (B.A.) offer?
You graduate with 180 ECTS under the Bologna system at a state-recognised German university of applied sciences. The programme is FIBAA-accredited (a quality agency listed in EQAR) from 02/03/2023 to 01/03/2031. In practice, this signals international comparability and facilitates admission to master’s degrees in Europe and beyond.
The B.A. corresponds to EQF level 6. Across most countries aligned with Bologna, this supports recognition for postgraduate entry and professional roles that require a first-cycle degree. Employers outside Germany commonly assess portfolios plus a recognised bachelor’s; the accreditation and ECTS provide formal clarity.
Typical career paths include:
- Communication or Graphic Designer in design, branding or advertising agencies
- UX/UI Designer for websites, apps and interactive products
- Brand Designer/Manager in corporate marketing and in-house studios
- Editorial, Motion or Visual Storytelling Designer in media companies
- Freelance Designer or founder of a small studio
Salary levels vary by country and portfolio strength. Entry roles in UX/UI and brand design tend to offer higher starting ranges in major tech and media hubs; freelancing income depends on market positioning and client mix.
Who is the Communication Design (B.A.) right for - and who not?
This course suits working creatives and career changers who want an applied, project-driven design degree they can complete fully online in German. It combines a clear structure with freedom to build a strong, market-ready portfolio.
- You want a state-recognised, accredited bachelor’s with 180 ECTS that you can study remotely alongside your job.
- You are comfortable studying and presenting in German and can follow live sessions in the CET/CEST time zone.
- You prefer hands-on, portfolio-centred learning with regular feedback over purely theoretical coursework.
- You aim to specialise in branding, interaction or illustration/editorial and value flexible pacing with possible free extensions.
- You need the convenience of online exams and no mandatory travel to Germany.
There are also clear reasons to choose a different programme. Read these carefully before you apply from abroad.
- You need a programme taught in English; this degree is delivered entirely in German (B2 required).
- You want a traditional campus studio experience with daily in-person workshops; this is a distance programme with optional on-site events only.
- Your time zone or schedule prevents attendance at live sessions in CET/CEST, and you rely heavily on real-time interaction.
- You seek access to a regulated profession that requires a specific licence (e.g. architecture or engineering); communication design is not a regulated pathway.
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