BA Design

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Hanze University of Applied Sciences

Program Overview

BA Design at Minerva Art Academy

The BA Design programme at Minerva Art Academy (Hanze UAS) is a three-year degree that transforms you into an experimental and meaningful designer equipped to tackle contemporary design challenges across multiple disciplines. This programme is ideal if you're creative, inquisitive, and want to develop a strong professional foundation while discovering your unique design voice in an interdisciplinary environment.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1 – Foundation & Exploration

Your first year is all about discovering where you belong within design. Through Studio classes, you'll develop concepts via design research, while Lab classes let you experiment and bring ideas to life. You'll work investigatively and experimentally across various design disciplines, building a broad understanding of modern design culture. By the end of Year 1, you'll choose one of the programme's majors (such as Illustration & Animation) to specialize in based on your interests and strengths.

Year 2 & First Half of Year 3 – Professional Development & Specialization

Once you've selected your major, the curriculum becomes more focused and structured. Professional skills and knowledge sessions equip you with discipline-specific technical abilities, while thematic semester-focused projects allow you to dive deeply into specialized areas within your chosen field. You'll continuously move between conceptual thinking and practical application, learning how your designs communicate meaning and change contexts. Whether you're in Illustration & Animation or another major, you'll develop the hands-on expertise and creative confidence that employers value.

Year 3 (Second Half) – Graduation Project

Your graduation culminates in an independent, self-directed project addressing a complex design dilemma you've formulated. Through design and theoretical research, you'll create original work, collaborate with others, and draw on relevant sources to reflect critically on your practice. This capstone project demonstrates your readiness for professional practice and becomes a centerpiece of your portfolio.

Focus Areas

Investigative and experimental design methodologies; interdisciplinary creative practice; concept development through research and prototyping; technical skills across multiple design disciplines; professional positioning and artistic voice.

Learning Outcomes

Graduates develop the ability to work creatively and inquisitively on designs addressing current questions; conduct independent design research; operate confidently in interdisciplinary and international environments; translate concepts into meaningful, contextually-aware designs; and establish a professional practice grounded in personal creative vision.

Professional Alignment

Minerva Art Academy is part of Hanze University of Applied Sciences, ensuring the curriculum maintains strong connections to professional practice. The academy actively collaborates with external partners through its project office and research initiatives, meaning you're learning directly applicable skills valued in the industry.

Reputation & Employability

Minerva positions graduates for careers as independent designers, creative professionals in design studios, and collaborative practitioners in interdisciplinary teams. The academy's emphasis on professional skills, technical expertise, and independent thinking prepares you to navigate diverse career pathways within the creative industries.

Learn more: https://www.academieminerva.nl/en/programmes/design

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

At Hanze University of Applied Sciences' Minerva Art Academy, the BA Design program dives deep into experiential learning right from the start, letting you build real-world skills through hands-on experimentation in 2D, 3D, and 4D design across investigative, experimental, and interdisciplinary contexts. You'll follow your curiosity in self-created and assigned projects, honing technical skills and professional knowledge tailored to one of six majors—Graphic/Interactive, Illustration/Animation, Product, Spatial, Time Based, or OffRoad—while developing a personalized learning route from the Propaedeutic Year through to your final exam showcase. This studio-based approach ensures you're not just learning theory but actively creating meaningful designs that respond to current challenges, collaborating in dynamic environments that prepare you for international design careers.

Here are some standout ways you'll gain practical experience in the program:
- Group projects and interdisciplinary collaboration: Dive into semester-long themes within your major, working on concepts, stories, and designs in teams that blend disciplines for in-depth skill-building and context-aware outcomes.
- Experimental assignments with specialized tools: Experiment with media, materials, and technical skills specific to your major (like interactive graphics or spatial products), translating ideas into visual work—no generic software listed, but focused on what fits your path.
- Self-directed research and prototyping: Create your own assignments to explore ideas, supported by systematic professional training in the second and third years to refine your designer identity.
- Flexible learning environments: Customize your route with freedom to choose majors and projects, building a broad view of design culture through constant iteration between concept and execution.

This practical focus is what sets BA Design at Minerva apart—imagine graduating with a portfolio that screams "hire me" to top studios worldwide. Ready to apply and shape your future? Check out the full facilities details here: https://www.academieminerva.nl/en/programmes/design.

Progression & Future Opportunities

At Hanze University of Applied Sciences' Minerva Art Academy, the BA Design program immerses you in hands-on, experimental learning right from the start, where you build practical skills through investigative projects in 2D, 3D, and 4D media across six majors like Graphic/Interactive, Product, and Spatial. You'll experiment with ideas, materials, and contexts in self-created assignments and structured themes, developing technical skills and a broad view of design culture while choosing your own path from the Propaedeutic Year onward. This means real-world readiness as you dive deep into professional skills in your chosen major during years two and three, translating concepts into meaningful designs that tackle current questions.

Here are some standout ways the program delivers experiential learning tailored to BA Design:
- Flexible majors and custom routes: Pick from six specialized paths (e.g., Illustration/Animation, Time Based, OffRoad) after year one, experimenting interdisciplinary across disciplines with freedom to mix assignments and media that suit your talent.
- In-depth semester themes: Build core technical skills per major through focused projects that blend concept development, storytelling, and context-aware design experimentation.
- Studio-based practice: Work constantly between ideas and execution in dedicated spaces, fostering an open, inquisitive approach to create visual work in varied dimensions.

While the program emphasizes self-directed, experimental projects over listed internships or field trips, it equips you for interdisciplinary and international environments—imagine showcasing your exam portfolio as a unique designer! Check out more on facilities here: [https://www.academieminerva.nl/en/facilities](https://www.academieminerva.nl/en/facilities). Ready to apply and shape your future? Let's chat about your portfolio next!