MAGraphic Design
| Study location | Estonia, Tallinn |
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| Type | Postgraduate, full-time |
| Nominal duration | 2 years (120 ECTS) |
| Study language | English |
| Awards | MA |
| Course code | 214451 |
| Tuition fee | €2,800 per year |
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| Application fee | €60 one-time Application fee is non-refundable. |
| Entry qualification | Undergraduate diploma (or higher) NB! Students graduating in the summer of 2024 who are unable to submit their educational documents (diploma and transcript of records) before the deadline are required to submit their latest transcript of records containing their current grades, and a written confirmation (email, certificate etc) from their educational institution stating that educational documents will be issued to graduates no lather than at the end of June 2024. The entry qualification documents are accepted in the following languages: English / Estonian. Upload the educational documents digitally to the application. – Bachelor’s degree certificate or equivalent, and its translation into Estonian or English (both the copy and translation have to be attested). NB! Translations are only requested if documents are not in English or Estonian. Both the copies of documents in their original language and translations have to be attested. – Transcript of records, and its translation into Estonian or English (both the copy and translation have to be attested). NB! Translations are only requested if documents are not in English or Estonian. Both the copies of documents in their original language and translations have to be attested. Detailed information about suitable qualifications and required documents can be found on the following links: Please note that only accepted applicants will be required to send physical copies of their educational documents by post to EKA (by post or courier services, like DHL, FedEx etc). More specific instructions will be provided to each applicant individually, so please do not send any documents by post unless you have been asked to do so. NB! We do not accept original documents, self-attested copies, photocopies or printouts! |
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| Language requirements | English EKA accepts the following international language tests as proof of English language proficiency. Here are the minimum requirements set by EKA: – TOEFL ITP: min 543 State exams in English taken in Estonia, Finland or Latvia: Upload the certificate digitally to the application. NB! We accept language certificates for up to two years after they are issued. WAIVING ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS English proficiency test may only be waived if the applicant meets one of the following requirements: – The applicant has completed their secondary education, bachelor’s or master’s degree taught fully in English in one of the following countries: EU/EEA member states, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand or United Kingdom. The applicant must have resided in the mentioned country while doing their studies. Please also note that the transcript of records must include that studies were conducted fully in English. – The applicant has studied for at least one academic year as a full-time student (obtaining a minimum of 45 ECTS with positive results) in English in an institution of higher education in one of the following countries: EU/EEA member states, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand or United Kingdom. NB! We will only accept certificates issued by educational institutions if the waiver criteria is met. |
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| Other requirements | A relevant portfolio is required. Portfolio — Digital PDF format, maximum 60 Mb NB! If the portfolio is bigger than DreamApply application settings accept (or if there is any other problem), please add the PDF through Google Drive shared link. REQUIRED DOCUMENTS: • copy of your bachelor’s degree certificate or equivalent • copy of your transcript of records • English language proficiency certificate • copy of the data page of your passport or ID-card • CV (maximum 2 pages in length) • Portfolio • Admissions Questions Please answer each of the following questions (and please respect the maximum character length for each): 1. Introduce yourself, your background, and level of experience with graphic design. (800 characters max) 2. How do the tools and skills of graphic design relate to the work you currently do or expect to do in the future? (1,600 characters max) 3. What is your reason to consider applying to this MA program in particular? Are there any specific skills, methods and forms of knowledge you are looking for in the program? (1,600 characters max) 4. What do you see yourself potentially bringing or contributing to the program? (800 characters max) 5: Are there specific topics, interests or projects you are already certain you want to explore during your studies? (1,600 characters max) 6. Are there practitioners, projects, exhibitions or texts which have had a particular impact on how you think about graphic design, and why? (800 characters max) 7. What interests or experiences outside of graphic design do you have? (800 characters max) Applications will be reviewed in early March, and selected candidates will be invited for an interview with the staff of the Graphic Design department. Interviews will take place on 20-21 March 2024, where applicants will have a conversation about their work and expectations of the program. NB! The exact interview time for each candidate will be announced to him/her via DreamApply a few days ahead. More information www.artun.ee/en/curricula/ma-gd/admissions/ |
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Overview
The Master of Arts (MA) in Graphic Design at the Estonian Academy of Arts (EKA) is a new
two-year, English-language program intended to develop a student’s independent practice,
clarify their intentions, and define their position as a graphic designer. Students will work
critically and consider the relationships between form, content, production, and the
distribution of information. They will develop a practice which is self-reflective, process
oriented, rigorous with intention, and consistently holds an honest position in response to the
typically changing demands and contexts of working as a graphic designer.
The program takes an expanded view of graphic design, seeing it as a form of
knowledge production whose role can be understood as a way of ‘making things public.’ This
idea is supported by providing opportunities for students not only to work through traditional
models of graphic design—books, websites, posters, typefaces, videos—but also to publish
texts, organize exhibitions, host lectures, teach workshops, and create other contexts of
exchange during their studies. Students will actively question the medium as a whole,
consider its ability to engage meaningfully in social and cultural contexts, practice new ways
of making work and expressing form, and contribute to the contemporary development of the
discipline.
Facilities
Each student is given a dedicated workspace located in the MA studio of the Graphic Design
department at EKA. The studio is equipped with an A3 black & white laser printer, A3
risograph printer, and high-speed internet. Students are expected to have their own personal
computer. Access is given to EKA workshops, including screen printing, letterpress, 3D
printing, prototyping lab, and a woodshop. The studio and workshops are part of the newly
completed (in 2018) Estonian Academy of Arts building, which additionally includes a library and contemporary art gallery. Students have the opportunity to attend public lectures and
events organized by other departments and programs in EKA, including from Contemporary
Art and Curating, Art History and Visual Culture, Architecture and Urban Studies, and
Interaction, Digital and Product Design, among others.
Programme structure
The curriculum is structured to provide students the time, space, resources, and
conversation towards the development of their practice and the making of a body of work.
This work is always supported by a teaching staff of actively practicing designers, and invited
guests who give workshops, lectures, and critiques. The first year of the Graphic Design MA
is facilitated by prompts which engage students to question and reflect upon their work. The
second year asks that students come to define their work and practices as a whole. Students
are expected to articulate and defend their work at the end of each semester, and should be
able to outline their intentions for how to continue into the next academic term.
First Year
In the first year, each student is asked to question their practice, interests, and intentions as
a designer through the active process of making new work. This is facilitated by prompts
intended to encourage critical investigation, hands-on making, and iterative working.
Studio
The program is organized around a studio model wherein practice is developed
through formal investigations and applied projects. These can start from a combination of either prompts by the teachers, commissioned projects, or self-initiated work from the students. Regardless of the starting point, the work must be iterative, critical, and contribute towards the forming of a body of work. All work is supervised by weekly meetings either with the staff or visiting critics.
Berlin Studio
During the second semester for seven weeks, the program will
relocate to Berlin, Germany, supported by a teaching staff of local designers. The
Erasmus mobility program has approved a stipend for all students to cover travel and
accommodation costs.
Theory
The theory course will support all practical studio work. Throughout the semester,
students will meet with a theory teacher who will assign readings, lead discussions,
organize lectures, and host screenings. The role of the theory teacher is to help
students contextualize their work, position themselves in the contemporary world,
and facilitate research that may eventually lead to their thesis.
As the first year progresses, these course components fold into one another, so that no work
is done without the integration and support of the other. The work produced in the first year
is intended to be reflected on, and students will be asked to find connections between their
projects to serve as a starting point for defining their work in the second year.
Second Year
In the second year, students will begin to define their own projects and research towards a
final thesis, with the ongoing support of a thesis advisor. In the third semester, students are
required to choose electives (from the faculties of Architecture, Design, Fine Arts, and Art &
Culture) which support this work, while the fourth and final semester is dedicated entirely to
completing the thesis submission and graduation exhibition.
Thesis
The thesis is understood as a cohesive body of work, organized from a collection of
projects developed over the two years of study. It will present what your work is
about and how you position yourself as a graphic designer. The final submission will
take the form of a book, which must include a formal written thesis and the body of
work that supports it.
Upon successful completion of the two years of study and submission of a final thesis,
students will graduate with a Master of Arts in Graphic Design.