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Mission Statement
The Wismar University of Applied Sciences: Technology, Business and Design – is a powerful, innovative, and recognized academic institution with a long tradition. The university defines itself as a medium-sized university that strives for a size that is adequate for research and development. With more than 70 accredited courses, the Wismar University offers a unique range of educational opportunities and numerous networking options. Internationally oriented in cooperation and knowledge transfer, the university is also closely connected to the region and its actors at the interfaces between theory and practice.
The mission of the Wismar University is perfectly represented by the three faculties – Engineering, Economics, and Architecture & Design: Designed technology, paired with humanistic responsibility, and economic relevance forms the core orientation of the university. The interplay and the collaboration of these three scientific focal areas has become a special trademark of Wismar University over time, which is clearly reflected in the teaching content of individual courses and research activities. It represents a unique constellation whose positive effects characterize the innovative strength and future viability of this academic institution, located in the beautiful Hanseatic town of Wismar, high up in the North of Germany, at the border of the Baltic Sea.
International Role
Nowhere else do you learn more about yourself and your culture than in an environment with different ways of living and thinking. A stay abroad broadens the perspective and challenges everybody, at the same time as it promotes personal skills, language, and specialist knowledge, and not at least connections for life with people from all over the world. Intercultural know-how and multilingualism are a door opener in our global everyday world, not only in professional life. There are many approaches to a temporary life abroad. Studies, internships, the preparation of a thesis, specialist, or language courses – the Wismar University of Applied Sciences offers a wide range of opportunities based on a wide range of cooperation agreements with more than 120 colleges and universities worldwide to its students and lecturers. In both directions, of course – in and out.
In addition, the university is launching a new international joint Master’s programme, Nordic Green – Design for Sustainable Transition, developed in partnership with LAB University of Applied Sciences in Finland and the Art Academy of Latvia in Riga. At the core of Nordic Green stands its mobility concept. Students begin their studies in Wismar and then have the opportunity to study at the partner universities, experiencing different educational cultures and choosing their final study location for completing the Master’s degree. This programme exemplifies the university’s commitment to designing collaborative formats that address global challenges. By uniting institutions and perspectives across countries, it sets a model for how sustainability and the green transition can be advanced through joint academic innovation.
In the Winter term 2016/2017, a total of 712 full-time students were enrolled at the Faculty of Architecture and Design at Wismar University, including 142 international students from all over the world. This corresponds to a share of approx. 19 % of all full-time students. In addition, 30 exchange students (usually students enrolled at their home University and studying for one to two semesters as exchange students at another University) came to our Faculty. Overall, the proportion of international students at our Faculty was 25 %. 12 % of full-time students came from China, 11.6 % from Iran, 8.5 % from indonesia and around 5 % from India and Turkey. In total, students from about 50 nations were represented in our Faculty.
Please see even https://www.hs-wismar.de/vernetzung/kooperationen-partner/bestehende-kooperationen-partnerschaften/ for further details on exiting cooperation agreements with academic institutions all over the world. The International Office https://www.hs-wismar.de/en/international/counselling-services/international-office/ and the Robert Schmidt Institute https://www.hs-wismar.de/en/vernetzung/institutionen-hochschulunternehmen/rsi/international are specifically dedicated to support all form of international exchange and collaboration.
National Role
Through our recruitment activities, we strive to attract the best talents, ideas and innovations and make them come together at the University of Wismar. Together with strong partners from private and public partnerships on a national level or within the region, we promote our talents systematically through creating contact points in practical education and research projects for the exchange of know-how, building a solid ground for their professional careers. And we warmly welcome representatives from national and regional sectors and from our hometown, from both private companies and public organisations, as a speaker in a course or conference, as a source of ideas for student development teams, as a training partner in dual studies or as a business partner in research projects. There are many opportunities to get involved. Please see even https://www.hs-wismar.de/vernetzung/kooperationen-partner/bestehende-kooperationen-partnerschaften/ for further details on our national and regional role and our partnerships.
Main Focus
Since merging the seven existing courses of study into one faculty in 2007, a holistic concept of composition, art, design and architecture has been created without relinquishing the autonomy and quality of the individual courses. One focus of the training course concerns the conceptual design and project work to be prepared by each student individually. The professors provide their support, advice and direction to the students in intensive fashion, including the possibility of one-to-one mentoring. To support educational outcomes, excellent workshops open to all students cover a wide range of materials and manufacturing methods, from traditional craftsmanship to digital production technologies.
An additional feature of the quality of the training course is the wide range of subjects in design, art, handicrafts and technology as well as scientific and academic disciplines. Many of the lectures offered in the various courses of study may be attended by students enrolled in other courses. As well as the possibility of studying subjects from many other disciplines, these interdisciplinary efforts are embodied in joint projects, the annual exhibition DIA, the Faculty Year Book as well as the series of lectures entitled DIAlog.
Faculties and Departments
The University of Applied Sciences in Wismar can look back on over one hundred years of history. Its unique three-pillared profile with the three faculties – Technology, Business and Architecture & Design – illustrates its main characteristic. Due to the many interdisciplinary projects and the cooperation occurring in teaching and research, these three pillars are closely linked with one another and produce special synergetic effects.
Teaching, learning, researching and manufacturing are not only represented at the university's main campus in Wismar, but also on other sites, e.g in Malchow on the island of Poel and in Rostock/Warnemünde. As a certified “family-friendly university”, many progressive measures to ensure the compatibility of studies and/or work with family for students or staff with children have been guaranteed.
The University of Applied Sciences in Wismar sees itself as a modern teaching facility that features a competitive educational spectrum with an international orientation. In addition, the university is characterised by its development and use of contemporary as well as future-oriented teaching methods and technology, with competences stretching beyond the campus borders.
As a practice-oriented institution, the balance between teaching content and its real-world implementation plays an essential role. The university is dedicated to assisting its students to find their paths in life as well as supporting them on their entrance into the labour market, self-employment and other future plans.
More than half of the students are enrolled in distance education programmes, for which the university’s own Wismar International Graduation Services GmbH – WINGS is responsible.
Bachelor Level Programs
Design – Product and Jewellery, Bachelor's Degree Course; 3.5 yrs Bachelor full time
Interior Design – Bachelor's Degree Course; 3.5 yrs Bachelor full time
Architecture, Bachelor; 3 yrs Bachelor full time
Communication Design and Media – Diploma; 4 yrs full time
Master Level Programs
Architectural Lighting Design, Master; 2 yrs Master full time Postgraduate studies
Architecture, Master; 2 yrs Master full time Postgraduate studies
Architecture and Environment, Master´s degree via distance learning; Master full time distance studies Postgraduate studies
Interior Design, Master; 2 yrs Master full time Postgraduate studies
Lighting and Design Management – Master´s degree via distance learning; Master distance studies Postgraduate studies full time
Material Culture Design, Master; 1,5 yrs Master Postgraduate studies full time
Nordic Green – Design for Sustainable Transition, Master; 2 yrs Master Postgraduate studies full-time
Research Activity and Main Areas
In the Faculty of Architecture and Design, most research activities are ongoing in the study course of Architecture with main focus areas in topics as:
– Everyday Architecture, Architectural Expression, Transformation
– Sustainability and Resilience in Architecture and Urban Development
– Sustainable and Natural Materials in Architecture; Circularity through Reuse of Materials
– New Construction in Architecture; Regional Development
– Smart Building Technologies, Digitalisation in Architecture
In the study course of Nordic Design, research activity topics are centered in:
-Design for Sustainable Transition and Circular Innovation
-Participatory and Community-Based Design for Societal Transformation
-Ecosystem-Centered Design
-Lifecycle Thinking, Material Circularity, and Resource Efficiency in Design
-Interdisciplinary Co-Creation Across Architecture, Urban Planning, and Product Design
-Communication and Speculative Design for Sustainability Awareness
In the study course of Architectural Lighting Design, ongoing research is investigating the Interplay between Light and Health.
In the study course in Communication and Media Design, there is research focused on Gender-based Violence in Media.
And as an interdisciplinary research collaboration between the study courses of Architecture, Interior Design, Communications Design and Media, Business Administration, and Civil Engineering, there are several Joint Action Projects ongoing in South and Northeast Africa.
Doctorate Level Programs
Architectural Lighting Design, Master; 2 yrs Master full time Postgraduate studies
Architecture, Master; 2 yrs Master full time Postgraduate studies
Architecture and Environment, Master´s degree via distance learning; Master full time distance studies Postgraduate studies
Interior Design, Master; 2 yrs Master full time Postgraduate studies
Lighting and Design Management – Master´s degree via distance learning; Master distance studies Postgraduate studies full time
Material Culture Design, Master; 1,5 yrs Master Postgraduate studies full time
Nordic Green – Design for Sustainable Transition, Master; 2 yrs Master Postgraduate studies full-time
Application process ongoing for own promotion rights at the Wismar University. Current doctoral programs at the Faculty of Architecture and Design are executed in collaboration with Weimar University which has full promotion rights.
Subject Areas for Exchange Students
Depending on their learning agreement and the study programme they are enrolled in, at the Faculty of Architecture and Design, exchange students are free to organize their course schedule choosing among a wide variety of courses in German and English, offered by the three international Masters programs Architecture, Architectural Lighting Design and Nordic Green – Design for Sustainable Transition. These are published at the beginning of each semester on Wismar University's study platform stud.ip. Here are some examples:
- Lighting Design & Daylight
- Lighting Design & Technology II
- Lighting Design & Sustainability II
- Innovative Products at Light + Building
- Lighting Science
- Light, Material & Space
- Light & Health
- Conveying Light
- Mobile Architecture – The REH (Room ExtensionHall)
- Interdisciplinary Project / Conversion
- eco building with earth
- CulturalAwareness Training
- Green Building – Climate-neutral Architecture
- "Future Living and Working – SteintorvorstadtRostock". Studierendenwettbewerb / StudentCompetition Hochschule Wismar
- Design-Build-Project »Environmentalsciences learning space« Ibarra – Ecuador
- Reality Studios (real-world projects, collaborating with citizens/users, communities,NGOs, industries, and different stakeholders) in topics like:
- Co-Design with Communities and Citizens
- Circular Design and Material Reuse
- Sustainable Business and Policy Collaboration
- Regenerative Practices in Local Contexts
- Eco-Social Innovation with NGOs and Municipalities
- Low-Carbon Mobility and Regional Proximity Projects
- Participatory Design for Resilient Futures
- Industry Collaboration for Green Transitions
- Life-Cycle Thinking in Product and Spatial Design
- Cross-Border Sustainability and Cultural Exchange Studios
Application Deadlines
15th of June for the winter term
30th of November for the summer term
Teaching Languages
English and German
Semester Dates
Winter term: Sept. 1 – February 28
Summer term: March 1 – August 31
Cost of Living Per Month (Studying and Living)
Currently set at about 934 €/month
The cost is calculated in accordance with the maximum of student loan provided from the Federal Government (BAfög).
