Audio and Visual Design
Do you enjoy designing and creating things? And do you have an open and experimental attitude? Are you curious about new creative media applications and do you want to look beyond the design of a website? Then this programme is for you!
During HU's Audio and Visual Design Exchange Programme, you develop various media products that are truly distinctive, so if you want to enrich your portfolio with a special media design project, this programme is an excellent opportunity! You do not need to have experience with music production or designing sound, but an interest in the more artistic side of media is a plus.
Useful to know
Start date | September |
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Number of ECTS | 30 Dutch Education System |
Programme level | Minor |
Programme code | JM-AVDEN-19 |
Language of instruction | English |
Year of study | Year 3 or 4 |
Practical Matters | Housing and Immigration |
Location | Utrecht Science Park |
Course Content
What do you need to enter this programme? And what can you expect when you apply? In this section you'll find all you need to know!
This programme is aimed at students with Media, Communication, ICT, Art and Creative Industry profiles.
The central theme of this programme is the application of (audio-visual and/or interactive) media in a physical environment. You will examine an issue within a specific environment and develop a solution within the given context, using audio-visual media.
Examples of issues are:
- How can AV media be applied in order to increase the feeling of safety in urban environments?
- How can AV media contribute to the patient-experience of hospital environments?
- How can AV media be used to reveal the hidden stories within the historical inner-city?
- How can AV media create a positive atmosphere in retail environments within and/or outside the opening hours of shops?
Would you like to know more about this programme or do you have a specific question? Please contact the programme coordinator, Jelke de Boer, or our International Coordinator CMD, Rob van den Idsert.
The programme takes place during one semester and contains the following courses:
Course Unit Title | Period | ECTS |
Digital Audio Design | C | 5 |
Visual Performance & Projection Mapping | C | 5 |
Locative Media & Spatial Design | D | 5 |
Creative Research in Design | D | 5 |
Project | C & D | 10 |
Please be aware that the courses in this programme are interrelated. This is why it is not possible to substitute courses in this programme for other courses.
In this course you will learn to produce music and sound with Ableton Live (professional music production software). Using this program you will not only compose music, you will also learn how to produce sound for different types of productions - think of film or animation - and you will learn how to convey sound in a live performance or (interactive) installation to a public. The focus lies mainly on the manufacturing process: digitally producing sound.
You could say that our modern (mass) media are very ‘square’. Most of our media consumption happens via rectangular screens or via the equally rectangular print media. At the same time, there are more and more possibilities to use (interactive) media outside the screen. For example in projections on buildings, soundscapes in retail spaces, in the design of the decoration of a festival or in interactive light installations in the urban environment. In this course you learn how to produce visual material for these types of applications. You realize a design for a projection on a physical object where you use the physical characteristics of that object. You learn to start with the shapes and lines that characterize that object. And you will learn how to effectively produce media for applications in the real, physical world. The focus is mainly on the manufacturing process: digitally producing visuals.
Our urban environment does not only consist of brick and concrete. It also exists in the stories that have occurred in that physical background. Sometimes personal stories - in what you have experienced with friends or family - and sometimes stories about the history of a place. You could even say that a place without a story actually has no meaning, or that that place does not really exist (Auge, 1995). In this course we discuss the role of stories in the urban environment and you learn how you can develop your own story against the background of a physical place. We also look at urban environments from the point of view of an architect or an urban planner. How do you deal with the history, the stories and the meaning of an urban environment?
In this program research is an important part of the process. The research has a very specific function: it is not just about explaining and understanding a situation. It is also - or most importantly - about finding inspiration. In this course you will do research from a creative and artistic perspective. The aim of the research is to find original and surprising ways to shape your media production and to find out how you can actually realize your ideas.
In the project you will develop your own media application in which you - with the aid of image and sound - create a story in a physical environment. You will work in a team in an environment that has been made available by a partner of our university and will work on a question from that partner. The issues we tackle in the project have a very open character. Think of questions such as: how can we positively influence the experience of an environment by making use of audiovisual media ? In this project you will develop a ‘proof of concept’ in twenty weeks. You present the solution of your team in the given environment. In doing so, you show in a convincing way that the chosen solution is effective and why it is interesting for the client to turn the development into a permanent installation.
To enter this programme, you need:
- to have at least a propaedeutic diploma (issued after the first year of university studies)
- to have attained English language skills at CEFR level B2
- to submit your portfolio along with a motivation letter
- a solid foundation in Adobe Design Software
English CEFR level B2.
Please note: You may be asked to take a language assessment test before the start of the programme. If your English language skills are below the required level, you may not be able to enter the programme, as you need to be able to actively participate in the programme. In all cases, the programme manager makes the final decision.
Practical information
When you move to a different country to study, there are lots of things to arrange. For instance, where will you live, how much are the costs? Visit the practical information site. Read here for more info about how to arrange housing. A student living in the Netherlands needs about € 800 - 1000 a month to cover living expenses, such as housing, food and transportation. This includes insurances – health insurance is mandatory.
Find out how to apply
Ready for an international adventure?
Why choose HU?
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Build your (international) portfolio
You will not only develop an audio-visual media solution to a real-life problem, you'll also build on your portfolio with interesting projects, making you stand out in the competitive (international) job market.
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Inspiring international setting
HU supports your ambitions. Our lecturers will tutor and assist you in making the most of this international programme. During your time in Utrecht, you will meet students from all over the world and make connections to last a lifetime.
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Utrecht Science Park Campus
Studying at HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht means you get to enjoy all the benefits of our modern campus, Utrecht Science Park (USP). A miniature city with the universities' buildings, student housing, restaurants, cafés, a sports centre, and much more, it enjoys excellent transport links to Utrecht and beyond.
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Vibrant university city Utrecht
Beautiful Utrecht has lots of young people and excellent facilities for student life. It has a mediaeval city centre which is small enough to explore by foot or bicycle. Enjoy a drink next to the quaint canals or dine in one of the converted wharf cellars.
Interested in our Audio and Visual Design programme?
Want to know more?
- Telephone +31 88 481 81 81
- Email exchange@hu.nl
- Work days from 09:30 to 16:30