Pforzheim University

Pforzheim - Germany

The School of Design is the oldest faculty of the University and was founded in 1877 as the Pforzheim School of Applied Arts. In 1887, this institution became the Grand Ducal School and in 1919 the Baden School of Applied Arts. Further development resulted in the formation of the "State Master School for the German Precious Metal and Jewelry Industry" which then became the "Goldsmith and Art College" in 1952. The University of Design was founded in 1971 and became part of Pforzheim University in 1992.

The School of Design is the smallest of the three faculties, comprising about 560 students and 30 professors. The School places great importance on its unique tradition, which combines traditional fine arts training with innovative and leading-edge design instruction and broad-based theoretical studies. Small class sizes encourage personal contact between students and professors and enable the teaching staff to closely supervise an individual student's work throughout the entire course of studies.

BusinessWeek Magazine ranked the Pforzheim School of Design among the 60 best academic institutions in the field of design worldwide - alongside Harvard, Stanford and the MIT. The school offers B.A. degrees in Fashion Design, Industrial Design, Jewelry and Objects of Everyday Culture, Transportation Design and Visual Communications, as well as M.A. degrees in Transportation Design and Creative Direction. Please contact us for further information about our degree programs and admission requirements.