User Experience Design (M. Sc.)

Applying for a degree course

The programme starts in summer term (March 15th) as well as in winter term (October 1st). 

Application periods

November 15th – January 15th for admission for the summer term;

May 2nd – July 15th for admission for the winter term. 

Requirements

• A Bachelor's degree with either 210 ECTS credits or 180 ECTS credits plus proof of compensation for the missing skills is required.
• The detailed „study and examination regulations“ of our Master on User Experience Design (UXD) can be found linked on this page - in Art. 3 the qualification requirements are described in detail, in Art. 4 our assessment test (with regard to programming interactive systems, interaction design and practical experience) is described.
• For application, we ask for a copy of the degree certification as well as of the transcript of records/grade sheet. Provisional certificates and transcripts as available are accepted. However, in case of admission the final certificate must be shown at registration/enrollment.
• Please follow the link to master application from abroad for detailled information.

In addition, we ask for sufficient English language skills, documented by a certification of level B2 (until enrollment). The proof is not required provided the university entrance qualification certificate (certification of secondary school) or the Bachelor's degree was acquired in English or the applicant possesses the citizenship of a country in which English is the native language.

Dubious Application Agencies

Currently, THI is receiving an increasing amount of information regarding fraudulent activities in connection with student applications to THI. Therefore, it is important for you to know the following:

1. THI does not work with agencies. Please apply directly to THI via the Primuss application portal.
2. THI never asks for money via agencies for application purposes.
3. THI only sends emails from @thi.de.
4. THI never asks for money before you receive your admission letter. If you need a VPD from uni-assist, you will have to pay a processing fee to uni-assist. However, uni-assist only checks certain documents and does not grant admission to THI.
5. The application process is conducted in the THI Primuss portal. Only there will you be able to access your application progress.

Please note: 

As of winter semester 2024/25, THI charges service fees of 500 euros per semester for students from third countries. If you have any questions, please contact incomings@thi.de.

We do not require a formal proof or documentation of English language skills (e.g., TOEFL, IELTS). Note that the study programme is offered completely in English, therefore sufficient knowledge of the English language is vital. There is no requirement to formally prove German language skills for your admission. You may start with little or no German language proficiency.

For daily life and for many (student) jobs, however, German is still a necessary key qualification and prerequisite. Even the best degree will hardly help you later on if you don't speak German well. That's why we not only provide you with the best possible support in your studies, but also offer a variety of German courses to help you learn German quickly and well. The transition from your home country to the German university system and everyday life will be easier for you the more German you know. In addition, knowledge of German will greatly increase your chances of getting a student job or an internship in a German company.

THI does not run any student housing – neither on-campus nor off-campus – and therefore cannot provide you with accommodation. Below is a link, which helps finding accommodation in Ingolstadt: Accomodation in Ingolstadt

Our International office/ counselling is established especially for the international academic programmes. The International Office provides an all-round service to help you with all necessary prearrangements for the organization of your study and everyday life in Ingolstadt.

The Master UXD-programme is part of the German Academic Exchange Service: https://www.daad.de/deutschland/studienangebote/international-programmes/en/detail/6140/

UX designers are the link between product development, IT, design, ergonomics and marketing. Your future appointment may therefore include the following: Programming, implementation, system design, prototyping, usability testing, user interface design, interaction design, web design, usability engineering, research, requirements analysis, user insights, surveys, evaluation, ergonomics assessment, acceptance testing, product conception and project management.

As of winter semester 2024/25, THI charges service fees of 500 euros per semester for students from third countries (outside the EU and the EAA (European Economic Area) . If you have any questions, please go to Contact for prospective students

Please note: No service fees for exchange students, visiting students, participants of summer school!

Please check on your own if your Bachelor is listed in Art. 3 in the SPO: “engineering discipline, interaction design, computer science or subjects related to these fields”. We'd like to point out that without programming AND design competence (both basic-to-advanced; obtained either in your first degree or outside in practical work) you are not eligible for admission.

Please check for yourself whether your Bachelor degree program or qualification meets the requirements according to the statutes on the aptitude test (version dated 19.02.2024), Art. 1(2).

We would like to point out that you cannot be admitted without programming AND design skills (both basic to advanced; either acquired in your first degree or outside in practical work) as well as practical professional experience.

The aptitude test procedure is described in detail in the corresponding statutes (Statutes on the aptitude test, version 19.02.2024).
If you fulfill the application requirements (according to Art. 1(2) and Art. 5) and submit your complete application, this application will be reviewed by two professors based on the criteria defined in Art. 5(2)b. This assessment will be based solely on your submitted application documents. An (additional) examination or interview will not take place.

Please check the study and examination regulations: In Art. 3 (4) you will find detailed regulations for Bachelor's degrees with less than 210 ECTS credit points: "Applicants who can prove that they have completed a university degree or an equivalent degree for which less than 210 ECTS but at least 180 ECTS credit points have been awarded may be admitted with the approval of the examination board if proof of compensation for the missing competences is provided with the application for admission."

The various options for providing this proof are described in detail in Art. 3 (4) a) and b).

The UXD Master's program is offered both full-time (standard duration of three semesters) and part-time (standard duration of six semesters) - you choose one of these modes at the time of enrollment. In the part-time program, the workload per semester is reduced to about 15 ECTS, and efforts are made to limit classroom time to two weekdays (not guaranteed). The part-time program is also conducted in-person, without any online component. 

If you studied an English bachelor no additional certificate for your English language skills is required.

If your application for the UXD Master was not successful, then we most likely have received significantly more qualified applications for the UXD Master than there are available places for this programme. Therefore we had to prioritize the incoming applications (based on method which is described in the "study and examination regulations" of the UXD master). 

Due to data protection reasons, the academic advisor cannot have a detailed look at your application documents, so we can only answer your request in general here. If the application attains the result "rejected", the applicant will be permitted to reapply at a later date, at the earliest in the following year.