Program Aims & Objectives
The Master in Visual Brand Design program focuses on the analysis of user’s needs to create integrated visions and narrations that will catch the attention of selected audiences, engage them through all communication touch-points with a company. Students will be prepared to identify the company’s core philosophy, cultivate a deep understanding of their products and services, juggle with different marketing techniques, and design innovative ways to communicate its values to the customers through physical, digital and social media.

Moreover, Domus Academy ensures that students attending the academy become aware of the great opportunities surrounding them, such as the fact that Milan is an international and design-oriented city with a lot of famous design studios and agencies, research labs, trade fairs and companies. Students at Domus Academy come from about 50 different countries and this fact makes it an international school where different cultures can be met; Domus Academy is part of an international network of universities and the faculty of the academy are internationally renowned professionals in their field.

Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the course, the student will have:

• Demonstrated an individually driven conceptual research project using design research methods, tools and techniques appropriate to professional standards in the Visual Brand design practices;
• Demonstrated an understanding of the professional field of Visual Brand design and its restraints, and ability to deal with requests as well as being able to interpret their own work in the professional context;
• Demonstrated a critical and personal development in defining and managing advanced process related to the project of visual experiences and brand presence;
• Effectively demonstrated a reflective and evaluative approach to their own work allowing them to act independently in identifying, implementing and sustaining individual research and practices at a professional level;
• Demonstrated knowledge and critical thinking on design culture and cross-disciplinary approaches related to Visual Brand Design and its interlinking with other design and business driven disciplines;
• Demonstrated personal and reflective thinking on diverse dimensions of Visual Brand design with reference to social, cultural, economical and technological implications.
• Demonstrated the ability of conceiving innovative visual branding concepts, scenarios, and solutions for a variety of diverse companies, industries and organizations at different design scales;
• Demonstrated self and professional management skills in terms of Visual Brand in a multi-cultural domain, teamwork and time constraints at a professional level;
• Demonstrated an ability to effectively communicate concepts, methods and design proposals through a variety of techniques including visual, oral and prototyping.

Degree & Certification
Upon graduation from Domus Academy, you’ll earn a degree that’s recognized around Europe and the world—an Academic Master’s Degree (60 ECTS credits) accredited by the Italian Ministry of Education, Universities and Research (MIUR). The Academic Master’s Degree is validated through NABA, Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti Milano. You’ll also earn a second valuable qualification: the Domus Academy Master’s Diploma.

Domus Academy’s accreditation has helped build relationships with prestigious companies, so you have the chance to gain practical work experience during your course of study. An accredited degree, plus the practical experience you gain through an internship, shows employers that you received a top-quality education and that you bring industry-relevant knowledge and skills to the table when you join their team. Domus Academy’s accreditation also means that the relevant academic credits you earn at Domus Academy will transfer to other institutions if you choose to work toward another master’s or a doctoral-level degree.

Career Opportunities
The Master in Visual Brand Design aims to form Visual Brand Designers and dynamic Brand Managers figures open to innovations, that are visionary and versatile, direct and effective. Designers who have a rich and complex approach that can guide the needs of the company in a new direction, either as freelancers or as employees of medium to large companies operating in the fields of fashion, design, events, trade shows, services, digital media or in public administration.

Declaration of Value
In order to receive the Academic Master Degree at the completion of the program students holding a non-Italian Bachelor Degree are required to have their degree validated prior to starting the program. In order to do so, students must contact the Italian Embassy or Consulate in the country where the degree was issued in order to ask for the so called “perfezionamento documenti”, consisting of:

• Translation into Italian (by certified translator) of the student’s High School Diploma*
• Translation into Italian (by certified translator) of the student’s High School Academic Transcripts*
• Translation into Italian (by certified translator) of the student’s Bachelor Degree*
• Translation into Italian (by certified translator) of the student’s Undergraduate Academic Transcripts*
• “Dichiarazione di valore in loco” (Declaration of Value) of the student’s High School Diploma & Bachelor Degree. (The “Dichiarazione di valore in loco” is the document attesting that the study qualification obtained in the student’s country of residence is valid for accessing Italian Universities or Academies)

For a complete list of Italian representative authorities worldwide please see here. The legalized and translated documents, as well as the “Dichiarazione di valore in loco” will be issued to the student.

*Please Note: All Consulates vary and they may have slightly different requirements. You must contact the Consulate, which holds jurisdiction where the diploma/degree issuing school is located.

The program is organized in four main modules lasting eight weeks each that include courses and workshops, followed by an 8 week internship period and a final portfolio presentation. For a full description of the program structure see Visual Brand Design Master’s Degree.

Core Workshops – Required

• Identity Design Workshop
• Product Strategy Workshop

Elective Workshops – Choose one

• Experience Design Workshop
• Digital Luxury Communication Workshop

Courses

• Design Culture
• Storytelling and Visual Narrative
• Personal Branding: Visual Portfolio and Social Brand Identity
• Personal Branding

Professional Experience
The Professional Experience is the final step of a process in which students, thanks to a one-to-one tutorship, receive a deep and balanced evaluation of their skills and aspirations, in order to build a career, which fits their aims. There are three kinds of Professional Experiences:

• Internship in a Company/Firm: the students will be hosted in a work environment developing assigned real projects.
• Field Learning Experience: a work project carried out on campus in collaboration with a company and supervised by a project leader. The students will approach contemporary themes and explore a wide range of design subjects in a multidisciplinary environment.
• Entrepreneurship Module: an entrepreneurial journey in order to develop business and managerial skills. The students will be given a specific toolbox of frameworks and approaches both in theory and practice. In all cases during this crucial phase students are mentored on a step-by-step basis, and acquire the fundamental experience of dealing with the real world, with real business and with the people working in the field.

*prices are subject to change

This is an SAI Select Services Program; it includes the important on-site services!

• Academic Master’s Degree awarded by Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti (NABA)
• Master’s Diploma from Domus Academy
• Program tuition
• Student health insurance providing full coverage and medical emergency evacuation
• SAI orientation to the host city and school
• SAI staff on-site providing assistance as needed and 24-hour emergency support

Pre-departure and Re-entry services

• Admissions counselor assigned to you, providing friendly assistance throughout your study abroad experience
• Helpful pre-departure tools and resources
• Assistance with student visa application
• Assistance with financial aid and loan processing
• Paid registration fees for national re-entry conferences
• SAI alumni network

Housing is not included in SAI Select Services Programs. However, your SAI Admissions Counselor will be happy to provide you with information and recommendations for local housing agencies, as well as school-provided apartments. Students who do not have prior housing arrangements should begin speaking with their Admissions Counselor as soon as possible.

Passports
Passports should be valid for 3 months after planned departure from Italy.

Student Visas
In accordance with Italian law students studying in Italy for 90 days or more are required to obtain a student visa. Those with Italian/EU citizenship are exempted. Non-US nationals should consult their local Consulate for information on student visa requirements.

Students must appear in person at the Italian Consulate to present their student visa application. Our Student Visa Office is available to assist students in getting ready for the appointment; SAI provides student visa consulting for all our students at no cost.