About this programme
Master's Programme in Design is a Master's Degree programme at University of Bergen in Bergen, taught in English. It runs for 2 years and carries 120 ECTS credits. The register gives Bergen as the campus town. It lists the degree as Master. University of Bergen is a state university in Vestland.
How it compares
Master's Programme in Design is one of 4 English-taught Industrial Design programmes at Master's Degree level in the register, offered by 3 institutions. 4 are recorded as free for EU, EEA and Swiss students.
What you will study
What you study
The Master's in Design at the University of Bergen is a two-year programme where you spend most of your time on your own artistic project. You choose one of two options: Furniture and room design/interior architecture, or Visual communication. You apply with a project idea, and the programme is built around developing that idea into a larger independent master's project.
The core of the work is your own project. You are the main instrument and source of material. Through the programme you engage with questions central to design: how designers contribute to innovation and new professional knowledge, how design work responds to social challenges, and how an artistic project can move across professional boundaries. Much of the learning happens through conversations and discussions in the Department of Design and in meetings with other professional environments. All students take part in a dedicated seminar programme.
Admission, language and next steps
Admission is based on a portfolio and an interview, not on grades. What matters is the project you bring and where you want to take it. The programme has a small intake and a strong sense of team spirit. You work from your own space in a purpose-built facility at Møllendal in Bergen.
The programme is taught in English and is worth 120 ECTS over two years. The application deadline is 1 February for applicants from the EU/EEA/EFTA and also for applicants from outside the EU/EEA/EFTA. Check the programme page for the full application process and any updates. Students from the EU/EEA and Switzerland are normally exempt from tuition fees at state institutions; other degree students normally pay a fee set by the institution.
Job opportunities after graduating
- Designer in private companies
- Designer in cultural institutions
- Designer in design studios
- Design consultant in concept and product development
- Creative project manager for design and innovation projects
- Independent designer or entrepreneur
Before you apply
Master’s applications go straight to University of Bergen, not through the national admission service (NUCAS). Study in Norway states that you need a bachelor’s degree comparable to a Norwegian bachelor’s degree (180 ECTS), including courses equal to at least one and a half years of full-time study relevant to the programme. The institution lists its deadline as: Applicants from EU/EEA/EFTA: 1 February Applicants from outside of the EU/EEA/EFTA: 1 February. The register shows 1 February 2027 as a deadline date for this programme. Deadlines are set by each institution for each programme, so confirm yours. Entry requirements and language tests are also set by the institution, so start from the official programme page. Our guides cover tuition fees, study permits and housing.
Facts on this page come from the Study in Norway register, the official English-programme list run by HK-dir, the Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills. Fees are in NOK as the institution lists them. "Not listed" means the register has no figure, not that the programme is free. Always confirm requirements, fees and deadlines with the institution.
Quick answers
Is Master's Programme in Design taught in English?
Yes. The Study in Norway register, run by HK-dir, lists it as an English-taught programme at University of Bergen. Only English-taught degree programmes are included here.
How long does it take?
The register records 2 years of study and 120 ECTS credits. Sixty ECTS credits are one academic year of full-time study.
Where is it taught?
The register lists Bergen as the campus town for this programme at University of Bergen.
How do I apply?
Master’s applications go straight to the institution, not through the national admission service (NUCAS). Study in Norway states that you need a bachelor’s degree comparable to a Norwegian bachelor’s degree (180 ECTS), including courses equal to at least one and a half years of full-time study relevant to the programme, and some programmes require a minimum grade average. University of Bergen publishes its requirements on the programme page.
When is the application deadline?
Each institution sets and publishes its own deadline for each programme, and the dates can differ between applicants from outside the EU/EEA, EU/EEA applicants and Nordic applicants. As University of Bergen lists it: Applicants from EU/EEA/EFTA: 1 February Applicants from outside of the EU/EEA/EFTA: 1 February. The register shows 1 February 2027 as a deadline date for this programme. Confirm the date for your own situation on the programme page at University of Bergen.
What does it cost?
No annual fee is listed for this programme. Degree students from outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland normally pay tuition at Norwegian institutions, and the fees vary by institution and programme, so ask University of Bergen what applies to you. For students from the EU, the EEA and Switzerland the record shows no tuition fee. Fees are in NOK as the institution lists them. Every student also pays a semester fee of about NOK 1,000 to the student welfare organisation linked to the institution.
Do I need a permit to study there?
Students from outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland need a study permit from the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI). UDI asks for proof of admission, housing and funds of NOK 15,488 a month or NOK 170,368 a year (2026/27), on top of any tuition fee. A study permit allows work of up to 20 hours a week during term and full time in the holidays. Students from the EU, the EEA and Switzerland register with the police within three months of arrival instead.
Is this programme officially listed?
It comes from the Study in Norway register at studyinnorway.no, the English-programme list run by HK-dir, the Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills. The programme page at University of Bergen is linked from this page so you can compare.