Admission

If you do not, or not yet, live in the Netherlands, you can enrol via Studielink, after creating a personal username and password. You can create your account on the Studielink website. If you would like to know how to register for this programme and which registration deadlines apply to you, please check the master's admissions page for all relevant information.

Students living in the Netherlands (including non-Dutch nationals) can enroll as well as apply for student grants and loans via Studielink (in English, Dutch and German). For this, you need a DigiD log-in code, which takes up to five days to obtain.

Are you an international student? Read more about the fees and scholarships that (may) apply to you.

After your admittance on Studielink, you will receive all the specific information and details about the matching process. The text below is to give you an idea of what you can expect, the matching process includes:

• Coding assignment, an online course in Python Programming to give you an idea of what to expect during the master’s programme.  
• Writing an English motivation letter (no more than 300-400 words) about your motivation, previous experience and expectations of this programme.

Based on your programming assignment and motivation letter, you will get one of the following non-binding types of advice:

• Based on the coding assignment and your motivation letter we have not found any risks of you dropping out or falling behind in your studies;
• Based on the coding assignment and your motivation letter we would like to draw your attention to some issues, to make sure that you have the proper attitude and (educational) experience for this specific degree programme;
• Based on the coding assignment and your motivation letter we believe that you run a great risk of dropping out or falling behind in your studies. 

The coding assignment is a qualitative requirement for admission to the master's programme Data-driven Design. The prospective student gets two chances to obtain a pass for this requirement. If the prospective student fails to obtain a pass, they are not admissible and will not be able to enrol in the programme. They also won’t receive an advice for the matching process.

The programme was designed for ambitious bachelor graduates of Communication and Multimedia Design (CMD), Creative Business, Journalism, Communication, International Business and ICT. Who have analytical skills and are interested in the combination of data, design and technology. We accept students from other bachelor backgrounds if they have the proper skills and motivations to pursue a master’s degree in Data-driven Design.

It is advisable that aspiring students have the following competencies:

• Some experience with a programming language
• Some experience with basic design programmes or design thinking

If you do not already possess these skills, it is important that you have the ability, interest and motivation to acquire them.

All students, except for students with a relevant Dutch diploma, must prove that they have good writing and conversation skills in English. During the matching process we will review your English skills as well. Please check our Language Requirements page for more information regarding accepted tests, scores and valid exemptions. Please contact HU International Office via stip@hu.nl if you have any questions regarding your English proficiency.

• Because it will advance your skills in developing future oriented business ideas that fit the digital economy.
• Because it prepares you for exciting challenges in the intersection of creativity, data and design.
• Because it makes a natural continuation of your CB studies, but with a stronger focus on coding skills and a technical vision.
• Because you learn to collect, organize and analyse data to understand the behaviour of your target audience should be or not our communication problem and measure effects more effectively.

• Because you learn to collect, organise and analyse data to understand the behaviour of your target audience, or communication problem and measure effects more effectively.
• Because you learn to design innovative interfaces, which are fuelled by data, creating more personalised experiences.
• Because you will become acquainted with the business models of data-driven design, which are crucial for new digital applications and services.
• Because you can deepen your knowledge of media philosophy and psychology, with questions such as: how does society develop under the influence of digital innovations?
• Because you become acquainted with practical programming skills that are also in constant demand in the creative industries.
• Because during the MDDD programme, we work together with companies from the creative industries, which indicated that they are in need of our graduates.

• Because you will become acquainted with the possibilities of the various new earning models of data design and analysis, which are the journalistic features of the future.
• Because you learn to collect, organize and analyse structured information on journalistic questions.
• Because you learn to do independent research, as well as working with data for journalistic and commercial assignments.
• Because you can deepen your knowledge of media philosophy and psychology, with questions such as: how does society develop under the influence of digital innovations?
• Because you become acquainted with practical programming skills that are also in constant demand in journalistic practice.
• Because journalistic platforms are eagerly looking for young talent that can develop new data-driven research methods.
• Because during the MDDD programme, we work together with parties from both public and commercial media. They have indicated that they are in need of our graduates.

• Because it offers an interesting combination of media, psychology (user experience), design and programming.
• Because you will enlarge your job possibilities by working on your technical skills.
• Because you don’t have to have experience with programming – only an interest in tech and data.