Dessau International Architecture Graduate School (DIA)

Program overview The Dessau International Architecture Graduate School (DIA) delivers an English-language Master of Arts in Architecture with a distinctly international profile. Launched in 1999 with just ten students, the programme has grown to enroll over 100 students annually, representing more than 50 countries. It is run in cooperation with Anhalt University of Applied Sciences and is embedded in a broad network of partner architecture schools across Europe and beyond.

What you will study DIA combines architecture and urban design as integrated fields, addressing the technical, economic, ecological, cultural and theoretical dimensions of building and planning. The curriculum emphasizes sustainable approaches at both the architectural and urban scales and challenges students to respond to pressing issues such as climate change, resource scarcity, biodiversity loss and social transformation. Studio work places a strong value on drawing and model-making as principal means of developing and communicating design concepts, alongside the use of new media and digital technologies.

Teaching, collaboration and opportunities Course delivery involves regular faculty from Hochschule Anhalt in Dessau together with rotating international guest lecturers, ensuring continual external input and networking possibilities. Students benefit from exchange programmes, summer schools, study excursions, competitions and opportunities to join ongoing research projects at Hochschule Anhalt and partner institutions. The overall pedagogy supports interdisciplinary design work and the active integration of theoretical perspectives into practical design tasks.

Key facts & application notes

• Degree: Master of Arts (Architecture)
• Language of instruction: English
• Location: Dessau, Germany (programme associated with Anhalt University of Applied Sciences)
• Cohort: >100 students per year from 50+ countries (international student body)
• Focus areas: sustainable urban and architectural design; integration of theory and practice; new media and modelling techniques
• Teaching model: mix of Hochschule Anhalt faculty and international guest lecturers; opportunities for exchanges, summer schools, excursions, competitions and research collaboration
• Admissions: Specific entry and application requirements are not provided here — consult the programme’s official website or admissions office for details on prerequisites, portfolio expectations and application deadlines.

Curriculum overview

This four‑semester Master’s programme is structured to build from taught coursework and studio projects in the first three semesters toward an independent, research‑oriented Master’s thesis in the fourth semester. Early semesters focus on practice‑based design and critical context, while the final term is devoted to an individually supervised thesis project culminating in a public presentation.

Teaching is organised into modular units. Each module groups related teaching and learning activities and is completed through an examination or another verifiable academic performance. Successful completion of every module — and of the Master’s thesis — is credited according to the average student workload required for that unit.

Key modules

• Design Studio — project‑based studio work that forms the programme’s core practical training.
• Urbanism — study of urban design, spatial systems and the relationship between architecture and city contexts.
• European Culture, Architectural History and Theory — critical and historical frameworks for architectural practice within European traditions.
• CAD/Logic — technical and computational skills for design representation and problem solving.
• “Electoral Compulsive Courses” — a set of selectable courses drawn from a changing range offered each semester (students choose from these options to complement core modules).

Learning outcomes

Students will develop the ability to integrate studio design work with theoretical and historical understanding, apply CAD and logical methods to architectural problems, and situate projects within urban contexts. The programme prepares students to plan, execute and present an independent Master’s thesis under the guidance of a primary thesis master and a secondary supervisor, demonstrating research competence, design resolution and oral/presentation skills.

Core programme requirements

• Four‑semester duration, with the Master’s thesis completed in the fourth semester.
• Completion of core modules across the first three semesters (Design Studio, Urbanism, European Culture/History/Theory, CAD/Logic).
• Selection of elective courses from the semester offerings (listed as “Electoral Compulsive Courses”).
• Modules are assessed by examinations or other verifiable study performances.
• Credits are awarded for each successfully completed module and for the Master’s thesis; credit values reflect the workload associated with each module.

Graduates leave the programme equipped for practice-oriented roles in architecture and urban design, with strong representational skills (drawing, modelling, digital media) and a focus on sustainability. The combination of studio work, technical training and interdisciplinary theory prepares students for positions in architectural offices, urban design consultancies, research projects and international collaborations.

The programme's international network and guest lecturer programme also support pathways into further academic research or international practice. Professional recognition and specific licensing outcomes will depend on national regulations in graduates' home countries.