Programs

Jazz & Pop

The Jazz & Pop Bachelor of Music program at HKU Utrechts Conservatorium offers a comprehensive music education focused on developing your skills as a performer and creator. You'll have the opportunity to specialize in jazz, bebop, fusion, pop, rock, soul, or dance music, tailoring the program to your individual expertise and interests. The curriculum emphasizes both instrumental development and collaborative learning, preparing you for a multifaceted career in the music industry. HKU fosters a supportive yet competitive environment where students gain performing experience in ensembles, engage in interdisciplinary projects with other HKU academies, and receive personal guidance from dedicated lecturers and guest artists. The program is recognized for its quality, having been top-rated by the Dutch 'Keuzegids' 2025.

MA Programme Scenography

The Master of Arts in Fine Art and Design, with a specialisation in Scenography, trains students to transform any environment into a theatrical space. This programme focuses on developing creative and intellectual capabilities within an international context. Key principles include making, thinking, and sharing work, with an emphasis on context, disciplinarity, research, and self-direction. It offers an open and inclusive learning environment that integrates theory and practice, encouraging individual responsibility and personal development. The curriculum strongly focuses on scenographic practice through the performativity of material, light, sound, and various technological tools and media, fostering a collaborative community in a dedicated studio space and utilizing performance spaces.

Master Crossover Creativity (part-time)

The Master Crossover Creativity is a part-time master's program designed for individuals who want to use their creative skills to develop innovative solutions for complex societal challenges. The program focuses on fostering crossover collaboration, integrating creativity and entrepreneurship to address multi-stakeholder issues across various fields such as social inclusion, public space planning, and health. Students will work on their own chosen themes, conducting research and bringing people together. The curriculum emphasizes an iterative approach, developing knowledge, methods, and solutions through co-creation. Graduates are equipped to make a significant societal, socio-economic, and cultural impact, often pursuing careers as innovative designers, environment managers, or social designers.

Master Interior Architecture

The Master Interior Architecture (HKU MIA) is a two-year full-time program designed to train you as an interior architect. It focuses on developing your ability to create spaces that have a significant impact. You will learn to approach design creatively, communicatively, and with a strong investigative spirit, enabling you to define your unique position within the professional field. The program emphasizes involving users in the design process and developing research methods that integrate the experience of spaces into the final outcome. Key themes include human-centered design, investigative design practices, and understanding design within a professional context. The curriculum allows you to explore various design approaches, technologies, materials, and visual media through workshops and experimentation. You will have the freedom to find your own path as a designer while engaging with societal issues and collaborating on projects with external partners.

Master of Education in Arts

Master of Fine Art

The Master of Fine Art program at HKU is designed for artists, researchers, activists, and cultural workers who have completed a Bachelor's degree and are interested in exploring eco-socio-cultural contexts. This two-year, full-time, English-taught Master's program focuses on deepening your engagement with contemporary art and its societal implications. The curriculum encourages artistic research practices that critically examine ecological, social, and political issues, emphasizing collaboration and transdisciplinary approaches. You will experiment with diverse methodologies, fostering a critical understanding of your practice's effects and potentials within complex global challenges. HKU fosters an international and supportive study environment, connecting you with a vibrant local and international cultural network. The program aims to equip you with the skills and critical awareness to contribute meaningfully to societal and planetary well-being through your artistic practice.

Master of Music, Music Design Pathway

The Master of Music (MMus) Music Design pathway at HKU offers a full-time, English and Dutch-taught program focused on developing your professional and artistic vision within music technology. You'll explore your position in the field, engaging with technology development, multidisciplinary collaboration, the context of music creation, design and production processes, practice-based research, and target audiences. The program encourages you to develop a personalized study plan tailored to your objectives, which are reviewed and adjusted each semester. You'll benefit from a diverse community of national and international students and the extensive network of lecturers and alumni.

Master's Programmes at HKU

HKU offers a range of creative Master's programmes designed for professionals seeking to advance their careers or deepen their knowledge. These practice-based programmes focus on addressing contemporary social challenges through creative thinking and innovation. Students have a significant role in shaping their own study path, fostering connections with peers, faculty, and the professional arts community.

Media Preparatory Course

Minor Creating Collectives

This minor is designed for students interested in exploring new ways of organizing creative collaborations and partnerships. It acts as a creative playground where you can experiment with alternative organizational structures and artistic collaborations, moving beyond theoretical discussions to actively realize creative plans. The program focuses on cooperation as a key strategy for a strong creative future, helping individuals navigate the uncertainties of the creative sector by building consequential and endurable collectives. You will learn how collaboration can provide solutions to challenges faced by artists and creatives, and how to ensure these partnerships are effective and long-lasting. The minor delves into the creative sector, examining innovation labs, projects, and partnerships between artists and artist-run initiatives. It's an opportunity to discover, experiment, and enhance your collaborative power through innovative methods. This minor is ideal for both 'creators' who want to strengthen their own practice through collaboration, and 'enablers' who wish to help artists and creatives organize their work. It's a hands-on experience that goes beyond theory, equipping you with practical skills to start or develop your own collaborations and to see your professional network with fresh, opportunity-focused eyes.

Minor Design for Social Change

The Minor Design for Social Change is a part-time program focused on using design principles to address societal issues. You will work in multidisciplinary and international teams to develop solutions for challenges such as poverty reduction, inequality, climate change, and waste management. The program emphasizes the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and employs Kees Dorst's Frame Innovation method to guide research and prototyping. Students will learn to make the results of their projects visually transparent for a broad audience, taking on roles like designer, project manager, programmer, or director.

Minor Interactive Narrative Design

This minor introduces you to the fundamentals of interactive narrative design, using traditional storytelling techniques as a foundation to engage audiences actively. You will collaborate with students from various creative disciplines to develop multidisciplinary projects, including art installations, board games, digital games, theatre performances, and escape rooms. Through workshops led by industry professionals, you will learn to combine text, visuals, sound, technology, and interactivity effectively, discovering how interactive narrative design can enhance opportunities in your chosen field.

Minor International Arts

Minor Music and Technology in Practice

This minor introduces you to the intersection of music and technology. You will explore various tools, design methods, and musical repertoire within this field. The program emphasizes practical application, allowing you to immediately implement your learning in a project. You will have the flexibility to choose a specific pathway for your development. This minor is ideal for students curious about how technology can enhance artistic experiences, such as translating visual phenomena into music or using AI and biodata to impact performance. If you enjoy creative problem-solving and have a passion for creating, producing, or performing music, this minor could be a great fit. It is also noted as a potential premaster for the Master of Music - Music Design at HKU. The program runs part-time over one year and requires participation in a project presentation, documentation, and reflection on your personal development. Please note that this program is taught entirely in Dutch.

Minor Space, Perception and Design

This is a 5-month intensive design minor offered by HKU Design, focusing on spatial design challenges. You will engage in research-driven design projects, exploring concepts within interior design, architecture, and urban contexts. The minor encourages curiosity and an open mindset, inviting you to investigate the unknown and integrate diverse perspectives into your spatial designs. You'll work in a studio environment with access to various workshops and labs, developing your ideas through hands-on making and research. The program emphasizes a holistic approach, considering physical, material, technical, emotional, human, and social factors in design. You will learn to visualize your concepts using spatial studies, models, installations, collages, and interactive techniques, culminating in a final exhibition and presentation. The goal is to develop a deep understanding of spatial design, refine your design process, and enhance your ability to articulate and present your vision.

Music and Technology

The Master's Music and Technology programme at HKU University of the Arts Utrecht offers a unique interdisciplinary approach for musicians and technologists. This programme is designed for those who want to explore the intersection of music, technology, and artistic practice. You will develop advanced skills in areas such as sound design, music production, interactive music systems, and creative coding, all within a collaborative and experimental environment. The curriculum is project-based, allowing you to delve into specific areas of interest and create innovative work that pushes the boundaries of contemporary music and sound art.

Photography

Product Design

The Product Design programme at HKU is a four-year, full-time Bachelor of Arts degree focused on developing creatively thinking, investigative designers. It emphasizes connecting personal interests and contemporary societal trends, encouraging students to express their unique perspective on product design. The program aims to equip students with the ability to let their imagination guide their work and to demonstrate a clear attitude towards design. This program is one of the pathways within the Bachelor of Design and encourages experimentation with various technologies, techniques, materials, and visual media. Students will work in workshops, engage in individual projects, collaborations, and projects with external parties, fostering a blend of research and creativity. The goal is to prepare students to become the designers of tomorrow, deeply connected to the world around them.

Spatial Design

The Spatial Design bachelor's program focuses on creating and shaping spaces, from small interventions to exploring the interaction between people and their environment. It addresses the evolving landscape of architecture and spatial design, seeking individuals who can offer unique and innovative perspectives. The program emphasizes the connection between spatial design and contemporary societal issues, encouraging students to contribute to daily life through thoughtful spatial interventions. Throughout this four-year, full-time program, you will develop as an investigative designer. You'll learn to connect your personal interests, thoughts, and feelings with the broader world, allowing your imagination to flourish. The curriculum fosters the development of a distinct design attitude, enabling you to articulate your understanding of spatial design through your work. Students are encouraged to experiment with various technologies, techniques, materials, and visual media within workshop settings.

Theatre

University of the Arts Utrecht (HKU)

The University of the Arts Utrecht (HKU) is a leading institution for art and culture education in the Netherlands. HKU offers a wide range of programs across various disciplines, including fine arts, music, theatre, design, media, and arts management. The university is committed to fostering creativity, critical thinking, and professional development for its students, preparing them for careers in the dynamic creative industries.