The Master Visual Knowledge is a graduate program in graphic design that trains students to conceive clear, coherent, innovative visual systems adapted to diverse types of content, while deepening the skills acquired during the Bachelor’s degree.
The programme combines real-world commissions, image theory, project methodologies, and specialized graphic approaches.
It fosters a critical culture of image and form, questioning their uses, effects, and socio-cultural implications. Students also develop methods to analyse, structure, and hierarchise heterogeneous content (data, texts, narratives, field observations).

First Year
The first year is built around a common core of two mandatory courses:
The “Design in Context” studio focuses on concrete projects developed in partnership with institutions, cultural, scientific, or social organizations, offering a rare opportunity to apply graphic approaches to real-life situations.
The “Image Theory” course explores, through visual studies and collective reading of key reference texts, the political, social, ethical, and aesthetic issues surrounding images, in order to develop a critical perspective on their power of meaning and persuasion.
This core curriculum is complemented by specialisation options chosen according to each student’s profile and interests:
–History and Culture of Design (visual culture and context)
–Visual Anthropology (analysis of image practices and uses)
–Typography (graphic language and form)
–Pictograms and Iconography (visual vocabulary)
–Cartography, schematic and diagrammatic drawing (visual grammar)
–Information Design (methodology and organisation of complex content)
–Web Data and Data Design (digital data and visualisation)
–Spatial Design, Interaction and Experience (wayfinding systems and spatial exploration)
–Image Production (visual communication and narrative strategies)
–Publishing (design and production of editorial media)

Second Year
During the second year, students devote the first semester to writing their theoretical thesis; then, in the second semester, they develop an individual diploma project, from research to final production.

Career Prospects
Upon completion of the Master’s degree, graduates have acquired the skills required to work across various sectors of visual communication and knowledge mediation, in roles such as:

• Graphic Designer (specialized)
• Editorial Illustrator
• Information Designer
• Graphic Facilitator

Practical Information
The Master’s program is open to holders of a Bachelor’s degree (all fields).
Full-time program, 120 ECTS credits.

Practical Information
The Master is open to holders of a Bachelor’s degree (in any field) who possess skills in illustration and/or graphic design.
It is a full-time program, offering 120 ECTS credits.

Head of Department
Alice Franchetti

Assistant
Flaurant Kadrija

Invited speakers
Aladin Borioli, Giliane Cachin, Eurostandard, Amaury Hamon, Matthieu Huegi, Alexis Hominal, Clémence Imbert, INT Studio, Benoît Jeannet, Roman Karrer, Anthony Masure, Tamara Niklaus, Raphaël Pieroni, Johanne Roten, Tibor Udvari