Program Overview
The Digital Design and Development (DEVINE) program at Howest University of Applied Sciences is a three-year bachelor's program taught in English that combines design, development, and user experience (UX) research. Students work on increasingly complex, team-based projects throughout their studies, which conclude with a three-month internship.
- Focus: The program prepares students to become "Deviners"—creative digital experts with a balanced skill set in design and development.
- Location: The program is based at Campus Buda in Kortrijk, located in a renovated textile factory that provides a stimulating creative environment.
- International community: The English-taught track fosters a diverse and international student body from around the world.
- Practical approach: The curriculum combines theoretical lessons with practical sessions, focusing heavily on hands-on, team-based projects and real-world assignments.
- Industry connections: The program has strong ties to the creative digital industry, providing students with guest lectures and exposure to real-life projects.
Key Program Features
-
Language of instruction: Both English and Dutch tracks available. The English track is fully taught in English; for non-Dutch speakers some Dutch classes may be offered.
-
Location: Kortrijk, Belgium — creative and dynamic environment for digital design & development.
-
Focus on projects and portfolio: The curriculum emphasises hands-on, multidisciplinary projects, code + design + user research.
-
Specialisation in final year: Students pick an expertise pillar (Visual Design / Experience Design / Development) to deepen skills.
-
International opportunities: Study trips, exchange with partner institutions, real-world briefs with international clients.
-
Portfolio-oriented: The combination of technical and creative gives students a strong base for diverse digital roles.
Career Opportunities
- Career outcomes: Due to the program's strong industry reputation, graduates are highly sought after. 96% of students find a job immediately after graduation, and 100% of alumni work within the creative digital sector.
- Job roles: Graduates are prepared for a variety of roles, including:
- Experience/UX Designer
- Front-end or Full-stack Developer
- Motion Designer
- Creative Coder
- Mobile Developer
Program Curriculum
The DEVINE program is structured around three core pillars, which are integrated into intensive projects over three years:
- Design: Covers visual design topics like branding, iconography, typography, and motion graphics.
- Development: Focuses on the technical skills needed to build and code digital ideas from start to finish. In the final year, students choosing a "Creative Development" minor track work with Arduinos, WebGL, and machine learning.
- UX Research: Emphasizes user-centric design to create digital products that are valuable to the end-user.
Structure:
-
First year: foundational courses across design (visual, motion), development (web, creative code), and experience design/UX. For example: “WEB 1”, “CREATIVE CODE 1”, “INTEGRATION 1” modules.
-
Second year: deeper into responsive design, team-projects, motion/3D, UX research.
-
Third year: specialisation (you choose one pillar), a major project, integration weeks with real clients, possibly international exchange.
Key module examples:
-
Visual Design: typography, iconography, motion graphics, 3D modelling.
-
Development: HTML/CSS/JS, creative coding, WebGL, installations, databases, responsive & mobile.
-
Experience Design / UX Research: user-journeys, content matrix, prototypes, data gathering, behaviour analysis.
-
Integration projects: Real-world briefs with clients, multidisciplinary team work, international exchange (for example with Hogeschool Rotterdam).
Admission Requirements
-
Secondary school diploma (or equivalent) required.
-
For English-taught track: Proof of English proficiency (e.g., IELTS/TOEFL) may be required.
-
For the Dutch-taught programme: proof of Dutch language proficiency (e.g., CEFR B2 or equivalent) if your prior education was not in Dutch. Howest University
-
Application steps: Online application form, submission of certified copies of diplomas/transcripts, pay an application fee (≈ €50) for some cases.
Start date: The programme typically starts in September. For example the Dutch-taught track lists a start 22 Sept
International students must meet the following criteria:
- Diploma: A secondary education diploma that grants access to university-level studies in the country where it was issued. Final-year students can apply with a transcript and expected graduation date.
- English proficiency: Proof of proficiency at the B2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference. Accepted certificates include IELTS (minimum score 6.5), TOEFL (minimum 79), and Duolingo (minimum 110).
- Motivation letter: Applicants must write a motivation letter in English.
- Apple MacBook: Students are required to have an Apple MacBook for the program. The university provides student discounts.
Tuition & Financial Information
Tuition Fee
8,280 USD / year
- Tuition fees: For non-EEA citizens, tuition is a combination of a fixed fee and a variable fee per ECTS. The exact amount is specified on the official Howest website.
- Living expenses (non-EEA): Non-EEA students must demonstrate they have an additional €11,000 per year for living expenses. This is managed through a blocked bank account set up with Howest and is required for the visa application.
- Financial aid: Financial aid may be available, but prospective students should review the latest information on the Howest website and contact their STUVO (student facilities department) for specific options.
Financial Aid & Scholarships
Financial Aid & Funding Opportunities
Howest Institute of Applied Science and external bodies offer a range of funding options to support postgraduate students:
- University Scholarships: Merit-based and need-based scholarships are available for eligible postgraduate students.
- Government Funding: Domestic students may be eligible for government-backed student loans, grants, or bursaries.
- External Scholarships: Funding bodies such as Commonwealth Scholarship Commission, Fulbright, Chevening, Erasmus+, and DAAD offer competitive awards.
- Employer Sponsorship: Many employers sponsor postgraduate study in professional fields.
- Graduate Assistantships: Research or teaching assistantship positions may be available, providing stipends and tuition fee waivers.
- Payment Plans: Flexible semester-based or monthly payment plans are typically available.
About Howest Institute of Applied Science
Howest Institute of Applied Science
Kortrijk, Belgium
Howest University of Applied Sciences (Howest / Hogeschool West-Vlaanderen) is a well-regarded public university of applied sciences located in the historic province of West Flanders, Belgium,...
University Profile- Application Deadline June
- Start Date September
- Language English
- Duration 3
- Credits 60
