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Advanced Design

Level up your portfolio to kick-start your design career at Berghs School of Communication, ranked as the Nº 1 creative school in the world. In this 15-week immersive program, you’ll strengthen your design portfolio, explore generative AI’s creative potential, and develop the strategic and hands-on skills to shape the future of communication.
This program is ideal for junior creatives and postgraduates ready to evolve their craft and push the boundaries of creativity.

Apply by: 15 November
Start: 9 February 2026
End: 22 May 2026
Location: 15 weeks full-time on site, in Stockholm
Fee: 65 300 SEK

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Show contentProgram Overview

Berghs Advanced: Design blends classes, coaching sessions, individual and group work, and more than fifteen briefs to furnish your portfolio, integrating generative AI throughout the process. This program is perfect for international students with previous studies or experience in communications, design, and advertising – who want to work professionally in English in the design industry.

While your core focus will be on design, you will get a holistic view of the strategy, creativity, and execution of creative communication campaigns, with a particular emphasis on leveraging generative AI and a program customised to your area of professional focus. We give you tools to reframe marketing and communication problems, develop new ideas, and draw inspiration and lessons from all the places where design happens.

But we do it the Berghs way. We focus on Action-Based Learning, which means you learn by doing. You learn by applying great ideas to all kinds of projects. It also means the program offers deep collaboration by bringing people from all over the world with a passion and curiosity for communication to work together across multiple disciplines within communication. It's the best way to prepare your professional skills and design a portfolio that will take you places.

This program runs twice per year. Once in the Spring (Feb - May) and once in the Fall (Sep - Dec).

Show contentKey Learnings:

Gain exclusive insights from industry insiders
Enhance your problem-solving abilities with AI
Specialise in design craft and execution
Develop a portfolio showcasing your unique talents

Show contentWho is Berghs Advanced: Design for?

Are you a driven, creative professional ready to take your career to new heights? This program is for ambitious, innovative individuals ready to take their careers in design to the next level. Ideal for recent graduates in design-related fields or professionals seeking a dynamic career shift, Berghs Advanced: Design is designed for those who crave a challenge and are passionate about making a real impact. Leveraging the unparalleled reputation of Europe's most awarded communication school, this program is rooted in a culture of creative excellence. Join a community of like-minded innovators and transform your potential into a powerful force for positive change and bold new ideas.

Show contentDeep Domain Expertise (Module 2)

Design & Art Direction

This intensive unit integrates the core disciplines of Design and Art Direction. This means mastering your art direction capabilities: from solving complex compositional problems and communicating visually in a powerful, compelling way, to refining your creative craft (in both still and motion design) to perfectly match the required tone. You'll concentrate on executing at a high level across diverse media and formats, ensuring your visual solutions are impactful and can be effectively extended. You'll also dive into the crafts of design -- from bettering your composition and creative craft (both still design and motion design) to executing at a high level across media and formats to finding your unique design voice for your portfolio. You'll also find ways of working with generative AI that enhance all parts of your creative process.

Show contentCommon Core Modules

Collaboration is key. Our program immerses you in an environment where you work alongside strategists, art directors, copywriters, public relations, and digital marketers, enhancing your ability to approach creative problems from diverse perspectives.

Intro Week

Gain essential self-leadership and teamwork skills, explore communication trends, and start working on your first projects immediately.

Module 1: Problem, Insight, Solution

Over five weeks, you work in groups and individually on many briefs and learn about problem framing, insight generation, message development, and creative execution. At the end of the module, you master the ideation process and produce and present better ideas faster and more consistently. You also learn to rapidly iterate your work, become better at giving and receiving feedback, and pitch ideas powerfully. This module is designed to give you confidence and provide momentum to your portfolio.

Module 3: Impact

In this capstone project, participants will collaborate with mission-driven companies tackling social and environmental issues. The focus is on creating a significant impact through innovative strategic and creative solutions emphasising sustainability, education, human rights, and economic development. Outcomes are tracked and measured, highlighting social/environmental impact and financial performance. This module challenges students to innovate within real-world constraints, producing comprehensive and impactful creative solutions. The resulting portfolio piece will showcase their ability to drive meaningful change, demonstrating their capability to contribute to mission-driven initiatives and making them highly attractive to future employers.

Portfolio Coaching

The core of Berghs Advanced: Design is our unique portfolio coaching course. It lets you develop a standout portfolio, incorporating generative AI techniques, that opens doors to exciting career opportunities. You get the space and support to step back and consider exactly where you want your design portfolio to take you. Then, through projects, coaching milestones, and internal and external feedback, we develop the portfolio you need and approaches to getting it in front of the right people. It's an intensely personal journey with much support and guidance to make it a profoundly positive and rewarding experience.

Show contentBuilding a Future

Build a network

You need more than a portfolio to get where you want to go in the creative industry. That's why we introduce you to as many industry professionals as possible. This might include site visits and introductions for individuals interested in specific business categories or companies. We're happy to help you grow the right network for you.

For now and for the future

Participants will be equipped for future creative endeavours by mastering the art of 'learning how to learn,' a crucial skill for continuous growth and adaptation. You'll learn to identify innovative opportunities within projects and your career, ensuring you stay ahead in a constantly evolving industry. Embrace new tools and technologies, including new generative AI tools, to develop groundbreaking creative work. With the guidance of Berghs School of Communication, you will confidently navigate and leverage these innovations, positioning yourself at the forefront of the creative landscape.

Show contentCertificates

Advanced Design Certificate

Show contentApplication & Admission Requirements

Do I need any prior knowledge?

This program is for postgraduate students or people with industry experience in design, communication design, graphic arts, or art direction. We expect designers to have knowledge of composition and design software (such as Adobe Creative Suite). However, the Advanced Design Program does not focus on software usage. The emphasis is on design creativity and execution.

You will need an English level of CEFR B2 or higher; see www.tracktest.eu. We don't require a language certificate because your English will be assessed during your interview.

Include

Please submit your application via this page. your CV, completed application task, and a personal letter explaining your related education, experience, and motivation to be a part of Berghs Advanced Design Program.

If available, please feel free to also provide work samples or a link to an online portfolio related to the track you wish to study. This is highly encouraged, but is not a requirement.

Based on an assessment of your application, you may be invited to an interview to assess your English level and judge your suitability for Berghs Advanced Design Program.

Admission to the program is based on a holistic assessment of your application task, personal letter, and interview performance.

What is the program fee?

Fee incl. VAT
67 250 SEK

This program is not covered by CSN.

Show contentVisa Requirements

For Swedish and EU applicants, the Advanced Design Program in Stockholm (15 weeks) does not require a student visa.

For non-EU applicants, the Advanced Design Program at Berghs does not qualify for a Swedish student visa. If you are from applying from outside of the EU, you will likely need to apply for a Residence Permit for Higher Education. Kindly note different visa conditions may apply depending on your citizenship.

Show contentAI at Berghs

We see AI as a tool to enhance our skills in communication, creativity, and innovation—always with humans at the center. At Berghs, we don’t teach what AI does; we teach how you can use AI to drive ideas forward, solve challenges, and create lasting value. Working with AI involves both opportunities and responsibilities, which is why it’s important for us to continue exploring AI development.

Read more about our AI policy: https://www.berghs.se/en/about/

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Program Director

A grayscale portrait picture of Adam Springfeldt, smiling at the camera.

Adam Springfeldt is a former Executive Creative Director, writer, and co-founder of ACNE Creative—part of the original multidisciplinary collective ACNE and one of Sweden’s most internationally recognised creative agencies. With over two decades of experience, Adam has led global teams and shaped brand and campaign work for clients in telecom, fashion, politics, tech, and beyond. His creative leadership helped earn ACNE its reputation as a trusted partner to world-class names including Apple, Google, Nike, IKEA, Netflix, Audi, Polestar, Minecraft, H&M, Byredo, and the United Nations. Adam also served as creative and cultural lead across all 10 of ACNE’s European offices before leaving the agency world in January 2024 to go independent.

At the heart of his work is a belief that communication can—and should—do more than look good. It should mean something. Move people. Leave a mark. He’s driven by ideas that resonate—strategically, emotionally, and culturally—and by the conviction that creativity, done right, can have lasting positive impact on people and planet.

adam.springfeldt@berghs.se