Bircham International University

What you'll study

The degree requires 130 academic credits above secondary school and is composed of general education credits plus programme-specific subjects. Course work is assessed through written reports, projects and a thesis using the provided textbooks.

• Composition of credits: minimum 40 credits General Education (may be transferred) + 45 academic credits in Creative Arts (BIU-earned) + additional subjects as required.
• BIU-earned credits are gained by completing reports, projects and thesis at Bircham; 1 BIU earned credit = 1 US semester credit (15 learning hours) = 2 ECTS (30 hours).
• Core subject list (each subject = 3 academic credits): 301CRA Visual Arts; 302CRA Decorative Elements; 303CRA Art & Philosophy; 304CRA XXth Century Art; 305CRA Contemporary Art; 306CRA Visual & Graphic Design; 307CRA Logo & Packaging Design; 308CRA Art History; 411CRA Creativity; 412CRA Art Direction; 413CRA Architecture Design; 414CRA Landscape Art & Perception; 415CRA Artistic Design; 416CRA Multimedia Design; 417CRA Creative Arts.
• Additional electives may be chosen from other Faculty of Arts & Humanities modules (examples include Architectural Environmental Integration; Art & Religion; Interior Design; Musicology; Performing Music & Dance; Staging & Choreography; Television Production & Directing; Theory of Drama & Comedy, etc.), subject to approval by the Distance Learning University Education Board.
• Textbooks for each course are included in fees; reports must be written in the textbook language unless authorization for another language is granted.

Entry requirements

Admission is open to adults over 23. A minimum of 30% of the total programme credits must be transferred from prior education and/or validated professional experience to gain admission. Up to 20% of the total credits may be validated from professional and life experience. A minimum transfer of 40 credits counts as the equivalent of general education credits toward the bachelor.

Career prospects

The programme develops specialised and applicable knowledge about creative processes, analysis and critical thinking rather than practical artistic skills. Graduates are therefore prepared for roles that value conceptual, analytical and contextual understanding of arts and creative industries, including research, cultural policy, arts administration, content strategy, or further academic study depending on local recognition and career pathways.

Scholarships & funding angle

Fees cover the study programme, textbooks, study guide, evaluation, diploma and transcript. Cost per BIU undergraduate credit is 70 EUR (approx. 90 USD); transferred credits cost 20 EUR (approx. 25 USD) per credit. Total tuition for 130 credits is indicated with a minimum of 3,510 EUR and a maximum of 6,800 EUR. Payment plans are available on request for up to 36 monthly installments.