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Digital creators of the future

Digital design and development (Devine) is a unique 3-year bachelor's programme at KASK Conservatory school of arts of HOGENT and Howest in Kortrijk (Belgium).

At Devine you will be trained to use your design, development, and ux skills to create near- and far-future online experiences. The curriculum of Devine is based on these 3 up-to-date industry-proven skills.

This programme is available in Dutch and English.

Digital Design

Digital design reveals topics ranging from visual design, where you acquaint yourself with branding iconography and typography, all the way to motion graphics, where your animations set everything in motion.

Creative Development

The beauty of being a Deviner is that you have every skill you need to work on a project from start to finish.
You have the perfect balance of skills to design and code your ideas.

Experience Design

People love digital products that love people. Creating digital products that are valuable to the end user is essential.
That's why we continue to check the user experience to study the problems and behaviors we perceive around us.

In the digital area Devine is the go-to for top talent people. Once you graduate you can immediately start as an Experience Designer/ Front-end Developer/ Interaction Designer/ Motion Designer/ Full Stack Developer/ Mobile Developer or shortly put: a Deviner.

Devine Showreel 2024
Expert Visual Design
Major

Major with a focus on digital design within the Bachelor of Digital Design & Development

Expert Creative Development
Major

Minor with a focus on development within the Bachelor of Digital Design & Development

 Expert Experience Design
Major

Minor with a focus on user experience within the Bachelor of Digital Design & Development

Class schedule

Your class schedule

Every week you will have between 20 and 24 hours of lessons, 20% of which are online. Your lesson hours are scheduled to be as complimentary as possible. Below you can view a sample schedule.

A mix of theoretical and (a lot of) practical

Theoretical lessons, on campus and online, alternate with laboratory sessions on campus. So you put theory to immediate practice while doing assignments and integrative projects that you work on independently or in groups.

Studenten Devine op bezoek bij November Five in Antwerpen

First year

From your comfort zone to your uncomfort zone. This is how we challenge you to come up with the most creative concepts tailored to your target audience.

You will learn how to package your own style and design unique and stunning visual creations. Finally, you will bring it all to life with spiky code and deliver a unique experience to every user.

Second year

Smartwatch, smartphone, desktop, LED wall or even a building as a canvas? No challenge too great to showcase your digital creations that you now enhance with motion graphics. You will go on exchange with students from Rotterdam. This will give your study a unique international dimension.

Third year

In your final year, you choose your own focus and go all out for challenging projects. You will work for real clients such as Studio Brussel, Volkswagen, Smile Safari, ..... You complete your study with an exciting internship at home or abroad, which may be your first work experience.

Course unit descriptions for this study programme
Studenten Devine op bezoek bij November Five in Antwerpen

Ready for the exciting world of digital communication

As a Devine graduate, you will step directly into the exciting world of digital communication at web agencies, event organisers, creative studios, motion studios or content marketing companies.

Whether you specialised in digital design, creative technologies or UX research, you will be able to start working immediately as a graphic designer, UI/UX designer, motion designer, digital storyteller, front-end developer, creative coder, service designer, mobile developer or in any number of other positions where your future-proof skills will bring added value.

96% immediate employment rate

No less than 96% of our alumni find work at home or abroad immediately after graduating. More than 80% are offered a contract at the site of their internship.

Deviners in the digital age are guaranteed to find a job.

In the sector, Howest's Devine programme is the go-to for top talent.

Quality assurance in every programme

Quality assurance is embedded in the daily operation of our entire programme. We continuously and systematically improve the quality of each course. The involvement of students, field professionals and alumni is crucial here.

In 2023, the Digital Design & Development bachelor's programme was reviewed by an independent and external panel. The review was conducted by NVAO. The quality of the programme was evaluated positively. For the report click here (in Dutch).

Recent graduates of the Digital Design & Development bachelor's programme have stated that they were satisfied with the quality of the training they received. Graduate satisfaction is monitored every year with an exit survey completed upon graduation. Click here to see a review of satisfaction figures.

students presenting theire integration 4 assignment
Studenten Toerisme en Recreatiemanagement met lesgever aan de Broeltorens in Kortrijk

How to apply as an incoming international student

All information on nominations, applications and tuitions can be found here.

Info day
Saturday 15 March 2025
FROM 10h TILL 16h
Read more

Come and visit us

These are the next info days in Kortrijk:

All info days

More info?

Receive the brochure by post
Subscribe to the newsletter of this study programme.

Student met brochure van Howest

Strengths of the programme

200% job security

Devine is the reference in the industry. After your education, jobs are readily available both domestically and abroad, at large and small agencies, as a designer, developer, or UX expert.

96% of students can start working immediately. 100% of alumni work within the industry. The future looks Devine!

Choose Dutch or English.

Devine can be followed in both Dutch and English. If you choose the English-language training, you will find yourself in a lively and enriching mix of international students from all corners of the world. Today, you can already find graduated Deviners in Iceland, Norway, Hong Kong, Greece, Canada, or Italy.

Personal guidance

The programme places strong emphasis on intensive personal guidance and feedback. You sit down with your tutors and regularly test progression that will raise your project to a higher level in no time.

An inspiring campus at the heart of Kortrijk

You will be taught in the stimulating creative environment of the Buda Factory. This former textile factory is located on Buda Island in the heart of the city where culture and creativity go hand in hand. It houses a prototype lab with 3D printers, laser cutters and a host of machines for creative talent.

In the final semester, you only do an internship at a company of your choice. This is the highlight of your education. The offerings include Studio Brussel, Tomorrowland, Volkswagen, Apple... Many Deviners go to foreign destinations such as New York, London, Berlin, or Milan. More than 80% of the students are offered a permanent contract during the internship.

Have a look

Focus on digital experience

From all the keywords within Devine - digital design, storytelling, branding, motion graphics, immersive experience, creative coding, problem solving, user journeys, creative thinking - 'digital' is the most important.

Cases

FTI Club of The Future: an immersive visual spectacle
Blog

A visionary club and concert experience unfolded at the Flanders Technology & Innovation Festival.

Read more

Howest first year student, Paulina

Testimonial

Choosing Devine was one of the best decisions I ever made! This unique program has provided me with countless opportunities to grow and develop my skills in the areas of UX, design, and development. To my surprise, the past year has been a remarkably transformative period, fueling my creativity and inspiring me like never before.

In my opinion, the program is challenging but the teachers are always there to provide support, not just academically but also regarding the challenges that international students may encounter. I appreciate that they constantly encourage us to think outside the box through engaging projects and activities, allowing us to gain practical knowledge.

However, what is making my international journey at Devine even more incredible are the people I met there. Being away from home can be tough, but friends can provide strong support that makes the transition much easier and offer help in moments of uncertainty. The campus itself is a unique creative space, distinct from the typical university interior. It offers a vibrant atmosphere and hosts periodic events and festivals, ensuring that there is always something interesting for everyone.

Choosing Devine means embracing hard work, but I can personally attest that it's worth every effort. The unique set of skills and knowledge you acquire will undoubtedly set you apart.

Paulina
Howest first year Student, Paulina

Devine in motion

Register now!

Have you decided? We look forward to welcoming you to our Howest community! 
You can find all information about registering via the link below.

Apply now

Studenten in pauze met koffie op de campus

FAQ

If you don't find what you're looking for or have a specific question about this program, please feel free to contact us. We are available every weekday from 9am to 5pm. Direct other questions to this contact person:

Klaus Delanghe

Klaus Delanghe

Academic Director

Silke Vanloofsvelt

Silke Vanloofsvelt

International Admissions Officer

If you choose to study Devine, you will need to purchase a Macbook from Apple. You can purchase these with a student discount.

See which laptop the course recommends

Because students sometimes have doubts about Devine and the cost of a Macbook, we allow them to work with another device (e.g. a Windows laptop) until the end of the first semester in the first year. As of January, it is mandatory for all students to work with an Apple laptop.

As a student in higher education, you may be granted special status based on individual characteristics and/or circumstances. Within Devine, we want to provide every student with maximum opportunities to flourish and therefore offer the facilities below:

  • 3 Howest-wide examination facilities
    1. Oral explanation
    2. 20-30% extra time within provided exam block
    3. Appreciation in case of spelling errors/wrong sentence structure
  • Earplugs or noice cancelling headphone
  • Medication on doctor's prescription
  • Water during lesson/exam
  • Notebook
  • Fixed submission time for assignments (10 p.m.)
  • All exams take place on laptop

If you want more info on special status and adjustments, you can contact STUVO for the options on statutes and facilities within Howest, the application process and additional study support.

Would you like to study abroad for a semester? Or are you interested in an international internship? You can! You will discover all the opportunities to go abroad within Howest on this page. During your studies, we will work together to make your international adventure a reality!

Application deadlines for the academic year 2023-2024 are as follows:

  • 1 June, 2023 for non-EEA students who will need to apply for a visa in order to study in Belgium
  • 1 July, 2023 for EEA citizens and other applicants who do not require a visa.

Devine is a specialised programme which consists of approximately 350 students. The classes are consciously made up of a small amount of students, which ensures a personalised follow-up and a “familial” atmosphere for the students. Class sessions range from one-on-one coaching with the lectors to 35-50 student workshops. 

There are over 400 international students currently studying in Kortrijk at our campus so you will fit right in with this vibrant international community. We regularly organize events and workshops and there is a central meeting point on campus where international student can hang out.

The academic year officially starts in the second week of September with an orientation week. Attending the orientation week will allow you to familiarize yourself with the campus, socialise with other internationals and take care of practical arrangements. You also get your first theory classes in this first week. That way you are off to a flying start.

Yes you can. You can study and complete the bachelor degree Devine in 3 years via our new English track

Sure! Check out all of our showreels. All visuals made by our amazing students!

EU students can spend one semester studying at our school through the Erasmus+ programme. Check with your own international coordinator to see if a Learning Agreement exists between Devine and your host institution. If so, you can immediately register and begin your application. 

When coming for an exchange semester you can choose between 3 different tracks: 

  1. Digital Design
  2. UX Research
  3. Creative Technology