The Estonian Academy of Arts (EKA), founded in 1914, is the only public university in Estonia offering a wide selection of curricula in the four faculties of Architecture, Design, Art and Culture and Fine Arts. Located in the capital city, Tallinn, it is an active study and research institution and the leading national center of innovation in visual culture.
1200 students from all parts of the world are engaged in the curricula to cultivate their analytical abilities and critical thinking with the aim to develop into environmentally and socially conscientious creators.
Studies take place in our new building with an innovative and inspiring environment. Small groups of carefully selected students enable a more personal, one-on-one approach to instruction and a family-like, close-knit atmosphere.
The lecturers and instructors are professionals in their field – internationally recognised artists, architects, designers, historians, and scholars who provide unique, individualised study and personal mentorship in a synergistic atmosphere.
EKA is listed among World's Top 200 Art and Design Universities by QS World University Rankings (2023).
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The main goal of the 2-year Animation MA programme is to successfully educate creators of animated films, providing them with theoretical knowledge and practical skills. The further aim is to contribute to the global development of animation as an art form. As our master students come from very different parts of the world and have different educational backgrounds we try to encourage their individual approach to filmmaking. The films vary from narrative to more experimental. Most of the works are executed in traditional 2D or stop motion techniques. Recently we have started to offer more thorough CGI courses as well. We invite several well-known animation artists to give workshops where they offer their inspiration and different approaches to animation.
Contemporary Art MA is a two-year international program for emerging contemporary artists of different backgrounds intended to guide them during the development of their artistic position. The main focus is on the individual studio practice, which is supported by collaborative moments in the curriculum as well as masterclasses and courses introducing a range of artistic methods and platforms for research and critical reflection. In addition to intensive work in the studios, exhibiting in Estonia and abroad, and working in close collaboration with peers and tutors, students are encouraged to make use of the different facilities at EKA: professional photography and sound studios, workshops for wood- and metalworking, 3D modelling, textile, glass, ceramics, printmaking and many more. The MACA program is meant for artists and practitioners who already have an active career and – while diving deeper into their fields of interest – wish to engage in collaboration, critical exchange and local context.
The Craft Studies (former Design and Crafts) curriculum expands on the discipline and understanding of contemporary crafts and advances professional development, critical expression, and artistic research into materials, processes, concepts and identities. Through studio work and craft theory, students take part in recrafting the cultural, social, economic and ecological narratives. This program is a hub for emerging craft makers and thinkers. The MA in Craft Studies provides students with an educational framework for drafting individual material- and medium-based practices with a focus on studio and research. This interdisciplinary hands-on program fosters elemental curiosity, critical thinking, cultural phenomena and making. Rooted within craft research, students undertake material explorations, field trips and theoretical challenges, and advance their own specialization. The curriculum collaborates with and leans on the competence and traditions of the Ceramics, Glass, Jewellery and Blacksmithing, Textile, Accessories, Fashion departments and specialised labs at EKA.
The Master of Arts (MA) in Graphic Design at the Estonian Academy of Arts (EKA) is a new two year, English language program intended to develop a student’s independent practice and define their position as a graphic designer. The program takes an expanded view of graphic design, seeing it as a form of knowledge production whose role can be understood as a way of ‘making things public.’ This idea is supported by providing opportunities for students to work through both traditional models of graphic design—books, websites, posters, typefaces, videos—but also to publish texts, organize exhibitions, host lectures, teach workshops, and create other contexts for exchange during their studies. The program places the individual interests and concerns of the student at the centre of their studies, with the making of a body of work which considers their own relationship to form, content, production, and the distribution of information.
Embark on a transformative journey at IxD.ma, the Interaction Design Master's program at the Estonian Academy of Arts. In a world undergoing rapid change, interaction designers play a pivotal role in shaping the future. Our program empowers you to create meaningful connections between people and the ever-evolving world, going beyond technology and embracing sustainability. We believe in the power of human-centred design as the foundation for innovation. By understanding human values, needs and behaviours, we craft experiences that make a difference, but we also take a holistic approach, considering the needs of the planet and the communities around us. Through project-based studies guided by industry mentors, you'll cultivate your designer intuition and gain real-life experience. Our practical approach allows you to tackle real problems alongside top industry partners. We uncover hidden possibilities and create forward-looking concepts grounded in reality. Working alongside students from various professions, backgrounds and cultures, you'll engage in a mutual learning experience that sparks new ideas. Are you ready to become a problem-solving innovator? We foster curiosity, nurture a designer mindset and provide the skills and tools to shape a better future. Let's unlock your potential to drive sustainable and impactful change through interaction design.
The Master of Urban Studies at the Estonian Academy of Arts is a two-year, English-language program that focuses on contemporary urbanism. The program combines history, theory and practice to rethink prevailing understandings of urbanization, and to contribute to building more equitable urbanisms than the current ones. The main premise of the program is that the subject of urban studies is irreducible to the city: the global urban arena today, more than ever before, is where struggles over our collective future play out. This transdisciplinary program builds on insights from critical urban geography, urban planning and architectural history. Urbanism is seen through the conceptual lenses of socio-spatial dialectics and uneven urban development. Themes addressed in the program include housing and gentrification, urban nature and ecology, and infrastructure and global networks. Urban Studies MSc will introduce you to the basics of urban design and planning, as well as to a range of skills such as how to conduct fieldwork, write about urbanism and develop urban strategies. The art school/architectural department where you will study provide a great environment to combine critical thought and creative imagination.
Service Design Strategies and Innovations (SDSI) is a new Erasmus Mundus Master’s programme that is jointly designed and delivered by 3 Nordic partners – the Art Academy of Latvia (AAL), the University of Lapland in Finland, and the Estonian Academy of Arts (EKA). The Stockholm School of Economics in Riga (SSE Riga) participates in the programme as an associate partner, providing lectures and knowledge transfer from the business domain. SDSI focuses on developing service design strategies and leading service innovation. We will help students become versatile service innovators who can enable change in public and private organisations through strategic design, management and creative leadership.
EKA is a space where you can feel inspired spontaneously. As a student, it is possible to take part in a diverse range of classes from glass weaving to 3D prototyping. Different studios and various workshops are open to all students. Moreover, the space is full of interesting people from all around the world.
Nesli Hazal Akbulut, Interaction Design MA graduate, current visiting lecturer and PhD student at EKA (Turkey)
I experienced a great sense of freedom when it came to what I was allowed and able to do during my time at EKA. But the greatest highlight was getting to know Estonians - I met some people who became and remain great friends.
Jan Christoffer Rutström, Contemporary Art MA graduate (Sweden)
I think the experience in EKA made me more attuned to the importance of fostering and being part of an artist community, having had the opportunity to study, discuss, work, create and live together with artists from different
backgrounds. Exhibitions, screenings, conferences, parties and EKA community events where always very special.
EKA was a really nurturing environment where I was able to approach my own practice with freedom, interdisciplinarity and self reflection. For the possibilities and support I found in it, I will always hold it dearly.
Angela Elizabeth Ramírez Fellowes, Contemporary Art MA graduate (Mexico)