A safe space to dream big
Discover, develop and celebrate your unique creative identity at the extraordinary Funkhaus in Berlin.
Our courses span electronic music production and performance, audio and music production, sound engineering, filmmaking, screenwriting, visual effects, digital arts and acting. They range from bachelor's and master's degree courses through to four-week summer courses for beginners, validated by our UK partner institution Plymouth Marjon University.
Using immersive, hands-on, practice-based learning to develop specialist skills, real-world human attributes and industry know-how, we provide a learning experience which will transform your daily life and artistic career long after you have left Catalyst behind.
Undergraduate courses
Three-year BA degrees and one-year HE Certificates.
Music & Sound Design for Visual Media BA (Hons) / HE Certificate
Develop your own creative voice as an audio storyteller and sound designer across film and a range of visual media in this interdisciplinary, project-based and collaborative programme.
Screenwriting BA (Hons) / HE Certificate
Build your skills as a versatile storyteller as you learn to write and deliver engaging narratives for a variety of formats and genres, developing your own ideas as well as collaborating in a Writers' Room.
Visual Effects, Video Game & Digital Arts BA (Hons) / HE Certificate
Create 2D and 3D animations, game-ready assets, and visual effects for film, games, live visuals and digital arts in this hands-on, multidisciplinary, project-based programme.
Electronic Music Production & Performance BA (Hons) / HE Certificate
Become a pioneer in the world of electronic music production with our project-based curriculum, in which bold experimentation and risk-taking are key to your success.
Creative Audio Production & Sound Engineering BA (Hons) / HE Certificate
Discover your sonic fingerprint as a music producer or sound engineer in a programme that combines vocational technical training, creative practice and critical thinking.
Acting BA (Hons) / HE Certificate
Become a captivating presence on stage and screen with our contemporary, highly practical acting training, preparing you for a versatile career in today’s ever-changing media and performance landscape.
Film Production BA (Hons) / HE Certificate
Learn how to express your authentic self through film, create original work from your own unique point of view and embrace global perspectives as part of an international community of filmmakers.
Documentary Photography BA (Hons) / HE Certificate
Tell powerful visual stories that make an impact. This hands-on degree explores socially engaged documentary photography through collaborative projects, critical inquiry and real-world practice.
Postgraduate courses
MA degrees, offered full-time and part-time.
Creative Production (Music) MA
Reshape your music practice and pursue your chosen area of interest, desired specialisation or passion project through practice-based artistic research.
Creative Production (Film) MA
Deepen your creative practice as a filmmaker, director, cinematographer, editor, writer or audiovisual artist through practice-based artistic research.
Applied Creative Psychology MA
As Europe’s first Master’s in the psychology of creativity, this programme blends artistic practice with evidence-based research to explore how creativity drives personal growth, wellbeing and social change.
4-week Summer Short Courses
Intensive four-week summer courses.
Screen Acting
Level: Beginner
Learn the fundamentals of performing for camera. Develop and hone your fledgling acting skills through practical, confidence-boosting learning experiences.
Screenwriting
Level: Beginner
Course length: 4 weeks
Our 4-week Screenwriting course is for writers and storytellers who want to translate their ideas into scripts for film. You'll master the basics of narratology, character development and story arcs. Gain the skills to edit, pitch, promote your work and the confidence to take the next steps towards a career in screenwriting.
Filmmaking
Level: Beginner
Kickstart your journey as a film writer, director, cinematographer or editor and learn the fundamentals of storytelling, photography, pre-production, working with actors and post-production.
The Psychology of Creativity
Level: Beginner
Course length: 4 weeks
Get an in-depth overview of the world of psychology through the lens of creativity, as you dive deep into creativity's developmental roots, its impact on mental and physical wellbeing and its role in shaping communities.
Studio Recording
Level: Beginner
Learn the fundamentals of recording and producing bands, soloists or electronic artists in a professional studio environment.
Music and Sound for Experimental Gaming
Level: Beginner / Intermediate
Course length: 4 weeks
Our 4-week Music & Sound Design for Experimental Gaming course is for anyone curious about using sound to shape interactive and immersive experiences. Whether you're just starting out or expanding an existing creative practice, you'll explore new approaches to music, sound design and storytelling in games, film and hybrid media.
Electronic Music Production
Level: Beginner
Learn the core principles of the craft of the electronic music producer and hone your skills to express your creative ideas.
Advanced Sound Design
Level: Intermediate / Advanced
Already started your journey in electronic music production? This short course is for the artist or producer who is ready to stretch their capabilities and take their work to the next stage in its evolution.
Mixing & Mastering Electronic Music
Level: Intermediate / Advanced
Advance your creative and technical approach to refining and finishing your tracks as an electronic music producer.
Unreal Engine and Environment Design
Learn the creative and technical foundations of environment design for games and animation. Across four weeks, you’ll develop, build and present your own cinematic or interactive environment, gaining hands-on experience with industry-standard tools, workflows and storytelling techniques in real-time 3D production.
Documentary Photography
Spend four weeks photographing the people, streets and stories of Berlin. Develop your skills in street photography, visual storytelling and editing as you create a compelling photo series, produce your own printed zine and exhibit your work in a group showcase at the Funkhaus.
A progressive education
With a focus on practice-based interdisciplinary learning and collaboration, our progressive education model empowers students to learn by “doing", whilst complying with the rigorous requirements of a UK university qualification.
The world needs more artists
Now more than ever.
We’ve created a space for those who choose to live creatively. A place to take risks, challenge norms and push the imagination forward.
Artists help us make sense of complexity. They spark ideas, shift perspectives and turn emotion into something we can see, hear and feel. Art reflects the world, questions it and often helps reshape it.
We stand with the composers, storytellers, performers and visual artists who see creativity not just as self-expression, but as essential to culture and society.
At Catalyst we offer more than technical training. We've built a space where curiosity leads, questions matter and your practice grows through collaboration and reflection.
If you are ready to turn your creativity into a career and make a meaningful contribution to the world around you, you've come to the right place.
Come and discover for yourself
We think we've designed one of the most exciting places on the planet to do courses like ours. It's hardly a surprise that we'd say that, so please don't take our word for it and discover it for yourself.
Beyond the classroom, we offer a bursting extracurricular programme, with festivals, showcases, workshops, special guest lectures, performances and more. Whether you're just starting your creative journey or looking to plug into something bigger, there’s always a way to connect. We can't wait to meet you.
A guiding hand
Learn from practicing artists and field experts with a passion for passing on their knowledge to others. They'll inspire and challenge you to dream big and fulfil your unique creative potential.
Etikett Radio: make it yours.
Etikett Radio is Catalyst’s student-led platform for sonic exploration, live broadcasts and creative expression. Run entirely by our student community, it’s a space for bold, reflective and innovative ways of self-expression.
Students shape the station: from podcasts and live shows to pop-up residencies, workshops and citywide takeovers. Working with curators such as Refuge Worldwide, CTM Festival and other Berlin events connects our student work to wider audiences, while cross-school collaborations keep the ideas flowing in-house. It’s collaboration in action, turning your passion into practice.
Need a hand?
Our admissions team are here to help. We offer open office hours on a daily basis for specialist support in each subject area.