Universities of applied sciences (Specialised higher education colleges - HES) deliver postgraduate courses leading to national qualifications. Haute École Arc Ingénierie in Neuchâtel and Hepia in Geneva propose a Master's in Advanced Studies in Watch Design.

This modular course is for students who already hold a Bachelor of Science or equivalent diploma, are employed in the watch industry, and who wish to develop advanced skills in movement and watch exterior design. The full course runs for five semesters, with options in movement construction and finished products in the fourth semester.

The course is open to students with a microtechnician federal PET diploma (professional college degree), subject to the number of available places. However, these students do not qualify to enrol for the advanced theory module and, on successful completion of the course, will be awarded a Diploma of Advanced Studies in Watch Design plus a certificate for the additional modules they have passed.

Source: Convention patronale de l’Industrie horlogère suisse