Design (BFA) < The University of Texas at Austin

The design program empowers students with a rich, multi-faceted educational experience that poises graduates for careers in the design professions or entrepreneurial endeavors. Design is about solving a problem and creating new processes, products, and services for people. It is human-centered; the end-user's needs, wants, and limitations are explored at all stages within the design process and development lifecycle.

Students enjoy the extensive offerings of one of the world's great public universities, while receiving individualized instruction from expert, passionate faculty and local industry professionals in small cohorts. Students immerse themselves in various aspects of design and learn to create graphics, objects, interactions, systems, and services.

Total Hours Required: 120

Plan of Study

The Plan of Study is a suggested four-year course sequence to support academic planning and serves as a helpful guide. Currently enrolled students should meet with their academic advisor to tailor their course selections and timelines to their individual goals and circumstances.

Plan of Study Grid
Year 1
Semester 1		Hours
DES 301	Introduction to Design Thinking	3
DES 304	Design Studio I	3
DES 307	Design and Culture	3
Communication (010)		3
First-Year Signature Course (090)		3
	Hours	15
Semester 2
DES 305	Design Studio II	3
DES 306	Design Studio III	3
ARH 303	Survey of Renaissance through Modern Art	3
Mathematics (020)		3
Social and Behavioral Sciences (080)		3
	Hours	15
Year 2
Semester 1
DES 310T	Topics in Innovative Design	3
DES 310T	Topics in Innovative Design	3
DES 310T	Topics in Innovative Design	3
Natural Science and Technology, Part I (030)		3
U.S. History (060)		3
	Hours	15
Semester 2
DES 336 or DES 337	History of Design or Topics in Design History	3
DES- Methods		3
DES- Methods		3
Natural Science and Technology, Part I (030)		3
U.S. History (060)		3
	Hours	15
Year 3
Semester 1
DES 336 or DES 337	History of Design or Topics in Design History	3
DES- Methods		3
DES Concentration Studio		3
Natural Science and Technology, Part I (030)		3
American and Texas Government (070)		3
	Hours	15
Semester 2
DES 260	Design Internship	2
DES 160I	Internship in Design	1
DES Concentration Studio		3
DES Concentration Studio		3
Communication (010)		3
American and Texas Government (070)		3
	Hours	15
Year 4
Semester 1
DES 374	Capstone Design Project	3
DES Concentration Studio		3
DES Concentration Studio		3
Humanities (040)		3
Free Elective		3
	Hours	15
Semester 2
DES 374P	Senior Portfolio	3
Communication (010)		3
Free Elective		9
	Hours	15
	Total Hours	120

Requirements

All requirements are listed below, starting with the most specialized moving to the most general. Additional requirements may follow the table, so be sure to read the entire page. Some required courses listed below may also satisfy General Education requirements, including Core Curriculum.

Course List
Code	Title	Hours
Degree
Design Foundations
DES 301	Introduction to Design Thinking	3
DES 304	Design Studio I	3
DES 305	Design Studio II	3
DES 306	Design Studio III	3
DES 307	Design and Culture	3
or DES 313	Introduction to Design History
ARH 303	Survey of Renaissance through Modern Art	3
Hours chosen from:		9
DES 310T	Topics in Innovative Design
Upper-division Coursework
Hours chosen from: Design History		6
DES 336	History of Design
DES 337C	Graphic Design History
or DES 337C	Graphic Design History
Hours chosen from: Design Research, Methods, Theory, or Special Topics in Innovative Design		9
DES 320	Design Theories and Methods
DES 324	Design Research and Methods
DES 130T	Topics in Innovative Design
DES 330T	Topics in Innovative Design
DES X38	Topics in Design
DES 339T	Topics In Design Theory
DES 343	Design Research and Methods II
DES 345	Design Writing
DES 346	Project Studio
DES 351	Design Perspectives
DES 352	Service and Systems Design
DES 354	Design Issues
Professional Practice and Internships
DES 260	Design Internship	2
DES 160I	Internship in Design	1
Concentration Studios
Hours chosen from: One of the following (see Course List tab - Design (BFA) )		15
Graphic Design
Product Design
Capstone
DES 374	Capstone Design Project	3
DES 374P	Senior Portfolio	3
Free electives: Additional coursework to reach total hours required.		12
Subtotal		78
General Education
Core Curriculum		42
Foreign Language other than English, Beginning Proficiency (Note: this requirement may already be fulfilled by high school coursework)
Subtotal		42
College Requirements - Fine Arts
General University Requirements
Total Hours		120

Course List

Graphic Design

Course List
Code	Title	Hours
DES 325	Typography I	3
Hours chosen from:		9
DES 321	Images in Communication
DES 328	Print and Packaging
DES 334	Introduction to Interaction Design
DES 334C	Interaction Design I
DES 335	Typography II
DES 340C	Identity Systems
DES 340D	Brand Storytelling
DES 340G	Branding and Visual Identity Systems
DES 341G	Typography III
DES 342G	Information and Persuasion
DES 347	Publication Studio
DES 348	Information Visualization
DES 349	Interaction Design II
DES 355	Interaction Design III
DES 356	Topics in Graphic Design
Hours chosen from:		3
DES 326	Objects and Spaces
DES 327	Prototyping Physical Space
DES 340	Design Systems
DES 344	Objects and Spaces II
DES 350	Special Topics in Design
DES 356	Topics in Graphic Design
DES 357C	Interaction Design III: Experiential and Spaces
DES 357D	Interaction Design IV: Objects and Media
DES 358G	Advanced Topics in Industrial Design
Total Hours		15

Product Design

Course List
Code	Title	Hours
DES 326	Objects and Spaces	3
Hours chosen from:		9
DES 327	Prototyping Physical Space
DES 340	Design Systems
DES 344	Objects and Spaces II
DES 350	Special Topics in Design
DES 353	Advanced Topics in Interaction Design
DES 357C	Interaction Design III: Experiential and Spaces
DES 357D	Interaction Design IV: Objects and Media
DES 358G	Advanced Topics in Industrial Design
Hours chosen from:		3
DES 321	Images in Communication
DES 325	Typography I
DES 328	Print and Packaging
DES 334	Introduction to Interaction Design
DES 334C	Interaction Design I
DES 335	Typography II
DES 340C	Identity Systems
DES 340D	Brand Storytelling
DES 340G	Branding and Visual Identity Systems
DES 341G	Typography III
DES 342G	Information and Persuasion
DES 347	Publication Studio
DES 348	Information Visualization
DES 349	Interaction Design II
DES 355	Interaction Design III
DES 356	Topics in Graphic Design
Total Hours		15

University Catalogs

Design (BFA)