Studies & Degrees in Design
Design Study Programs
Design is the planning of things people see and use: printed and digital communication, products, interiors, clothing and, more and more, services and screen interfaces. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics describes graphic designers as people who create visual concepts, by hand or with software, to communicate ideas, and industrial designers as people who combine art, business and engineering to develop the concepts for manufactured products. A design course trains both sides of that work: making (drawing, typography, materials, modelling, software) and thinking (research, user needs, history of design, project method).
Most programmes are built around studio projects. Students receive a brief, research it, produce proposals and defend them, and the results go into a portfolio that later serves as proof of ability for employers and for admission to further study.
Qualifications and levels
Design is taught at every level, and the name of the qualification depends on the country and on the type of school.
- Bachelor's degrees. In Spain a university bachelor's degree (grado) has 240 ECTS credits. The Grado en Diseño of the Universidad de Navarra, for example, is an official degree of 240 credits over four years, taught on campus in Pamplona in Spanish and English, with 60 places. The Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) offers a Grado en Diseño y Creación Digitales of 240 credits that is fully online and taught in Spanish or Catalan. In the United Kingdom degrees are usually shorter: the Product Design BSc of the University of Sussex takes three years, or four with an optional industrial placement year, and is accredited by the Institution of Engineering Designers.
- Higher arts education in Spain. Alongside the universities, Spain has official higher arts studies in design, taught at escuelas superiores de diseño. The curriculum covers four academic years of 60 credits each, 240 credits in total, in one of four specialities: graphic, product, interior or fashion design.
- Master's degrees. Official Spanish master's degrees have 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits. Elsewhere, the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar in Germany offers Product Design and Visual Communication at both bachelor's and master's level; its module handbooks for these programmes are published only in German.
- Private design and fashion schools. Many specialised schools teach fashion, styling, interior or graphic design. Accademia del Lusso in Milan, for instance, lists three-year programmes in fashion design, interior design and graphics. Qualifications from private schools differ widely, so ask each school what official recognition its diploma has in the country where you plan to work.
Admission often involves more than grades. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, applicants to art and design programmes may need to submit sketches and other examples of their artistic ability.
Where to study
SpainExchange lists 155 active schools for design. The United States has the most (66), followed by Spain (30), the United Kingdom (14), Australia (6) and Italy (5); Brazil and France have three each. In Spain the list includes universities such as the Universidad de Navarra and the UOC, and specialised schools such as LCI Barcelona, ERAM in Salt (Girona), and IDEM and ARTENEO in Madrid. Abroad it includes the University of Michigan, the University of Washington, London Metropolitan University, the University of Sussex and the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar.
The language of instruction is normally the language of the country, although some Spanish programmes combine Spanish and English. Because design covers very different fields, compare the specialities of each school (graphic, product, fashion, interior, digital) rather than the word "design" in the title.
Careers
Designers work in design studios, advertising and publishing, manufacturing companies, fashion houses, architecture and interior practices, and technology firms; many are self-employed. Typical roles are graphic designer, art director, product or industrial designer, interior designer, fashion designer and user-experience (UX/UI) designer.
Official figures exist for the United States. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that employment of graphic designers will decline 2 percent from 2025 to 2035, while still expecting about 16,000 openings a year, and that employment of industrial designers will grow 2 percent over the same period. It notes that graphic designers usually need a bachelor's degree and a portfolio that demonstrates their creativity and originality, and that entry-level industrial design jobs usually require a bachelor's degree in industrial design, architecture or engineering. Courses reflect this: the BA in Graphic Design at London Metropolitan University, for example, has students compile a professional portfolio during the degree.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a portfolio to study design?
Often, yes. Many art and design programmes ask applicants for sketches or other examples of their work, and employers expect a portfolio from graduates.
How long does a design degree take?
In Spain, four years: both university bachelor's degrees and official higher arts studies in design have 240 credits. In the United Kingdom a bachelor's degree such as the Product Design BSc at the University of Sussex takes three years, or four with a placement year.
Can I study design online?
Yes. The UOC, for example, teaches its official Grado en Diseño y Creación Digitales fully online in Spanish or Catalan. Fields that depend on workshops and materials, such as product or fashion design, are mostly taught on campus.
Is a diploma from a private design school an official degree?
It depends on the school and the programme. Some private schools teach official degrees and others award their own diplomas, so ask the school what recognition each qualification has before enrolling.