The Division of Design promotes a collaborative, diverse, and pragmatic approach to problem-solving that prepares students to thrive and lead in a world of rapid technological and cultural change. Students learn the methods and craft to create innovative products, services, and communications to address society’s most pressing issues. UW Design students, alumni, and faculty work in various industries including environmental sustainability, education, healthcare, and economic and social justice.
Programs
The Division of Design offers a Bachelor of Design (BDes) degree in three majors and a Master of Design (MDes) degree. Completion of a BDes degree requires three years. Admissions involves an application process, held once a year.
BDes, Industrial Design
Create innovative, ethical, and sustainable products and systems focused on form and function.
BDes, Interaction Design
Shape meaningful experiences and interfaces for the interaction between people and technology: mobile devices, AI, headsets, physical interaction, and spatial computing.
BDes, Visual Communication Design
Organize messages, ideas, and information into visually compelling materials that enhance understanding and inspire action.
Master of Design
Engage with design through practice-based creative research and explore theory, methods, and craft through scholarship and independent study.
Why Study Design at UW?
Discover the field of design through learning, practice, and research.
Design shapes how we interact with the world, communicate ideas, and solve problems. Good design enhances functionality, aesthetics, and user experience across every aspect of life—from products and services to environments and communication. Students in our design program learn a rigorous creative process that includes research, ideation, prototyping, and executing innovative experiences and products.
Making is our main way of thinking.
We value critical, practice-based creative discovery. Our classes are a lot of making and then talking about what we make. UW Design students develop valuable form-giving skills to make products and objects used by real people in the real world. Students also learn critical language and thinking skills to better understand the impacts and tradeoffs of design decisions.
Design theory, research, and craft work together.
Our faculty represents a unique blend of professional practitioners and academic researchers. The programs push the field of design with research, theory, and craft working together.
Gain methods for thinking and making to make the world a better place.
The vast majority of our alumni get jobs within a few months of graduation in industries such as technology, consultancies, and academia. Whether they work for large corporations or local organizations, UW Design graduates use design as a tool to respond to the social, economic, environmental, and ethical realities of the 21st century.
Explore the Division of Design
Students in the competitive design program take rigorous coursework and receive career guidance and development from our faculty. Learn more about the curriculum for each program and view student work.
