B.F.A. and B.A. in Design

Grow your creative talent and curiosity into a fulfilling profession.

Our B.F.A. and B.A. programs in Design connect creative skills and craftsmanship with problem-solving, innovative thinking, and research-driven knowledge. Students gain the confidence to tackle emerging challenges and prepare for the creative careers of the future.

Program Overview

The first semesters in the Department of Design provide a foundation in diverse design disciplines and approaches. As you progress, specialized studios offer opportunities to gain practical skills in two areas of specialization: Graphic Design and 3D Product Design.

To supplement these areas, you can take classes across a range of fields, including interaction design, digital design, service design, and systems design. The program culminates with a Capstone Career Preparation experience in your final year of study.

B.F.A. vs. B.A.

Whether you pursue a B.F.A. or B.A. in Design, you’ll take coursework that aligns with your creative interests and professional goals as you progress through your degree plan.

B.F.A. in Design

The B.F.A. in Design program combines a comprehensive education in design with a required concentration, allowing students to master their practical skills in graphic design or 3D product design.

B.A. in Design

The B.A. in Design program combines a comprehensive education in design with the flexibility of a liberal arts degree. It is ideal for students pursuing a double major, a minor, or a certificate.

Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.)	Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
Total Design Hours: 66	Total Design Hours: 45
Comprehensive foundation of design knowledge and skills	Comprehensive foundation of design knowledge and skills
Concentration in Graphic Design or 3D Product Design	Flexible choice of studio or theory courses
Internship in the design industry	12–18 semester hours of World Language
Includes the same Capstone Project and Creative Career Preparation course	Includes the same Capstone Project and Creative Career Preparation course

Design Foundations

Courses introducing key design disciplines and foundational approaches.

A student wearing a name tag that reads “Maya Lamari” presents her design work to an attendee at an exhibition. She gestures with her hands while speaking, standing beside a wall covered in printed visual materials. The background is softly blurred, showing other people engaged in conversation.

Art History
Design & Culture
Design Methods

Sketching
Prototyping
2D Design

3D Design
Interaction Design
Professional Development

Concentrations

Graphic Design

A student sketches details onto a print featuring large yellow numbers and blue letters. Their hands rest on the paper as they work at a letterpress station.

Studios specializing in graphic design, typography, and imagery for digital media and print.

Typography
Visual Identity
Publication
Practices in Print
Illustration and Storytelling
Data Visualization
2D Interaction
2D Service and Systems

3D Product Design

A UT Austin student gestures while presenting a Formula SAE race car to a group of prospective students in a design studio. The car is marked with sponsor logos and “UT Austin” in burnt orange text.

Studios specializing in digital and analog products for industrial manufacturing and private commissions.

Product Design
Product Fabrication and Engineering
Spatial Design
3D Interaction
3D Service and Systems

Design Electives

Courses exploring various aspects of the rapidly evolving field of design, including interaction design, digital design, service design, and systems design.

Six students sit around a wooden table engaged in a group activity using a large circular diagram titled “Mapping Root Causes.” One student reaches forward to place sticky notes on the chart while others observe and contribute.

PlayLab
Type and Game
Design for Health

Design History

Courses providing an overview of design history to help anticipate the future of the field.

Product Design History
Graphic Design History
Retro-Futures

Degree Plans

Explore sample degree plans to map out your coursework and stay on track toward your degree.

Sample 4-Year Course Schedule: B.F.A. in Design

120 total hours, including 66 hours in Design

Year	Fall	Spring
Freshman	Intro to Art History Intro to 2D Design Intro to Sketching UT Core Course UT Core Course	Intro to Design Methods Intro to 3D Studio Intro to Prototyping UT Core Course UT Core Course
Sophomore	Intro to Design and Culture Intro to Interaction Design Intro to Professional Development UT Core Course UT Core Course	Concentration Studio Design History Internship and Professional Development UT Core UT Core
Junior	Concentration Studio Design Elective Design History UT Core UT Core	Concentration Studio Concentration Studio Design Elective UT Core UT Core
Senior	Concentration Studio Design Elective UT Core UT Core UT Core	Capstone Studio Portfolio & Professional Development UT Core UT Core UT Core

Sample 4-Year Course Schedule: B.A. in Design

120 total hours, including 45 hours in Design

Year	Fall	Spring
Freshman	Intro to Art History Intro to 2D Design Intro to Sketching UT Core UT Core	Intro to Design Methods Intro to 3D Studio Intro to Prototyping UT Core UT Core
Sophomore	Intro to Design and Culture Intro to Interaction Design Intro to Professional Development World Language UT Core	Design History World Language UT Core UT Core UT Elective
Junior	Any Concentration Studio World Language UT Core UT Core UT Elective	Any Concentration Studio UT Core UT Core UT Elective UT Elective
Senior	Design Elective UT Core UT Core UT Elective UT Elective	Capstone Studio Portfolio & Professional Development UT Core UT Core UT Elective

Sample Schedule for Students Pursuing a Double Major, Minor, or Certificate

120 total hours, including 45 hours in Design

Year	Fall	Spring
Freshman	Intro to Art History Intro to Sketching UT Core UT Core World Language	Intro to Design Methods Intro to Prototyping UT Core UT Core World Language
Sophomore	Intro to Design and Culture Intro to 2D Design UT Core UT Core World Language	Intro to Professional Development Intro to 3D Studio UT Core UT Core UT Elective
Junior	Intro to Interaction Design UT Core UT Core UT Core UT Elective	Concentration Studio Design History UT Core UT Core UT Elective
Senior	Concentration Studio Design Elective UT Core UT Elective UT Elective	Capstone Studio Portfolio & Professional Development UT Core UT Elective UT Elective

Facilities and Resources

Students in the Department of Design share access to exceptional facilities with the Department of Arts and Art History, the Department of Arts and Entertainment Technologies, and Texas Robotics.

Resources include two digital fabrication labs, two woodshops, and a print studio featuring the nationally renowned Rob Roy Kelly American Wood Type Collection.