Bachelor of Arts in Design Studies

Prospective Bachelor of Design and Design Studies students, alongside students enrolled in the CS+DES program, share in the Foundations Program experience—an intensive studio-based curriculum introducing various techniques in form-making and conceptual visualization.

Emphasis is placed on perfecting hand skills and in developing proficiency with digital technology. Through exposure to design practice, design culture, and critical observation, students experience Chicago as a global design center.

First year students are rapidly immersed into design process in studio courses developed and organized by Foundation Studio Coordinators, members of our full-time faculty dedicated to undergraduate education. Foundation studio courses are taught by professional designers from within our faculty and from the Chicago design community. Courses in two- and three-dimensional form-making, analog and digital visualization, interactive media, and color theory provide the basis for entry into a BDes or BA program.

Courses leading to a BDes or BA degree depend on successful completion of the first year program. For this reason, the UIC School of Design is not able to accept transfer credit for design courses from other institutions. Students completing the Foundations Program undergo a portfolio review by departmental faculty in consideration for a place in one of the major areas of study.

Click here for more information on the Foundations Program and the Foundation Review.

DES208 TYPOGRAPHY: FORM provides introduction to the aesthetics and mechanics of typographic form and usage. Students complete a variety of projects that use type as an element of graphic design composition. They gain an understanding for the measurement system separate and distinct to the discipline of typography; learn recognition and classification; explore alignment, hierarchy and legibility. This course introduces students to universal and essential qualities of typography in the context of design practice, serving as a foundation for upper-level design classes.

DES209 TYPOGRAPHY II: SYSTEMS introduces systematic properties of typography and visual order in the context of graphic design practice. Students explore connections between material and immaterial space in typographic systems and are introduced to micro and macro typographic patterns. Projects in print and digital media place emphasis on the theory and practice of grids, proportions, and formats. Students learn to consider their work as a whole including sequence, format, and ratio. Completion of the course will result in the ability to demonstrate sensitivity to form and content, and learn to choose between personal taste, situational possibility, and contextual necessity. 

DES222 HUMAN EXPERIENCE IN DESIGN provides an introduction to design as it relates to people. Structured around understanding the five human factors: social, cognitive, emotional, physical, and cultural, this course established a student’s understanding of design and the human experience. Students conduct field research and document insights about people and how these insights relate to design process and implementation. From this work, students gain an understanding for the relationship between what the designer produces and the meaning that design has for the end-user. Coursework demonstrates how human factors impact design and students learn to analyze existing designs from each of the human factor lenses. By assessing how a given design meets a human need, students are also able to compare how different designs can address the same need in different ways.

DES235 HISTORY OF DESIGN I surveys the history of design in Europe and the United States from the mid eighteenth century to about 1925. During that period, Europe and North America were swept by a series of economic, political, and social revolutions that dramatically transformed the structure of society. One of the most significant results of those transformations was the increasing importance of design, understood in the broadest sense as the process through which both objects of consumption and the means of their production are determined. Covering a wide range of fields, including art, architecture, and interior design, as well as industrial and graphic design, this course considers objects as indices of the larger cultural, economic, and political forces that have shaped the history of modern design. In addition, it examines individual works in depth in order to understand how they reflect the social, material, and economic imperatives that confronted the designer. After taking this course, students will be able to identify and discuss key figures, events, and trends in the early history of modern design; analyze objects and primary source materials to determine their historical significance as well as their relevance for contemporary issues; and compose clear and concise arguments for written, spoken, and “designed” communication. Ultimately, this course aims to introduce students to the myriad ways in which design interacts with culture and society, and to provide an understanding of the evolution of the role of the designer in modern society.

DES236 HISTORY OF DESIGN II surveys the history of contemporary design from various historical, methodological, and theoretical perspectives. Covering a wide range of fields, including art, architecture, and interior design, as well as industrial and graphic design, this course considers objects as indices of the larger cultural, economic, and political forces that have shaped the history of modern design. Particular topics addressed include the rise of consumer culture after the Second World War, Postmodernism, and the current fascination with “socially responsible” design. In addition, it examines individual works in depth in order to understand how they reflect the social, material, and economic imperatives that confronted the designer. After completing the Design History sequence, students will be able to identify and discuss key figures, events, and trends in the history of modern design; analyze objects and primary source materials to determine their historical significance as well as their relevance for contemporary issues; and compose clear and concise arguments for written, spoken, and “designed” communication. Ultimately, this course aims to introduce students to the myriad ways in which design interacts with culture and society, and to provide an understanding of the evolution of the role of the designer in modern society.

DES255 BA DESIGN STUDIO I is an introduction to the design process: ideation and iteration. Emphasis on understanding design through physical investigations utilizing specific fabrication materials and methods for prototype and critique.

DES256 BA DESIGN STUDIO II is an introduction to interactions and systems in design. Emphasis on understanding design through digital investigations utilizing specific software tools for creative and analytic discovery.

DES322 DESIGN RESEARCH METHODS advances a student’s understanding of how design relates to people. This course provides an overview of the role of research in the design process with emphasis on research support in identifying new opportunities, concept definition, realization, and refinement. Students develop a research plan, selecting appropriate design-oriented research methods. They conduct primary and secondary research; transform data into meaningful insights for design development; and use research and storytelling to build a case for problem definition.

DES357 BA DESIGN STUDIO III orients students toward increasing complexity and deeper understanding of design making and thinking. Subjects of investigation respond to current and emerging trends in design practice. Collaborative team-based projects combine multiple tools and technologies.

DES358 BA DESIGN STUDIO PROJECT offers final year Design Studies students the opportunity to engage in a year-long investigation into a guided, but self-directed research project. Students initiate and frame a complex design project, clarifying individual interests and strengths as they relate to professional aspirations. Applying knowledge and skills acquired in previous courses, students determine the final form of their studio project, which may involve multimedia implementation. The senior thesis is exhibited in the UIC Design Year End Show.

PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE CAPSTONE are studio courses in the final year of the Bachelor of Arts program. These courses take two distinct paths to applying acquired knowledge: personal and professional. The professional practice track allows students to select courses from several year-long offerings. In all courses students engage in a team-based interdisciplinary project, often with a client sponsor representing a commercial, cultural, or social concern. Students develop strong creative solutions in the context of real-world constraints. Emphasis is on teamwork and client interaction. 

Each year the School of Design offers Professional Practice track courses with changing topics. Courses are open to seniors in Graphic Design, Industrial Design, Design Studies, and Computer Science + Design, and often include faculty and students from other UIC departments. The following are past examples:

DES430 INTERDISCIPLINARY PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT / IPD integrates industrial design, graphic design, business, and engineering students and faculty to develop product/brand concepts for a leading consumer products company. Past clients include: Motorola, Coinstar, Cobra Electronics, Dell, Cricket Wireless, and Whirlpool Global Consumer Design.

DES440 DESIGN THINKING AND LEADERSHIP / DTL gives students the opportunity to work together in teams on a large-scale project concerned with the development of a visual identity for a participating client organization. A research and systems-based approach will be utilized to develop context, concept, and design documentation for client presentations.

DES452 INFORMATION AESTHETICS / INFO introduces students to information visualization and programming in the context of art and design. Project-oriented course using computer code and custom software for information analysis, representation and creative expression.