Information about the School of Design may be obtained via the Web address provided or by sending electronic mail to caed.advising@asu.edu

PURPOSE

The School of Design educates people for the professional worlds of graphic design, industrial design, and interior design. The curricula focuses on the skills and knowledge that are necessary in these design professions undertaken in a learning environment that bridges the academic milieu to the professional world. This direction is further conditioned by the belief that designers have a responsibility to the public and communities they serve. Consequently, students are exposed to a full breadth of learning experiences, from theoretical courses in design history, human factors, and the theories of the profession, to the rigors and demands of the design studio. Students learn to integrate aesthetic values into their designs all the while considering the contextual issues. The goal of the school’s academic program is to graduate designers who are accomplished and visually sophisticated and who will continue to evolve in their chosen profession. To this end, the school provides an environment that is conducive to design excellence. It has a faculty of active professionals, excellent facilities and resources, and a network that is international in scope.

ORGANIZATION

Programs in the School of Design are organized by the faculty of the school under the direction and administration of the director.

DEGREES

The faculty in the School of Design offer the Bachelor of Science in Design degree with three majors: Graphic Design, Industrial Design, and Interior Design. Applications are not being accepted to the major in Design Science.

Graphic Design. The Graphic Design program educates and develops students for both the graphic design profession and graduate work. The goal of the faculty is to offer the best graphic design education, allowing the graduating student every option available. Studio classroom projects are planned to strengthen and refine students’ proficiency in the language, process, and technical aspects of the profession. Projects are intended to help students think critically, both as individuals and as members of a group. Students opting for the profession can expect to work in the areas of ad design, brand identity, broadcast graphics, corporate identity, environmental graphics, informational graphics, in-house corporate design, museum informational design, publication design, Web site design, and others. Students pursuing graduate studies can expect to be equally well prepared with critical and analytical thinking skills coupled with a diversified portfolio. The program is dedicated to a comprehensive education in graphic design as it relates to the changing communication standards of today and in the future.

Industrial Design. The program in Industrial Design prepares creative individuals to design objects routinely used by people on a daily basis. The industrial design profession serves the needs of both manufacturers and consumers by developing products that are attractive, useful, safe, convenient, and comfortable to use. The designer’s special talents and skills include an aesthetic sense, knowledge of materials and processes, and an understanding of the physical and psychological needs of the user. Designers often serve as a catalyst among management, marketing, and engineering staffs.

Through studio projects, students learn to visualize ideas and communicate them to others and to refine skills in freehand sketching, computer-aided design, and model making. Assignments are a balance of conceptual aspects and practical techniques. Typical projects include electronics, toys, furniture, sports equipment, and packaging. Stress is placed on the role of the designer in a team effort. Third-year students perform internships in a large corporation or in a consulting design agency.

Interior Design. The program in Interior Design is accredited by the Foundation for Interior Design Education Research (FIDER), the national accrediting agency. The five-year curriculum emphasizes design process, technical skill development, problem solving, and the management skills needed to work in collaboration with the allied design professions. The goal of interior design is to create high-quality environments for human use.

Significant changes in the interior design profession over the last two decades are reflected in the program. The school is committed to integrating computer technology into each level of the curriculum. In doing so, the program offers an excellent environment for experimenting with and testing innovative applications of computer-aided design and simulation to interior design.

ADMISSION

Lower-Division Program. New and transfer students who have been admitted to the university and who have selected Graphic Design, Industrial Design, or Interior Design as a major are admitted to the appropriate lower-division program. Transfer credits for the lower-division program are reviewed by the college and evaluated for applicability to this curriculum. To be applicable, transfer courses must be equivalent in both content and level of offering. A review of samples of work is required for studio classes; consult a college academic advisor.

Lower-division students entering the program who are not prepared for certain courses in the curriculum (for example, algebra and trigonometry or a second course in computer programming) are required to take additional courses that do not apply to the Bachelor of Science in Design degree. If such courses are required, an additional year of study may be necessary to complete the lower-division program.

Completion of lower-division requirements does not ensure acceptance to an upper-division professional program.

Upper-Division Program. When students have completed the lower-division curriculum requirements, they may apply for acceptance to upper-division programs in Graphic Design, Industrial Design, or Interior Design. In addition to the portfolio review, the faculty in charge of the Interior Design program conduct a required four-hour design project to measure minimum competency and understanding of the design process. The limited spaces available each year are awarded to applicants with the highest promise for professional success. The faculty of the School of Design retain the right to admit any meritorious student who may be deficient in a published school criterion. Such admission requires an extraordinary review of the applicant by the school’s admissions committee. Should the faculty choose to admit such an applicant, the student is placed automatically on a provisional admission status with stipulations as to what is required to be removed from probation. See “Application To Upper-Division Programs.”

Students not admitted to upper-division programs are not dismissed from the university and may reapply or may transfer to other programs. Students who intend to reapply should meet with a college academic advisor.

GRADUATE PROGRAMS

The School of Design offers a Master of Science in Design with concentrations in graphic design, industrial design, and interior design. The faculty also participates in a collegewide, interdisciplinary Ph.D. degree in Environmental Design and Planning with concentrations in design; history, theory, and criticism; and planning. For more information, see the Graduate Catalog.

APPLICATION TO UPPER-DIVISION PROGRAMS

Upper-Division Application Procedures. Students should write to a college academic advisor for the application form well in advance of the application deadline. For more information on portfolios, ask for a copy of the Portfolio Seminar brochure from a college academic advisor. The following dates and procedures are for students applying to 2000–2001 upper-division programs.

Upper-Division Application Deadlines. The following dates and procedures apply to Industrial and Interior Design portfolio submission only. Information regarding portfolio submission for Graphic Design is listed separately.

April 16, 2001. Portfolio and application documents are due in the school office by 5:00 p.m. The Interior Design faculty also conduct a required half-day design project to measure minimum competency and understanding of the design process. The date is announced when the portfolio is submitted. Students who do not complete the charette are not considered for upper-division admission.

June 1, 2001. If the spring 2001 semester includes transfer course work (i.e., course work taken at an institution other than ASU), a student must submit his or her transcripts to the school no later than June 1. These transcripts may be unofficial copies. A second set of official transcripts must be sent to the university Undergraduate Admissions office. Application is not complete until the university receives official transcripts for transfer course work. For those transfer students whose academic term ends in June rather than May, this deadline may be extended upon the written request of the applicant.

July 2, 2001. Acceptance notices are mailed no later than July 2.

March 15, 2001. The application deadline for Graphic Design is March 15, 2001. In addition to the portfolio submittal, Graphic Design requires an aptitude test, which is part of the application packet. Application packets can be obtained from the Academic Advising Office one month before the due date. Students may obtain their application results by contacting the Program Coordinator for Graphic Design at the end of the first week of April. Acceptance notices will be mailed to admitted students.

Return of Letter of Acceptance. A signed receipt of acceptance of admission must be received by the school by the date indicated on the Notice of Acceptance. Alternates may be accepted at a later date if space becomes available.

Matriculation. An accepted student is expected to begin his or her upper-division professional program at the beginning of the immediate fall term. There is no spring admission to the upper division.

Graphic Design Application Requirements. Individual applicants are responsible for obtaining the Graphic Design Application Packet by contacting the College of Architecture and Environmental Design Academic Advising Office (ARCH 141). Application materials are submitted in a portfolio organized by the individual applicant. The student’s name must be affixed to the outside, with completed materials appearing in the following order:

1. application to the Graphic Design upper-division program;
2. “Commonly Asked Questions” form; and
3. the Graphic Design Aptitude Test.

The packet contains complete instructions for completing the standard test, which is to be addressed by each applicant. This test requires the completion of five problems that are reviewed by the faculty and that become the portfolio of materials considered for admission to the upper-division program.

Industrial and Interior Design Portfolio Format Requirements. Each applicant is responsible for obtaining the following documents and including them in the portfolio. Application materials are submitted at one time in a presentation binder (portfolio) with plastic sleeves (8.5" x 11" format only). The student’s name must be affixed to the outside. Items must appear in the following order:

Page 1. The application form should be completely filled out with the first page visible. Application forms are available from the college Academic Advising Office.

Page 2. The second page of the application should be visible.

Page 3. Application Essay or Letter of Intent.

Page 4. All college transcripts for both ASU and transfer work should be included through the fall 2000 semester. Copies are acceptable. An academic advisor forwards 2001 ASU transcripts. (Applicants wishing to transfer spring semester 2001 work are responsible for submitting these transcripts by June 1 so that they may be added to their portfolios. The student is also responsible for getting an official transfer transcript sent directly to the Office of the Registrar.)

Page 5. A certificate of admission to ASU is necessary only for those students who have been newly admitted for fall 2001 and who are applying directly into an upper-division program. The certificate is not required for students currently attending ASU.

Following Pages (Usually 10–20 Sheets). Students should present work sufficient to demonstrate the depth and breadth of their creative activity. This work should include (but is not limited to) examples of two- and three-dimensional design and graphics. Each project should be clearly identified (course, length of project, etc.), with a concise accompanying description of the assignment.

Students should obtain a portfolio requirements addendum for their major from the college’s Academic Advising Office, ARCH 141, at the beginning of the academic year in which they intend to apply to the upper-division program. Requirements or instructions indicated in the addendum for that academic year take precedence over any other printed material.

Students are encouraged to include additional materials, written or pictorial, that provide additional evidence of skills and abilities and of the aptitude and commitment to the major. When any work submitted is not completely original, the source must be given. When work is of a team nature, the applicant’s role should be clearly indicated. Original examples or slides must not be submitted. All examples must be photographs or other reproduction graphic media.

Return of Portfolios. Application documents (pages 1–5) remain the property of the College of Architecture and Environmental Design. However, the remainder of the portfolio is returned after the admissions review, provided the applicant encloses a self-addressed return mailer with sufficient prepaid postage. Portfolios may be claimed in person after July 2, 2001. If the applicant provides written permission, another person may claim the portfolio. After one year, unclaimed portfolios are discarded. While care is taken in handling the portfolios, no liability for lost or damaged materials is assumed by the college or school.

ADVISING

Advising for the lower- and upper-division curricula is through a college academic advisor (ARCH 141).

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

The Bachelor of Science in Design degree requires a minimum of 120 semester hours for a major in Graphic Design and Industrial Design and a minimum of 150 semester hours for a major in Interior Design. The program includes required field trips. Students are responsible for these additional costs. Foreign study opportunities are available for students. An internship is a required part of the program.

Graphic Design

The curriculum in Graphic Design is divided into a preprofessional (first year) and a professional program (second, third, and fourth years):

The lower-division curriculum balances a foundation in academic subjects such as English, numeracy, and computer technology with departmental foundation courses that include history and theory, as well as studio courses in drawing and design fundamentals as they relate to conceptual design. Students apply for entry into the professional program after fulfilling the first year School of Design core foundation courses. The upper-division curriculum includes studio work in graphic design and its relationship to problem solving at multiple scales. Projects are intended to educate students to think critically as individuals and as team participants in small and large corporate facilities. A formal eight-week summer internship is included in the professional program, which is coordinated by the faculty. Students intern in a variety of settings, including in-house corporate design, publication design, ad design agencies, and others.

General Studies Requirement. The following curriculum includes sufficient approved course work to fulfill the General Studies requirement. See “General Studies” for requirements and a list of approved courses. Note that all three General Studies awareness areas are required. Consult your advisor for an approved list of courses.

Graduation Requirements. In addition to fulfilling college and major requirements for this professional degree, students must meet all university graduation and college degree requirements. See “University Graduation Requirements” and “College Degree Requirements.”

Industrial Design

The curriculum in Industrial Design is divided into a preprofessional (first and second years) and a professional program (third and fourth years):

The preprofessional curriculum balances a foundation in academic subjects such as English, algebra and trigonometry, computing, and physics with departmental courses that include history as well as studio courses in drawing, design fundamentals, human factors, and materials and processes.

The professional curriculum includes studio and laboratory work in industrial design, graphics, project development, and professional practice. Students also take a number of approved program electives. A supervised summer internship is part of the curriculum.

Upper-division studios emphasize projects that promote an interdisciplinary approach to solving problems and that develop the student’s intellectual understanding of the philosophy, methodology, and theories related to industrial design. Problems proceed from small consumer products with simple task functions to larger and more complex problems and systems. Studio projects also emphasize the design processes: problem resolution through concept ideation, dialogue with specialists in related areas, and product development, presentation, and marketing.

Graduates of the program accept positions in industry and with firms involved in industrial design. Designers may focus on consumer products, transportation, electronics, medical devices, health products, or recreational products, among others. Designers may also choose to continue their education with graduate studies to enrich their design skills, to specialize, or to prepare for college-level teaching.

General Studies Requirement. The following curriculum includes sufficient approved course work to fulfill the General Studies requirement. See “General Studies” for requirements and a list of approved courses. Note that all three General Studies awareness areas are required. Consult your advisor for an approved list of courses.

Graduation Requirements. In addition to fulfilling college and major requirements, students must meet all university graduation and college degree requirements. See “University Graduation Requirements” and “College Degree Requirements.”

Interior Design

The curriculum in Interior Design is divided into a preprofessional program (first and second year) and a professional program (third, fourth, and fifth years):

The preprofessional curriculum balances a foundation in academic subjects such as English, algebra and trigonometry, computer technology, and physics with departmental courses that include history and theory, as well as studio courses in drawing, design fundamentals, and conceptual design.

The professional curriculum includes studio work in interior design, furniture design, construction methods/structures, codes as related to materials and finishes, human factors, environmental control systems, as well as lecture courses in the history of interior design, decorative arts, and textiles. An eight-week supervised summer internship is part of the curriculum. The fifth year is an interdisciplinary year in which students address real-life environmental problems. This final year is a capstone experience that utilizes all previous learning within and outside the professional program. The student’s final design project is completed in consultation with a member of the local professional community.

Graduates from the program accept entry-level professional positions in a variety of settings, including interior design firms, departments of space planning, architectural firms, public institutions, and industry. Students may also choose to continue their education through graduate studies, which offer greater enrichment in studio disciplines and which contribute to the possibility for postsecondary-level academic appointments, giving the recipients highly sought-after academic credentials.

General Studies Requirement. The following curriculum includes sufficient approved course work to fulfill the General Studies requirement. See “General Studies” for requirements and a list of approved courses. Note that all three General Studies awareness areas are required. Consult your advisor for an approved list of courses.

Graduation Requirements. In addition to fulfilling college and major requirements, students must meet all university graduation and college degree requirements. See “University Graduation Requirements” and “College Degree Requirements.”

Fifth Year. During the fifth year, the student concentrates on research and application of that research related to the development of a comprehensive project. This year is self-directed in nature and prepares the student for independent thinking and creative problem solving. The fifth-year experience promotes high expectations for producing professional work that represents the culmination of the major’s academic experience. It should be noted that the fifth-year studio sequence is designed to draw majors from the upper-division programs of industrial design, graphic design, and architecture, thus furthering a real-life interdisciplinary problem-solving experience.

MINOR

Interior Design History

The minor in Interior Design History is available to students interested in design and culture. The courses designated for the minor are part of the professional studies in interior design within the School of Design. Moreover, the courses serve to inform the students about the importance of the global community, especially sociocultural groups, and the impact of the global community on the design of the interior environment.

The selected courses satisfy the minimum requirement (18 semester hours) for the minor. To enhance the understanding of the subject matter, the selected courses are sequential in nature and require certain prerequisites. Consequently, students should carefully note the semester in which any of these courses is offered. The only exception to this rule is INT 223.

The minor in Interior Design History is open to students majoring in: Architectural Studies, Art, Communication, Psychology, or Sociology and students in any College of Business major or the Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies program. All other majors are considered on an individual basis and approved by the coordinators of the Interior Design program within the School of Design. To pursue the minor in Interior Design History, students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.50.

Page Last Updated: Tuesday, February 26, 2002

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