Bachelor in Design

duration4 years

languageEnglish

locationSegovia and Madrid

intakeSeptember

Mode of studyFull-time

FormatIn-person

duration4 years

languageEnglish

locationSegovia and Madrid

intakeSeptember

Mode of studyFull-time

FormatIn-person

A UNIQUE BACHELOR IN DESIGN

The study plan for the Bachelor in Design at IE University has been designed with the prestigious academic experience at its core, our academic faculty’s expert knowledge and research in each area, and the linkages between the University and the professional world.

The Bachelor in Design aims to teach young ambitious individuals to build the proper skill set to become professionals capable of facing real-world challenges.

Through our hands-on teaching methodology, students from the Bachelor in Design will find a perfect balance between what is studied throughout their degree and the projects that are applied based on real-world scenarios.

This will aid them to develop profiles that are able to adapt to new trends happening now in the 21st century.

WANT TO KNOW MORE?

BACHELOR IN DESIGN STUDY PLAN

YEAR 1

1ST SEMESTER

Courses

INTRO TO DESIGN STUDIO I: LEARNING BY DOING

Professors

Type

Core

ECTS

Syllabus

PDF

Courses

DESIGN HISTORY I

Professors

Type

Core

ECTS

Syllabus

PDF

Courses

DESIGN SKILLS I

Professors

Type

Core

ECTS

Syllabus

PDF

Courses

PSYCHOLOGY AND USER CENTER DESIGN

Professors

Type

Core

ECTS

Syllabus

PDF

Courses

PRESENTATION SKILLS

Professors

Type

Mandatory

ECTS

Syllabus

PDF

Courses

WRITING SKILLS

Professors

Type

Mandatory

ECTS

Syllabus

PDF

2ND SEMESTER

Courses

INTRO TO DESIGN STUDIO II: COLLABORATIVE DESIGN STUDIO

Professors

Type

Core

ECTS

Syllabus

PDF

Courses

DESIGN HISTORY II

Professors

Type

Core

ECTS

Syllabus

PDF

Courses

VISUALIZATION AND REPRESENTATION TECHNIQUES

Professors

Type

Core

ECTS

Syllabus

PDF

Courses

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

Professors

Type

Mandatory

ECTS

Syllabus

PDF

Courses

HUMANITIES

Professors

Type

Mandatory

ECTS

Syllabus

PDF

YEAR 2

1ST SEMESTER

Courses

DESIGN STUDIO I

Professors

Type

Core

ECTS

Syllabus

PDF

Courses

DESIGN METHODOLOGY

Professors

Type

Mandatory

ECTS

Syllabus

PDF

Courses

RESEARCH TECHNIQUES

Professors

Type

Mandatory

ECTS

Syllabus

PDF

Courses

INTERACTIVE AND DIGITAL TOOLS

Professors

Type

Mandatory

ECTS

Syllabus

PDF

Courses

SUSTAINABILITY

Professors

Type

Mandatory

ECTS

Syllabus

PDF

Courses

TECHNOLOGY

Professors

Type

Mandatory

ECTS

Syllabus

PDF

2ND SEMESTER

Courses

ETHNOGRAPHY

Professors

Type

Mandatory

ECTS

Syllabus

PDF

Courses

DESIGN STUDIO II

Professors

Type

Core

ECTS

Syllabus

PDF

Courses

DESIGN AND CRITICISM

Professors

Type

Mandatory

ECTS

Syllabus

PDF

Courses

MATERIALS AND APPLICATIONS I

Professors

Type

Mandatory

ECTS

Syllabus

PDF

Courses

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Professors

Type

Mandatory

ECTS

Syllabus

PDF

YEAR 3

1ST SEMESTER

Courses

DESIGN STUDIO III

Professors

Type

Mandatory

ECTS

Syllabus

PDF

Courses

PROCESS AND DESIGN THEORY

Professors

Type

Mandatory

ECTS

Syllabus

PDF

Courses

MATERIALS AND APPLICATIONS II

Professors

Type

Mandatory

ECTS

Syllabus

PDF

Courses

QUANTITATIVE METHODS

Professors

Type

Mandatory

ECTS

Syllabus

PDF

Courses

IE CHALLENGE

Professors

Type

Mandatory

ECTS

Syllabus

PDF

2ND SEMESTER

Courses

ELECTIVES

Professors

Type

Elective

ECTS

Syllabus

PDF

YEAR 4

1ST SEMESTER

Courses

DESIGN STUDIO IV

Professors

Type

Mandatory

ECTS

Syllabus

PDF

Courses

CONTEMPORARY DESIGN TRENDS

Professors

Type

Mandatory

ECTS

Syllabus

PDF

Courses

TYPOGRAPHY, LAYOUT AND PRESENTATION

Professors

Type

Mandatory

ECTS

Syllabus

PDF

Courses

PROGRAMMING FOR DESIGNERS

Professors

Type

Mandatory

ECTS

Syllabus

PDF

Courses

DESIGN MANAGEMENT

Professors

Type

Mandatory

ECTS

Syllabus

PDF

2ND SEMESTER

Courses

DESIGN NARRATIVES

Professors

Type

Mandatory

ECTS

Syllabus

PDF

Courses

PORTFOLIO DESIGN

Professors

Type

Mandatory

ECTS

Syllabus

PDF

Courses

FABRICATION TECHNOLOGIES

Professors

Type

Mandatory

ECTS

Syllabus

PDF

Courses

FINAL PROJECT

Professors

Type

TFG

ECTS

Syllabus

PDF

Components

Credits

BASIC COURSES

MANDATORY COURSES

135

ELECTIVE COURSES

FINAL PROJECT

CREDITS NEEDED TO GRADUATE

240

*This study plan may be subject to change.

CONTACT THE ADMISSIONS DEPARTMENT FOR DETAILS AND UPDATES

Learn more about our BACHELOR IN DESIGN

FIRST YEAR

During your first year, you will have a broad introduction to the world of design and you will begin to develop the necessary skills to work and succeed as a designer. You’ll take a first look into the multidisciplinary aspects of the profession and you’ll benefit from our design studio methodology, defined by its practical approach and its combination of individual and collaborative work.

SECOND YEAR

In your second year of study you will learn about the creative methodologies currently being used in professional practices, and you’ll develop a critical approach to your designs. The assignments will become more complex as you build up your skills; you will be expected to integrate information, concepts, and techniques from related disciplines.

THIRD YEAR

During the first half of your third year, you will continue developing your designer skills in five areas: design culture, techniques, applied sciences, business and project-centered design. You will build a theoretical framework and learn about materials and their different uses. You will take several elective courses, which will allow you to personalize your career path an experience more types of design. During this year, you will also be able to study abroad.

FOURTH YEAR

The fourth year is all about consolidating knowledge. You will learn about the latest developments in creative technology and you will use them as tools for your design practice. You will learn about the latest trends in digital fabrication and study creative coding and programming from a designer’s perspective. During this year we will also address the main issues regarding the dissemination of your work, reaching out to important stakeholders, working on your portfolio, and the storytelling of your projects.

WATCH THIS SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN MASTERCLASS

Join David Goodman's masterclass on green building, learning stylish, eco-friendly design from top architects. Create loved, sustainable spaces. Design with the planet in mind!

Discover more

Learning a new language can open up a world of new opportunities

IE University considers multiple language acquisition to be a key element of its educational model, leading to success in both work and study.

The Language Center at IEU is proud to offer students the possibility to study a wide range of languages, including French, German, Portuguese, Chinese, Arabic, Spanish, and English. With such a large variety of options, our students are able to personalize their academic path to meet their future career plans and objectives.

The Language Center at IEU

The Language Center helps students develop their multilingual communicative skills to help them flourish in the international labor market.

Discover the center

THE DUAL DEGREES OF IE UNIVERSITY

IE School of Architecture & Design places emphasis on excellence in design, innovation, and entrepreneurship. Our students are encouraged to take a creative approach to architecture, learn the latest digital skills in a contemporary context, and develop talents to become leaders in a changing field. IE School of Architecture & Design is part of a broader university, which supports learning across disciplines, especially the humanities and business.

DUAL DEGREE IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION + DESIGN

The Dual Degree in Business Administration and Design is a demanding program for creative individuals with a passion for innovation and business, looking to produce lasting value within the corporate world. Embark on a unique learning journey where you harness the power of future-forward design, develop unparalleled business knowledge, and gain real-world, hands-on experience.

Discover more

Undergraduate Degrees | English | five years

Learn more about our dual degrees

COMPETENCES

Basic competences

Click here to know more about Basic Competences

GENERAL COMPETENCES

Develop a basic ability to spell out relevant outcomes through practical application in different fields of design, incorporating information from other disciplines.
Understand design’s impact and implications for contemporary society and be capable of offering solutions and actively participating in creation and conceptualization processes.
Suggest and implement proposals involving creative activities to provide added value to the everyday activities of companies and society.
Understand and use graphic language and tools to present, simulate and resolve design problems.
Produce relevant outcomes as a result of hands-on involvement in different fields of design, including products, graphics or interfaces, and incorporating information from other disciplines, in order to develop new offerings and solutions and convey and pass on the knowledge acquired.
Apply knowledge of modeling, visualization, materials technology and production techniques when conducting design projects, paying attention to their viability and social, technological and environmental constraints.

PROGRAM-SPECIFIC COMPETENCES

Devise, plan and conduct design projects in line with requirements and the technical, functional, aesthetic and communication constraints of a brief.
Develop the ability to create designs that simultaneously meet aesthetic, theoretical and technical requirements.
Understand and interpret historical, theoretical and critical texts in the fields of design, art and architecture in a relevant and logical manner.
Learn relevant methods to apply the creative process to professional situations and innovative problem-solving.
Interpret and critically evaluate final products and design projects created by yourself and others.
Learn relevant research methods used in project design and theory, analysis and criticism in the fields of design and art.
Graphically structure and prioritize verbal information.
Present and explain the outcomes and work processes used to obtain objects you have designed, both orally and in writing.
Learn and master the graphic elements used in design and visual communication and the tools used to create and produce them, using a variety of physical, audiovisual or digital means.
Implement strategies and methodologies to obtain innovative solutions to creative briefs. Acquire basic knowledge of information presentation and visualization techniques.
Use basic digital expression techniques (programming, interaction and multimedia resources) in order to conduct design projects.
Use digital tools to bring communicative and expressive actions in line with their intended use through design solutions.
Understand industrial and artisanal manufacturing processes as well as their main features and limitations.
Recognize the ways in which digital manufacturing can contribute to design, as well as its main features and limitations.
Master the aesthetic fundamentals of design, including morphology, structure, color, space, volume, tectonics, typography and composition.
Master the fundamentals of typography, mockup and presentation techniques.
Apply basic social science knowledge to design projects, including elements from psychology, analytical fields, sociology, programming, ethnography, social science research methods, etc.
Understand how to apply social science statistics and analytical tools to design projects.
Propose research and innovation strategies with the aim of meeting the functionality, needs and materials expectations of design.
Recognize and make use of the advantages offered by programming when it is used as a design tool.
Add technology and digital manufacturing to the list of tools available to you to solve problems related to proposed design statements.
Understand the materials and materialities used as a medium for both physical and digital visual design.
Understand the media and materialities that make product design possible, both for physical and digital products.
Understand the materials and materialities that define spatial design.
Understand the structures used to define a strategic design project.

TRANSVERSAL COMPETENCES

Identify the main cultural identity traits that characterize today’s world by understanding the main contemporary ideological trends.
Behave professionally in accordance with the core principles and ethics of the profession.
Manage unforeseen situations by being able to adapt to organizational changes.
Use knowledge of the discipline to analyze and evaluate current situations.
Form a part of interdisciplinary and multicultural teams to achieve shared goals in a diverse environment.
Work actively in an international context.

APPLICABLE REGULATIONS OF THE PROGRAM

Check here

More info

Apply

Download brochure

Chat with Students/Staff

Campus tour

Chat with Students/Staff

Download brochure

Apply

Read our blog

Discover more

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What do you study in design?

In design studies, you learn design principles like composition and color theory, develop creative concepts, acquire technical skills using design software and tools, specialize in areas like graphic design or UX/UI design, and develop critical thinking and problem-solving abilities. Overall, design education equips you with the knowledge and skills needed for a successful career in the creative field.

What do design students study?

Design students study design principles, develop creative concepts, and acquire technical skills using design software and tools. They specialize in areas like graphic design, industrial design, fashion design, or UX/UI design. Additionally, they cultivate critical thinking and problem-solving abilities. Overall, design education prepares students for a successful career in the field of design.

Is design a hard degree?

Design can be a challenging degree, but the level of difficulty can vary depending on factors such as the program, specialization, and individual aptitude.

Do I need math for design?

While math skills can be helpful in certain aspects of design, such as measurements and proportions, they are not typically a primary requirement for pursuing a design degree.

What are design subjects in university?

Design subjects in university typically include courses such as graphic design, typography, color theory, design principles, user experience (UX) design, design history, digital design, product design, and visual communication.