School of Design
College of Liberal & Creative Arts
Interim Dean: Dr. Sophie Clavier
School of Design
Fine Arts Building, Room 121
Phone: (415) 338-2211
Website: http://design.sfsu.edu
Email: design@sfsu.edu
Director: Mari Hulick
Visual Communication Design Program Coordinator: Joshua Singer
Industrial Design Program Coordinator: Silvan Linn
Graduate Program Coordinator: Hsiao-Yun Chu
Study Abroad Coordinators: Hsiao-Yun Chu, Ricardo Gomes
Mission
The School of Design serves a diverse body of students in the areas of Product Design and Visual Communication Design at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Our curricula emphasize the design process as a means of problem-solving, and our classes help students to build the technical, conceptual, critical, and collaborative skills required in design professions.
Program Scope
The School of Design offers a Bachelor of Science in Visual Communication Design, a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Design with a concentration in Product Design and Development, a Minor in Design, and a Master of Arts in Design. All programs employ a user-focused, strategic design methodology.
The Bachelor of Science in Visual Communication Design (BSVCD) is a program for students who intend to focus their studies on visual communication design applications, including graphic design, interactive media, and experience design. The major addresses a changing technological landscape and the resulting new opportunities for education and the profession in the realm of visual communication design. The design major prepares students for design practice, study, and research, as well as flexible collaboration with other disciplines including technology, user experience, and creative problem-solving.
The Bachelor of Science in Industrial Design with Concentration in Product Design and Development (BSID/PDD) is a program for students who intend to focus their studies on physical product-oriented design applications. The major addresses the creation of industrial goods and services and concentrates on three principle aspects of design: process, people, and product. The BSID/PDD incorporates the study of user-centered needs, relative to the responsible and resourceful implementation of technology innovation, materials, marketing principles, and aesthetic values.
The Master of Arts in Design program is designed for students who want to pursue professional work in design firms, teaching, project management, strategic planning for design firms, or management roles in technology. We emphasize problem-solving competencies, both conceptual and practical. Students in the program study visual communication design and product design with an interdisciplinary perspective. Students with a wide range of backgrounds work with a graduate advisor to design an M.A. program that meets their career goals. Based upon focused research into a chosen design problem, students develop a specialized area of study in graphic design/visual communication design, product design/manufacturing, industrial technology, project management, or digital media. Many students prepare for doctoral work at other institutions.
The Minor in Design provides students with majors other than Design a broad exposure to the basic applications and benefits of our undergraduate programs. Students in the minor will obtain a general knowledge of and a foundation in professional design (note: students will declare one program to minor in Visual Communication or Industrial Design. They may declare this when enrolling and through their first semester in the program.
Faculty
Our highly qualified faculty come from a variety of design and technology backgrounds, and play a central role in student advising and the formation of relevant design curricula. Faculty members participate in active design practices, conferences, consultancies, publish and exhibit internationally, and are attuned to current, as well as future, trends in design and design education.
Facilities
The school is housed in the Fine Arts Building near the western edge of campus. A wide range of technologies, such as digital media, digital printing, letterpress printing, bookbinding, vinyl cutting, computer-integrated manufacturing, rapid prototyping including 3D printing, digital electronics, metals and wood shops, wireless networking, and large format classroom displays are incorporated into the instructional/learning environment.
Career Outlook
Design
- User Interface Design
- User Experience Research and Design
- Physical Product Design
- Digital Product (app) Design
- Interactive Design
- Typographics, Publication and Printed Design
- Information and Wayfinding Design
- Design Research
Business and Industry
- Marketing/Communications
- Project Management
- Product Development
- Field Service
- Technical Services
- Job Development Training
- Production Coordinator
- Quality Control
- Research Technician
Education
- Curriculum
- Creative Technical Support
- Teaching
Advising
During the first semester in the major all students are required to enroll in the four core prerequisites;
Code | Title | Units |
---|---|---|
DES 200 | Visual Design Literacy | 3 |
DES 322 | Computer Graphic Imaging | 3 |
DES 356 | A History of Design and Technology | 3 |
DES 370 | Introduction to The School of Design | 1 |
During the DES 370 course, students will meet with an advisor and complete a “Major/Minor contract.”
Students must periodically check with their advisor to update their major advising contract and program goals. Students must also meet with their advisor prior to the semester of graduation.
International Track
School of Design majors may enhance their course of study by participating in the official School of Design Study Abroad programs in several locations. Eligible International Track students follow a particular course of study, upon consultation with advising Design faculty, that integrates overseas courses with the approved course requirements in Design. All official SF State Study Abroad students earn SF State resident credit and may use SF State financial aid while participating in the program. For more information, please visit http://oip.sfsu.edu/studyabroad.
Impaction
Undergraduate majors in the School of Design are impacted. This means that there are more students interested in the program than can be accommodated. Therefore, entrance into the majors is a selective and competitive process. Applications must be received during the application filing period and no later than the November 30 deadline. Admissions decisions will be made in March or April of the following calendar year. Transfer applicants not admitted to the program, but who meet GE and University admissions requirements, will be admitted to their alternate majors. Continuing SF State students not admitted to the program will remain in their current majors.
Application Filing Periods
Applications for admission to the majors are accepted by the University during the application filing periods for the fall semester (October 1 to November 30 for admission for the following fall). Applications are not accepted for spring semesters. Applications received outside of the fall semester open filing period will not be considered.
Transfer applicants from other colleges must submit an application via Cal State Apply at https://calstate.liaisoncas.com/applicant-ux/#/login.
Continuing SF State students must submit a Supplemental Program Application and Change of Major form directly to the School of Design.
Professor
Yu-Charn Chen (1988), Professor in Design. D.I.T. University of Northern Iowa.
Hsiao-Yun Chu (2006), Professor in Design. Ph.D. University of Brighton.
Ricardo Gomes (1992), Professor in Design. M.F.A. University of California, Los Angeles.
Giuseppe (Pino) Trogu (2007), Professor in Design. M.F.A. Rhode Island School of Design.
Associate Professor
Mari Hulick (2017), Associate Professor in Design. M.F.A. Northwestern University.
Silvan Linn (2012), Associate Professor in Industrial Design. M.S.D. Arizona State University.
Joshua Singer (2008), Associate Professor in Design. M.F.A. California College of the Arts.
Assistant Professor
Fernando Carvalho (2021), Assistant Professor in Industrial Design. Ph.D. Loughborough University.
Ellen Christensen (2019), Assistant Professor in Design. M.F.A. Rhode Island School of Design.
Joshua Mcveigh-Schultz (2018), Assistant Professor in Design. Ph.D. University of Southern California.
Omar Sosa-Tzec (2020), Assistant Professor in Design. Ph.D. Indiana University Bloomington.
Saskia Van Kampen (2019), Assistant Professor in Design. M.F.A. York University.
Majors
- Bachelor of Science in Visual Communication Design
- Bachelor of Science in Industrial Design: Concentration in Product Design and Development
Minor
DES 200 Visual Design Literacy (Units: 3)
Prerequisite: Restricted to Design majors and minors or permission of the instructor.
DES 210 Our Manufactured World: The Life Cycle of Everyday Objects (Units: 3)
An overview of how common consumer goods are designed, manufactured, marketed, used, and disposed of in industrialized economies. Emphasis on both traditional mass-production techniques (injection molding, casting) and more contemporary computer-aided methods (CAD, 3D printing, etc.). Discussion of the environmental consequences of mass manufacture (pollution, climate change) and some more sustainable alternatives. (Plus-minus letter grade only)
DES 220 Introduction to Drawing for Designers (Units: 3)
Introduction to drawing for design professions: graphic design, industrial design, digital media, and marketing. Learning to draw as learning to see and understand two- and three-dimensional objects, to give form to design ideas and to communicate these ideas to others. (Plus-minus letter grade only)
DES 221 Introduction to 3D Digital Design (Units: 3)
Introduction to Computer-Aided Drafting and Modeling using industry-standard software and techniques. Survey of the field's history and discussions of contemporary trends. Methods of computer modeling from original ideas or references, basic rendering and animation, and presentation of work in professional formats. 3D printing component. Suitable for non-majors. (Plus-minus letter grade only)
DES 222 Introduction to 2D Digital Design (Units: 3)
Digital software and design processes for creating and editing digital images, illustrations, documents for print, and digital applications. Topics include design vocabulary, conceptualization methods, and text formatting. Students will develop and apply their knowledge through analysis, critique, projects, and exercises. This course is for prospective Design majors. Activity. (Plus-minus letter grade only)
DES 226 Modern Letterpress Printing: Traditional and Digital Techniques (Units: 3)
Integration of centuries-old methods of letterpress into contemporary design processes. Direct, hands-on work with digital and letterpress proofing press to explore typographic principles, technical methods, lettering, vector illustration, photographic images, and more. Work is project-driven, featuring demos, critique, field trips. Activity. May be repeated for a total of 6 units. Extra fee required. (Plus-minus letter grade only)
Course Attributes:
- C1: Arts
DES 228 Introduction to Web Design (Units: 3)
Introduction to interaction design, with a focus on web design. Fundamentals of UX/UI and visual interface design, user-centered design, and GUI development will be introduced. Application of basic design principles and elements to live websites built from scratch, with an understanding of HTML and CSS. Exploration of the basics of effective interface design and usability. Activity. (Plus-minus letter grade only)
DES 252 Rethinking Digital Visual Media: History, Technology, and Content (Units: 3)
Digital visual media (computer animation, interactive multimedia, Internet, virtual worlds) viewed through the lenses of history, cultural impact, technology, and production techniques.
DES 256 Design and Society: Contemporary Design Issues and Applications (Units: 3)
Introduction to contemporary design issues, applications, and professions; exploration of design's wide-ranging social impacts from visual communication to product design, transportation to city planning, green design to design for social good. (Plus-minus letter grade only)
Course Attributes:
- C1: Arts
DES 277 Exploration in Meaning and Discourse Through Design (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to Design majors and minors; DES 200* and DES 222*.
DES 300 Design Process (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Design majors and minors; DES 200*, DES 356*, and DES 370* with a grade of C or better; or permission of the instructor.
DES 305 Lab Safety Basics (Unit: 1)
Prerequisite: Restricted to upper-division Design majors, minors, and graduate students.
DES 310 Product Design I (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Design majors and minors; DES 200*, DES 305*, DES 320*, DES 321*, DES 356*, and DES 370* with grades of C or better; or permission of the instructor.
DES 320 Drafting and Sketching for Design (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Design majors and minors.
DES 321 Technical Drawing I: Introduction to CAD (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Design majors and minors.
DES 322 Computer Graphic Imaging (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Design majors and minors; DES 222 with a grade of C or better; or permission of the instructor.
DES 324GW Research and Writing for Design - GWAR (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to Design majors; GE Area A2; DES 200*, DES 356*, and DES 370* with a grade of C or better; or permission of the instructor.
Course Attributes:
- Graduation Writing Assessment
DES 325 Graphic Design I (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division DES majors and minors; DES 200*, DES 322*, DES 356*, and DES 370* with grades of C or better; or permission of the instructor.
DES 327 Interactive Design I (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Design majors and minors; DES 200*, DES 322*, DES 356*, and DES 370* with grades of C or better; or permission of instructor.
DES 330 Industrial Design Outreach (iDo) (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Design majors; DES 200*, DES 356*, and DES 370*; or permission of the instructor.
DES 332 Electricity and Electronics (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Design majors; DES 200*, DES 356*, and DES 370* with a grade of C or better; or permission of the instructor.
DES 340 Design and Materials (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Design majors; DES 200*, DES 305*, DES 356*, and DES 370* with grades of C or better; or permission of the instructor.
DES 356 A History of Design and Technology (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Design majors and minors or permission of the instructor. Concurrent enrollment in DES 370* is required for Design majors and recommended for minors and non-majors.
DES 360 Model Development Laboratory (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Design majors; DES 200*, DES 305*, DES 356*, DES 370* with grades of C or better; or permission of the instructor.
DES 367 Introduction to Game Design (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Design majors; DES 200*, DES 322, DES 356*, and DES 370*; or permission of the instructor.
DES 370 Introduction to The School of Design (Unit: 1)
Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Design majors and minors or permission of the instructor. Concurrent enrollment in DES 356* is required for Design majors and recommended for minors and non-majors.
DES 377A Experimental Image Making for Graphic Designers (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to Design majors and minors; DES 200* and DES 222*.
DES 377B Visual Storytelling (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to Design majors and minors; DES 200*, DES 222*, DES 322*, DES 325*, and DES 327*.
DES 405 How to Develop, Patent, and Market an Idea (Units: 3)
Prerequisite: Restricted to upper-division standing or permission of the instructor.
DES 410 Product Design II (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Design majors; DES 300*, DES 305*, DES 310*, DES 321*, and DES 420* (may be taken concurrently); or permission of the instructor.
DES 420 Rapid Visualization (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Design majors; DES 320* and DES 370* with grades of C or better.
DES 421 Technical Drawing II: 3-D Solid Modeling (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Design majors; DES 321* or equivalent; or permission of the instructor.
DES 425 Graphic Design II (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Design majors; DES 325* with a grade of C or better; or permission of the instructor.
DES 427 Interactive Design II (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Design majors; DES 327* with a grade of C or better; or permission of the instructor.
DES 448 User Experience Design (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Design majors; DES 300*, DES 327*; or permission of the instructor.
DES 456 Design Thinking Principles and Practices (Units: 3)
Prerequisite for DES 756: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.
Prerequisites for DES 456: Restricted to upper-division Design majors; DES 200*, DES 356*, and DES 370* with grades of C or better; GPA of 3.0* or higher; or permission of the instructor.
(DES 456/DES 756 is a paired course offering. Students who complete the course at one level may not repeat the course at the other level.)
DES 460 Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing Systems (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to Design majors; DES 300*, DES 310*, and DES 321* or equivalents; or graduate Design students; or permission of the instructor.
DES 475 Topics in Design (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Design majors; DES 300* and DES 322* or equivalents; or permission of the instructor.
Topics:
- A Business Approach to Branding and Marketing
- Contemporary Design Issues
- Introduction to Solar Energy
- Exploring Package Design
DES 505 Senior Design Project (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to senior Design majors; DES 200*, DES 322*, DES 324GW*, DES 356*, and DES 370*.
DES 510 Product Design III (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Design majors; DES 300*, DES 310*, DES 321*, DES 410*, DES 420*; or permission of the instructor.
DES 521 Technical Drawing III: Advanced Modeling and Rendering (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Design majors; DES 321* and DES 421*; or permission of the instructor.
DES 523 Information Design I: Data Visualization (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Design majors or minors; DES 200*, DES 300*, DES 322*, DES 325*, DES 327*, DES 356*, and DES 370*; or permission of the instructor.
DES 524 Information Design II (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Design majors or minors; DES 200*, DES 300*, DES 322*, DES 356*, DES 370*, and DES 310* or DES 325* or DES 327*, with grades of C or better; or permission of the instructor.
DES 525 Graphic Design III: Advanced (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Design majors; DES 425* with a grade of C or better; or permission of the instructor.
DES 527 Interactive Design III (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to Design majors; DES 427* with a grade of C or better; or permission of the instructor.
DES 532 Applied Digital Electronics (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Design majors or minors; DES 332*; or permission of the instructor
DES 560 Prototyping Smart Devices (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Design majors or minors; DES 310*, DES 321*, and DES 360*, or permission of the instructor.
DES 570 Professional Practices for Designers (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to senior Design majors; DES 300*, DES 322*; DES 325* and DES 327* or DES 310; or consent of the instructor.
DES 575 Contemporary Design Workshop (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Design majors and minors; DES 200*, DES 356*, and DES 370*.
Topics:
- Biomimicry
- Justice Design: Crafting Ethical Design Solutions
- Emerging Media
- Social and Community Design
DES 576 Practical Experience: Internship (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Design majors; DES 200*, DES 356*, and DES 370*.
DES 625 Graphic Design Practicum: Design Working Group (Units: 3)
Prerequisite: Restricted to upper-division Design majors; DES 325* and DES 425*; or graduate Design students.
DES 627 Advanced Projects in Visual Communication Design (Units: 3)
Prerequisite: Restricted to upper-division Design majors and minors; DES 325 and DES 327; or permission of the instructor.
Topics:
- Brand Identity Design
- Type in Motion: Motion Graphics
- Visual Design for User Experience
DES 628 Design Gallery: Exhibitions and Communications (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Design majors; DES 322* and DES 356* with grades of C or better; or permission of the instructor.
DES 677 Exploration in Delightful Design (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to Design majors and minors. DES 200*, DES 322*, DES 325*, and DES 327*; or permission of the instructor.
DES 685 Projects in the Teaching of Design (Units: 1-4)
Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor; completion of an equivalent course in the subject matter.
DES 699 Independent Study in Design (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Design majors; DES 200*, DES 300*, DES 322*, DES 356*, and DES 370* with grades of C or better; cumulative GPA of 3.0*; or permission of the instructor.
DES 700 Seminar in Design Research (Units: 3)
Prerequisite: Restricted to Design graduate students; Graduate Essay Test, which must be taken within six months of starting the graduate program.
DES 701 Seminar: Trends and Issues (Units: 3)
Prerequisite: Graduate standing in Family and Consumer Sciences or the School of Design.
DES 724 Graduate Research and Writing Methods in Design (Units: 3)
Prerequisite: DES 700* or permission of the instructor.
DES 755 Seminar in Design Management (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to Design graduate students; DES 700*; or permission of the instructor.
DES 756 Design Thinking Principles and Practices (Units: 3)
Prerequisite for DES 756: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.
Prerequisites for DES 456: Restricted to upper-division Design majors; DES 200*, DES 356*, and DES 370* with grades of C or better; GPA of 3.0* or higher; or permission of the instructor.
(DES 456/DES 756 is a paired course offering. Students who complete the course at one level may not repeat the course at the other level.)
DES 800 Seminar in Design Topics (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to graduate Design students; DES 700* or equivalent.
DES 805 Seminar in Design Methodology (Units: 3)
Prerequisite: Restricted to Design graduate students or permission of the instructor.
Topics:
- Industrial Design
- Visual Communications
DES 852 Directed Experience in Design (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to graduate standing; permission of the graduate major adviser, supervising faculty member, and department chair.
DES 894 Creative Work Project (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor and departmental graduate committee; and approval of Advancement to Candidacy (ATC) and Culminating Experience (CE) forms by Graduate Studies. ATC and Proposal for Culminating Experience Requirement forms must be approved by the Graduate Division before registration.
DES 898 Master's Thesis (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor and major adviser and approval of Advancement to Candidacy (ATC) and Culminating Experience (CE) forms by Graduate Studies. ATC and Proposal for Culminating Experience Requirement forms must be approved by the Graduate Division before registration.
DES 899 Independent Study (Units: 3)
Prerequisite: Enrollment by petition approved by the supervising instructor, the major adviser, and the department chair.
Topics:
- Independent Study