The Department of Design at UC Davis is the only comprehensive
academic design unit in the University of California system. The
major delivers a research-focused undergraduate (B.A.) curriculum
that fully integrates design history, theory and criticism, with
design thinking, making, writing, visual literacy, and creative
practice. Design students benefit from a dedicated faculty with
expertise in many areas of the visual arts. Our studio courses
include design as practiced in exhibition, fashion, information,
interior architecture and product (lighting and furniture),
textiles, visual communications (digital, environmental, and
print) and sustainable design. The Department of Design offers a
creative, challenging, and flexible approach to the study of
design with emphasis on socially responsible, human centered, and
sustainable practice.
Undergraduate Design majors who meet College of Letters and Science GPA requirements and successfully complete the application process can complete 194HA (3 units) and 194HB (3 units) in order to be eligible for high honors or highest honors upon graduation from UC Davis. The courses are graded using deferred grading where students receive a grade only at the completion of the project after 6 units of work.
Consult Letters and Science website for GPA guidelines.
The Design faculty strongly encourages students to study abroad.
Through this experience students can gain valuable knowledge
about design in other cultures and can develop a much richer
understanding of design. Interaction with design students and
faculty world-wide provides a distinctive approach and diverse
perspective to design problems and their creative solutions.
Different geographical and cultural regions offer unique
environmental and cultural elements that can greatly enrich the
design process, for students and future design professionals.
