Design | Winthrop University

Design

Bachelor of Design

Designers no longer exclusively design things. They design experiences, interactions and lifestyles—they define culture. The Bachelor of Design programs will prepare students to become “lifestyle and experience designers”—designing innovative user/consumer products, experiences and lifestyle relevant solutions.

This degree program is a contemporary, future driven approach that integrates design thinking, making, processes, and methodologies with technology and programming, entrepreneurship and business strategies and management. Each concentration and subject area will establish a foundation for the student to transform into a unique, creatively charged, practice-ready professional concerned with how we communicate to consumers and to each other, the spaces we inhabit, the products we use and interact with, and the perception and interaction among people, objects and ideas.

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Potential Employers

Some of the graduates of this program have gone on to work for:

  • Augusta Health
  • BD&H Marketing (Barnhardt, Day & Hines, Inc.)
  • Cherokee County
  • Chesterfield County
  • Dollar Bank, FSB
  • DPR Construction
  • Extended Stay America
  • Florida Blue
  • lemmondsDESIGN
  • MillerKnoll
  • MongoDB, Inc.
  • Red Ventures
  • RVO Health
  • Ryan Homes
  • ScanSource
  • Studio TK
  • TokenTax
  • Truist
  • Union County Public Schools

Career Paths

Graduates of this program have gone on to become:

  • Account Manager
  • Co-Founder
  • Co-Owner
  • Company Owner
  • Director of Design
  • Director of Interior Space Planning and Design
  • Experience Design Director
  • Facilities Director
  • Facility Project Manager
  • Founder/Producer
  • Manager, Art Director
  • Market Development Executive
  • Market Manager
  • Philanthropy Chair
  • President
  • Principal Digital Product Designer
  • Principal User Experience Designer
  • Project Manager
  • Sr. Design Integration manager
  • Vice President of Marketing

Top Industries

Many of the graduates of this program find themselves working in:

 

  1. Marketing and Advertising
  2. Higher Education
  3. Financial Services
  4. Architecture & Planning
  5. Retail
  6. Hospital & Health Care
  7. Computer Software
  8. Furniture
  9. Real Estate
  10. Construction

Curriculum and Learning Opportunities

The Department of Design offers the professional Bachelor of Design degree in Design with concentrations in Interior Design, Graphic Design, Illustration and Experience Design.

    Interior design students take a series of lecture and studio classes that are designed to gradually introduce the student to the knowledge and skills needed in the practice of interior design. The program focuses on the ability to design quality interior environments that contribute to the well-being and safety of individuals and groups along with incorporating a concern for the environment and society at large.

    Curriculum

    Projects involving graphic designers include: the design of typefaces, page layouts for magazines and books, product and packaging design, corporate identity systems, environmental signage, multi-media and presentation graphics, web-page design, and other areas involving every facet of visual communications. Graphic Designers are responsible not only for how information is presented, but how it is perceived by the viewer. This may involve informational, promotional and commercially-oriented means. The designer acts as a liaison between a client and the public; his or her job is to be sure a specific message is delivered effectively and efficiently, in a manner that is visually sophisticated.

    Curriculum

    The field of illustration holds a more traditional history and perspective within the program. However, more modern techniques are covered as well. The role of illustrator is based in the fine arts but responds directly to the audience and the client. Similar to graphic design, the illustrator is responsible for defining the audience and communicating through imagery, which is appropriate and understood by the audience. The program covers a variety of types of illustration including editorial, educational and technical, as well as character development and other forms of illustration.

    Curriculum

    Our interdisciplinary degree program in game design empowers students to develop specialized skills for careers in the dynamic fields of interactive and digital design for entertainment, as well as informative and educational purposes. Focus on visual aesthetics, narrative development, user experience, and interface design in a collaborative development environment using teamwork and iterative processes. Game Design students take courses in visual communication, user experience, character design and world building, and web application and digital design. Students utilize interactive storytelling and innovative problem-solving, creativity and analytical skills with industry-standard tools in multimedia, AI, and human-computer interaction.

    Curriculum

Why Winthrop?

Student working in design studio

Nationally Accredited

Our design programs are accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA) and the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).

student wearing headphones working on a macbook

Real World Experience

Studio 351 offers a professional space for students to design real world projects for clients all over York County, including books, magazine ads, logos, websites and more.

a professor working with a design student

Small Classes and Exceptional Faculty

Students benefit from personalized attention in small classes taught by internationally acclaimed faculty, all of whom are practicing professionals in their fields.


Hear From Our Students and Faculty


Beyond Graduation

 Catalina Zavala Olvera

Catalina Zavala Olvera
Graphic Design, Class of 2019
Junior Designer, ByFarr Graphic Design


"The Winthrop environment is very welcoming and supporting. From my experience, students are always ready to help another when struggling or coming across a difficult time. I had looked at other campuses for graphic design programs that taught more than just the ability to design something conventional. Winthrop’s design program teaches us how to think about real-world problems in an innovative and challenging way. The design professors not only help us with our work, but with our future careers and lives."

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