Design

A designer's mind and hand shapes, structures and supports the physical and aesthetic attributes of all the products around us. As our world changes, designers must observe ​carefully and react with solutions that can inhabit, influence and further shape it. Our Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Design will provide you with a strong foundation in the principles, concepts, processes and practices of design; giving you the skills you need to play a meaningful role in today's design world.

Vision

The Design Department aspires to prepare designers of tomorrow, who can contribute to national and international progress of interior and product design and contribute as high quality scholars to the vision of their country.​

Mission

The Design Department prepares qualified designers with quality education, who can contribute to national and international progress in two design majors by providing integrated and comprehensive education, which engages field experience with in-class education.

Goals

1. Be recognized as the leading Design Department nationally and internationally in the education of future creative and innovative designers.

2. Provide a professional transparent work environment that promotes participation, innovation and ethical values as well as apply and achieve national and international accreditation for the Design Program in the coming years. 

3. Provide an integrated, comprehensive and high quality interior and product design education, which induces students' creativity and talent by offering a diverse, interdisciplinary and rigorous curriculum led by highly qualified faculties in fully established studios and classroom environment; as well as update the learning resources that foster creativity on an international level in terms of new technologies and futuristic learning facilities for dynamic teaching and learning experience in the design field.

4. Attract and retain talented, innovative and creative students in the design program.

5. Recruit more highly qualified and motivated academics and researchers that present the design department's program and research at international levels.
   

6. Provide innovative facilities and equipment that match with the worldwide design education and ensures sustainable interior and product design program delivery and sustain the financial status of the Design Department through future consultancy services and an ongoing student recruitment.

7. To foster vibrant research practices that seek to serve the community, environment, socio-economic prosperity and respect the Saudi culture.

8. Develop future partnerships with national and international partners that enrich the design program educational environment and build new bonds with the community.​​
   

The Design Department offers two areas of concentration:

• Interior Design
• Product Design​
  

Students who successfully complete the BSc Design curriculum will be able to:

Students who successfully complete the B.Sc. in Design curriculum should be able to demonstrate the following learning outcomes: 

1. Identify the physical, environmental, physiological, cognitive, cultural and social factors that shape design decisions.
2. Identify the histories and theories of design including the influential individuals, institutions, events and factors that shaped the emergence and development of the design professions.
3. Explain the contemporary design issues as it relates to regional, national and global contexts emphasizing interior design and product design.
4. The ability to solve design problems, using the skills of problem identification, research and information gathering, analysis, generation of alternative solutions and user testing, and evaluation of outcomes.
5. The ability to create and develop design solutions based on an understanding of the concepts, principles, processes and practices of design.
6. The ability to describe and analyze works of design perceptively and to evaluate them critically. This ability is predicated on an understanding of the similarities, differences and relationships among the various design disciplines.
7. Evaluate the principles of sustainability and its manifestation in the choices of materials, technologies, products, processes and systems.
8. (Interior Design): The ability to select and specify materials, lighting, furniture, fixtures and equipment in interior spaces based on functional aesthetic, environmental, life cycle, cultural and economic criteria.
   
   (Product Design): The ability to design new or to improve existing mass produced products ranging from small, single use objects to larger, multi-use products and systems.
9.  (Interior Design): The ability to design, develop and document custom, built-in and free standing furniture and case work in interior environments.
   
   (Product Design): The ability to apply technological tools and software related to the ideation, representation, production and testing of materials, processes, products and design.
10. (Interior Design): The ability to develop design concepts through aesthetic, functional, structural, spatial and culturally specific elements, principles and processes related to the creation of interior places, spaces, and experiences.
    
    (Product Design): Explain how products work and what makes a product useful, usable, and desirable for different target audiences.
11. The ability to apply analog and digital techniques, particularly freehand sketching, constructed hand drawings, physical and virtual modeling and prototyping, and appropriate digital tools in all phases of the design process from conceptual idea to design presentation and production.
12. (Interior Design): Explain the business and professional practices in interior design.
    
    (Product Design): ​Explain the business and professional practices in product design.
13. The ability to communicate persuasively through written, verbal, graphic, analogue and digital tools.
    
    

The BSc. DESN program requires 133 credits covering 4 years of study (8 semesters).  Due to the delivery of the Design program in English language, students might be asked to complete a foundation level or two before they start the program if they lack the skills required to be admitted to the program, especially for their English language proficiency.​​

Students must complete the program with a cumulative GPA greater or equal to 2.0 out of 4.​

Total University General Education Core: 42

• Compulsory: 13
  
• General Electives: 29
  

Requirements in Design Major (DESN): 38

• Compulsory: 35
  
• Internship: 3
  

Requirements in one of the two Concentrations (Interior Design, or Product Design): 44

Technical Electives​: 9​

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