Design is the practice-based discipline that poses important questions about—and provides significant answers to—how we live. Designers are needed when we don’t know what is needed as well as when we think we do. Designers propose alternative futures and create new choices using principles and processes to create, compose, and construct meaning in diverse knowledge fields. Designers seek a broad understanding of principles and systems of perception, communication, and action. Concentrations in design practices are graphic and information design, interaction design, and experience design.
Graphic designers make messages and meaning using visual form and the integration of text and image. Their work often has a persuasive intent and uses rules of visual composition, form, and pattern to enable storytelling or to create attention and an ambiance for consideration. Information designers visualize concepts and data to enhance human understanding of complex and vital knowledge. Their work has an enlightening or instructive intent and is based on factual content.
Interaction designers focus on the creation of navigable interfaces and systems that allow audiences to take an active role to achieve meaningful goals. Their work connects people to people and people to information and environments.
Experience designers take a holistic and integrative approach that focuses on the quality of the human experience in concrete situations. They employ research, analysis, creativity, and technology as tools to understand human goals, needs, and desires. Their work examines and improves contexts, systems, services, or events.
The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Design is offered with the following concentration options: graphic and information design, interaction design, or experience design.
The major offers optional study abroad with University of the Arts London, based in the heart of one of the world's creative capitals, London. Students from this program will have the opportunity to spend their second spring semester in London studying fine art at Central Saint Martins.
Complete all courses listed below unless otherwise indicated. Also complete any corequisite labs, recitations, clinicals, or tools courses where specified and complete any additional courses needed beyond specific college and major requirements to satisfy graduation credit requirements.
Universitywide Requirements
All undergraduate students are required to complete the Universitywide Requirements.
NUpath Requirements
All undergraduate students are required to complete the NUpath Requirements.
NUpath requirements Creative Expression/Innovation (EI), Interpreting Culture (IC), and Societies and Institutions (SI) are met through the major course requirements. All other NUpath requirements must be met through electives.
Students interested in design PlusOne programs should consult with faculty coordinator and advisor during sophomore year to register for 5000-level courses in junior and senior years.
Art and Design Core
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction to College | ||
| ARTF 1000 | Art and Design at Northeastern | 1 |
| Art and Design Fundamentals | ||
| ARTF 1122 | Color and Composition (with optional ARTF 1123) | 4 |
| ARTF 1124 and ARTF 1125 | Form and Structure and Form and Structure Tools | 5 |
| ARTF 2220 and ARTF 2221 | Movement and Time and Movement and Time Tools | 5 |
| ARTF 2223 and ARTF 2224 | Experience and Interaction and Experience and Interaction Tools | 5 |
| Art and Design History | ||
| ARTH 1001 and ARTH 1002 | Visual Intelligence and Seminar in Visual Intelligence | 4 |
| ARTH 3000 | Topics in Visual Studies | 4 |
| ARTH 4000 | Topics in Visual Studies | 4 |
Design Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Design Courses | ||
| ARTG 1001 and ARTG 1002 | Design Perspectives: An Introduction to Design in the World and Seminar for Design Perspectives | 4 |
| ARTG 1250 | Design Process Context and Systems | 4 |
| ARTG 2250 and ARTG 2251 | Typography 1 and Type Tools | 5 |
| ARTG 2260 | Programming Basics | 4 |
| Degree Project | ||
| ARTG 4550 | Design Degree Project | 4 |
Design Electives or Concentration
Complete one of the options listed below:
Program Requirements
129 total semester hours required
Design Electives or Concentration Options
Design Major (No Concentration)
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Art and Design Elective | ||
| Complete one ARTE, ARTD, ARTF, ARTS, or GAME course not already required and as long as prerequisites have been met. If ARTG 5000 (or any other topics course in the subjects listed) is completed more than once, the additional completions may be applied toward the electives. | 4-6 | |
| Art and Design History and Theory Elective | ||
| Complete one of the following: | 4 | |
| Interactive Media and Society | ||
| Survey of the Still and Moving Image | ||
| History of Graphic Design | ||
| Contextual and Theoretical Studies 2 ((for UAL)) | ||
| Information Design History | ||
| Media Arts Elective | ||
| Complete one of the following: | 4-6 | |
| Introduction to Photography and Photo Tools | ||
| Animation Basics and Animation Tools | ||
| Video Basics and Video Tools | ||
| Topics in Media Arts | ||
| Design Management Electives at University of the Arts London | ||
| Students who study abroad at the University of the Arts London will receive general elective credit for the following: | ||
| Interdisciplinary Projects and Practices | ||
| Marketing Communications and Cultures 2 | ||
| Design Electives | ||
| Complete three ARTG design electives as long as prerequisites have been met. If ARTG 5000 (or any other topics course in the subject listed) is completed more than once, the additional completions may be allowed toward the electives. | 12 | |
Design Major with Concentration in Experience Design
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| ARTG 3462 | Experience Design 1 | 4 |
| ARTG 3463 | Experience Design 2 | 4 |
| ARTG 5000 | Topics in Design | 1-4 |
| Elective | ||
| Complete one of the following: | ||
| Physical and Digital Fabrication | ||
| Prototyping for Experience Design | ||
Design Major with Concentration in Graphic Design
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| ARTG 2252 | Graphic Design 1 | 4 |
| ARTG 3450 | Graphic Design 2 | 4 |
| ARTG 5000 | Topics in Design | 1-4 |
| Elective | ||
| Complete one of the following: | ||
| Typography 2 | ||
| Typography 3 | ||
Design Major with Concentration in Information Design
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ARTG 3451 | Information Design 1 | 4 |
| ARTG 4552 | Information Design 2 | 4 |
| ARTG 5000 | Topics in Design | 1-4 |
| Complete one of the following: | ||
| Statistics for Design | ||
| Information Visualization Principles and Practices and Information Design Critique Seminar | ||
Design Major with Concentration in Interaction Design
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| ARTG 2400 | Interaction Design 1: Responsive (with optional ARTG 2401) | 4-5 |
| ARTG 3700 | Interaction Design 2: Mobile | 4 |
| ARTG 5000 | Topics in Design | 1-4 |
| Elective | ||
| Complete one of the following: | ||
| Physical Computing | ||
| Prototyping for Experience Design | ||
Sample Four Years, One Co-op in Spring/Summer1
| Year 1 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| ARTF 1000 | 1 | ARTG 1250 | 4 | A+D fundamentals or ARTG 2260 Programming Basics | 4 | Vacation | |
| ARTF 1122 (with optional ARTF 1123) | 4 | ARTG 2250 and ARTG 2251 | 5 | Elective | 4 | ||
| ARTG 1001 and ARTG 1002 | 4 | A+D fundamentals | 4 | ||||
| ARTH 1001 and ARTH 1002 | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| Elective (Writing NUpath) | 4 | ||||||
| 17 | 17 | 8 | 0 | ||||
| Year 2 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| A+D fundamentals or ARTG 2260 Programming Basics | 4 | A+D history elective | 4 | A+D elective | 4 | Co-op | |
| A+D fundamentals | 4 | Design concentration course 2 or design elective | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||
| A+D history 2000 level | 4 | Design elective | 4 | ||||
| Design concentration course 1 or design elective | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| 16 | 16 | 8 | 0 | ||||
| Year 3 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| EEAM 2000 | 1 | Co-op | Co-op | Vacation | |||
| Design concentration course 3 or design elective | 4 | ||||||
| Design elective | 4 | ||||||
| Media arts elective | 4 | ||||||
| Elective | 4 | ||||||
| 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Year 4 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||||
| Design concentration course 4 or design elective | 4 | ARTG 4550 | 4 | ||||
| Design elective | 4 | Media arts elective | 4 | ||||
| Elective | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| Elective | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| 16 | 16 | ||||||
| Total Hours: 131 | |||||||
Sample Four Years, One Co-op in Summer 2/Fall
| Year 1 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| ARTF 1000 | 1 | ARTG 1250 | 4 | A+D fundamentals or ARTG 2260 Programming Basics | 4 | Vacation | |
| ARTF 1122 (with optional ARTF 1123) | 4 | ARTG 2250 and ARTG 2251 | 5 | Elective | 4 | ||
| ARTG 1001 and ARTG 1002 | 4 | A+D fundamentals | 4 | ||||
| ARTH 1001 and ARTH 1002 | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| Elective (Writing NUpath) | 4 | ||||||
| 17 | 17 | 8 | 0 | ||||
| Year 2 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| A+D fundamentals or ARTG 2260 Progamming Basics | 4 | EEAM 2000 | 1 | A+D elective | 4 | Co-op | |
| A+D fundamentals | 4 | A+D history elective | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||
| A+D history 2000 level | 4 | Design concentration course 2 or design elective | 4 | ||||
| Design concentration course 1 or design elective | 4 | Design elective | 4 | ||||
| Elective | 4 | ||||||
| 16 | 17 | 8 | 0 | ||||
| Year 3 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| Co-op | A+D history 3000 level | 4 | Vacation | Vacation | |||
| Design concentration course 3 or design elective | 4 | ||||||
| Design elective | 4 | ||||||
| Elective | 4 | ||||||
| 0 | 16 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Year 4 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||||
| Design concentration course 4 or design elective | 4 | ARTG 4550 | 4 | ||||
| Design elective | 4 | Media arts elective | 4 | ||||
| Elective | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| Elective | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| 16 | 16 | ||||||
| Total Hours: 131 | |||||||
Notes:
Online elective courses are optional while on co-op.
Optional study abroad with University of the Arts London, based in the heart of one of the world's creative capitals, London. Students from this program will have the opportunity to spend their second year spring semester in London studying design management at London College of Communication.