NOTE: The information below is for current UIC students looking to transfer into the School of Design. If you not currently a UIC student, please refer to the External Transfer Student FAQ.
WHEN MAY I START THE BDES DEGREE PROGRAM?
New students are only admitted in the Fall.
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE ME TO COMPLETE THE BDES DEGREE PROGRAM?
UIC’s design courses are sequenced with specific goals in mild and, regardless of the number of general education requirements you have already completed at UIC, it will take you an additional four full years to complete the BDes degree. It may be possible to complete the BA degree in less than 4 years if you have credits to transfer.
WILL IT REALLY TAKE ME FOUR MORE YEARS TO COMPLETE THE BDES DEGREE?! I ALREADY HAVE UIC CREDITS.
Yes, it really will take you four additional years to complete the BDes degree. If you are not able to commit to being at UIC an additional four full years, the BDes degree program may not be not a good fit for you.
WELL, CAN I TAKE DESIGN CLASSES AT A COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND TRANSFER THEM TO GRADUATE FASTER?
No. The faculty and administration require students to take all DES courses at UIC due to the unique and specific content and skills covered in the classes. No transfer credit will be awarded for courses in the core DES curriculum.
WHAT CLASSES WILL I TAKE?
Below are links to course sequencing info for UIC’s Bachelor of Design (BDes)/Bachelor of Design Studies (BA) degrees presented in two different formats along with degree planning worksheets:
BDes Graphic Design / Industrial Design Curriculum Guide
BDes Overview / Program Requirements / Courses
BDes Graphic Design / Degree Planning Worksheet
BDes Industrial Design / Degree Planning Worksheet
BA Design Studies Curriculum Guide
BA Design Studies / Degree Planning Worksheet (In Progress)
HOW CAN I FIND OUT HOW MY CURRENT UIC CLASSES WILL TRANSFER OVER?
You may run a degree audit for your desired major via the your student portal. From my.uic.edu, select the Welcome tab and click uAchieve Degree Audit and then Request Audit. Next, click Select Different Program to run a degree audit for another major. On the next screen, make the following selections: School: Architecture, Design, & the Arts; Program: BDes Graphic Design or BDes Industrial Design or BA Design Studies; Catalog Year: Select the current catalog year. Then click Run Different Program. This report will tell you where your earned credits will fall and the remaining classes you would need to complete.
DO YOU OFFER EVENING OR WEEKEND CLASSES?
No
DO YOU OFFER A MINOR?
No
DO YOU OFFER SUMMER CLASSES?
Design classes are not typically offered in the summer and have not been offered in over three years. In the past, a limited number of Design Foundation classes have been occasionally offered in the summer but there is no plan to return to this model at this time. Please note that taking summer classes will not allow you to complete the BDes degree faster. For more information about UIC’s Summer Session, click the link below.
MAY I TAKE ONE DESIGN CLASS TO SEE IF I LIKE THE PROGRAM?
Yes, you may take one Design Foundation Studio a semester. If you are interested in Graphic Design, the recommended classes are DES 120 or DES 150; if Industrial Design is your interest you should consider DES 130 or DES 140. If you are interested in the Design Studies, you should consider DES 150 or DES 140.
HOW DO I APPLY TO TRANSFER TO THE SCHOOL OF DESIGN?
In order to be considered for transfer into the School of Design’s Design Foundation program, you just need to fill out the College of Architectue, Design, and the Arts' online Intercollegiate Transfer Application. Note: This form is only for use by current UIC students.
WHY AM I APPLYING TO THE DESIGN FOUNDATION PROGRAM WHEN I WANT THE BDES DEGREE?
All BDes students begin in the year-long Design Foundation program. Acceptance to the Bachelor of Design (BDes) degree program is subject to a portfolio review that takes place at the end of the Spring semester after successful completion of the 7 required foundation courses.
WHAT ARE THE APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS? IS A PORTFOLIO REQUIRED?
The only requirement is the Intercollegiate Transfer application. You are welcome to submit a statement of intent if you wish but it is not required. You may not submit a portfolio.
DO YOU HAVE A SPECIFIC GPA REQUIREMENT FOR TRANSFER?
We give preference to students with a UIC GPA of 3.0 and above. If your GPA is low, you may want to submit a statement with your application explaining why and what changes you plan to make to be successful if accepted for transfer.
DO YOU HAVE A MATH REQUIREMENT?
No
IS IT POSSIBLE TO MAJOR IN BOTH GRAPHIC DESIGN AND INDUSTRIAL DESIGN?
Yes. Students who pass both the Graphic Design and Industrial Design portfolio reviews at the end of the Design Foundation year may request to double major but please note that completing both degrees will take five full years.
BDes Graphic Design/Industrial Design - Degree Planning Worksheet
WHEN WILL I FIND OUT IF I AM ACCEPTED?
We will likely not be able to process current UIC student applications for the Fall until about two weeks before the semester begins. If you are serious about changing majors you should fill out the application ASAP because we typically have very limited seats available and will process the applications by date submitted.
WHAT CLASSES SHOULD I PLAN TO TAKE WHILE I AM WAITING FOR AN ACCEPTANCE DECISION?
You should meet with your current advisor and plan to take the next sequence of classes in your current major in case you are not accepted. You may also consider taking: One Design Foundation course (see above), AH 110/111, or any General Education requirements you still need to complete. The BDes Graphic Design degree requires an Art Elective so that is also an option if you hope to enter that major.
WHERE CAN I LEARN MORE ABOUT DESIGN AND CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN THE FIELD?
A great way to learn about design is to look over the faculty news/bios and portfolios on the School of Design website, view student work on the Year End Show website, or check out the UIC Innovation Center website. The School of Design website also lists all upcoming events (lectures, exhibits, workshops) hosted by/at the School of Design. Nearly all of these are free and open to the public. The School of Design’s Instagram account is also a great place to learn more about our design community and what our faculty, current students, and alumni are working on.
WHAT IS THE JOB PLACEMENT RATE FOR SCHOOL OF DESIGN GRADUATES?
According to a recent survey of School of Design graduates, of the students who responded, 65-70% were working in their field after six months and 85-90% were working in their field after a year.
WHAT IF I STILL HAVE QUESTIONS?
If you would like to learn more about the program and view the School of Design facilities, please sign up for an info session via the link below. (Please note that new dates are added periodically so if you don’t see one that will work for you, please check again.)
CADA Recruitment Overview and Tours Info
School of Design Intercollegiate Transfer Info Session (for current UIC students only)
HOW MAY I VIEW STUDENT WORK?
You may view recent student work examples on online at the following sites:
UIC School of Design Year End Show website
UIC School of Design Instagram account (@uic.design)