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Design is a way of thinking (about what might be better), and a process (of iterative prototyping), as well as the product of that thinking and process. The Design Studies program at West Virginia University provides the opportunity for cross-disciplinary study by pairing design thinking and design process courses with an approved minor or approved area of concentration of your choice.

Design Studies is a four-year, student-focused curriculum that is open to all freshmen and to students transferring into the program as long as they meet the GPA requirement. Students must have a minimum GPA of 2.0 overall, or department approval, to enter the program, and must maintain an overall 2.0 GPA throughout their time in the major.

Students meet with their academic advisor at the beginning of their program to determine a program of study for their academic major. Each student, as a requirement for graduation, must participate in a minimum of six credit hours of internship. Internships will be allowed only after the student has finished a minimum of 50% of their minor coursework, and completed the required third year design studies coursework. Typically, internships will occur during the summer between the student's third and fourth years. Internship experiences will be unique to each student and will reflect their area of interest in the design fields.

The primary student learning outcomes for the Design Studies major include preparing students to:

Integrate design thinking into the business context provided by their minor course of study,
Synthesize knowledge gained through coursework and experiential activities effectively, and explain its application to real work situations within the design profession and selected area(s) of interest in verbal and written formats,
Effectively evaluate and use research in the context of a design problem,
Share work experience with others and gain a greater understanding of design in a variety of contexts,
Understand the daily realities of their professional design area and how those realities relate to the expectations of other design contexts.

Career Opportunities

Demand for graduates with Design Studies degrees has traditionally come from production, sales, marketing, and management firms related to design products and studio-trained designers (fashion, interiors, etc.). More recently there has been growing recognition that design thinking/process supports entrepreneurship and innovation in all venues. Internet searches of Business Week and/or Fast Company using the key word "design" will provide a quick overview of the rapidly expanding career potential in this field.

The offering of an interdisciplinary design major by West Virginia University is unique in the state and within the University. Design Studies brings together positive aspects of the studio-based design majors and the multi-disciplinary studies major to provide a design-focused program that is flexible and student-centered. Acceptance into the program is noncompetitive. Employment in design-related occupations is expected to continue growing.