Design

Overview

Key facts

Through a rigorous and highly-personalized course of study, our designers develop the skills they need to effectively communicate—both socially and visually—with their collaborators and with their audiences. The goal of the Design program from University of Washington is to train conscious, collaborative artists of the highest caliber who can meet complex artistic challenges with integrity, excellence, and ingenuity. Our faculty and alumni work in every corner  of the industry. 

What You Will Study And How You Will Study It

Your course schedule will consist of studio and skills courses designed to develop your proficiency in such areas as text analysis, dramaturgy, drawing, drafting, painting, draping, the manipulation of lighting to control visual focus, and the ability to transform two-dimensional visual ideas into three-dimensional forms. You will be required to work in the other design disciplines, while developing your mastery of your home discipline.

Connecting With The Professional World

You won’t have to wait for graduation to begin building your connections to the professional world. Professional designers and directors working in Seattle and across the country will visit your classes to discuss their work, and students often assist faculty and staff on outside projects. In your third year, you will complete a 10-week internship assisting a professional designer, before returning to UW to work on your thesis production.

Who We Are Looking For

Students entering the program may have prepared for graduate study as an undergraduate Drama major, in a related field such as art, architecture, English, or fashion, or even with backgrounds seemingly unconnected to the arts. No matter what your background is, we expect you to have a reasonable amount of exposure to theatre, opera, and/or dance, and the passion to pursue a greater understanding of these fields locally, nationally, and internationally.