Ohio State is in the process of revising websites and program materials to accurately reflect compliance with the law. While this work occurs, language referencing protected class status or other activities prohibited by Ohio Senate Bill 1 may still appear in some places. However, all programs and activities are being administered in compliance with federal and state law.

Undergraduate Programs

Bachelor of Science in Design (BSD)

The Bachelor of Science in Design (BSD) is a Professional Degree. This means that, unlike BA or BS programs, over 65% of the course credit in the degree is focused on the creation and study of art and design. Our lock-step curriculum will take you through a specific sequence of studio-based courses, designed to scaffold your skills and increase in scale, scope, complexity and collaboration with each semester. 

At Ohio State Design, your path begins with a strong foundation. Our first-year Design Foundations program is where all undergraduate design students—whether you're pursuing Industrial Design, Interior Design, Visual Communication Design, or Experiential Media Design—start building the creative, technical, and collaborative skills that will shape your future. You’ll work alongside other aspiring designers, gaining exposure to each discipline while discovering where your passion truly lies. This immersive experience helps you build a solid base and prepares you to apply to your major of choice in the spring semester.

Design Foundations
Experiential Media Design
Industrial Design
Interior Design
Visual Communication Design

Career Prospects in Design

A degree in Design from Ohio State opens doors to a dynamic and impactful career. Our graduates shape the future of design across industries—joining innovative consulting studios, forward-thinking corporate design teams, and mission-driven government and nonprofit organizations.

Design professionals work in diverse environments. Some thrive in nimble, independent studios where creativity flows freely and teams are tight-knit. Others contribute to large multidisciplinary firms that blend design with engineering, research, marketing, and strategy. Corporate design groups span every major industry—from tech and healthcare to consumer goods and entertainment—where designers drive brand identity, product innovation, and user experience. Whether specializing in a single discipline or collaborating across fields, designers are at the forefront of solving real-world challenges.

Design is more than a career—it’s a journey of growth. Many designers begin with hands-on project work and evolve into roles in research, strategy, and leadership. As businesses increasingly recognize the strategic value of design, opportunities for advancement and influence continue to expand.

At Ohio State, we prepare students not just to enter the field—but to shape it.

Undergraduate Minors

An undergraduate minor consists of a coherent curricular program designed to allow students to pursue academic interests that go beyond their major.

Students pursue minors to complement their major's area of specialization, to better define themselves academically and to employers, to gain credit for classes previously taken that do not count towards a major, or merely to pursue other interests. 

From our flagship Design Thinking minor to one of the many interdisciplinary minors we participate in, there is surely a way to incorporate design into just about any academic experience at Ohio State.