About

The Department of Design at San José State University is one of the top design programs in California and the best value in design education. Our mission is to shape the next generation of social, political, and environmental innovators by taking full advantage of our proximity to Silicon Valley, the global center of high technology, innovation, venture capital, and social media. We are a community of creative technologists, who are teaching and learning technological skills that are inclusive and adaptive, poetic, cutting edge, and experimental. We understand that design is everywhere and is transformative throughout the world. We use our skills and knowledge to make our world safer, healthier, more equitable, and to create positive change. 

The Department offers a wide range of majors and minors in Animation & Illustration, Graphic Design, Industrial Design, Interaction Design, and Interior Design. All of our programs are focused on giving students real-life, practical, design experiences that will help them find their place in the broader design community and in turn, the world. Through internships, funded research, and community engagement projects we are able to prepare students to launch their careers with a wide range of skills, including digital design skills such as 3D-printing and augmented and virtual reality knowledge. Because our students are engaged in co-curricular activities beyond the classroom, they learn leadership skills, communication skills, and how social and emotional intelligence can impact design outcomes. 

If you are ready to join designers working on the front line who are changing the world, join us in the Department of Design. 

Chair and Professor, 
Virginia San Fratello