Design Program

The mission of the Design program is to graduate designers who can synthesize technology, aesthetics, and business factors in service of human need.  Students emerge with both a strong engineering depth and technical know-how, as well as creative, visual thinking abilities and a deeply human-centered orientation to problem-solving.  Their ability to seamlessly integrate across these two “right brain / left-brain" ways of thinking empowers them to make and build products, services, and experiences with transformative potential in service of people and planet. 

With the transition from Product Design to Design, the degree continues to provide a strong technical engineering foundation, while expanding both the ways of making and domain application areas for design.

You’ll find everything you need to know about the undergrad Design degree on this page.  Please also visit the d.school website to learn more about the undergraduate Design program, explore the Domain areas, and discover more resources and support. If you’re looking for more information on the graduate Design program, please go here. 

Completion of the undergraduate program in Design leads to the conferral of the Bachelor of Science in Design (DESIGN-BS). 

The Design major has three possible Methods tracks:

• Physical Design + Manufacturing
• AI + Digital User Experience
• Human Behavior + Multi-stakeholder Research

In addition to the Methods tracks listed above, students will also choose from one of four Domain Focus spheres:

• Designing for the Planet
• Designing for Health
• Designing for Social Impact
• Designing for Biological Futures

See Requirements below for detail on each Method and Domain, and specific course options and requirements. Important Note: There are three versions of Program Sheets to reflect the three Method Depths offered.  Some of the Math, Science, and SoE Fundamentals vary depending on Method Depth.  Use the information below as a general guide, but please refer to the individual program sheets for the most precise look at requirements.

Program Sheets , a Core Flowchart, and 4-Year Plans are available now

Find current major requirements for this and all other School of Engineering major programs at Explore Degrees

For advising questions, please email us at ugdesign-advising@stanford.edu.  We’ll be checking messages and responding on a weekly cadence.
Student Services: Bldg 550, Room 169, Colton Brasel, colton@dschool.stanford.edu

For instructions on how to declare the Design major, see bottom of page.

2025-26 Requirements

Math, Behavioral Science, and SoE Science must reach a combined total of 30 units minimum. See Note 1 below for using AP or IB credit to satisfy major requirements.

Mathematics

15-20 units minimum (requirements vary slightly by Method Depth; see Note 1)

• STATS 60/160 (recommended) or STATS 110
• MATH 19, 20, 21 Calculus
• MATH 51 or CME 100 (required for Physical and Digital Methods Depths only)

Behavioral Sciences

• PSYCH 1: Introduction to Psychology

Additional SoE Math and Science

Additional approved courses from SoE-approved lists to reach the required 30 unit minimum (No additional social or behavioral science courses are allowed)(see Note 1).

• PHYSICS 41 is required for the Physical Design + Manufacturing track
• CS 103 and/or CS 109 recommended for the Digital Methods track

Technology in Society

• Choose one course from the list of SoE-approved courses on Approved Courses; the course must be on the list the year it is taken.

Engineering Fundamentals (2 courses required)

• CS 106A Programming Methodologies required for the Digital track
• ENGR 14 Intro to Solid Mechanics required for the Physical Design+Manufacturing track
• Check Methods and Domains in Design Depth for suggestions within each track and domain

Design Core (all required)

Methods Depth 

Students will get to sharpen making skills and abilities and gain professional fluency by choosing one of the following three Method Depths tracks.  

(A) Physical Design + Manufacturing 

Methods range from classes on materials and mechanisms to understand what is possible with physical design, to manufacturing processes and supply chain logistics to understand how physical design is implemented.

One of the following foundational classes in making with physical materials:   

• ME 80: Mechanics of Materials    (3 units)
• CEE 101a: Mechanics of Materials (4 units)

Both applied classes in aspects of physical manufacturing:   

• ME 102: Foundations of Product Realization (3 units)
• ME 103: Product Realization: Design and Making (4 units) 

An additional course in mechanical design (choose one of the following): 

• ME129 - Manufacturing Processes and Design (3 units)
• ME 210 - Intro to Mechatronics (4 units)
• ME104 - Mechanical Systems Design (4 units)
• ME220 - Intro to Sensors (4 units)
• ME152 - Material Behaviors and Failure Prediction (3 units)

(B) AI + Digital User Experience 

Methods range from foundational classes on programing methodologies and human computer interaction to applied courses on digital prototyping, user experience design, and incorporating AI and data science. 

The following foundational class in programming:   

CS 106B: Programming Abstractions (5 units)       

One of the following applied classes in artificial intelligence:   

• CS 124: From Languages to Information (3-4 units)
• CS 223A: Intro to Robotics (3 units)

One of the following applied classes in human augmentation or interaction:   

• Any CS247 class (ex: CS 247A: Design for Artificial Intelligence)    (3-4 units)
• SYMSYS 245: Cognition in Interaction Design (3 units)
• CS 448B: Data Visualization (4 units)
• CS 278: Social Computing (3-4 units)
• CS 347: Human-Computer Interaction: Foundations and Frontiers (3-4 units)
• CS 377Q: Designing for Accessibility (3-4 units)   

An additional applied course in AI + Digital Experience:  

• PSYCH 30: Introduction to Perception (4 units)
• BIOMEDIN 220: Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare (BIODS 220, CS 271) (3-4 units)
• PSYCH 293: What makes a good explanation? Psychological and philosophical perspectives

(C) Human Behavior + Multi-stakeholder Research

This method depth is an opportunity for students to develop an understanding of how to build the body of knowledge that will allow them to execute effective design AND how to use research to modify and evolve design directions as they manifest in the world.

One of the following foundational classes in social theory:   

• COMM 1: Introduction to communication (5 units)
• MS&E 180: Org Behavior (4 units)
• ANTHRO 1: Introduction to Cultural and Social Anthropology (3-5 units)
• SOC 1: Introduction to Sociology (5 units)
• SOC 180A: Foundations of Social Research (4 units)
• PSYCH 70: Social Psych (4 units)
• PSYCH 80: Personality and Affective Psych (3 units)

One of the following qualitative methods courses:   

• HUMBIO 82A: Qualitative Research Methodology (3 units) (Note: this course prepares students for advanced research work (ie, for an honors thesis), and students should be planning to do subsequent research work beyond the class.)
• EDUC 450C: Qualitative Interviewing (ENVRES 231) (3 units)
• ANTHRO 91: Method and Evidence in Anthropology (5 units)
• CHPR 247 - Methods in Community Assessment, Evaluation, and Research (MED 247) (3 units)
• URBANST 123A - Designing Research for Social Justice: Creating a Community Engaged Research Project (3-5 units)

One of the following quantitative methods courses:   

• ANTHRO 116: Data Analysis for Quantitative Research (5 units)
• COMM 106: Communication Research Methods (5 units)
• STATS 191: Introduction to Applied Statistics (3 units)

An additional course in applied research:  

• CS 347: Human-Computer Interaction: Foundations and Frontiers (3-4 units)
• CS 278: Social Computing (3-4 units)
• COMM 124/224: Truth, Trust, and Tech (5 units)
• MS&E 92: Introduction to Health Policy Modeling

Domain Focus Area

Along with building a depth in selected methods of design, students will also get to take courses in chosen domain focus area, and have the opportunity to apply these frameworks for problem solving in another field. This is a chance for students to explore an area of interest to them, and to apply their design abilities in context. Taking courses in a domain area encourages a design practice that values curiosity, deep immersion, and x-disciplinary collaboration. 

Students are encouraged to use their domain coursework to prepare them for their senior capstone project if they choose, but domain coursework does not prescribe capstone direction.  Students can reference a Domain Focus Area Course Appendix for understanding class options and pathways through a Domain.  

• Students pursuing a 22-23, 23-24, or 24-25 program sheet should utilize the Domain Focus Area Appendix 24-25 document. 
• Students pursuing a 25-26 program sheet should utilize the new Domain Focus Area Appendix 25-26 document. 

You will also find sample 3-course pathways that correspond to focused application areas on our domain landscape maps.  We invite and encourage you to submit a Domain Course Proposal Form to propose classes that may fit in our domain spheres, but are not already on the list. 

• Designing for the Planet: a domain sphere including Climate, Environment, Oceans, and Energy (and more)
  Gain knowledge around environmental problem solving at macro and micro scales, on all corners of our planet.
• Designing for Health: a domain sphere including Healthcare & Health Technology Innovation (and more)
  Gain understanding in anatomy, physiology, healthcare systems, and health technology while exploring a new era of personalized, accessible, and patient-centered care.
• Designing for Social Impact: a domain sphere including Global Development, Social Systems, Social Inequity (and more)
  Investigate domestic and global governance and their intersection with development, economics, and a more equitable society.
• Designing for Biological Futures: a domain sphere including Living Matter and Synthetic Biology (and more)
  Learn about biofutures and explore the possibilities of building with biology.
   

Capstone 

For their Capstone, students will scope and execute design work that integrates and draws upon what they’ve learned across their methods depth and potentially their domain focus area, over the course of a 2-quarter long sequence, as well. Students may choose one of the following sequences to fulfill their Capstone requirement. Impact Studio is an option that affords students the opportunity to work with real-word project partners on domain-aligned areas of impact (application required).

• DESIGN 161A:  Advanced Design: Capstone 1 (see Note 4)

• DESIGN 161B:  Advanced Design: Capstone 2 (see Note 4) 

  OR

• DESIGN 162A: Advanced Design: Impact Studio Capstone (winter)
• DESIGN 162B: Impact Studio: Impact Studio Capstone (spring)

Notes:

1. Math and Science: The School of Engineering list of approved math and science courses can be found on the Approved Courses page of the UGHB website.
   • Take all three of MATH 19/20/21 or may use 10 units AP BC and/or transfer credit AND placement into MATH 51/CME 100. If 6-8 units AP or IB credit is used, must take Math 21 as neither test covers 21 content (and 21 may not be skipped using Math Diagnostic Placement results). In rare cases, a student may have covered the material in Math 21 without unit credit, and be able to present evidence of this in a petition to waive out of the course. Otherwise, taking Math 53 or CME 102 as a replacement course for 21 is allowed (since the material in 21 is built upon in these courses).
   • Breadth course (Math, Science, Fundamentals, & TiS) AP or transfers must be approved by the SoE Dean's office. AP approval process & transfer credit information available at https://ughb.stanford.edu/transfers-ap-exceptions. Transfer credits in Design Depth must be approved by the major advisor. AP approval process & transfer credit information and petitions are available on the Transfers-AP-Exceptions pages.
   • See Courses page for additional approved Science, Fundamentals, and TiS courses. Additional math and science must be from SoE-approved list, and no further Behavioral Science courses are allowed to count toward the 30-unit math/science minimum.
2. Choose one 3-5-unit visual expression course from: DESIGN 60 Visual Expressions, DESIGN 172: Design Sketching and DESIGN 173: Digital Design Principles and Applications (take both if using this option), DESIGN 170: Visual Frontiers, or ARTSTUDI 185: Interactive Storytelling, AFRICAAM 186: Black Experimental Narrative (ARTSTUDI 186), ARTSTUDI 287: Animation II, or CS448B: Data Visualization (SYMSYS 195V).
3. DESIGN 160R is a required one-unit advisory class taken fall of junior year that will guide students in exploring personal and purposeful work, as well as prepare them for professional opportunities through portfolio building.
4. DESIGN 161A & B together meet the Writing in the Major (WIM) requirement.
5. Cumulative GPA for all courses within the ENGR Fundamentals and Engineering Depth categories must be at least 2.0; all courses listed must be taken for a letter grade (except those taken pandemic quarters Spring 2020-Summer 2021).

How Do I Learn More?

We offer a “Design Discover the Major Night” twice a year – one in early fall quarter and one in early spring quarter for prospective students. This is a chance to learn about the degree firsthand from faculty and Peer Advisors in a casual environment. Please join our interest listserv design_interest@lists.stanford.edu and check the d.school Events page to be in the loop for upcoming events.

Office Hours
Both faculty advisors and peers advisors will host regular Office Hours sessions during the academic year.  Please view the current OH Schedule here. For advising questions, please email us at ugdesign-advising@stanford.edu.  We’ll be checking messages and responding on a weekly cadence.

Petitions

Design students looking to submit a petition to deviate from any curricular requirements may navigate the following steps below.  Please allow the entire petition process to take at least three weeks.  Note that Domain Course Proposals are a separate form, and will be reviewed on a quarterly basis.  To apply AP or IB credit towards major requirements, you may submit to the Design: Petition Form or email your completed program sheet and unofficial transcript to soeundergrad@stanford.edu. 

 Step 1: Fill out an updated Program Sheet and download your Unofficial Transcript.

• Design Program Sheets: Available here
• Unofficial Transcript: Download from Axess

 Step 2: Attend your Faculty Advisor’s Office Hours to discuss your petition.

• Refer to our current Office Hours information.

Step 3: Submit your petition request to Design: Petition Form

Instructions for Declaring the Design Major

Expect for the whole declaration process to take at least 2-3 weeks depending on your preparation and planning, and your advisors’ availability.

1. Declare "Design" in Axess

2. Select a Program Sheet that overlaps your matriculation

• Design Program Sheets: Available here
• Unofficial Transcript: Download from Axess

3. Fill out your Program Sheet
Complete a program sheet with courses you plan to take as well as those you have already taken. List all course numbers and names along with their units (and grade, if already completed).

4. Meet with us at Office Hours
Refer to our current Office Hours information.

• First attend Office Hours with a Peer Advisor to have your Program Sheet checked, and to receive your Faculty Advisor assignment.
• Second attend Office Hours with your assigned Faculty Advisor to complete a final review and sign off on your Program Sheet 

5. Submit your signed Program Sheet and unofficial transcript

When you are ready with your declaration materials, please submit them to our Design: Declaration Form.  Student Services will complete your declaration processing in Axess.  We may follow up with you if there are any questions.