Design, BFA (Boston) < Northeastern University Academic Catalog

Design is the practice-based discipline that poses important questions about—and provides significant answers to—how we live. Designers are needed when we don’t know what is needed as well as when we think we do. Designers propose alternative futures and create new choices using principles and processes to create, compose, and construct meaning in diverse knowledge fields. Designers seek a broad understanding of principles and systems of perception, communication, and action.

The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Design is offered with the following concentration options: experience design, graphic design, information design, and interaction design.

Graphic designers make messages and meaning using visual form and the integration of text and image. Their work often has a persuasive intent and uses rules of visual composition, form, and pattern to enable storytelling or to create attention and an ambiance for consideration.

Information designers visualize and physicalize concepts and data to enhance human understanding of complex and vital knowledge. Their work has an enlightening or instructive intent and is based on factual content.

Interaction designers focus on the creation of navigable interfaces and systems that allow audiences to take an active role to achieve meaningful goals. Their work connects people to people and people to information and environments.

Experience designers take a holistic and integrative approach that focuses on the quality of the human experience in concrete situations. They employ research, analysis, creativity, and technology as tools to understand human goals, needs, and desires. Their work examines and improves contexts, systems, services, or events.

Complete all courses listed below unless otherwise indicated. Also complete any corequisite labs, recitations, clinicals, or tools courses where specified and complete any additional courses needed beyond specific college and major requirements to satisfy graduation credit requirements.

Universitywide Requirements

All undergraduate students are required to complete the Universitywide Requirements.

NUpath Requirements

All undergraduate students are required to complete the NUpath Requirements.

NUpath requirements Creative Expression/Innovation (EI), Interpreting Culture (IC), and Societies and Institutions (SI) are met through the major course requirements. All other NUpath requirements must be met through electives.

Students interested in design PlusOne programs should consult with faculty coordinator and advisor during sophomore year to register for 5000-level courses in junior and senior years.

Art and Design Core

Course List
Code	Title	Hours
Introduction to College
ARTF 1000	Art and Design at Northeastern	1
Art + Design Fundamentals Required
ARTF 1220	Elements of Visual Composition (with optional ARTF 1221)	2
Art + Design Fundamentals Electives
Complete 6 semester hours of the following:		6
ARTF 1200	Representational Drawing
ARTF 1210	Abstract Drawing
ARTF 1230 and ARTF 1231	Making with Form and Materials and Making with Form and Materials Tools
ARTF 1240 and ARTF 1241	Making with Video, Sound, and Animation and Making with Video, Sound, and Animation Tools
ARTF 1250 and ARTF 1251	Designing Interactive Experiences and Designing Interactive Experiences Tools
Art and Design History
ARTH 1001 and ARTH 1002	Visual Intelligence and Seminar in Visual Intelligence	4
ARTH 3000	Topics in Visual Studies	4
ARTH 4000	Topics in Visual Studies	4
Complete 4 additional semester hours of ARTH courses.		4

Design Requirements

Course List
Code	Title	Hours
Design Course
ARTG 1001 and ARTG 1002	Design Perspectives: An Introduction to Design in the World and Seminar for Design Perspectives	4
ARTG 1270 and ARTG 1271	Design: Process + Practices and Studio for Design: Process + Practices	4
ARTG 1290 and ARTG 1291	Typographic Systems and Studio for Typographic Systems	4
ARTG 2262 and ARTG 2263	Prototyping with Code and Lab for ARTG 2262	4
Degree Project
ARTG 4550	Design Degree Project	4

Design Electives

Course List
Code	Title	Hours
Art and Design Elective
Complete 8 semester hours of ARTD, ARTE, ARTF, ARTS, EXRE, or GAME courses not already required and as long as prerequisites have been met and not used to fulfill other requirements of the program. If ARTG 5000 (or any other topics course in the subjects listed) is completed more than once, the additional completions may be applied toward the electives.		8
Media Arts Elective
Complete 4-5 semester hours of the following:		4-5
ARTD 2360 and ARTD 2361	Introduction to Photography and Photo Tools
ARTD 2370 and ARTD 2371	Animation Basics and Animation Tools
ARTD 2380 and ARTD 2381	Video Basics and Video Tools
ARTD 3000	Topics in Media Arts
Design Electives
Complete 16 semester hours of ARTG courses as long as prerequisites have been met. If ARTG 5000 (or any other topics course in the subject listed) is completed more than once, the additional completions may be allowed toward the electives.		16

Concentrations or Electives Option

A concentration is not required. Students may complete the electives option in lieu of a concentration.

Creative Fabrication
Experience Design
Graphic Design
Information Design
Interaction Design
Electives Option

Program Requirements

128 total semester hours required

Concentration in Creative Fabrication

Course List
Code	Title	Hours
Required Courses
ARTG 2810	Creative Fabrication Design Principles	4
ARTG 3810	Topics in Creative Fabrication Inquiry	4
ARTG 5000	Topics in Design	4
Elective
Complete 4 semester hours of the following:		4
ARTG 2290	Fashion and Wearable Technologies
ARTG 3100	Physical and Digital Fabrication
ARTG 3250	Physical Computing
ARTG 5640	Prototyping for Experience Design

Concentration in Experience Design

Course List
Code	Title	Hours
Required Courses
ARTG 3462	Experience Design Principles	4
ARTG 3464	Topics In Experience Design Inquiry	4
ARTG 5000	Topics in Design	4
Elective
Complete 4 semester hours of the following:		4
ARTG 3100	Physical and Digital Fabrication
ARTG 5640	Prototyping for Experience Design

Concentration in Graphic Design

Course List
Code	Title	Hours
Required Courses
ARTG 2252	Graphic Design Principles	4
ARTG 3452	Topics In Graphic Design Inquiry	4
ARTG 5000	Topics in Design	4
Elective
Complete 4 semester hours of the following:		4
ARTG 3470	Topics in Typographic Inquiry
ARTG 4554	Typography 3

Concentration in Information Design

Course List
Code	Title	Hours
Required Courses
ARTG 2242	Information Design Principles	4
ARTG 3444	Topics in Information Design Inquiry	4
ARTG 5000	Topics in Design	4
Elective
Complete 4 semester hours of the following:		4
ARTG 5150 and ARTG 5151	Information Visualization Principles and Practices and Information Design Critique Seminar
ARTG 5320	Statistics for Design

Concentration in Interaction Design

Course List
Code	Title	Hours
Required Courses
ARTG 2400	Interaction Design Principles (with optional ARTG 2401)	4
ARTG 3400	Topics In Interaction Design Inquiry	4
ARTG 5000	Topics in Design	4
Elective
Complete 4 semester hours of the following:		4
ARTG 3250	Physical Computing
ARTG 5640	Prototyping for Experience Design

Electives Option

Course List
Code	Title	Hours
ARTG 5000	Topics in Design	4
Complete 12 semester hours of any of required concentration courses above. At least one course needs to be at the 3000 level or higher.		12

Sample Plans of Study

Four Years, One Co-op in Spring/Summer First Half

Year 1
Fall	Hours	Spring	Hours	Summer 1	Hours	Summer 2	Hours
ARTF 1000	1	ARTG 1270 and ARTG 1271	4	A+D elective	4	Vacation
ARTF 1220 (with optional ARTF 1221)	2	ARTG 1290 and ARTG 1291	4	Elective	4
ARTF elective	2	ARTF elective	2
ARTG 1001 and ARTG 1002	4	ARTF elective	2
ARTH 1001 and ARTH 1002	4	Elective	4
Elective (writing NUpath)	4	EEAM 2000	1
	17		17		8		0
Year 2
Fall	Hours	Spring	Hours	Summer 1	Hours	Summer 2	Hours
ARTG 2262 and ARTG 2263	4	Design elective 2	4	A+D elective	4	Vacation
ARTH elective	4	ARTD elective	4	Elective	4
Design concentration principles	4	Topics in design concentration inquiry	4
Design elective 1	4	Elective	4
	16		16		8		0
Year 3
Fall	Hours	Spring	Hours	Summer 1	Hours	Summer 2	Hours
ENGW 3314	4	Co-op	0	Co-op	0	Vacation
ARTH 3000 level	4
Design concentration course 3	4
Design elective	4
	16		0		0		0
Year 4
Fall	Hours	Spring	Hours
ARTH 4000 level	4	ARTG 4550	4
Design concentration course 4	4	Design elective 4	4
Elective	4	Elective	4
Elective	4	Elective	4
	16		16
Total Hours: 130

Four Years, One Co-op in Summer Second Half/Fall

Year 1
Fall	Hours	Spring	Hours	Summer 1	Hours	Summer 2	Hours
ARTF 1000	1	ARTG 1270 and ARTG 1271	4	A+D elective	4	Vacation
ARTF 1220 (with optional ARTF 1221)	2	ARTG 1290 and ARTG 1291	4	Elective	4
ARTF elective	2	ARTF elective	2
ARTG 1001 and ARTG 1002	4	ARTF elective	2
ARTH 1001 and ARTH 1002	4	Elective	4
Elective (writing NUpath)	4	EEAM 2000	1
	17		17		8		0
Year 2
Fall	Hours	Spring	Hours	Summer 1	Hours	Summer 2	Hours
ARTG 2262 and ARTG 2263	4	Design elective 2	4	A+D elective	4	Co-op	0
ARTH elective	4	ARTD elective	4	Elective	4
Design concentration principles	4	Topics in design concentration inquiry	4
Design elective 1	4	Elective	4
	16		16		8		0
Year 3
Fall	Hours	Spring	Hours	Summer 1	Hours	Summer 2	Hours
Co-op	0	ENGW 3314 or 3315	4	Vacation		Vacation
		ARTH 3000 level	4
		Design concentration course 3	4
		Design elective 3	4
	0		16		0		0
Year 4
Fall	Hours	Spring	Hours
ARTH 4000 level	4	ARTG 4550	4
Design concentration course 4	4	Design elective 4	4
Elective	4	Elective	4
Elective	4	Elective	4
	16		16
Total Hours: 130

Academic Catalog 2025-2026

Design, BFA (Boston)