Program Guide

Interdisciplinary Design

College: Fine Arts
Degree: BS in Design and Visual Communication
Specialized Admission: No

Contact: Rebecca Cowart
Address: 1038 WJB, Tallahassee, FL 32306-1231
Phone: (850) 644-5473
Email: Rebecca.Cowart@fsu.edu

Students cannot begin enrolling in this major until Fall 2026. Also, please note: FSU is not yet authorized to enroll F-1 international students in the Bachelor's degree in Civics and Liberty Studies. International students who need an F-1 visa, should NOT apply to these majors at this time.

*Face-to-face/in-person instruction of this program will be available ONLY at the main campus in Tallahassee, FL. This program is NOT available via Online/Distance Learning; starting in Fall 2026.*

The Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Design prepares students to become agile, collaborative, and future-oriented design professionals equipped to meet the growing demand across creative industries. As the need for human-centered and cross-functional design solutions expands, this program will provide students with the frameworks and skills necessary to thrive in a range of design-focused careers. Grounded in the practice of design, the program encourages both creativity and problem-solving, connecting graphic design, spatial thinking, materials, and evolving tools used in contemporary design.

Prerequisite Coursework: (none)

There are Interdisciplinary Design foundation classes that should be completed during the freshman and sophomore years. They are:

IND 1203 (3) Design Fundamental I
ART 1300c (3) Drawing Foundations
ART 1602c (3) Digital Foundations <meets FSU Digital Literacy requirement>
ARH 2050 (3) History and Criticism of Art I
ARH 2051 (3) History and Criticism of Art II

Transfer students that have earned an A.A. degree and wish to pursue this major must complete these courses within their first two semesters at FSU to remain eligible to continue in the major.

Note: State-wide common prerequisites are always under review. For the most current information and for acceptable alternative courses, visit the “Common Prerequisites Manual.” This is available from the “Student Services” section of http://www.flvc.org.

Requirements for Progression to the Upper-Division Major

To be admitted, students must complete at least 52 hours with a minimum FSU GPA of 2.00 and most of the General Education requirements met, including freshman English composition and mathematics, or an AA degree.

Major Program of Studies at FSU: (68 hours)

To complete a major in Interdisciplinary Design, student must complete:
Interdisciplinary Design Foundation courses: 15 credit hours
Interdisciplinary Core courses: 29 credit hours
Design and Visual Art courses: 24 credit hours

Core courses: (29 hours)

IND 2300 (3) Graphic Techniques I
IND 3529 (1) Portfolio Development I
IND 3533 (1) Portfolio Development II
XXX 3*** (3) Design Ethics and Responsibility
ART 3651 (3) Art and Electronic Media
ART 4642 (3) Digital Fabrication
ENT 3607 (3) Innovation by Design <meets FSU Scholarship in Practice requirement>
ENT 3605 (3) Sysytems Innovation by Design <meets FSU Scholarship in Practice requirement>
IND 2620 (3) Responsible Design
XXX 4*** (3) Design Capstone I: Research and Framing
XXX 4*** (3) Design Capstone II: Applicationa and Presentation

Required Major courses: (24 hours)

IND 2xxx (3) Foundations of Graphic Design I
IND 3xxx (3) Foundations of Graphic Design II
ART 4925c (3) Media Workshop: Digital Media
XXX 2xxx (3) Typography
CGS 2821 (3) Introduction to Website Design
CGS 2835 (3) Interdisciplinary Web Design
XXX 4xxx (3) History of Design and Visual Communication
LIS 4701 (3) Information and Data Visualization

Minor coursework: (0 hours)

A minor is not required but is recommended as a way to contribute to the electives needed to reach the required 120 credit hours for graduation.

Digital Literacy: (3 hours)
ART 1602c (3) Digital Foundations satisfies this requirement for the major.

Oral Communication Competency: (3 hours)
Students must demonstrate the ability to orally transmit ideas and information clearly. This requirement may be met with an approved college-level course.

Minimum Program Requirements - Summary
General Education 36
Major Coursework 68
Minor Coursework 0
Digital Literacy 0 beyond required major coursework
Scholarship in Practice 0 beyond required major coursework

Electives to bring total number of credit hours to 120

Mapping is FSU’s academic advising and monitoring system. Academic progress is monitored each Fall and Spring semester to ensure that students are on course to earn their degree in a timely fashion. Transfer students must meet mapping guidelines to be accepted into their majors. You may view the map for this major at academic-guide.fsu.edu/.

1. A minimum of 45 hours at the 3000 level or above, 30 of which must be taken at this University.
2. Half of the major course semester hours must be completed in residence at this University.
3. The final 30 hours must be completed in residence at this University.

Salary Information: For more information go to: National Association of Colleges and Employers (www.naceweb.org) or the Occupational Outlook Handbook (www.bls.gov/ooh/home.htm) provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Representative Job Titles Related to this Major: Graphic Design (graphic designer, brand designer);Visual Communication (visual storyteller, content designer); Design Strategy (design strategist, brand strategist); Spatial Thinking and Environments (exhibit designer, environmental graphics designer); User Experience (UX) / User Interface (UI) Designer; Motion / Digital Designer with craft animations, interactive media, and motion graphics for digital platforms; Entrepreneur / Creative Consultant.

Representative Employers: Branding & Identity Firms; Advertising and Marketing Firms; Print & Fabrication Companies; Media & Publication Design Studios; Interior Design Studios; Digital/ UX Design Studios; Entertainment & Film studios’ Museums & Cultural Institutions