Bachelor in Design

This programme provides students with the knowledge and skills to embark on a career in the design specializations of interior and furniture design, product design, transportation design, or visual communication design, and other allied design-related specializations. The programme gives students a broad education in the social, cultural, economic and political contexts of design.

The programme provides specialized training and experience in the specific design fields: in design practice, processes, and methodology in ergonomic design and sustainable design; knowledge of materials and manufacturing processes; in professional design presentations using a variety of techniques to an international standard; in marketing, management and entrepreneurship. Students elect courses that extend their knowledge in their discipline in computer programming, web design and mobile app development, animation and game design; environmental psychology and furniture making; automotive engineering, amongst others.

Graduates of the programme will gain the requisite knowledge and skills to become successful practicing designers who are able to make a positive contribution to the community of designers, design stakeholders, and society at large; and with a scholarly grounding and understanding appropriate for post-graduate education and life-long learning in general.

Programme Prerequisites

Applicant is admitted in compliance with the Georgian Legislation

Learning Outcome/Competencies

Knowledge and understanding

Fundamental knowledge and understanding of the design disciplines and related subjects including: visual culture and its history; the social sciences; principles of engineering mechanics – statics and dynamics, and for the automobile; mathematics and statistics; ergonomics science principles, and environmental psychology; the principles of sustainability for design; business principles and concepts.

Knowledge and understanding of:

• art history and theory, the history of art movements, and definitions and interpretations of art throughout history;
• design history and theory underpinning design movements, and recent interpretations of the interactions between design and society;
• the principle concepts and ideas of philosophy from the ancients to modern times;
• the fundamentals of human physiological and psychological abilities and limitations when at work;
• the applications and properties of materials commonly used in the design disciplines;
• the principles of marketing management related to the design disciplines;
• the principles of computer languages and programming.

Knowledge and understanding of:

• the roles of the design disciplines in society, and interpretations of design from the social sciences;
• the principles and major themes of anthropology as they apply to design practice;
• the fundamental concepts and issues, and advanced techniques and methods of sustainable design;
• the principle techniques of manufacturing and their design considerations;
• the main themes in the study of entrepreneurship;
• fundamentals of human interactions, and physiological and psychological relations to their environment;
• the automotive system and its development, and basic quantitative tools for automobile performance analysis.

Applying knowledge

Applying knowledge in the course of designing and in the analysis and critique of design, for practical health and safety; to solve mechanical problems, and to analyse data; of general and specialised design and methods, and of scientific research from fields such as ergonomics, to solve design problems; in computer programming and web and game design for product and system innovation.

Applying knowledge of:

• health and safety concerns, common hazards in the workplace, and basic first aid principles;
• mathematics to solve problems of statics and dynamics in mechanics, and to analyze data from business and the social sciences;
• typography for two-dimensional communication tasks;
• fundamental design methods and processes to innovatively solve complicated, and vaguely defined design problems;
• ergonomics science, and its methods and processes, to investigate and solve design problems;
• wood properties and traditional woodworking techniques for furniture making.

Applying knowledge of:

• specialized and advanced design methods and processes to innovatively solve design problems for competitive advantage, giving consideration to ergonomic and environmentally sustainable criteria, and other issues;
• manufacturing technology to optimise designed products and systems;
• entrepreneurship processes and tools to propose new products and services;
• methods for researching design topics, for gathering qualitative and quantitative data such as surveys, experiments, field research, case studies and so forth, and their application to design theory and practice;
• computer programming, HTML, and CSS, and SDKs in the development of computer and mobile applications and websites;
• environmental psychology principles and methods for considering the human in their environment;
• techniques and processes for creating animations and for designing electronic games.

Making judgments Apply methods from the social sciences to analyze data and interpret contemporary events relating to design practice. Use knowledge and methods from scientific disciplines such as ergonomics and environmental science etc. to make judgments and propose courses of action. Able to:

• interpret, and make informed judgments about significant contemporary events in the social and political spheres in Georgia and beyond;
• collect relevant quantitative and qualitative data on vaguely defined design problems, and to analyze the data and form reasoned judgments for further action;

Able to:

• analyze quantitative and qualitative data on vaguely defined design problems implicating ergonomics or environmental science concerns etc., and form reasoned judgments for further action;
• analyze vaguely defined and complex design problems, to plan and implement steps, including using appropriate design methods and processes, to solve the design problems;

Communication skills Able to:

• coherently present information in the English language using quantitative and qualitative data to specialists and non-specialists through text and diagrams using modern information technology;
• prepare technical drawings and computer-aided design models and documentation to international standards and conventions, to communicate with colleagues and associates etc.;
• prepare evocative professional design renderings, to communicate with colleagues and associates etc. and to convince design-stakeholders.

Able to:

• creatively apply a variety of modern information techniques to prepare written and visual reports on complex design-related topics in the English language to convince specialists and non-specialists;
• prepare computer-aided design models of complicated products and systems to international standards and conventions, to communicate with colleagues and associates etc.;
• prepare evocative multi-faceted professional design presentations using a variety of media and advanced techniques, to communicate with colleagues and associates etc. and to convince design stakeholders.

Learning Skills Able to:

• define own learning needs in different and unpredictable situations, individually and as part of a team, and take action to address learning needs;
• reflect on the use of design methods, and processes, and the outcomes of design projects, and to prescribe remedial action to address problems.

Able to:

• evaluate own learning process in a coherent and comprehensive manner; and to identify further learning needs;

Values:

• Share values related to design practice and engage in respectful debate about values, while always re-evaluating one’s own position on the issues;
• Appreciate how the design outcomes affect users and stakeholders and strive to maximize their benefits while minimizing their negative impacts.
• A scholarly attitude to science and the scientific method, and appreciate how knowledge from fields such as design research, ergonomics, and sustainable design, are relevant to design practice in general;
• An inclusive, democratic, and open approach to professional design considering the needs of users and other stakeholders, and openly collaborating with them for mutual benefit, where possible; Creative, innovative, and entrepreneurial individuals, active in providing for well-being and generating economic wealth for all.

Forms and Methods of achieving the learning outcomes

Lecture
Seminar (working in the group)
Practical classes
Laboratory classes
Practice
Coursework/project
Independent work
Consultation Forms and Methods of achieving the learning outcomes are included in the Educational Programme and can be found via the following link: http://www.gtu.ge/quality/new/en.pdf

Spheres of Employment

• Publishing and packaging companies
• Media Companies
• Advertising agencies
• Design companies
• Consulting and design companies
• Architectural design and design studios