Design Arts
and Practices

Are you passionate about art, design and information, and how they come together and are applied to making a better world? If so, one of our most popular majors — the Bachelor of Arts in Design Arts and Practices (DAP) — may be the degree for you.

This program will give you a foundation in creative thinking and creative making from an interdisciplinary perspective to tackle real-world problems, including public health emergencies and social and environmental issues.

Students will choose from three design emphasis areas:
Visual Design, Object or Spatial.

Recent DAP graduate Nicolette “Niko” Gomez (pictured) leveraged her degree work to create a “Digital Art Inspired by Indigenous Tradition” project, which introduced Indigenous students at the U of A to technology and cultural expression using an AI-powered image generator.

“I found a community inside the School of Art that I just never really expected,” Gomez said. “It really opened a lot of doors and made me feel really like I belong at the university.”

Emphasis Areas
Skills & Career Fields
Resources & Facilities
Academic Advisor
Apply

Emphasis Areas

Students must choose one emphasis area. For more information, consult each course checklist below and contact Academic Advisor Hannah Lawless.

Visual Design

Studies focus on works in digital form, such as websites, games, animation, apps and kiosks; and works on paper, such as publications, posters, games, comics, books and magazines. Offered to Main Campus and Arizona Online students. Course checklist

Object Design

Studies focus on works in 3D, such as hand-held and portable products, furnishings, furniture and systems. Offered in collaboration with the College of Architecture, Planning & Landscape Architecture (CAPLA ) and to Main Campus students only. Course checklist

Spatial Design

Studies focus on works that involve place, such as human scale environments, situated events, interiors, exhibitions and urban spaces. Offered in collaboration with CAPLA and to Main Campus students only. Course checklist

The degree’s 120-unit curriculum is unique because there are multiple pathways students may take, moving in and among art, design, information studies and technology courses offered by the School of Art, School of Architecture and School of Information. Students take two foundation courses in art and design history, three additional foundation courses—such as Mapping, Space, Gaze, Experience or Foundation Studio — and then at least five core courses in their emphasis area. They finish with a senior capstone project.

Undergrad course descriptions:

ART and ARH (Art History), ARE (Art Education) and ARC (Architecture)

Degree Requirements

Skills and Career Fields

DAP students will develop core conceptual and technical skills to design artifacts and experiences across a range of scales and media.

Project-based courses will build your abilities in problem solving and seeking, innovating with and through technologies, and developing creative visual strategies to address real-world problems. History, theory, and academic courses will construct cultural frameworks for depth and breadth in research and application.

You’ll be able to apply these skills to a career in fields such as:

Experience and User Interface Design
Product Design
Industrial Design
Information Design
Graphic Design/Desktop Publishing
Interior and Spatial Design
Set and Exhibition Design
Environmental and Fashion Design
Art/Illustration
Multimedia Design/Animation
Art Direction
Web Design

Resources and Facilities

Within the College of Fine Arts there are a number of computer labs reserved exclusively for graphic applications. Through the Office of Student Computing Resources (OSCR), students have access to a wide variety of technologies, training, and support in computer, video and audio production.

Within the School of Art there are numerous studios, labs, and classrooms dedicated to instruction and critique. Most spaces are equipped with digital projection and sound systems, pin-up walls and worktables, wireless connectivity and high speed internet.

Digital Print Studio

The Digital Print Studio uses a service based drop-off system and provides high quality, fine art digital prints using state-of-the-art printers and scanners. The studio also offers finishing services, which include mounting, matting, and framing. Visit the Digital Print Studio website for more information and scheduling.

Book Art & Letterpress Lab

The facility supports on campus letterpress printing, experimental printing, paper techniques, binding and bookery. Visit the Book Art & Letterpress Lab for more information.