Design degrees in Spain
Architecture, industrial, fashion, interior, video game, multimedia, graphic and user experience design: they are design degrees you can study in Spain.
If you spend hours with editing software, draw clothes in your notebook, retouch photos or look at how every object you use is made, that's the starting point.
How design is studied in Spain
There are university degrees and also higher studies in design and animation in dedicated centers, with different types of qualifications. There are centers in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Sevilla, Zaragoza, A Coruña or Ciudad Real.
You learn through projects: sketches, versions, critiques and presentations, with theory supporting studio work. Some centers ask for a portfolio or a specific test in addition to the general admission requirements. Official university degrees are listed in the RUCT.
The design degrees in Spain
Among those studied in Spain are Industrial Design, Fashion Design and Video Game Design, as well as Architecture, halfway between design and engineering.
Video Game Design, Multimedia Design and User Experience Design work on screen and overlap with the technology and computer science degrees in Spain; Animation is close to the art ones; Industrial Design and Architecture share a technical foundation with the engineering ones.
Where to study design in Spain
Universidad de Diseño, Innovación y TecnologÃa (UDIT) (UDIT)Madrid · PrivateMultimedia DesignIndustrial DesignInterior DesignVideo Game DesignFashion DesignAnimationUser Experience Design
Universidad CEU San Pablo (CEU)Madrid · PrivateArchitectureDesignVideo Game DesignInterior DesignFashion DesignIndustrial Design
Escuela Superior de Diseño de Aragón (ESDA)Zaragoza · PrivateGraphic DesignIndustrial DesignInterior DesignDesignFashion Design
Universidad Antonio de Nebrija (UANE)Madrid · PrivateIndustrial DesignArchitectureInterior DesignMultimedia DesignFashion Design
U-tad Centro Universitario de Tecnologia y Arte Digital (U-tad)Madrid · PrivateAnimationMultimedia DesignIndustrial DesignVideo Game Design
Universidad Camilo José Cela (UCJC)Madrid · PrivateArchitectureDesignFashion DesignInterior Design
Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM)Madrid · PublicArchitectureIndustrial DesignFashion Design
Ilerna (ILERNA)Madrid · PrivateAnimationArchitectureHow to choose between them
Pay attention to what you do when no one asks you to: if you edit videos, if you draw characters or clothes, if you rearrange your room, if you build things with your hands, if you play games and notice how the game is made.
Then ask yourself where you want to see what you create: on a screen, in an object, in a garment or in a space.
If you are torn between Industrial Design and Multimedia Design, think about whether you prefer to create objects or work on screen, and look at what type of qualification each center offers. The career test can give you another clue.
To read before choosing
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to know how to draw to study design?
It depends on the program. In Fashion Design or Industrial Design drawing helps, but you also work with materials and software; in User Experience Design, thinking about how a product is used matters more.
How long does a design degree last in Spain?
Architecture is the longest in the area; Industrial Design, Fashion Design, Interior Design and most degrees have a similar, slightly shorter duration.
Is a university design degree the same as an advanced design qualification?
Not always: some are taught by universities and others by higher education centres, with different qualifications. Ask the centre what qualification it awards and look it up in the RUCT if it is a university one.
What design degrees work with screens?
Video Game Design, Multimedia Design and User Experience Design.
Can I go into design without being sure about the specialty?
Some centres offer Design as a general degree. Check its curriculum to see when the specialty is chosen.
What is the difference between Fashion Design and Industrial Design?
Fashion Design creates garments and collections, and also studies the society and culture around them. Industrial Design creates products and objects considering how they look and how they work. One works with fabrics; the other, with materials and prototypes.