Undergraduate Degrees at the School of Design
In the Bachelor's of Design program, you'll have the option to select a track to focus your education on: products, communications, or design for environments.
Design with an emphasis on humanity and social systems
One of the oldest design programs in North America, the School of Design attracts students from all over the world, with a variety of backgrounds and interests, creating a rich and diverse learning environment.
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School of Design Alumna Sofía Bosch Gómez Receives Inaugural Rachel Cooper Award for Emerging Design Research Leadership
Carnegie Mellon University School of Design alumna Sofía Bosch Gómez (PhD in Transition Design '22) has been named one of the inaugural recipients of the Rachel Cooper Award for Emerging Design Research Leadership, presented by the Design Research Society (DRS) at its 2026 conference in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Carnegie Mellon University School of Design alumna Sofía Bosch Gómez (PhD in Transition Design '22) has been named one of the inaugural recipients of the Rachel Cooper Award for Emerging Design Research Leadership, presented by the Design Research Society (DRS) at its 2026 conference in Edinburgh, Scotland.
School of Design names Jonathan Chapman as New Head of School
Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Design has appointed Jonathan Chapman as its new Head of School, effective June 1, 2026. An internationally recognized design theorist and educator, Chapman has been a member of the faculty since 2017, most recently serving as Director of Doctoral Studies, where he led the School’s pioneering PhD in Transition Design, a program training designers to confront the most complex social and ecological challenges of our time.
Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Design has appointed Jonathan Chapman as its new Head of School, effective June 1, 2026. An internationally recognized design theorist and educator, Chapman has been a member of the faculty since 2017, most recently serving as Director of Doctoral Studies, where he led the School’s pioneering PhD in Transition Design, a program training designers to confront the most complex social and ecological challenges of our time.
Dean's List for Spring 2026 Announced
Congratulations to our outstanding students who made the College of Fine Arts Dean’s List for Spring 2026. The criteria for the dean's list is the top one-third of QPAs in each school within CFA.
Congratulations to our outstanding students who made the College of Fine Arts Dean’s List for Spring 2026. The criteria for the dean's list is the top one-third of QPAs in each school within CFA.
Danny Linitz Wins the 2026 Pangaro Cybernetics Prize
Rising junior Danny Linitz has been awarded the 2026 Pangaro Cybernetics Prize for Outstanding Design Proposal, recognized for his proposal rethinking the design of at-home oral HIV testing systems through the lens of cybernetics and systems thinking.
Rising junior Danny Linitz has been awarded the 2026 Pangaro Cybernetics Prize for Outstanding Design Proposal, recognized for his proposal rethinking the design of at-home oral HIV testing systems through the lens of cybernetics and systems thinking.
Megan Neese’s career is driving her back to Pittsburgh
Waymo’s plan to bring its fleet of autonomous ride-hailing cars to Pittsburgh in 2025 didn’t feel like an expansion to Megan Neese.
For the Carnegie Mellon University alum and Pittsburgh native, it felt like a homecoming.
Waymo’s plan to bring its fleet of autonomous ride-hailing cars to Pittsburgh in 2025 didn’t feel like an expansion to Megan Neese.
For the Carnegie Mellon University alum and Pittsburgh native, it felt like a homecoming.
Braiding the Flow of Material and Meaning: Jonathan Chapman Takes His Theory to the Designmuseum Danmark
Jonathan Chapman is in Copenhagen this May to keynote at Designmuseum Danmark, build research partnerships across the region, and argue that the circular economy will not work until design takes human experience seriously.
Jonathan Chapman is in Copenhagen this May to keynote at Designmuseum Danmark, build research partnerships across the region, and argue that the circular economy will not work until design takes human experience seriously.
Alumna Kelly Gross Named Illinois Higher Education Art Educator of the Year
Kelly Gross (BFA ’02), an alumna of Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Design, has been named the Illinois Higher Education Art Educator of the Year, an honor that recognizes her impact as a teacher, researcher, and leader in the field of art education.
Kelly Gross (BFA ’02), an alumna of Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Design, has been named the Illinois Higher Education Art Educator of the Year, an honor that recognizes her impact as a teacher, researcher, and leader in the field of art education.
The 2026 School of Design Student Award Winners
Each year, the School of Design holds our Design Awards program during Design Week of the spring semester. This event celebrates the academic talents of our students and their contributions to the school. Several awards are presented during the event: School of Design awards, Donors awards, and Partnership awards (organizations that the school has associations with). All of our awards are funded by generous alumni, individual donors, and organizations to honor student achievements and passions. We are grateful to all of our donors for their support.
Each year, the School of Design holds our Design Awards program during Design Week of the spring semester. This event celebrates the academic talents of our students and their contributions to the school. Several awards are presented during the event: School of Design awards, Donors awards, and Partnership awards (organizations that the school has associations with). All of our awards are funded by generous alumni, individual donors, and organizations to honor student achievements and passions. We are grateful to all of our donors for their support.
Pop Art Meets Pigskin: CMU Alumnus and Artist Burton Morris Brings Iconic Visual Energy to the 2026 NFL Draft
Carnegie Mellon University alumnus and renowned pop artist Burton Morris created bespoke artwork for the NFL draft, April 23-25 in Pittsburgh. The NFL commissioned Morris to produce a monumental art installation of 32 individual NFL football helmet wall sculptures to highlight the league’s larger commitment to art-driven storytelling.
Carnegie Mellon University alumnus and renowned pop artist Burton Morris created bespoke artwork for the NFL draft, April 23-25 in Pittsburgh. The NFL commissioned Morris to produce a monumental art installation of 32 individual NFL football helmet wall sculptures to highlight the league’s larger commitment to art-driven storytelling.
PhD Alumni Stephen Neely and Michael Arnold Mages Publish "Somaesthetic Design"
School of Design PhD alumni Stephen Neely and Michael Arnold Mages are releasing their new book, Somaesthetic Design: The Experiencing Body and the Dynamics of Time, on April 27. The book offers a new framework for understanding design, not as a collection of static objects, but as a series of lived, unfolding experiences shaped by time and the body.
School of Design PhD alumni Stephen Neely and Michael Arnold Mages are releasing their new book, Somaesthetic Design: The Experiencing Body and the Dynamics of Time, on April 27. The book offers a new framework for understanding design, not as a collection of static objects, but as a series of lived, unfolding experiences shaped by time and the body.
Featured Alumni: Josh Finkle
Hi, I'm Josh Finkle (BFA '10) is a toy and game inventor working on everything from Barbie to Batman. His passion for physical prototyping, kids, and fun keeps me engaged in the toy industry.
Josh is currently an independent toy and game inventor, dreaming up, prototyping, and pitching ideas to major toy companies including Mattel, Hasbro, and Spin Master who are constantly in need of innovative new ideas to keep kids learning and engaged in play.
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What are you waiting for? If have any more questions, you can always reach out to our faculty and staff to learn more about what makes the School of Design a truly unique design education experience.