The programme
Beyond technical learning, the first year in Arts & Design, which leads on to our Bachelor programmes, is a genuine immersion in design culture. It is a formative period in which students explore not only the basics of drawing, colour and digital tools, but also, and above all, the history that has shaped contemporary design and the profession they will go on to choose.This year is essential for developing a critical eye and an understanding of the artistic movements and schools of thought that have shaped graphic design, fashion design, product design and spatial design, so that you become well-rounded designers with a wealth of references to draw on. The classes and projects push you to analyse the impact of design on society and its functions across eras and cultures, through key moments such as the workshops.
It is by decoding landmark works, studying the philosophies of great designers and opening up to the cultural specifics of design around the world that students forge their creative identity. This cultural approach feeds inspiration, awakens curiosity and lays the foundations for a design practice that is rich in meaning and aware of its role in the world. This is the year in which you learn to place your own work within a historical lineage and a global cultural dynamic, before defining your own path within the worlds of design and making a confident choice of course and direction.
Students discover the different facets of the professions through workshops and design discovery studios. These workshops are valuable opportunities for exchange. Led by design professionals, they give you the chance to ask any question, receive expert feedback and decide which path to take within ESDAC.
Where can you study this programme?
Why choose this Bachelor?
Curriculum
Discover the full content of the programme
Students follow an intensive programme in the world of design, with courses such as:
➜ Artistic culture, scientific culture, methodology and ideation...
➜ Creativity, drawing and representation
➜ Applied techniques: computer graphics, creativity, colour fundamentals
➜ Practical creativity workshops, covering the four design fields and the choice of specialism
Finally, the design classes, exploring the rich and varied worlds of fashion, space, graphics and objects, so that students can give free rein to their creativity and shape their direction for Years 2 and 3.
On campus, with practical classes and lectures, project supervision and workshops. Added to this are the hallmarks of our ESDAC school: talks, hands-on experience of the professions, staging the open days, and exchange between year groups on campus, plus a placement with a designer or craftsperson as a first taste of the design world and its demands. An optional overseas seminar is offered from the very first year of study, providing a unique opportunity for cultural and academic enrichment.
*This programme is not exhaustive; courses may vary and terminology may change from one year to the next.
Teaching Strengths
Beyond technical learning, the first year in Arts & Design, which leads on to our Bachelor programmes, is a genuine immersion in design culture. It is a formative period in which students explore not only the basics of drawing, colour and digital tools, but also, and above all, the history that has shaped contemporary design and the profession they will go on to choose.
After the Bachelor
This multidisciplinary first year gives access to a specialised second year of an ESDAC bachelor programme. Outside the ESDAC schools, it also offers the possibility of continuing into higher education in state design departments or higher art schools.They chose ESDAC
“ A former ESDAC student in interior architecture, I now run my own interior architecture practice between Megève and Geneva.
My success is also, in part, theirs and that of the whole teaching team. I have had the chance to compare this course with many other schools through the work-study students I have met from all over France. ESDAC is clearly one of the most complete programmes available: you are given every key you need to succeed in the professional world, and it is then up to each person to make serious use of them. The lecturers are committed and highly skilled, the programmes are in step with what the market expects, and the skills you gain open the door to a real career, including internationally, for anyone with the motivation.
I would recommend this school without hesitation, as much for its human scale as for its professional quality.”
“Product Design is a discipline I teach at ESDAC, where we set out to design everyday objects methodically, across every possible sector (sport, medical, luxury, craft, industrial production runs, and so on). What we want to pass on to students is a genuine passion and curiosity for making things, and to get them to think before putting an idea forward and then to build it on solid foundations. In this course we try to find the designer each student wants to become.”
“What is great about ESDAC is that the lecturers are there to guide us in what we want to do. We steer our projects with our tutors, but the ideas come from us. It is a collective effort with our tutors and that is what is wonderful about this school. Nicolas Robineau was my technical tutor and he always gave me the keys so that I was never stuck with my ideas. As students we sometimes do too little and sometimes take on too much, but while we are still studying we can let go, open up everything a building makes possible and improve our knowledge, our technique and that drive to put a workable project in front of the panel. It is genuinely hands-on experience and I would wish it on every interior architecture or spatial design student.”
“My aim is to give students a practical understanding of what the profession expects. Professionals know exactly what they are looking for, and it is essential that students have that lightbulb moment: understanding how to develop a project accurately and methodically.
I place great importance on dialogue, offering different approaches to broaden their range of skills and open up as many opportunities as possible. The strength of our teaching also lies in the fact that most of our lecturers are working professionals: we know in concrete terms where to guide them so that they become the designers they want to be.”
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Our admissions advisers will help you choose the programme that fits your career plans.