Samples of different Design projects

Welcome to the Department of Design

Design Programs

Drawing of Cat Merchant Selling Fish

BFA, Animation / Illustration

Book with Drawing of a Bird

BFA, Graphic Design

3-Legged Robot

BS, Industrial Design

Conference Room with Glass Walls

BFA, Interior Design

Graphic of 4 Smartphones with a Prototype App

BA, Design Studies

Woman Staring into Eyes

MDes, Master of Design

Bottles of Sunblock

Minor, Graphic Design

Lantern and Phone

Minor, Interaction Design

Building Prototype

Minor, Interior Design

"Pushing Up Daisies" Awards

"Pushing Up Daisies" Film Festival Success

Animation/Illustration student Morgan Notari has received 11 festival awards and 17 selections for her solo 2D Animated Short Film "Pushing Up Daisies," completed in the ANI 132 course under the instruction of Professor Angela Wu.

research conference in AI practices

Don’t Steal My Joy: Integrating Ethical AI into Design Education While Prioritizing Play and Discovery

The case study paper, “Don’t Steal My Joy: Integrating Ethical AI into Design Education While Prioritizing Play and Discovery,” has been accepted for presentation at the 2025 Intersections Research Conference (ACSA), focused on AI Design Practices. Authored by Professor Dana Ragouzeos, Professor Marjan Khatibi, Professor Leila Ensaniat, and Professor Kohar Scott, the work examines how design educators can integrate AI into curriculum and studio culture in ways that are ethical, intentional, and supportive of experimentation—protecting students’ sense of play and discovery while engaging emerging tools responsibly.

black device with rainbow lights

Prysm iO | 2025

A new product that Industrial Design Professor Joshua Nelson worked on with Nu Skin launched and went on to win a 2025 Good Design Award. “Prysm iO exemplifies good design by making complex health science beautifully simple. Through thoughtful hardware aesthetics, advanced optical engineering, and AI-enhanced feedback, it offers a new gold standard for personal wellness technology—where every detail, inside and out, is designed to help people live healthier lives with confidence.”

Anime characters of San Jose Sharks players.

"SharKpop x Anime"

Animation/Illustration adjunct faculty member Sydney Sun collaborated with SJSU alumnus Nelson Kuang ’17 and the San Jose Sharks for the “SharKpop x Anime” night in November 2025. Both Sydney and Nelson are graduates of SJSU’s Animation/Illustration program.

Illustration of Santa Cruz Del Mar movie theater.

64th Annual Illustration West

Congratulations to adjunct Animation/Illustration faculty Chris Zollna, whose work has been juried into the prestigious SILA Illustration West 64 competition. Three of Zollna's pieces in the "Unpublished & Self-Promotional" category were accepted into the exhibition: Del Mar Theater, The Birds, and Henry Cowell State Park. These works were selected from over 1,300 entries submitted by artists from 35 countries.