Design + Change
180 creditsDo you want to use design and its tools and methods to make a difference in the world? Then this is the right degree for you. The most important challenge of today and in the future concerns sustainability – to create a world that is good for both people and the planet, locally and globally. The bachelor’s programme in Design +Change combines design creativity with knowledge of sustainability for a profession at the cutting edge of design.
The Design +Change programme is delivered and evaluated through a series of projects, and you will work independently as well as engage in group work, and in collaborations with the local and regional community and enterprises. It is held entirely in English and we welcome students from all over the world. This means that you as a student are part of a group characterized by diversity and will become well prepared for an international design career.
Design +Change is located in Växjö, Småland – a region characterized by entrepreneurship, production and craft. Collaborative projects and educational visits will give you unique opportunities to forge networks and learn as well as to build your portfolio. The study environment in Växjö is personal, safe and creative and you will work in close contact with our practicing designers/lecturers, artists and researchers. The diversity in expertise provides you with the possibility to develop across disciplines and be introduced to a variety of artistic practices such as ceramics, wood-work, textiles, performance, movement & somatic practice, food, photo and video, among others.
Career
The career perspective of Design is very diverse. The bachelor provides you with many useful skills, overarching knowledge and an interdisciplinary approach that can be incorporated in whatever specialization you decide to pursue, allowing for different career pathways of your interests and aspirations. Many students decide to expand on their expertise with a masters education within various fields. You can also choose to continue your studies in Växjö with the Design + Change Master Programme.
Below you can find some exemplary career paths of alumni.
Degree
Degree of Bachelor of Fine Arts
Main Field of Study: Design
Programme Coordinator
International possibilities
During the programme, you can do field work abroad as part of your degree project. This may involve collecting material abroad for a period of roughly two months. It is also possible to carry out an international exchange in the year following your graduation from the programme.
+ Change
The value words of this education.
Application and portfolio
Apply to the programme online in English at universityadmissions.se, or apply i Swedish at antagning.se. Submissions of documentation attesting your eligibility for Bachelor's level study must be submitted here.
Please submit your entire application, including the portfolio assignments below, by last day of application.
There are two application rounds to apply to the program:
- Deadline to apply for international students is 15 January 2025, application code: LNU-F2693. Your portfolio and letter of intent should be submitted, no later than 3 February 2025. Please note. The order of your ranked choices is crucial. Please carefully review the information on "Rank your selections" on universityadmissions.se.
- Deadline to apply for EU applicants is 15 April 2025, application code: LNU-G0354. Your portfolio and letter of intent should be submitted, no later than 2 May 2025.
Please note. During the second admission round, you can only apply via antagning.se. Unfortunately, it's only in Swedish and if you need help with your application, please contact admission@lnu.se. Also note. The order of your ranked choices is crucial. Please carefully review the information on "Prioritera" on antagning.se.
Portfolio Guidelines and Application Checklist
Portfolio
For your submitted portfolio to be deemed complete, it must consist of these three components:
Assignment A "Design for another species" (2 pages)
Design an object, environment, campaign or system for another species. You can choose any species, such as a mammal, fish, insect or plant (e.g. a bat, an octopus, a bee, a particular variety of mushroom, etc.). Use this exercise as an opportunity to be creative! At the same time, you are also encouraged to think of how the design deals with issues of interaction, sustainability or the possibility of change of some kind (large or small scale) in the world. Visualise your idea (through for example drawings, photography, or a model) and write a short explanation (150-300 words) about your thoughts and choices. You can find examples of designers and artists working with such approaches on sites like this tumblr-page.
Assignment B Present your own work (6 pages)
Use the remaining pages to present your own creative work. Show us any form of artistic expression/design that you are proud of and that represents how you like to work. We encourage you to choose work that demonstrates a wide range of your interests. Please be aware that creative work can include volunteer work, campaigns, social work, grassroots or similar activities that relate to sustainability or making change.
Assignment C Statement of purpose
Please write a statement of purpose that on one A4 page describes your interest in design focusing on:
- What are you curious about?
- What do you want to change through design?
- How do you want to use your education to reach your goals?
- What is sustainability to you?
The statement of purpose will be evaluated in terms of:
- Your capacity to envision and plan your future as a designer.
- Your previous and intended engagement with sustainability and change.
- Your proficiency in expressing yourself in English.
Submit these three assignments as one PDF document (you can upload a maximum of 50 mb) on your application page at universityadmissions.se (in English) or antagning.se (in Swedish).
Need help with your portfolio and letter of intent?
We are offering international students in admission round 2 who select our programme as their first, second, or third choice the chance to join a Portfolio Workshop on Wednesday, April 23, 2025, from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM (local time).
In this workshop, you’ll get guidance on:
- Structuring your portfolio: Assignment A and B.
- Choosing the best design and art projects to showcase.
- How to write a compelling state of purpose/letter of intent.
A Zoom link to access the workshop will be sent to your email on April 16. Don’t miss this opportunity to strengthen your application!
Acceptance to the programme
If you meet the eligibility criteria, your application will be accepted and evaluated on the basis of your portfolio. Evaluation of portfolios is conducted by a selection committee consisting of faculty members, external experts, and current BFA students. The portfolio is regarded as a whole and the portfolio is evaluated in terms of the following criteria:
- Artistic quality
- Articulation of purpose
- Creative approach
The university will not disclose the reasons behind the decision to accept or reject any individual application. Approved students will be notified through universityadmissions.se or antagning.se.
Checklist for Application
- I have submitted my application through antagning.se or universityadmissions.se.
- I have prepared my portfolio assignments according to the guidelines provided.
- I have included my all three assignments in the application.
- I have uploaded my portfolio on my pages on universityadmissions.se (in English), or antagning.se (in Swedish).
Do you have any Questions?
If you have any questions regarding the application or permisson related issue don´t hesitate to inquire by e-mail to Admissions Office: admission@lnu.se.
If you have any questions regarding admissions and the portfolio contact vera.maeder@lnu.se. For questions about the programme contact the programme coordinators: programmecoordinator.dcbfa@lnu.se.
Please note that the nationwide universityadmissions.se system will mark your application as "unqualified" while it is still under review by the system. This does not mean that your application has been rejected. This only means that it is still being processed. Linnaeus University has no influence on this message.
A unique programme with both local and global perspectives
Wiktoria appreciates the supportive culture among the students studying Design + Change, and how they strive to redefine how design can contribute to a sustainable future. After graduation, she dreams of opening her own studio.
Read the full interview with Wiktoria
- I chose to study at Linnaeus University because of the unique design programme. It seemed much more interesting than traditional design degrees, like product or graphic design. The programme offers me an opportunity to make a change in the world and to put sustainability at the centre of my studies, which is a very valuable and important experience for me to have.
Wiktoria thinks that the best thing about her programme are the topics she and her fellow students engage with and the good relationship with the teachers on the programme.
- In our projects, we tackle global issues like climate change or gender and norms, taking in both local and global perspectives. We try to redefine what design is and how design can contribute to a sustainable future. At our department, we learn from our teachers and they learn from us as well, it’s a very open and mutual learning environment.
A supportive culture among students and teachers
A challenge for Wiktoria has been having a feeling of not doing enough, but the students have a supportive relationship and help each other.
- Having to deal with the complexity of our world is not easy and sometimes I’ve found myself feeling powerless. Thanks to my classmates and my teachers, I have learned how to turn these emotions and my awareness into action and motivation for making change wherever it’s possible. Since our department is not very big, we are all quite close with each other and we have built a supportive community among us. It feels very comfortable and empowering to be surrounded by people who are curious about each other and always willing to help.
After graduation, Wiktoria dreams of opening her own studio.
- After graduation, I’ll be carrying what I’ve learned at Linnaeus University with me and try to plant some seeds of change wherever I go. I might continue studying for a master’s degree. My dream job is to have my own design studio and collaborate with people from different backgrounds to reimagine our relationship with nature.
Emma and Camilla run their own design agency
Alumni Emma and Camilla got to know each other when they studied on the programme Design + Change. Nowadays, they run the design agency Fem2design together.
Read the interview with Emma och Camilla
The company is Växjö-based and focuses primarily on sustainability and craft-based design.
“We take on different types of assignments, like product design and graphic design but also give lectures and arrange workshops, but sustainability is present in everything we do”, Camilla explains.
They let us know how they gradually launched their business after graduating and explain that they both had other jobs on the side for more than a year to make sure they had a stable income. They point out that it takes a long time to build a business from scratch and to establish contacts that will lead to customers, something they are still struggling with. Their goal is to be able to live off their business while doing what they love to do.
“There really is no regular day at work as there is so much variation! However, we usually try to plan our days so that we make the most of the available time while also finding a balance between what’s inspiring us on that particular day and what we need to prioritise. This can be everything from administrative work to producing and creating products, marketing, meetings, or inspiring study visits”, says Emma.
Never really knowing when the next big idea or assignment comes along is what they think is most exciting about their work. And the fact that they get to work with creative processes means that they are not likely to ever grow tired of their job. The best thing about their job is that they get to express their creativity together with a like-minded colleague.
“We have a positive outlook on the future. Society is becoming increasingly open to alternative and more sustainable consumption patterns, and we hope to be able to inspire and facilitate change though our work”, they explain.
They both believe that the programme they studied has given them a head start in sustainability thinking. They explain that many companies and employers want to see more sustainable ways of working and manufacturing processes. During their studies, they both had to ‘rethink’ what they thought they knew about design, but also what they knew about themselves.
“Getting the opportunity to study with people from different backgrounds, with different experiences, and different languages forces you to challenge yourself and broaden your perspectives and how you view the world. Design + Change is a unique and embracing community. There are so many like-minded, creative enthusiasts who support each other”, they say.
A couple of tips for work life that they would like to offer is to establish networks and not hesitate to accept help from others.
“It’s not possible to master all skills yourself, so it’s important to have a humble approach and not be afraid to invite others to collaborate. You should never underestimate what you can achieve together with others”, Emma concludes.
More information about the programme
Why +Change?
Doesn't design already imply change? Yes, through design we give form to new products (and books, campaigns, services, systems and much more). Through these we also shape and change behaviour, attitudes and even worldviews.
Today it is both formally and globally recognised that the state of both ecological and social systems is critical. We also know that human activities – and not least design, and its associated overconsumption – drive unsustainability.
With + Change we want to emphasise the very potential of design to affect change and to extend it. Change comprises different degrees and perspectives on change, such as adaptation, evolution and revolution. To affect change through design can be about initiatives directed at products, systems or worldviews. We can choose to use design to affect change locally, regionally or globally, and with focus on ecology, economy, human health and equality, or all of this simultaneously. Altogether + Change is about purposefully using design, and its inherent creativity, in order to achieve changes towards futures of sustainability.
Student project Design + Change, first term
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Why did we apply to Design + Change at Linnaeus University
Humans have caused the world to suffer by putting themselves above everything else existing on the planet. It's more than time to change this behaviour and work towards a better future. In this film we share our reasons for why we're here and what we're aspiring to achieve with this program, in an honest and insightful way as part of a class of more than 20 students in the very beginning of our education. Whether it's for our love for the environment, human sustainability or simply because we enjoy creating, we all have a good reason for being here. One semester has passed and we're more eager than ever to contribute to a more sustainable future wit h our designs. We're doing something new. Something important.
Why+ Change: Made by1st year students from the program Design + Change in Växjö. Module 4 Moving Image.
Workshops
Frequently asked questions
How do I apply for Design+Change?
You apply to the programme online in English at universityadmissions.se, or apply i Swedish at antagning.se. On those pages, you also submit your documentation of eligibility for university studies and English proficiency. Besides the online application, you need to submit your portfolio to Linnaeus University (LNU) in time. Please read the instructions regarding the portfolio carefully.
I have questions regarding my eligibility for BA level studies?
Please contact: admission@lnu.se. They are taking care of the admission process and can answer all questions regarding documentations and deadlines.
Do I have to know Swedish to study a design programme at LNU?
You don't have to know the Swedish language, but you have to show proof of your English language skills through for instance TOEFL or IELTS-tests. Your level of English needs to compare to a English B in the swedish education system.
I will not be able to send all documents (like highschool diploma, result from English test...) before the deadline, may I apply anyway ?
Yes, it will be possible to send documents at a later point. Please contact admission@lnu.se to get an exact deadline.
How much is the tuition fee?
Non EU/EEA students need to pay a fee of 142 000 SEK per term, which sums up to a total of 855 000 SEK for the whole program. You find more information regarding tuition fees here.
For Swedish and other EU/EEA students the education is without charge. But cost for study trips and material apply.
Are there any scholarships for international students ?
Scholarships are not handled by the department of Design. You can get information regarding scholarships here.
When does the academic year start and end?
The Academic year is divided into two terms. Our programs start only in the Autumn. The academic year at LNU starts in the end of August and the autumn term will end in the middle of January. The spring term will run from the middle of January to the beginning of June.
Växjö – the student city with a living campus
Just south of Växjö’s city centre you will find Linnaeus University’s campus. In Växjö, many students choose to live on campus.
Here you will have five minutes’ walking distance to friends, restaurants, lecture rooms, gym, grocery store, the University Library, nature trails, and student pubs. If you live in another part of Växjö, you can quickly get to the university by bus or bicycle.
With its 90 000 inhabitants, Växjö is one of the fastest growing cities in Sweden. Here you will find the famous Småland entrepreneurship spirit and a lot of companies, for instance within the IT industry – perfect for when you are looking for an internship position or a job. Växjö is also a picturesque city where you are always close to forests and water.