Discover your passion, design your story, and innovate the future at the University of Utah College of Architecture + Planning. The Design Foundations Program for undergraduate students fosters an ethic of care in our designers, planners, architects, and those interested in the built environment.

Design Foundations (DF) provides freshmen with a platform for success in any of the college’s degrees (architecture, multi-disciplinary design, or urban ecology), and a pathway to earn general education credits so that students are making progress toward their degree, regardless of their eventual choice of major. In addition to helping future design, architecture, and urban design majors, DF courses also provide the basis for a minor in architecture, design, or urban ecology that students can combine with any other major at the university.  

In their first year, DF students work together in three courses—Design Contexts (DES 2630), Design Ecologies (CMP 2010), and Design Foundations Workshop (ARCH 2630).  During their second year, students explore in greater depth one of the college’s three undergraduate streams of inquiry—design, urban ecology, or architecture.

Looking to apply to our graduate programs?  Visit Graduate Architecture or Graduate Planning.
Ready to start early (ages 8-18)? Check out our Summer Program.