Language

English

Start date

September 2026

Frequency

Full time

Duration

9 Months

In this course you’ll discover what design is, what exactly you can do with it, and how far you can go in each area, developing your ideation skills and creative talent in a cross-disciplinary syllabus based on learning by doing.

You’ll develop your artistic identity as a designer with a full understanding of exactly which areas of design are best suited to your skills and create your first portfolio in those areas.

The course gives you an overall view of the sector: product design, interior design, fashion design and graphic design. In this 1-year course you’ll acquire the comprehensive fundamentals of design, essential for taking your first steps as a designer. 

This programme is taught at IED Madrid Design District - Carabanchel. 

Information to decide

This course lets you try your hand at all areas of design, so you can make the best decision when choosing your specialty. 

The focus of the course is mainly on hands-on experience, so you’ll acquire theoretical knowledge to be used in an applied way, with priority given to dynamic experimentation and active participation. In other words, as well as studying theory and technique, you’ll gain experience in design workshops to put what you’ve learnt into practice.

The course is split into didactic blocks where you’ll learn to use basic design tools as you get to know and find your feet in its four fundamental fields: product design, fashion design, interior design and graphic design. 

You’ll find a strong commitment to encouraging creative design for sustainable development and innovation in this course, a common goal shared by lecturers and student alike.

This course is for creative people who want to find out more about all areas of design in a cross-disciplinary learning experience. 

If you’re thinking about taking a degree in design at IED Madrid, but aren’t sure which speciality is best, you’ll be in a better position to make an informed decision with the knowledge acquired in this Foundation Course in Total Design.

This 1-year course is also worth considering if you need to create a portfolio in Design Fundamentals to apply for a Bachelor's degree at another university, as you’ll be developing a portfolio as the course progresses. 

Madrid is a city with a thriving design culture so you’ll be close to a variety of institutions dedicated to art, and it’s also the place some of the top professionals choose to make their base, both for the Spanish and the international markets.

Syllabus

What will you learn?

In this 1-year course you’ll discover the fundamentals of design and learn to use the most useful tools for various design specialties: product design, fashion design, interior design and graphic design. We’ll also help you focus on the speciality you’re most interested in and create your own global design portfolio. 



Subjects

Design Fundamentals

Design Process

Drawing

Volume

Artistic Thinking

Sustainable Thinking

Systems Thinking

Digital Tools

Drawing Expression

Ideation and Creative Process

Fashion Design

Product Design

Graphic Design

Interior Design

Personal Portfolio

Faculty

Director

Diego Iglesias Gómez

Teacher

Oskar Ranz

Visual Artist

Teacher

Nadia Nadesan

Teacher

Lorena Madrazo

Teacher

Alex Henkes

Projects

Graphic Design and Visual Communication

Madrid

Special projects
Abono 03. Hogar

Graphic Design and Visual Communication

Madrid

Didactic projects
9.132.000 Historias de Reconstrucción

Graphic Design and Visual Communication

Madrid

Didactic projects
NEU

Graphic Design and Visual Communication

Madrid

Final projects / thesis projects
Sólidos Amorphos

News

17 July 2026

Priscilla Fois brings her art to Urban Break Korea

IED Roma alumna Priscilla Fois has been selected to participate in Urban Break Korea, one of the leading international festivals dedicated to urban art.

16 July 2026

This Is What the Future of Visual Arts Looks Like

Recent graduates from the IED Barcelona's Graphic Design, Advertising, and Motion Graphics and Video programmes presented their final projects at Barcelona XR Lab. Data, text, image and sound come together to explore the global order and reframe systems for navigating the world.

13 July 2026

IED Barcelona Takes to the Runway at 080 x Cruïlla

Three recently graduated Fashion Design alumni showcased four looks each at the festival’s fashion runway, demonstrating how the new creative voices of the future dress.

13 July 2026

IED Torino presents Mise en Place: space as an ingredient of the dining experience

Eleven projects, eleven visions of tomorrow's restaurant: at Gallerie d'Italia – Turin, the Interior Design Bachelor's Programme explored the dialogue between design, food culture and place.

10 July 2026

Degree Show 2026 opens IED Kunsthal Bilbao to talent, design and the city

Once again, the Papelera Building opened its doors to the public, showcasing the work developed by students over four years of study and turning the school into a meeting point for design, culture, industry and institutions.

03 July 2026

“ORA” wins the 3rd IED Alfaro Hofmann Collection Award

The project by IED Barcelona Product Design student Elisaveta Loseva is a tabletop device that reintroduces the sense of smell as a means of creating an emotional connection within the dining experience.

03 July 2026

Substructure: IED in Paris to unveil the framework beneath the garment

Behind the Look: Dover Street Market Paris Hosts IED Milano's Three-Day Fashion Exhibition

03 July 2026

July: Exhibitions, Installations and New Horizons for IED.60 Public Program

With the arrival of July, IED Graduation Days enter their busiest phase across IED’s Italian campuses, bringing with them a series of public events designed to showcase the ideas, projects and research developed by students.

02 July 2026

The 4th IED Enric Miralles Award honours a library reimagined as a living landscape of the mind

“Mind Garden”, a project by IED Barcelona student Anastassia Westenra, has been recognised for its outstanding ability to transform space organically.

Don't miss it

Exhibitions and Festival

28 April 2026 - 30 September 2026

Barcelona

“Caliu” in “Matter Matters. Designing with the World”

The project “Caliu”, by IED Barcelona alumnus Judith Aubà, has been selected to form part of this exhibition, which reflects on the major challenges facing design today and in the future at a critical time marked by the scarcity of raw materials.

22 July 2026 - 22 July 2026

Sibiu

The Perfect Stranger: a Fashion Challenge

What happens when a stranger becomes the starting point for a fashion project? Join IED at Feeric Fashion Week for a creative challenge that turns unexpected stories into original fashion outcomes.

28 July 2026 - 31 July 2026

Medellín

IED at Colombia Fashion Week 2026

The most important colombian event in the fashion sector will host more than 500 exhibitors and many themed spaces.