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

13 May 2026

TALKAK transforms the Koopera storefront into a space for memory and sustainable fashion

From May 11 to June 16, a selection of designs from the TALKAK collection, developed by students from the Official Degree in Fashion Design at IED Kunsthal Bilbao, will be displayed in the window of Koopera Store in Bilbao’s Old Town.

11 May 2026

Design tells its story at the Turin International Book Fair with EDICOLA IED

From 14 to 18 May, a newsstand of creativity presents the first two issues of Notes on Plural Intelligences alongside a selection of the best Italian and international magazines, accompanied by a programme of talks and workshops exploring themes of design, publishing and contemporary communication

11 May 2026

Silvia Brandi brings the second season of IED MUSES Talks to a close

The Italian architect and cultural manager shared her vision on sustainability, design and rural revitalisation in the episode that concludes the second edition of the IED’s inspirational talks series.

11 May 2026

The creative talent of IED Barcelona takes the stage at ADC*E High Potentials 2026

Irina Kavtaradze, a fourth-year Advertising student, was one of the 30 new talents selected from 170 international applications to present her portfolio on the DHub stage before leading European agencies and studios.

08 May 2026

Diego Bicet, IED Barcelona alumnus, nominated for the Work Forward Awards ’26

A graduate in Interior Design, he is in the running to win with “Hope, un camino a la esperanza”, a project envisioning a workshop-school for refugees in the heart of Barcelona.

07 May 2026

IED.60 Public Program - May: between Plural Intelligences and the culture of design

The programme of IED events open to both the internal and external communities continues in may; it was launched to mark the 60th anniversary as a collective reflection on the role of design.

06 May 2026

IED at the “Lápiz de Acero” Award in Colombia

IED joins Lápiz de Acero 2026 in Bogotá, supporting emerging talent and the future of design.

06 May 2026

The gaudeamusPROJECTA Awards recognise IED Barcelona Visual Arts

“Sutura”, by IED Barcelona Graphic Design alumnus Carmina Goran, is one of the 24 projects selected in the 9th edition of the awards celebrating emerging talent in graphic design and excellence in education.

04 May 2026

IED Barcelona finalist in The Circularity Masterclass by Zalando

Nicole Ray Kochergin is one of the 12 students selected from more than 100 international submissions competing to win the circular design challenge organised by one of Europe’s largest online fashion platforms.

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.

Type Design Month → un mes dedicado a la tipografía en IED Madrid
Exhibitions and Festival

07 May 2026 - 29 May 2026

Madrid

Type Design Month → a month dedicated to typography at IED Madrid

Until the 29th of May, IED Madrid Design District explores typography as a contemporary language across practice, experimentation, and visual culture.

HYPER FUTURES. DISEÑAR MÁS ALLÁ DEL CAPITALISMO
Lecture and Panel discussion

08 May 2026 - 22 May 2026

Madrid

HYPER FUTURES. DESIGNING BEYOND CAPITALISM

Exhibition from 8 to 22nd May. On 8th of May we will celebrate an event with a workshop on the future, a panel discussion and the opening of the exhibition featuring dj Umami

Exhibitions and Festival

15 May 2026 - 15 May 2026

Turin

When Images Speak: IED at the Turin International Book Fair with Cecilia Campironi

A workshop to explore illustration and understand its role in contemporary communication

Exhibitions and Festival

16 May 2026 - 16 May 2026

Turin

Graficologia. Designing the Present: IED at the Turin International Book Fair with Andrea Viberti

Editorial graphic design as a lens on the present

Exhibitions and Festival

17 May 2026 - 17 May 2026

Turin

The writing professions today: IED at Turin International Book Fair with Damiano Gui

Schools in dialogue across creativity, languages, and emerging professions

Exhibitions and Festival

18 May 2026 - 22 May 2026

Barcelona

“Discovering Feed Your Future”

The Ateneu de Fabricació de Gràcia hosts this exhibition of projects that explore new responses to climate change and food sustainability.

Lecture and Panel discussion

19 May 2026 - 19 May 2026

Florence

Ettore Sottsass: Design as Storytelling

As part of the exhibition Io sono un architetto. Ettore Sottsass, organized by Fondazione Pistoia Musei (Palazzo Buontalenti, until July 26), IED presents a special event dedicated to one of the most influential figures in Italian and international design.

Lecture and Panel discussion

22 May 2026 - 22 May 2026

Rome

Twins: Conversations on the Duality between Identity, Transformation and Contemporary Imaginaries

Four lectures and a final talk exploring how brands, organizations and individuals navigate change and redefine their identity across physical, symbolic and digital dimensions.