PES University Design 2026: How Students Turn Ideas Into Real Products and Experiences

1
What Happens When Design Meets Engineering?

Many products and technologies cannot be created by designers alone. A smart device may need engineering knowledge. A digital product may require software development. A new consumer product may involve manufacturing, materials, electronics and business planning. This is why interdisciplinary collaboration can be important in design education. PES University specifically encourages Design students to work collaboratively with students from other design streams and engineering disciplines, using the wider entrepreneurial culture of PES University. The university says such collaboration can lead to initiatives where students develop their own practice or explore entrepreneurship. This creates a different learning environment from one where design is treated as an isolated subject. A Product Design student may be able to discuss technical feasibility with an engineering student. An Interaction Design student can think about the technology behind a digital experience. A Communication Design student can work on how a product or service should communicate with its users. The result is a more connected understanding of how ideas become real-world solutions.

2
B.Des at PES Starts With a Common Foundation

Choosing a design specialisation immediately after Class 12 can sometimes be difficult because students may not yet know exactly which area suits them. PES University‘s B.Des structure addresses this by giving students a common first year before they move deeper into their chosen design pathway. The programme is four years long and is offered through the Institute of Design.

The foundation stage includes subjects such as:

• ✦
  Design Fundamentals
• ✦
  Visual Arts
• ✦
  Analytical Drawing
• ✦
  Art History
• ✦
  Photography and Videography
• ✦
  Design History
• ✦
  Digital Graphics
• ✦
  Material Exploration

This gives students exposure to both creative and analytical aspects of design. Instead of beginning with only one narrow skill, students can build a broader foundation and gradually understand whether their interests are stronger in products, communication, interaction or fashion.

3
The Four Design Directions at PES

PES University‘s B.Des curriculum currently describes four design streams in its programme structure: Industrial Design, Communication Design, Interaction Design and Fashion Design. The university’s current Faculty of Design page prominently highlights Product Design, Communication Design and Interaction Design, while the detailed B.Des curriculum continues to include Fashion Design as a stream.

This variety allows students to approach design from very different perspectives. Someone who enjoys physical objects may naturally move towards Product Design. A student interested in websites, apps and digital experiences may prefer Interaction Design. Visual storytellers can explore Communication Design, while students interested in clothing, textiles and fashion businesses can choose Fashion Design.

4
Product Design Is About More Than Making Things Look Good

Product design is often misunderstood as simply creating attractive objects. In reality, a product has to work. It needs to be comfortable, usable, manufacturable and appropriate for the people who will use it. PES University‘s Industrial Design curriculum includes subjects such as Mechanism Design and Mechatronics, Product Design and Development, Digital Solid and Surface Sculpting, Accessories and Packaging Design, Product Design Studio, CAE in Product Design, Design for Manufacturability and Cost. This combination connects creative thinking with technical and commercial considerations.

Students can therefore explore questions such as:

Who will use the product?

What problem does it solve?

Which material should be used?

Can it actually be manufactured?

How much could it cost?

How can the product be improved?

These questions help transform product design from an artistic exercise into a structured problem-solving discipline.

5
Interaction Design Connects People With Technology

Our interaction with technology happens through interfaces. We use mobile applications, websites, smart devices, digital services and increasingly intelligent systems every day. Interaction Design focuses on making those experiences understandable, useful and engaging. PES University‘s curriculum includes UI/UX, Advanced UI/UX, User Interface Studies, Service Design, Application Design and Coding, Interactive Smart Devices, Interaction Design for Extended Reality and Design for Conversational UX. This means students can explore interaction beyond simply designing attractive screens. They can think about how users behave, how services work, how interfaces communicate and how emerging technologies can create new forms of interaction. For students interested in UX/UI, product design, digital experiences or technology-driven careers, this creates a connection between design thinking and the digital world.

6
Communication Design Turns Ideas Into Stories

Not every design problem involves a physical product or software interface. Sometimes the challenge is communication. A company may need a brand identity. A campaign may need a visual language. A product may require packaging. A message may need to be communicated through animation or digital media. PES University‘s Communication Design curriculum includes Graphic Design, Advanced Graphic Design, Branding and Identity Systems, Advertising Basics, 2D Animation, 3D Animation, Infographics and Packaging Design. Students therefore learn how visual elements can work together to communicate an idea. The process involves more than creating attractive graphics. Students have to understand the audience, message, context and purpose behind the communication. That makes Communication Design relevant to branding, advertising, digital media, animation, visual storytelling and many other creative industries.

7
Fashion Design Combines Creativity With Business

Fashion is another area where design and business are closely connected. A designer needs to understand aesthetics and clothing construction, but professional fashion also involves textiles, merchandising, marketing, photography, consumer behaviour and sustainability. PES University‘s Fashion Design pathway includes subjects such as Fashion Technology, Fashion Illustration, Pattern Construction, Textile Science, Garment Draping, Sustainable Fashion, Fashion Styling, Fashion Merchandising and Management, Digital Marketing and Fashion Photography and Journalism. This gives students exposure to different stages of the fashion ecosystem. The emphasis is therefore not only on creating garments but also on understanding how fashion products are developed, positioned and communicated. For students interested in fashion as both a creative and commercial field, this combination can be particularly relevant.

8
Entrepreneurship Is Part of the Design Curriculum

A designer can create something brilliant and still face a difficult question:

Who is going to use it?

And another:

Who is going to pay for it?

PES University incorporates entrepreneurship into the B.Des curriculum. Students encounter Essentials of Entrepreneurship during their earlier semesters, while later stages include subjects connected with the business of design and intellectual property. This introduces students to an important reality of professional design: creativity can create value, but understanding markets, users and business models can help that value reach people. The university also encourages design students to explore entrepreneurship through collaboration with engineering and other disciplines. This can create opportunities for students to move beyond preparing only for employment and consider developing their own products, services, studios or design practices.

9
Design Santhe Shows Students What Happens After the Classroom

One of PES University‘s most distinctive design initiatives is Design Santhe. The annual event gives students an opportunity to showcase and sell their design creations to the public. According to PES University, students can use the event to understand product pricing, marketing, sales and direct customer interaction. This changes the nature of a student project. In a classroom, a student may receive feedback from a faculty member. At Design Santhe, a customer may decide whether they actually want to buy the product. That creates a completely different learning experience.

Students have to think about:

What makes the product useful?

Is the price appropriate?

How should it be presented?

How should the product be explained?

What do customers actually think?

Would someone pay for it?

These questions can teach lessons that are difficult to learn entirely from textbooks.

10
From Digital Design to Physical Prototypes

Good design often requires experimentation. PES University‘s Faculty of Design provides facilities that support different stages of this process. Its infrastructure includes an Animation Studio, Art Studio, Photography Studio, Carpentry Shop, Form Studio, Digital Sculpting Studio and Fab Lab/Design Innovation Studio with prototyping and rapid-prototyping facilities. This allows students to work across different forms of design. A Product Design student can explore physical models. A Communication Design student can work with photography, animation and visual communication. An Interaction Design student can explore digital interfaces and interactive concepts. The ability to move between ideas and prototypes can help students understand that design is an iterative process. A first concept does not have to be perfect. It needs to be tested, questioned and improved.

11
AI Is Already Appearing Inside the Design Curriculum

Artificial Intelligence is becoming increasingly relevant to creative and professional work. PES University‘s B.Des curriculum includes AI in Design as a dedicated subject in Semester 5. Other parts of the curriculum also connect design with coding, smart devices, extended reality and conversational UX. This suggests a broader approach to technology in design. Students do not need to become traditional software engineers to understand how technology influences design. Instead, they can explore how emerging tools affect creative workflows, user experiences and product development. For future designers, understanding the relationship between human creativity and technology can become an increasingly useful part of professional preparation.

12
Capstone Projects and Internships Bring Everything Together

By the later stages of the B.Des programme, students begin moving towards larger independent projects. PES University‘s curriculum includes Capstone Phase I, Capstone Phase II and Capstone Phase III, followed by an internship in the final semester. The curriculum describes the capstone as an opportunity to demonstrate design thinking and problem-solving while building a professional portfolio. This final stage can bring together everything students have learned. Research. Design thinking. Technology. User understanding. Prototyping. Communication. Business considerations. A strong capstone can become more than an academic requirement. It can become a portfolio project that helps students communicate their abilities when applying for internships, jobs or further study.

13
PES Design Admission After 12th

Students interested in the B.Des programme need to understand the admission requirements before preparing their application. According to PES University‘s current admissions information, B.Des applicants must have 50% marks in 10+2 or equivalent in any stream with English as a mandatory course. Students with a three-year diploma can also be eligible with at least 50% aggregate and English as a mandatory course. Admission is through the PES Entrance Process or UCEED. UCEED candidates must still register with PES University and complete the online interview process. The university also states that applicants should keep their creative portfolio ready for the online interview, and the portfolio is mandatory. Admission Process Register through the PES admissions portal. Select the B.Des programme. Complete the application and payment. Book the entrance slot. Appear for the online interview process. Keep educational documents and creative portfolio ready. Await the admission result. Complete the admission formalities if selected. Students should verify the latest admission dates and requirements directly with PES University because admission rules can change between cycles.

14
PES University B.Des Fees and Scholarships

Cost is another important part of choosing a design programme. PES University‘s published fee page currently lists the B.Des fee at ₹4.70 lakh per year, along with a one-time non-refundable administrative charge of ₹10,000 for the fee structure shown for 2027–28. Because fee structures can change by academic session, students applying for a particular intake should verify the applicable fee directly from the university before making financial decisions. PES University also highlights merit-based scholarships and its PES Loyalty Program as part of its student-support ecosystem. Students should check the latest scholarship eligibility, amount and continuation conditions before applying.

✦ Final Thoughts & Key Advice

A design degree can prepare students for much more than a traditional design job. At PES University, the B.Des experience connects design with engineering, technology, entrepreneurship and real-world experimentation. Students can begin with foundational design education, explore different streams, work across disciplines, develop prototypes, study emerging technologies and eventually build larger capstone projects. The university’s Design Santhe adds another unusual dimension by allowing students to take their creations beyond the classroom and interact directly with customers.

For a student, this can change the question from:

• ✦
  “What will I study?”
• ✦
  to:
• ✦
  “What can I create with what I learn?”

That mindset can be particularly useful in a professional world where designers increasingly work alongside engineers, developers, entrepreneurs, marketers and business teams. Whether a student chooses Product Design, Communication Design, Interaction Design or Fashion Design, the opportunity to combine creativity with practical problem-solving can become an important part of the university experience.

PES University Design 2026: Turn Creative Ideas Into Real-World Possibilities. Students exploring design colleges, career options and higher-education pathways can also use CareerGuide.com for career planning and university research. Students looking for undergraduate admission and entrance-examination guidance can explore CareerGuide CUET.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)