The Bachelor of Design (BDes) at Alexander College provides a comprehensive and integrated design education grounded in project and studio-based learning, where students engage with the full lifecycle of creative practice—from conceptualisation and research to digital development, prototyping, and strategic problem-solving. Through a cross-disciplinary environment supported by standard facilities, students explore design as a transformative force shaping contemporary society and the constructed world, aligned with priorities such as sustainability and digital innovation.

The programme offers four specialisations—Graphic Design, Interior Design, Fashion Design, and Photography—embedded within a unified Bachelor of Design structure that promotes shared methodologies, interdisciplinary collaboration, and creative exchange.

Students benefit from small-group teaching, strong industry links, and hands-on experience with professionals, ensuring exposure to real-world practice and emerging trends. Structured over four years (240 ECTS), the curriculum combines core modules, specialised study, and a final major project, alongside opportunities for internships and European mobility. Graduates develop advanced creative, technical, and critical skills, enabling them to enter the evolving creative industries or pursue further study as confident, ethical, and innovative designers equipped to respond to complex cultural, social, and economic challenges.

The Bachelor of Design offers exceptional value and opportunity through:

Successful completion of the program requires 240 ECTS credits (30 per semester)

In Year 1: Students build core creative skills, experiment across disciplines, and establish their design identity and pathway.

• Core focus: Design principles, visual language, spatial awareness
• Introduction to creative processes and research methods
• Art & design history and theoretical grounding

Specialisation introduction:

• Fundamentals of Graphics / Interior / Fashion / Photography
• First applied discipline projects (e.g. branding, drafting, garment basics, photography practice)

In Year 2: Students develop technical proficiency and experimental approaches, integrating digital tools with creative thinking. Students expand their capabilities through technology, experimentation, and applied design practice.

Core focus:

• AI and digital tools in design
• 3D applications and media production
• Critical and philosophical understanding of design

Specialisation development:

• UX/UI (Graphics), Materials & Textiles (Interior)
• Heritage & Fashion innovation
• Photography techniques (lighting, perspective)

In Year 3: Students develop industry-relevant skills, collaborative experience, and a strong understanding of design in professional contexts. Students engage with real-world design challenges, sustainability, and professional practice.

Core focus:

• Sustainability and ethics
• Contemporary design issues
• Entrepreneurship and project management

Specialisation advancement:

• Editorial, Retail, Digital Fashion, Hybrid Photography
• Advanced technical and industry-focused modules

In Year 4: Students demonstrate mastery of their Specialisation, producing a major project and professional portfolio aligned with industry expectations. Students transition into independent practice, research, and professional readiness.

Core focus:

• Internship and industry immersion
• Research and project development
• Final Major Project (Capstone)

Final stage:

• Major Project (20 ECTS) in chosen Specialisation
• Portfolio development and professional identity building

The BDES programme integrates studio-based and project-driven teaching with a wide range of learning methodologies, including:

This methodology encourages independent thought, creative experimentation, and practical problem-solving, fully aligned with professional design practice.

Students regularly participate in off-campus learning experiences, including:

Participation in these activities is often assessed, ensuring real-world engagement and applied learning.

The BDES programme incorporates diverse and discipline-specific methods of assessment, designed to capture the full range of student ability in both technical execution and conceptual development. These include:

Participation in these activities is often assessed, ensuring real-world engagement and applied learning.

In order to be considered for entry, applicants must provide evidence of the following requirements.

1. Apolyterion of a six-year Secondary School of the Republic of Cyprus.
2. For foreign applicants, equivalent Certificate depending on their country of origin.
3. Any other certificate or qualification that the Academic Committee deems equivalent and corresponding with Apolyterion of Secondary Education. Equivalents to the above are examined and documented by the Academic Committee in order to ensure that are equivalent and corresponding with Apolyterion of Secondary Education.
4. Provide a portfolio of work either online or during interview

Your portfolio will be evaluated in key design areas such as: creativity and originality, visual and conceptual development, idea exploration, technical skills and use of media, and communication (Portfolio Guidelines and Evaluation Criteria)

The teaching language at Alexander College is English or Greek depending on respective courses. A non-native English-speaking candidate would be requested to provide evidence of English language knowledge at B2 Level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) of any examination approved by the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Cyprus .

In the case of Cypriot candidates the Lyceum Apolyterion is considered a satisfactory qualification only in the case where the grade in English language is at least 16 out of 20.

LO1. Subject Knowledge

Understand, select and evaluate specialist design theories, visual language principles, and the role of design in society, applying this knowledge in complex and interrelated design contexts.

LO 2. Think & Reflect

Critically evaluate competing perspectives on audience/user needs, design methodologies, and outcomes, demonstrating reflexive thinking that recognizes how values, ethics, and perceptions shape design decisions in complex and interrelated contexts.

LO 3. Transdisciplinary Perspectives

Recognize and integrate knowledge, methods, and perspectives from diverse disciplines to develop coherent design proposals that address selected opportunities and challenges across professional, cultural, and critical frameworks in complex contexts.

LO 4. Research

Understand and conduct evidence-based design enquiry, evaluating the reliability and validity of design research sources to develop relevant arguments and inform design solutions in complex contexts.

LO 5. Applied Skills

Use specialist design methods, techniques, processes, and materials to create innovative design solutions and perform professional design tasks effectively in complex creative and commercial contexts.

LO 6. Communicate

Communicate and adapt specialist design ideas and arguments with technical proficiency across visual, verbal, and written formats for diverse audiences in complex professional and academic contexts.

LO 7. Problem Solving

Apply specialist design theories, concepts, and methodologies to identify, analyze, and resolve complex design problems and real-world challenges in complex professional contexts.

LO 8. Digital

Understand, evaluate, and think critically about current and emerging design technologies and digital tools, recognizing their significance for equity, inclusion, and sustainability in contexts of competing complexity.

LO 9. Active Participation

Actively participate in specialist design communities, academic contexts, and professional environments demonstrating highly developed collaboration, negotiation, and personal management skills with local and global awareness and respect for diverse perspectives.

LO 10. Understand Impact

Think critically about the impact and complexity of design decisions on society, demonstrating a highly developed understanding of ethical considerations, sustainability, inclusivity, and compassion in design practice.

Graphic Design

GD1. Apply and analyse contemporary graphic design practices within the creative industries, demonstrating understanding of the discipline’s role in professional contexts.

GD2. Apply and evaluate the strategic role of graphic design across digital and print media in selected professional contexts.

GD3. Develop and present a personal design approach through applied practice across a range of graphic design applications.

GD4. Demonstrate appropriate intellectual, technical, and professional skills for entry-level employment or further study in graphic design.

GD5. Apply knowledge of professional practices, industry standards, and emerging trends in graphic design to practical design tasks.

Interior Design

ID1. Apply sustainable and human-centred design principles to develop interior design proposals with awareness of environmental and social impact.

ID2. Investigate and apply design methods to develop spatial solutions that respond to user needs in defined contexts.

ID3. Demonstrate appropriate intellectual, technical, and professional skills for entry-level interior design practice or further study.

ID4. Analyse and apply spatial reasoning and reflective thinking to inform interior design proposals.

ID5. Recognise and relate design work to professional, cultural, and social contexts, demonstrating basic interdisciplinary collaboration.

Photography

PH1. Apply and explore a range of photographic practices, including traditional and digital techniques, in creative contexts.

PH2. Demonstrate practical and conceptual skills in still and moving image production for defined professional applications.

PH3. Apply photography to communicate ideas effectively in creative and commercial contexts.

PH4. Develop a personal photographic practice demonstrating technical competence and creative awareness.

PH5. Recognise and interpret the cultural and social contexts influencing photographic work.

Fashion Design

FD1. Apply creative and research-informed design approaches to develop fashion concepts responding to contemporary needs.

FD2. Demonstrate understanding of fashion and textile systems through practical experimentation and material exploration.

FD3. Demonstrate appropriate technical and professional skills for entry-level roles or further study in fashion design.

FD4. Apply knowledge of fashion production processes and industry practices in design development.

FD5. Analyse and respond to market trends and user needs in developing fashion design solutions.