List of Specialisations in Bachelor of Design (B.Des): Trend, Colleges, Exams and Career

Choosing the right specialisation in the Bachelor of Design (B.Des) programme can be quite confusing, especially when there are so many options around. One should know in detail about the specialisation, colleges, and trends before choosing. This article will provide an insight into the list of specialisations, colleges, careers, etc. Read in detail to know more.

Bachelor of Design, popularly known as B.Des, is a four-year undergraduate course that offers a wide range of specializations to students. By pursuing this, one can discover their creative side. It enables the students to be imaginative, creative, and dynamic. It is very important to choose your specialization wisely, as this will pave your future path. The tools, materials, and software you will be using all depend on the specialization you will select for your B. Des. The list given below explains the B. Des Specialisation. You will get a fair idea of the specialisations available.

List of B.Des Specialisation

The list of B.Des Specialisations is as follows:

1. B. Des in Fashion Design

B.Des in Fashion Design deals with the art of clothing, fashion illustration, garment construction, and trend forecasting. It helps students to create innovative apparel and fashion collections. Graduates often become fashion designers, stylists, or merchandisers.

• Top colleges include NIFT, NID, Pearl Academy

2. B. Des in Leather Design

B.Des in Leather Design focuses on designing leather products like footwear, bags, belts, and lifestyle accessories. The course includes material studies, design aesthetics, and manufacturing. Career opportunities include roles as footwear designers and leather goods specialists.

• Offered by NIFT Delhi, NIFT Chennai, NIFT Kolkata, FDDI, etc.

3. B. Des in Accessory Design

B.Des in Accessory Design focuses on designing functional and aesthetic accessories such as jewelry, bags, watches, and eyewear. The course emphasizes innovation, detailing, and market trends. Graduates may become accessory designers, stylists, or product developers.

• Top institutes include NIFT, Arch College of Design, and IICD Jaipur.

4. B. Des in Textile Design

B.Des in Textile Design is centred around the creation of textiles through weaving, printing, embroidery, and surface ornamentation. It combines art, craft, and technology. Graduates often work in fashion, home décor, or textile export industries.

• Leading colleges include NID, NIFT, and Pearl Academy.

5. B.Des in Knitwear Design

B.Des in Knitwear Design focuses on designing knitted apparel like sportswear, sweaters, and casual garments. The program covers knit fabric technology, styling, and fit. Career options include knitwear designers and product coordinators.

• Offered at NIFT Ludhiana, Chennai, and Kolkata campuses.

6. B. Des in Fashion Communication

B.Des in Fashion Communication blends fashion with media, branding, styling, photography, and digital strategy. It prepares students for careers in fashion journalism, brand communication, and visual merchandising.

• Offered by NIFT, Pearl Academy

7. B.FTech in Apparel Production

B.FTech in Apparel Production (Bachelor of Fashion Technology) deals with garment manufacturing, industrial engineering, and quality management. This is a technical course rather than design-focused and is ideal for those interested in the production side of fashion.

•  Offered at NIFT Delhi, NIFT Bangalore, and other NIFT campuses.

8. B. Des in Film and Video Communication

B.Des in Film and Video Communication trains students in the art of storytelling, direction, cinematography, editing, and scriptwriting. Graduates often enter the media, advertising, or film industries.

• This specialisation is available at NID Ahmedabad.

9. B. Des in Exhibition Design

B.Des in Exhibition Design focuses on designing immersive exhibition spaces, museum layouts, and experiential environments. The program combines spatial planning with storytelling. Career roles include exhibition designers, curators, and scenographers.

• Offered at NID Ahmedabad.

10. B.Des in Animation Film Design

B.Des in Animation Film Design covers 2D/3D animation, visual storytelling, character development, and motion graphics. It opens doors to careers in film, gaming, advertising, and digital content creation.

• Top colleges include NID Ahmedabad, MIT Institute of Design, and Srishti Manipal.

11. B.Des in Graphic Design

B.Des in Graphic Design deals with visual communication, branding, typography, and digital media. Students learn how to design for print, web, and multimedia platforms. Career options include graphic designer, UI/UX designer, and creative director.

•  Offered at NID Ahmedabad, MIT ID, and Symbiosis Institute of Design.

Which B. Des Specialisation is the best?

If we talk about the best B.Des specialisation, we cannot do so. The choice of the best depends upon a person's skills, interest, talent, career objectives, etc. Each specialisation offers various challenges and opportunities, and these can be managed by different people differently. If a person is interested in clothing, fashion, and trends, then they should opt for B. Des specialisation in Fashion Design. Similarly, if someone is interested in UI/UX, developing an interface, and making it user-friendly, then they should go for specialization in UI/UX. 

Instead of looking for high-paying jobs, it is important to ask oneself the following questions:

• What do I enjoy the most? It can be graphics, painting, sketching, pottery, etc.
• Do I enjoy working with textiles, technology, software, etc?
• What is my Inclination? It can be towards a subject, expression, art, etc.

Before choosing a specialization, one should understand that it is something interlinked and aligned with your skills, talent, interest and vision. The goal of selecting a specialisation should be long-term. So choose something that you enjoy doing.

Trending B.Des Specialisation

One should always go with the trend, especially when it comes to a career path which is dynamic like designing. If we keep on opting for options which are not in the market or have become obsolete, we will be on the path of wasting our time, skill, energy and resource.

The following list contains some of the most in-demand B. Des Specializations:

• B Des (UI/UX): With the rising demand of IT companies, e-commerce services, apps, etc, B.Des in UI/UX is trending. This specialisation focuses on understanding user needs and designing user-friendly interfaces. The average salary of a UI/UX Designer is ₹ 5.6 Lakhs per annum.
• B.Des (Graphic Design): This specialization is trending because there is an increase in demand for branding, marketing, advertising, etc. Graphic Designers work on illustrations and layouts. They use various graphical tools, like Adobe Photoshop, Figma, CorelDRAW, etc. The average salary is around ₹1.7 Lakhs to ₹6.3 Lakhs per year.
• B.Des (Product Design): This specialisation opens the door to industries like consumer electronics, tech innovations, etc. Many startups are also emerging, which require a Product designer to bring new products to the market. It required designing physical or digital products. The average salary of a product designer is around ₹3.5 Lakhs to ₹26.0 Lakhs per year.
• B.Des (Animation Film Design): This specialization is one of the most trending as there is a boom in the OTT and gaming industry. It focuses on creating animated content for short films, documentaries, games and social media. The average salary of a graduate in Animation Film Design is 4 - 8 Lakhs per annum.
• B.Des (Fashion Design): B.Des specialization in Fashion Design can never go out of trend. The fashion industry is dynamic and creative, with new trends every day. It focuses on apparel design and market trends. For example, the revival of Benarasi Saree or Sustainable clothing by famous brands like H&M and ZARA, all comes under Fashion Design. The average salary is 5 - 8 Lakhs per annum.
• B.Des (Interior & Spatial Design): With the increase in infrastructural development, like apartments, studio apartments, cafes, and restaurants, there is a demand for Interior and Spatial Design graduates and post-graduates. They focus on eco-friendly and modern designs. The average salary is  INR. 9 lakhs to 25 lakhs per annum.
• B.Des (Sustainable Design): The world is now focusing more on curbing the effects of globalisation. More focus is now being given to making recyclable and sustainable products, which are eco-friendly. B.Des in Sustainable Design helps in getting into organisations that focus on creating such products and services. The average salary for a B.Des Graduate is INR 4 to 20 lakhs per annum.
• B.Des (Game Design): The Gaming industry has seen tremendous growth in recent years. This specialisation focuses on designing games and interactive experiences. The average salary after this is INR 4.7 Lakhs per annum.
• B.Des (Design for Social Impact): B.Des in Design for Social Impact is the new trend as big organisations, NGOs and even the government are hiring professionals to solve social problems by designing products and services that will help in curbing the social problems. Graduates with this specialisation will need to focus on solving social, environments and community challenges with their products and services. The average salary will be 4.5 to 6 lakhs per annum.

Colleges offering B.Des Specialisation

The B.Des Specialisation is offered by some of the prestigious colleges, are given below:

Specialisation	Colleges Offering
Communication Design	National Institute of Design (NID) Ahmedabad, NID Andhra Pradesh, NID Haryana, NID Madhya Pradesh, Shiv Nadar University, Anant National University, ARCH College of Design and Business, Avantika University
Industrial Design	NID Ahmedabad, NID Andhra Pradesh, NID Haryana, NID Madhya Pradesh, Avantika University, Anant National University
Textile & Apparel Design	NID Andhra Pradesh, NID Haryana, NID Madhya Pradesh, Dada Lakhmi Chand State University of Performing and Visual Arts (SUPVA), ARCH College of Design and Business
Fashion Design	National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), NID,  Symbiosis Institute of Design, ARCH College of Design and Business, Pearl Academy, WUD
Product Design	NIFT, NID, FDDI,  Anant National University, Avantika University, Anant National University, MIT Art, Design & Technology University
Interior Design	NID, WUD, ARCH College of Design and Business
Jewellery Design	ARCH College of Design and Business, IICD Jaipur
User Experience (UX) Design	NIFT,  World University Of Design,  MIT ADT University, Shiv Nadar University, Avantika University, D Y Patil International University
Visual Communication Design	Shiv Nadar University, ARCH College of Design and Business, Srishti Institute of Art, Design and Technology, MIT Institute of Design, MIT-ADT University.
Fashion & Lifestyle Design	NIFT, NID, Symbiosis Institute of Design
Transdisciplinary Design	Anant National University

Exams for B.Des Specialisation

Entrance Exams are conducted by top institutes to select students into B.Des and B.Des Specialisation programme. Some of the institutes conduct a written examination followed by a Situation Test or Studio Test, and then an Interview. Some only conduct online screening and interviews. Some of the exams, like NTA NIFT, NID, UCEED, are conducted all over India and have centres across the country; others may conduct the exam in a few cities or on the campus itself. A few exams are conducted once a year and others like FDDI, AIEED, SMEAT, etc., are conducted in phases/cycles or rounds. 

The application process for the top institutes, like NIFT, NID, and UCEED, starts in October-December, and exams are usually conducted in January and February. The results are declared in March-April, followed by Counselling.

The following table shows some of the popular exams for B.Des Specialisation 2026:

Exam Name	Conducting Body	Top Institutes Covered	Specialisations Offered
NID DAT	National Institute of Design	NID Ahmedabad, NID AP, NID Haryana, NID Madhya Pradesh	Graphic Design, Animation, Product Design, Textile, Film & Video, Exhibition, etc.
UCEED	IIT Bombay	IIT Bombay, IIT Guwahati, IIT Delhi, IIT Hyderabad, IIITDM Jabalpur	UI/UX, Product Design, Visual Communication, Mobility Design, etc.
NIFT Entrance Exam	National Testing Agency (NTA)	NIFT Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, etc.	Fashion Design, Textile, Knitwear, Accessory, Leather, Fashion Communication, Apparel Prod.
SEED	Symbiosis Institute of Design (SID)	SID Pune	Communication Design, Industrial Design, Fashion Communication, Fashion Design
AIEED	ARCH College of Design & Business	ARCH Jaipur	Fashion, Interior, Product, Graphic, Jewellery Design
Pearl Academy Entrance	Pearl Academy	Pearl Academy (Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Jaipur)	Fashion Design, Product Design, Communication Design, Interior Design
IIAD Entrance Exam	Indian Institute of Art and Design	IIAD	Fashion Design, Communication Design, Interior Architecture
Srishti Entrance (SMEAT)	Srishti Manipal Institute	Srishti Manipal (Bangalore)	Animation, Industrial Arts, Digital Media, Visual Communication, Contemporary Art
MIT DAT	MIT Institute of Design	MIT Institute of Design, Pune	Product, Transportation, Interior, Graphic, Fashion Design
UPES DAT	University of Petroleum and Energy Studies	UPES School of Design, Dehradun	Game Design, Product Design, UI/UX, Interior, Animation

Careers after B. Des Specialisation

A diverse and creative door opens up after pursuing a Bachelor of Design. It gives opportunities to enter various industries. After B.Des, students develop certain skills that are apt for industries like fashion, communication, technology, media, animation, etc. The option to explore these industries is open after B.Des Specialisation. One can become a Fashion designer, Footwear designer, Jewelry designer, Textile designer, Apparel Developer, Knitwear Designer, Apparel Developer, Sampling Coordinator, Pattern Maker, Fashion Stylist, Visual Merchandiser, Photographer, etc. 

 The following table presents the top B.Des specialisations and the career opportunities they offer:

B.Des Specialisation	Popular Career Options	Industries
Fashion Design	Fashion Designer, Stylist, Merchandiser, Illustrator, Trend Forecaster	Fashion houses, film industry, e-commerce, retail
Leather Design	Footwear Designer, Leather Goods Developer, Accessory Designer, QC Manager	Footwear brands, leather exports, luxury goods
Accessory Design	Jewelry Designer, Bag Designer, Watch Designer, Lifestyle Product Developer	Fashion retail, lifestyle brands, accessory startups
Textile Design	Textile Designer, Fabric Developer, Print Designer, Surface Pattern Expert	Apparel, furnishings, textile mills, fashion export
Knitwear Design	Knitwear Designer, Apparel Developer, Sampling Coordinator, Pattern Maker	Sportswear companies, knitwear labels, manufacturing
Fashion Communication	Fashion Stylist, Visual Merchandiser, Photographer, Brand Manager, PR Executive	Fashion media, branding agencies, digital content
Apparel Production (B.FTech)	Production Manager, Industrial Engineer, Supply Chain Executive, Quality Analyst	Apparel factories, logistics, fashion tech
Film and Video Communication	Director, Editor, Scriptwriter, Content Creator, Cinematographer	Films, OTT, advertising, digital storytelling
Exhibition Design	Exhibition Designer, Museum Curator, Installation Artist, Event Designer	Museums, art galleries, trade expos, experience design firms
Animation Film Design	Animator (2D/3D), VFX Artist, Storyboard Artist, Motion Graphics Designer	Animation studios, gaming, advertising, OTT platforms
Graphic Design	Graphic Designer, UI/UX Designer, Illustrator, Art Director, Branding Consultant	Design studios, startups, publishing, digital media, advertising agencies

There are many exciting specialisations in B.Des, and each one offers something different. Whether you love fashion, drawing, technology, or storytelling, there is a path for you in design. It’s important to choose a specialisation that matches your interests and strengths. Take your time, learn about each option, and follow the one that feels right for you.