Carnegie Mellon University, School of Design

08/24/2026

It's the first day of classes! Our brand new Master's students took over a classroom today and designed a Collocation Map. Together they worked to communicate, visually and interactively, something about themselves, where they came from, and how they might be connected to others in their cohort, geographically or personally.

08/21/2026

There was an alarming amount of brain power in the building today as we welcomed all of our new and returning PhD Researchers!

https://www.design.cmu.edu/about-our-programs/phd-transition-design

08/20/2026

They're heeeeeeeere! Today, our brand new First Year students gathered together, found their desks in their studio, and then grabbed their umbrellas for a walk over to Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. With prompts and sketchbooks in hand, our fresh batch of Designers got lost in a veritable wonderland for their very first exercise as a cohort.

Note to families...they are not actually lost. We managed to get them all back to campus.

07/31/2026

Today our Pre-College students had the opportunity to show off the impressive work they've done over the summer. This was a really remarkable group of future designers and we're truly proud of what they accomplished here in our studios.

06/23/2026

Carnegie Mellon University School of Design alumna Sofía Bosch Gómez (PhD in Transition Design '22) has been named one of the inaugural recipients of the Rachel Cooper Award for Emerging Design Research Leadership, presented by the Design Research Society (DRS) at its 2026 conference in Edinburgh, Scotland.

https://www.design.cmu.edu/news/school-design-alumna-sofia-bosch-gomez-receives-inaugural-rachel-cooper-award-emerging-design

06/10/2026

CMU's impact is undeniable on Pittsburgh's cultural identity. Learn more about CMU's creative contributions to the city with examples from Design alumnus Burton Morris and School of Design Professor Kristin Hughes.

Carnegie Mellon University serves as a vital anchor for the regional arts ecosystem. Through hands-on opportunities and mentorship from celebrated alumni — including this weekend's visiting Tony-Award nominees — CMU cultivates emerging talent that actively shapes and elevates Pittsburgh’s cult...

06/08/2026

Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Design has appointed Jonathan Chapman as its new Head of School, effective June 1, 2026. An internationally recognized design theorist and educator, Chapman has been a member of the faculty since 2017, most recently serving as Director of Doctoral Studies, where he led the School’s pioneering PhD in Transition Design, a program training designers to confront the most complex social and ecological challenges of our time.

https://www.design.cmu.edu/news/carnegie-mellon-school-design-names-jonathan-chapman-new-head-school

06/04/2026

It's summer! Are you walking around campus looking for something to do? There is an incredible amount of art all over CMU to enjoy! Like this work, "Reliefs II" in the Tepper Building Quad by Design's Mark Baskinger and Jim Daniels, a former Professor in CMU's School of English.

"Reliefs II," fabricated by Dee Briggs, is an extension and interpretation of Robert Lepper's "Relief." The installation is comprised of five thematic panels: ethics, synergy, empathy, discovery, and perseverance.

https://www.cmu.edu/public-art

06/03/2026

Congratulations to our outstanding students who made the College of Fine Arts Dean’s List for Spring 2026. The criteria for the dean's list is the top one-third of QPAs in each school within CFA.

Congratulations to our outstanding students who made the College of Fine Arts Dean’s List for Spring 2026. The criteria for the dean's list is the top one-third of QPAs in each school within CFA.

05/28/2026

The School of Design's Dylan Vitone is a featured photographer as part of MFA Boston's current exhibit "Faces in the Crowd: Street Photography."

“Faces in the Crowd: Street Photography” explores the evolving techniques photographers have used to record the human experience as it has played out in populous urban spaces—from Harlem and Los Angeles to Tokyo and Istanbul—over five decades.

"Faces in the Crowd: Street Photography" runs until July 13, 2026.

https://www.mfa.org/exhibition/faces-in-the-crowd-street-photography