The Design School at ASU

What The Design School at ASU does

The Design School at ASU is an academic unit within Arizona State University's Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, established in its current form in 2010 through the merger of the School of Design Innovation with the School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture. It is positioned as the largest and most comprehensive design school in the United States, with programs in architecture, industrial design, interior design, graphic design (visual communication design), landscape architecture, urban design, interior architecture, and emerging areas including immersive experience design, indigenous placekeeping and design, and space architecture. The school serves undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students across 7,000+ enrolled design students (within the broader Herberger Institute of 8,000 students taught by 700+ faculty), with all core professional programs holding accreditation from the relevant bodies (NAAB, NASAD, CIDA, LAAB). Its core instructional assets are state-of-the-art facilities at the Tempe campus and a secondary research footprint in downtown Phoenix through the Phoenix Urban Research Laboratory (PURL).

The Design School's underlying technology stack is conventional for a design school: physical fabrication equipment, design studios, and digital design tools supporting in-person and online modalities. Differentiated offerings include the Orange Build Studio (a design-build program) and an Inclusion and Belonging Framework emphasizing participatory design. Programs are delivered in-person at Tempe and asynchronously online through ASU Online, with online availability for select master's-level programs. The school maintains a 75-year digital archive (Architecture Digital History Timeline) documenting its evolution.

Revenue is generated through three primary streams: tuition and fees (with less than 26% of ASU's budget coming from Arizona state appropriations), private donations and gifts (including a $500,000 gift from the Herberger family enabling the Herberger Center for Design Excellence), and research grants and contracts focused on sustainability, solar energy, and design innovation. The school leverages ASU's centralized tuition system, which differentiates by residency status and offers reduced tuition through the Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP). Distribution is through ASU's centralized admission infrastructure, with marketing conducted primarily through the design.asu.edu website, campus tours, academic advising, and earned media coverage.

Name

The Design School at ASU

Legal name

Arizona State University

Website

https://design.asu.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Design School at Arizona State University is the largest and most comprehensive design school in the U.S., offering accredited undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs across architecture, industrial design, interior design, graphic design, landscape architecture, urban design, and emerging design fields, serving approximately 7,000+ students within ASU's Herberger Institute.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education Design

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Fine Arts Schools (61161)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Design Colleges (Graphic, Industrial, UX/UI, Interior) (EDAHAJAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Architecture Schools (within Arts & Design institutions) (EDAHAJAG), Technical Universities with Architecture, Built Environment & Design Engineering (EDAHAEAJ)

Keywords

• Design education programs
• Architecture degree programs
• Industrial design degrees
• Landscape architecture education
• Graphic design programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Tempe

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Public university tuition-based revenue model where less than 26 percent of ASU's budget comes from the state of Arizona, making private investments, foundations and corporate partners essential.
2. Private Donations and Gifts: Charitable contributions from donors directed to scholarships, student enrichment, faculty development, research, and capital projects. The Herberger family made a $500,000 gift enabling the Herberger Center for Design Excellence.
3. Research Grants and Contracts: Faculty research activities funded through grants, with emphasis on sustainability, solar energy, and design innovation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Design School at ASU is an academic unit within Arizona State University's Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts that delivers accredited degree programs in architecture, industrial design, interior design, graphic design, landscape architecture, and urban design at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels. Programs are offered in both in-person and online modalities, supported by state-of-the-art design facilities and signature initiatives such as the Orange Build Studio and the Phoenix Urban Research Laboratory (PURL). Revenue is generated primarily through tuition, with additional funding from private donations, research grants, and contracts.

Product overview

The Design School at ASU is a comprehensive design education institution offering a portfolio of degree programs across multiple design disciplines. The school's offerings include NAAB-accredited architecture programs (Master of Architecture 2-year and 3-year tracks), NASAD-accredited Industrial Design and Visual Communication Design programs, CIDA-accredited Interior Design programs, and LAAB-accredited Landscape Architecture programs. Additional specialized offerings include Urban Design (MUD), Immersive Experience Design, Indigenous Placekeeping and Design, Space Architecture, and a PhD in Design, Environment, and the Arts. Programs are offered across undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels, with select programs available in both in-person and online modalities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architecture Programs

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% BSLA graduation rate within 6 years (2024 cohort)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered strategic, minor and core.

• Idealab ArizonastrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 April 2025Partnership with Skidmore, Owings & Merrill to drive strategic innovation in the built environment, announced in April 2025.
• Regents Professor Jeffrey Cook FellowshipminorOthers · 1 January 2003Fellowship established in 2003 after Jeffrey Cook's death to honor his pioneering work in bio-climatic design. Awarded annually to support students.
• Herberger Center for Design ExcellencestrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1990Established in 1990 with $500,000 gift from Herberger family. Think tank and publication center supporting design excellence research and publishing.
• Herberger Institute for Design and the ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Design School is a constituent school within the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, which comprises multiple design and arts units including ASU FIDM, School of Art, Sidney Poitier New American Film School, The GAME School, School of Music, Dance and Theatre, and ASU Art Museum.
• Architecture Digital History ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDigital archive project documenting over 75 years of architectural education evolution, design innovation, and community projects at Arizona State University.
• National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB)coreOthersAccrediting body for professional degree programs in architecture in the United States. Architecture program has been NAAB accredited since 1985.
• National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD)coreOthersAccrediting organization for art and design education. Industrial Design and Visual Communication Design programs have been NASAD accredited since 2001.
• Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA)coreOthersAccrediting body for interior design education programs. Interior Design programs hold CIDA accreditation.
• Landscape Architectural Accreditation Board (LAAB)coreOthersAccrediting body for landscape architecture programs. BSLA and MLA programs accredited by LAAB, with last accreditation in 2020.
• Phoenix Urban Research Laboratory (PURL)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch laboratory established in historic Security Building in downtown Phoenix with goal of generating innovative solutions that have true impact on the quality of urban environment.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Pratt Institute: Independent design school with accredited programs in architecture, industrial design, interior design, and graphic design. Directly comparable to ASU Design School in program mix and professional orientation.
• ArtCenter College of Design: Specialized design school offering programs in industrial design, graphic design, and environmental design. Comparable as a focused design institution with strong professional practice orientation.
• Parsons School of Design (The New School): Major US design school offering undergraduate and graduate degrees in product design, interior design, graphic design, and architecture. Comparable in program breadth, urban campus setting, and design-focused reputation.
• Rhode Island School of Design (RISD): One of the most prominent US design schools offering accredited programs in architecture, industrial design, interior architecture, graphic design, and landscape architecture. Directly comparable as a comprehensive, specialized design institution with similar program mix.
• Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD): Large private design college offering accredited architecture, interior design, industrial design, and graphic design degrees. Comparable in comprehensive scope, multiple delivery modalities (in-person and online), and professional design focus.
• Virginia Tech School of Architecture and Design: Public university school offering accredited architecture, industrial design, interior design, and landscape architecture programs. Closely comparable as a public-university design school with similar discipline mix and land-grant institutional context.
• Georgia Tech College of Design: Public university college offering programs in architecture, industrial design, music technology, and digital media. Comparable as a comprehensive public-university design college within a research institution.
• Cranbrook Academy of Art: Graduate-only design school offering programs in architecture, 3D design, and 2D design. Comparable as a specialized design institution with strong design pedigree.
• University of Cincinnati College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP): Public university college offering accredited programs in architecture, industrial design, interior design, and graphic design. Highly comparable as another large, comprehensive public-university design school with co-op/professional practice emphasis.
• Carnegie Mellon School of Design: School within Carnegie Mellon offering programs in industrial design, graphic design, and design research. Comparable as a research-oriented design school with strong industry and technology connections.

Market position

Strengths2 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/the-design-school-at-asu

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Design School at ASU