BFA Programme in Wood Oriented Furniture Design

The aim of the programme is to provide a foundational artistic education within Design and to prepare students for a professional career as furniture designers or for further academic education in the field of design.

The BFA in Wood Oriented Furniture Design is a programme based on design methodology, design theory, artistic creation, and material knowledge. The programme is related to the furniture industry's specific approach to design, production techniques, and industry culture.

The programme is material-based with wood as the starting point for studies in construction, furniture manufacturing, and sustainability. Students also work with other materials during their education, but wood is the starting and reference point for knowledge formation.

Upon completion of the program, students will primarily work within value chains related to the production of interior environments and secondarily in development processes concerning product and environmental development.

The programme also prepares students for further studies at second cycle.

Degree of Bachelor of Fine Arts in Design with Specialisation in Wood Oriented Furniture Design

(Konstnärlig kandidatexamen i Möbeldesign med inriktning trä)

The programme is divided into courses that are specific to Wood Oriented Furniture Design, courses that are common to all BFA programmes at Campus Steneby, and programme courses that are elective within the department.

• Programme-specific courses totaling 97,5 credits, including a Bachelor's degree project of 30 credits. 
• Common courses totaling 67,5 credits
• Elective programme courses totaling 15 credits.

The content of the programme rests on 7 toolboxes that represent the subject areas in which the students deepen their knowledge:

1. Design Methodology
2. Furniture Knowledge
3. Material and Technology 
4. Theory and History 
5. Design
6. Communication 
7. Entrepreneurship

Sustainability is not regarded as a separate subject area but as a prerequisite and starting point for all subject areas and is integrated into all course elements. The subject spans the three dimensions of sustainability: ecology, economy, and social.

The courses follow a progression based on three levels of deepening; identify, analyse and critically reflect. While the progression leads to a deepening of the studies, it also gradually broadens the perspective on the design process with a focus on the individual, group, and society.

The first year is focused on foundational studies in design, materials, manufacturing techniques, and design methodology, in parallel with studies in artistic design, theory, and history.

In the second year, students are introduced to context in the form of user groups and society through applied case studies, in parallel with studies in artistic design, theory, and history.

The third year revolves around deepened studies in exploratory methods and professional preparatory course elements. The last semester of the third year is dedicated to an independent thesis project.

The learning is built around practical and theoretical studies integrated in the design practice. Practice and theory are seen from a holistic perspective as two intertwined aspects of the perceived world, the design process, and society with the individual in focus. Both aspects are applied in a critical and exploratory way to drive development in the field of furniture design.

The pedagogy is student-centered and based on an approach where the body is the node in our lived experience of the world and knowledge-building, seen as both a cognitive and sensory process. The learning takes place in the space between student and teacher and engages both intellect and body in a process that alternates between practical doing and intellectual reflection. Research in the field is also an essential knowledge-building part of the students' knowledge formation and critical perspective.

The design process is central to all courses, and students practice their skills in color, form, and material studies. This occurs within two- and three-dimensional methods as well as in analog and digital tools.

During the first semester, students are introduced to the following areas:

• Design methodology
• Material studies
• Technology
• Artistic design
• Theory and history in the field

During the second semester, students build on the introduction from the first semester through repetition and practical application of knowledge.

• Design methodology
• Material studies
• Technology
• Artistic design work
• Theory and history in the field

A common course on artistic processes and methods further develops skills in investigating, producing, and documenting artistic ideas. Historical and contemporary perspectives are further investigated, enabling students to work with future scenarios related to artistic craft practices.

During the third semester, students take a common course on exhibition methodology, which includes both physical and digital presentation formats, as well as the development of an artistic portfolio.

Students will take an elective course that is offered by the department and which complements their programme specific learning.

In the program-specific course, students collaborate with a furniture manufacturing company that has designed a project brief as the starting point for the students' work.

During the fourth semester, students take a second elective course offered by the department.

Students continue to apply their knowledge and skills developed in previous semesters. This semester, they collaborate with a civil society actorwho offers a specific location as the basis for a project focused on the context of place and space.

During the fifth semester, students apply their skills in societal and professional contexts with a strong focus on work experience and collaboration. Students choose whether to undertake an internship or take the course Design and Craft in a Sociocultural Environment. Students who choose the internship course, are offered support in establishing contacts with suitable practices and organisations through an existing collaboration with Mötesplats Steneby, as well as through contacts made during study visits in previous semesters. Both options aim to further contribute to the knowledge needed in the development of practical and theoretical skills required for the thesis work undertaken during the sixth semester. At the end of semester five, students will have developed a project description for a Bachelor's thesis project.

During the sixth semester, students complete an in-depth artistic degree project within Wood Oriented Furniture Design. Students are also expected to present their degree project in a public context. Upon completion of the course, students are expected to hold the skills required for continued independent work within their professional artistic field.

About Exchange Studies

During semesters 3 and 4, the programme welcomes incoming exchange students, subject to availability.

In semester 4, students in the programme have the opportunity to participate in exchange studies after applying to one of the department's partner universities.

About elective programme courses within the department

Educational programmes offered at the department include compulsory elective programme courses. These courses aim to offer complementary education in artistic practices in addition to the programmes' subject specialisations. The range of elective courses provides opportunities for the student to broaden their knowledge and develop their skills and abilities. Within the elective courses, students meet across department subjects. Students apply for the elective courses based on an annual course offering.

The studies are divided into the following courses:

Year 1

Semester 1

Furniture Design 1, 15 credits

Core Skills 1: Explorative Sketching and Documentation, 7,5 credits

Craft and Design: Histories and Futures 1, 7,5 credits

Semester 2

Furniture Design 2, 15 credits

Core Skills 2: Artistic Processes and Methods, 7,5 credits

Craft and Design: Histories and Futures 2, 7,5 credits

Year 2

Semester 3

Furniture Design 3, 15 credits

Core Skills 3: Meeting Publics, 7,5 credits

Elective course (department level course offering), 7,5 credits

Semester 4

Furniture Design 4, 22.5 credits

Elective course (department level course offering), 7,5 credits

Year 3

Semester 5

Internship Course (elective at the programme level), 15 credits

Design and Craft in a Sociocultural Environment (elective at the programme level), 15 credits

Exploratory Preparation for Bachelor's Degree Project in Craft or Design, 15 credits

Semester 6

Bachelor’s Degree Project in Design with Specialisation in Wood Oriented Furniture Design, 30 credits

General outcomes for Degree of Bachelor in Fine Arts

According to Higher Education Ordinance (see SFS 1993:100, System of Qualifications, Annex 2):

For a Degree of Bachelor in Fine Arts the student shall

Knowledge and understanding

• demonstrate knowledge and understanding in the principal field (main field of study), including knowledge of the practical and theoretical foundation of the field, knowledge and experience of methods and processes in the field as well as specialised study within the field.

Competence and skills

• demonstrate the ability to describe, analyse and interpret design, techniques and content as well as to reflect critically on their artistic approach and that of others in the main field of study
• demonstrate the ability in the main field of study to create, realise and express their own ideas, identify, formulate and solve artistic and creative problems autonomously and to undertake artistic tasks within predetermined time frames
• demonstrate the ability to present and discuss their works and artistic issues in speech, writing or in other ways and in dialogue with different audiences, and
• demonstrate the competence and knowledge required to work autonomously in a professional capacity.

Judgement and approach

• demonstrate the ability to make assessments in the main field of study informed by relevant artistic, social and ethical issues demonstrate insight into the role of art in society, and
• demonstrate the ability to identify the need for further knowledge and ongoing learning.

Local Objectives

For a Degree of Bachelor in Fine Arts in Design with Specialisation in Wood Oriented Furniture Design the student shall in addition be able to:

• make assessments within the field of Furniture Design of how their own and others' designs relate to various sustainability aspects and contribute to sustainable societal development.
• apply exploratory design methodology and assess how it influences the process and outcomes in their own design work.

This programme syllabus (GU 2024/2009) applies to students admitted to the programme from the Autumn semester 2025.

Students who have begun the programme before the Autumn semester 2025 and have unfinished courses according to the older version of the programme syllabus have the right to complete these through additional examinations, at most two years after the courses have been changed or discontinued.

Students who thereafter still have unfinished older courses may complete the programme according to the current programme syllabus and course structure. An individual study plan for the remaining parts of the programme may be required.

The language of instruction is English.

Materials and certain workshop costs are covered by the student.

The workshops provide basic techniques for a variety of materials. Beyond this, students may need to supply materials, tools, and equipment on their own.

Software and digital services not provided by the university are at the student's expense.

Additional costs for travel, study visits, and shipping may apply.

The study programme will be followed up and evaluated in accordance with the applicable Policy for the Quality Assurance and Continuous Quality Improvement of Education at the University of Gothenburg (Policy för kvalitetssäkring och kvalitetsutveckling av utbildning vid Göteborgs universitet).

A student who follows the programme at the normal pace is guaranteed admission. Guaranteed admission at University of Gothenburg consists of two kinds, it can be general or limited.

The programme applies a limited guaranteed admission to the elective programme courses, which means that it is not possible to guarantee admission according to the student’s ranking order of selected elective courses. However, the student is always guaranteed admission to one of the elective courses given at the department the current semester.