BFA vs BDes: Detailed Comparison

Sukriti Vajpayee

Updated On: March 20, 2024 11:43 AM | UCEED

Confused between BFA or BDes after class 12? Both courses may seem similar but are quite different. Check out this article for a detailed comparison of the courses and choose which is better for you - BFA or BDes.

BFA vs BDes: Detailed Comparison

BFA vs BDes : Both BFA and BDes programmes are different on various grounds such as specialisation, course curriculum, career prospects and others. In comparison, BDes or Bachelor of Design is a technical degree which is about designing, on the other hand, a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) is more inclined towards art & sketching. In career prospects, BFA graduates can work across arts management, gallery, and museums and BDes graduates can work in product, graphic, environmental and UX/UI design domains.

This article explores the differences between these two programmes and presents a course comparison between BFA and BDes. Students who are going back and forth with confusion and are unable to decide if they want to be admitted to BDes or BFA can refer to this article to get information and clarity.

Also Read:

BDes Vs BFTech BArch vs BDes

BFA vs BDes: Quick Overview

The table given below provides all the basic information about the courses of BFA and BDes. These small yet significant details help candidates in making up their minds about which course to choose, BFA course or BDes course?:

Parameters

BFA

BDes

Name of the Course

Bachelor of Fine Arts

Bachelor of Design

Level of the Course

Undergraduate

Undergraduate

Field

Arts

Design

Duration

3 - 4 years

3 - 4 years

Eligibility Criteria

  • Class 12th/ 10+2 level from a school that is affiliated to a Central or State board of education
  • The minimum requirement of marks is around 50% - 55%
  • Candidates from any stream can apply
  • Class 12th/ 10+2 level from a school that is recognised by any Central or State board of education
  • The minimum aggregate marks scored in class 12th should be around 50%
  • Students from any stream can apply

Exams Accepted

Admission Process

  • Entrance Examination
  • Merit-Based Admission
  • (Rounds of Interviews or Tests may follow)
  • Entrance Examination
  • Merit-Based Admission
  • (Rounds of Interviews or Tests may follow)

Course Fee (Annual)

INR 30,000 - 3,00,000

INR 43,000- 4,50,000

Popular Specialisations

  • Painting
  • Music
  • Pottery and Ceramics
  • Illustration
  • Dance
  • Sculpture
  • Drama and Theatre
  • Digital Arts
  • Graphics
For more, see BFA Specialisations in India
For more, see BDes Specialisations in India

BFA Vs BDes: Eligibility Criteria

The eligibility criteria for BFA and BDes programmes are different in various institutes, however, there are some generic requirements as mentioned below:

BFA Eligibility

Find the requirements for the BFA programme here:

  • Students are required to have passed class 12th with a 50% score from a recognized board.
  • There is no specific requirement for any subject intake in class 12th.
  • They may have to sit for college or national-level entrance exams to get into the BFA programme.

BDes Eligibility

Check out the eligibility criteria for the BDes programme:

  • Candidates must have passed class 12th or equivalent with a minimum of 45-50% from a recognized board.
  • Also, students of any stream in class 12th can apply for this programme.
  • This programme is also eligible for students who have gained an AICTE-accredited design diploma.

BFA Vs BDes: Admission Process

Find the different admission process for BFA and BDes programmes below:

BDes Admission Process

Check out the steps involved in the BDes admission process:

  • Step 1 . Fill out the application form in either online or offline mode. Students will also have to upload the documents in the prescribed format by paying the application fee.
  • Step 2 . Students who qualify for the cutoff score will be called for the counselling round.
  • Step 3 . Then, they will be allotted seats in the counselling session and shortlisted ones will receive an allotment letter.
  • Step 4 . Candidates have to be present for the final admission process and verification of documents.

BFA Admission Process

Find the steps involved in the BFA admission process:

  • Step 1 . Candidates have to fill out the application form available on the official website.
  • Step 2 . They also have to appear and qualify for the entrance exam as prescribed by the college.
  • Step 3 . The final selection is done for this programme based on the class 12th merit score and entrance exam score.
  • Step 4 . Based on the entrance exam performance, students will be called for the final interview round.

BFA Vs BDes: Syllabus

One of the best ways to understand the difference between any two courses is to take a look at the syllabus of them both. While some subjects may seem common among these two courses, the difference lies in specialisations and optional subjects.

BFA Syllabus BDes Syllabus

BFA Vs BDes: Specialisations

Both BFA and BDes specialisations are different from each other. Students must note that the BFA programme is inclined towards visual art abilities, sculpture, drawing, painting and printing while the BDes programme is all about design principles and processes to solve problems in different sectors.

BFA Specialisations

Check out the popular BFA specialisations below:

Illustration

Graphic Designing

Cartooning

Drama & Theatre

Painting

Plastic Arts

Digital Arts

Pottery & Ceramics

Photography

Fashion & Design

BDes Specialisations

Refer to some of the popular BDes specialisations:

Footwear Design

Textile Design

Accessory Design

Knitwear Design

Interior Design

Fashion Design

Product Design

Animation and Film Design

Skills Required for BFA vs BDes

As both BFA and BDes programmes are different, even the skills for them vary. For BFA students must have a strong interest in art followed by skills such as drawing, imagination, visualisation, sketching, artistic ability and others.

For the BDes programme, graduates are expected to have good interpersonal skills, artistic skills, cognitive skills, presentation skills, perseverance, traditional skills, creativity and more.

BFA vs BDes: Career Prospects

The career prospects of BFA and BDes are vastly different from one another. Candidates deciding between these two courses must check the job roles that they can land after pursuing both degrees.

Career Prospects after BFA

Candidates who have a degree in BFA usually pursue a career in the creative field. Some of the most popular career options after BFA have been listed below. BFA opens the doors to many sectors in which students can be recruited for good positions.

On the initial days, an individual can make anywhere between INR 2,50,000 to INR 10,00,000 PA after completing a BFA programme. The salary keeps increasing with time and experience!

Career Scope after BDes

BDes allows the students to specialise in the field of their choice and then make a career in that field. The job roles that are available for a candidate after he/ she has completed the course of BDes are innumerable. Some common career prospects for BDes have been mentioned below.

An individual can easily earn a salary of INR 2,00,000 - 9,00,000 per annum, after completing a BDes programme. It may vary depending on the skill set and aptitude of the candidate. The salary keeps increasing with time as well as with experience.

Also Read: Design Career in India

Top BFA Colleges in India

Check the list given below to find the best BFA colleges in India . Candidates can shortlist any college as per their requirements and interest.

College Name

Location

Chandigarh University (CU)

Chandigarh, Punjab

Sanskriti University (SU)

Mathura, Uttar Pradesh

Amity University

Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh

Lovely Professional University (LPU)

Jalandhar, Punjab

NIMS University (NIMS Jaipur)

Jaipur, Rajasthan

Dr. M.G.R. Educational and Research Institute

Chennai, Tamil Nadu

Sandip University

Nashik, Maharashtra

MIT ADTU - MIT Art Design and Technology University

Pune, Maharashtra

Seacom Skills University

Birbhum, West Bengal

Mangalayatan University

Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh

Top BDes Colleges in India

Some of the leading BDes colleges in India have been mentioned in the list given below.

College Name

Location

Satyam Fashion Institute

Noida, Uttar Pradesh

SAGE University (SU)

Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh

ARCH College of Design & Business

Jaipur, Rajasthan

Indian Institute of Art & Design

Delhi, Delhi

Jaipur National University (JNU)

Jaipur, Rajasthan

Navrachna University

Vadodara, Gujarat

Amity University

Jaipur, Rajasthan

University of Petroleum and Energy Studies (UPES)

Dehradun, Uttarakhand

P P Savani University

Surat, Gujarat

Unitedworld Institute of Design

Gandhinagar, Gujarat

This was all about the comparison between BFA and BDes! The choice between BFA and BDes is not difficult once the candidate understands both courses and has an insight into the curriculum and career options available. Both of these programmes give enough exposure to students in the creative field. Stay connected to CollegeDekho for more information regarding BFA admissions in India or BDes admissions in India .

To get personalised help from our admission experts either fill up the Common Application Form or dial the student helpline number 1800-572-9877 (toll-free). The QnA section of CollegeDekho is also open for students who have any queries or doubts.

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FAQs

What are the job opportunities after the BDes programme?

After completing the BDes programme, students can become fashion stylists, UX/UI designers, graphic designers, and various other job roles. More job opportunities can be found above on this page.

Which are the top colleges to pursue the BFA programme?

Some of the top colleges to pursue a BFA programme are:

- Amity University, Noida

- MIT WPU, Pune 

- NIMS University, Jaipur 

- World University of Design 

- Lovely Professional University

Are BFA and BDes degrees of different streams?

Both BFA and BDes degrees are of design stream but are different programmes. The first is the study of visual and performing arts while the second one is inclined towards the design fields such as graphics, fashion and others.

What is a Bachelor of Design?

A Bachelor of Design is a four-year degree programme which is inclined towards creative problem-solving, and technical design abilities. Students can step in visual, user experience, industrial design, product design and many more career opportunities after completing this course.

What is the BFA scope and salary in India?

The BFA scope is numerous and diverse in India. Candidates after pursuing this course can become editors, photographers, animators, fine artists, graphic designers, actors, musicians and various others. They can expect an average salary of INR 2-9 lakhs.

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