5 Design Courses to do if you wish to Switch Your Career to Design: A Trusted Guide for Design Aspirants

Switching the career is both an exciting and a high risk decision that people are taking in the current era, especially moving into the creative field of design, which is rapidly growing and evolving in India. With India’s booming startup culture, genZ workstyle, digital transformation, and expanding lifestyle sectors, design skills have become more valuable than ever. For all those thinking about career change, here are the five best design courses in India that offer excellent career opportunities, skill development, and future-proofing your professional life.

Bachelor of Design (B.Des) in Fashion Design

Fashion design is an evergreen and lucrative field in India and worldwide. Pursuing this course means learning about India's rich textile heritage and modern fashion evolution. Thus, a B.Des in Fashion Design in India teaches you garment construction, fabric science, fashion illustration, and new-age trends like sustainable fashion. Additionally, India is one of the largest textile producers globally, and with the rise of Indian fashion brands domestically and internationally, fashion designers have immense scope.

• Top colleges: National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), etc 
• Career opportunities: Fashion designer, apparel quality manager, stylist, fashion merchandiser. 
• Average starting salary: ₹3.5 to 5 LPA.

Bachelor of Design in UI/UX Design

User Interface (UI) and User Experience (UX) design jobs have tripled in the last five years because of India’s digital economy expanding rapidly. UI/UX designers make apps, websites, and digital platforms intuitive and user-friendly, a key factor in business success. Want to know  why to choose this course? Apparently,  the demand for UI/UX designers in tech startups, banks, fintech, and e-commerce sectors is booming. It offers a blend of creativity and technology.

• Top colleges: Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay - IDC School of Design; National Institute of Design (NID), etc.
• Career roles: UI designer, UX researcher, interaction designer, usability analyst.
• Average starting salary: ₹5 to 8 lakhs per annum, with rapid growth potential.

Graphic Design Diploma or Degree

Graphic design is the art of visual storytelling used in branding, advertising, publishing, and digital media.  This  is a skill many people, especially individual content creators have learned in past years. From logos to social campaigns, graphic designers communicate powerful messages visually. Thinking about why choose this course? See, it's simple, every business from startups to multinational corporations needs branding, marketing collateral, and digital content, creating constant demand. 

• Top colleges: National Institute of Design (NID), Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, etc.
• Career roles: Graphic designer, art director, visual designer, digital illustrator.
• Average starting salary: ₹3 to 6LPA. 

Bachelor of Degree or Diploma in Interior design.

An interior design is a stream and a trendy course over the last ten years, combining creativity with functionality, influencing living and business environments. As real estate development is on the increase more so in the developing economy such as India, the industry is expanding day by day. More and more urbanization and business development leads to a steady need of interior designers who are adept at creating both aesthetically pleasing and practical solutions. 

• Top colleges: National Institute of Design (NID), Sir J.J. College of Architecture, and so on.
• Career options: Interior designer, space planner, furniture designer.
• Salary: 3-5 lakhs yearly.

Product Design (Industrial Design)

Product designing is another career that is developing due to the needs and demands of genZ. It entails coming up with the products that are practical, functional, and appealing or attractive. It encompasses the creation of concepts, prototyping, and production.

In case you are asking yourself whether this will be a good decision, understand this: the manufacturing industry in India is expanding, and more importantly it is an innovation-driven industry, so product designing is a modern and exciting job.

• Top colleges: National Institute of Design (NID), MIT Institute of Design, IISc Bangalore (PG programs) etc.
• Career options: Product designer, design engineer, UX product designer.
• Salary Package: 4 to 7 lakhs per annum.

Why are these Courses Trending in India in 2025?

Startups, digital transformation, e-commerce, and lifestyle improvements are expected to increase the Indian design industry at 12-15 percent per year. In addition, the government is contributing through programs such as Make in India and Digital India that is encouraging design-led innovation in both manufacturing and technology. Furthermore, new career opportunities are emerging through new technology, such as augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and AI in design.

What is the Best Way to Select a Design Course? 

In case you need to change your career to design, this is how you may choose the appropriate design course to pursue: 

• Evaluate interest: It takes real interest in creative areas. Find out whether you are a visual storyteller, technology human interaction, spatial aesthetics or product innovator.
• Time and investment: Degree courses require 3-4 years, whereas the time required by a diploma or certificate course is between 6 months and 2 years.
• Consider placement and alumni success: Investigate industry connect, internship, and placement statistics of the institute.
• Industry-specific tools: Degree programs that educate software use, such as Adobe Creative Suite, AutoCAD, Sketch, Figma, and Rhino, make students more employable.

Switching careers from XYZ field to design can be a promising step for those looking to blend creativity with growth potential while doing what they are actually passionate about. The five courses above provide a mix of traditional and contemporary disciplines aligned with evolving Indian industry needs. Whether fashion, digital design, interiors, or product innovation appeals to you, investing in a recognized course from reputed Indian institutes will set a solid foundation for a successful new career.