The School of Environmental Design and Architecture (SEDA) is at the forefront of cutting-edge innovative design education. Creativity and critical thinking are the bedrock around which teaching is organized. The unique features of SEDA are the intensive use of workshop for Studio, Construction and its History based courses.
Our students learn to respond to our natural environment and cater to spatial needs and aspirations of individuals and the society. SEDA has some of the most talented and passionate, internationally acclaimed faculty members, who not only teach but also practice architecture.
The school has been established to offer broad-based education in Architecture and Design keeping the future needs of the industry and the concerns of the society in mind. The following degree programs are offered by SEDA – Bachelor in Architecture (BArch) and bachelor’s in design (B. Design– Interior/ Product Design/ Visual Communication).
The Bachelor of Design (BDesign) in Product and Visual Communication at Navrachana University is a multidisciplinary program that blends creative thinking, hands-on making, and strategic problem-solving. It offers an integrated foundation across both physical and visual domains, equipping students to craft meaningful products, experiences, and communication systems for today’s complex world.
With a curriculum that moves fluidly between material exploration, storytelling, user experience, spatial design, and emerging technologies, students gain the ability to think critically, work collaboratively, and build their own design voice. The program nurtures curiosity, empathy, and a deep understanding of cultural contexts while encouraging experimentation and innovation.
Students engage in studio-based learning, intensive workshops, real-world projects, and internships, culminating in a professional design portfolio and a capstone graduation project. The course framework encourages crossover between disciplines while allowing for deep specialization in the later semesters.
The BDesign (Product and Visual Communication) program at Navrachana University offers two interconnected specializations that reflect the evolving nature of design practice today. Students begin with a shared foundation and progressively shape their individual trajectories through studios, workshops, electives, and real-world projects.
Product Design
This specialization equips students to design tangible and phygital products that respond to human needs, behaviors, and aspirations. With a strong focus on material exploration, making, and ergonomics, students develop a deep understanding of how form, function, and context interact. They learn to think through their hands—prototyping ideas across a range of materials and techniques, from traditional craft to digital fabrication.
The curriculum fosters sensitivity to sustainability, systems thinking, and spatial relationships, encouraging students to design for diverse environments—from domestic to public, from wearables to immersive installations. By integrating storytelling, speculative design, and user research, students are prepared to create products and experiences that are not only usable and functional but also culturally relevant and future-forward.
Visual Communication
This specialization nurtures designers who work with words, images, motion, and interaction to create meaning in the visual landscape of everyday life. Students explore the power of visual storytelling across media—print, screen, space, and beyond. Through typography, image-making, branding, motion graphics, and interactive systems, they learn to communicate complex ideas with clarity and emotion.
Rooted in communication theory, semiotics, and a deep engagement with cultural contexts, the curriculum helps students build a critical lens toward media, audience, and form. From editorial design to digital interfaces, public graphics to speculative narratives, students create work that connects, informs, persuades, and provokes thought—preparing them for the wide-ranging future of design.
Studio as the heart of program
Studio courses where students explore their creative approaches to design are sacrosanct to Design Program. The studios at SEDA focus on the design queries relevant for the current context, with the emphasis on real world cases and settings as part of the coursework.
Workshop based pedagogy
The school has developed a unique culture where students are encouraged to work in the state-of-the-art workshop facilities (wood, metal, clay, printmaking, paper making) for a variety of courses. Many of the assignments that are framed in studios, construction, basic design and even history, envisage the use of workshop by students.
Critical thinking and research as central approach
Independent thinking, research and writing form the central approach to education from the foundation year. This approach is applied to all types of courses, studio, theory and workshop.
Hands-on practical experience
There is an emphasis on learning by hands-on practical engagement, with such assignments part of a range of courses. Field visits, industrial visits and on-site experience are part of courses like construction and technology.
Individual Attention
Personal interaction with faculty members ensures that each student receives an individual attention, and their progress is tracked through the period of study. The batch size makes it possible for the group of faculty members to achieve one-to-one communication with all students.
8 Semesters | Full-time | Four-year | Undergraduate Degree Program
Fee Structure: Rs. 91,875/- per semester
For detailed curriculum: click here
Navrachana University, a premier university in Vadodara, known for its innovative and forward-looking approaches to education has now implemented a choice-based curriculum for its students. It is aimed at transforming the student learning experience, empowering them to “tailor-make” their own degree.
The need of the hour today is to create highly skilled professionals who possess a broad-based outlook enabling them to collaborate, understand and empathize with larger sociocultural realities.
Navrachana University offers its students’ the opportunity to pursue a Minor discipline along with their major degree program, following one’s interest, which facilitates the growth of additional skills. Minors are a means of diversifying the understanding of a topic and a reflection of who one is as an individual. For example, a student of Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) can choose a minor in ‘Interior Design’.
To attain a Minor, the students will need to do 18 credit worth of courses designated to diversify interests and gain a professional edge!
List of Minors
Health Science | Computer Science & Engineering | Business Law Interior Design | General Management | Mechatronics | Film Production
The Khoj program has been one of the defining social immersion activities at Navrachana University. Conceived right during the inception of the University, the Khoj program was envisaged to be a vehicle to inculcate social awareness, empathy, and interdisciplinary skills among our students, with a larger aim of proposing solutions to societal problems through innovation, it is through intense, rigorous, and field-based activities that students come up with an increased sense of empathy and awareness towards their surroundings. This program was further strengthened by engaging on topics that are relevant and can be made visible to society at large, the program is conceived as a larger and more ambitious activity that is undertaken by students and faculty members during the semester break under the umbrella of KHOJ WINTER SCHOOL.
Thematic Clusters:
Public Health & Hygiene | Mental Health | Environment & Sustainability | Waste Management | Urban Development | Economics & Social Issues.
Dissertation
The semester 8 constitutes Thesis can be either Design or Research Thesis based on the choice of the student. Collaborative Research Projects (CRP), industry linked research thesis projects, are also offered as the capstone project.
ELIGIBILITY FOR ADMISSION IN FIRST YEAR
Candidates who have passed 10+2 level examination in any stream.
or
Candidates who have passed 10+3 Diploma Examination (in any stream)
Drawing Test and Interaction Session
Drawing Test – 50 Marks
Interaction Session – 50 Marks
Practicing architects & designers who are visiting faculty
SEDA has a large number of visiting faculty who are practicing architects & designers and bring their insights of the profession to the classroom. Along with that, most full-time faculty members at SEDA also have practice of their own, having a strong connect with the professional world.
Eminent professionals who visit SEDA
Experts from academics and practice invited for personal feedback to students on their work. Eminent architects and designers are invited for guest lectures to share their work and thoughts with students.
Industry linked capstone project
The capstone project is linked with industry through Collaborative Research Project (CRP).
Pre- Teaching Sessions at the beginning of every semester.
Pre-teaching sessions, conducted at the beginning of every semester, serve as vital preparatory sessions aimed at providing students with foundational knowledge and essential skills necessary for success in their upcoming courses. These sessions typically encompass a variety of activities and discussions designed to orient students, set academic expectations, and foster a conducive learning environment.
Description of what pre-teaching sessions may entail:
Orientation and Welcome
Course Overview
Introduction to Course Materials
Review of Prerequisite Knowledge
Course Audit every month
A monthly course audit is a systematic review process conducted to assess the progress and effectiveness of ongoing courses.
Academic Advisory Board
Academic Advisory Board consists of Program matter experts who provide guidance, expertise, and innovative pedagogy and continuous improvement within the academic.
Students feedback at the end of every semester
Student feedback serves as a valuable tool for assessing and improving the effectiveness of teaching and learning practices, fostering a culture of continuous improvement, and enhancing overall academic quality.
Mentorship (Mentor- Mentee)
A mentorship program for BDesign students is designed to provide invaluable guidance, support, and opportunities for personal and professional development within the field of design.
Ratio of Mentor: Mentee is 1:10
Academic Advisors (for Electives and Minors)
Academic Advisors play a crucial role in guiding students through the selection, planning, and completion of elective courses and minors within their academic programs.
SEDA organizes a range of activities to extend the exposure of students beyond the classroom. There are numerous invited lectures, symposiums and colloquiums with industry experts, scholars and researchers.
Events like Construction Week offer opportunity to students to design, detail and build life size structures, resulting in an in-depth understanding of material. Tinker Fest is a student festival to showcase their crafts and making skills.
SEDA also organizes events of public outreach. It includes public lectures, exhibition of student’s works and guided walks to places of architectural importance.
Student Clubs
SEDA has a highly active and passionate student body who is engaged in a range of activities through student clubs. These are independent clubs where students can explore their co-curricular and extra-curricular interests, beyond the formal education. Some of these clubs include sketching club, photography club, Music Club, travelling club, Nature Club and clay club.
Tours
Field visits, Industrial visits and site visits are part of several courses at SEDA. Apart from this, Related Study Program (RSP) are the study tours, where students visit places across the country and document their arts, crafts, architecture and urban settings.
Student Exchange Program
Student Exchange is offered with Bonn University, Germany, in the semester 10.
Joint Studio
Joint studios with other leading institutes in the country are conducted in senior years, extending the exposure of students to a different set of ideas and regions.
Apart from the shared university infrastructure, SEDA has par excellence workshops to support teaching-learning processes. SEDA has well equipped Wood workshop, Model Making Workshop, Mechanical workshop, Clay workshop, Print Making Workshop along with a permanent exhibition space.
