THE PROFILE OF GRADUATING STUDENTS FROM THE UFPE–CAA DESIGN PROGRAM IN 2023 AND 2024: COMPETENCIES AND INTERESTS

Abstract

This article investigates the profile of graduating students from the Design program at UFPE–CAA in the years 2023 and 2024, based on an analysis of Final Undergraduate Projects (TCCs) deposited on ATTENA, the university’s digital repository. The time frame covers the period following the reform of the PGD Regulation, which introduced new TCC formats. The adopted methodology involved mapping 142 TCCs, categorized by emphasis area, project modality, and methodological approach. The results indicate that 57.04% of the students chose topics related to the Graphic Design emphasis, with the “project descriptive report” being the most common format (66.20%). Project-based methodologies were widely used (54.23%), with emphasis on Munari’s (1981) design process approach, which appeared exclusively in Graphic Design projects or those that also engaged with the Fashion emphasis. The data suggest a strong orientation toward professional and applied practices, with limited production of theoretical or analytical content. This scenario indicates that the alignment between student interests and the curriculum structure deserves attention in future research on design education within the CAA program.