Catalonia PAU Design II (Disseny II)

It is a PAU subject used mainly to weight your access score for design-related degrees. It tests visual language, graphic and product design thinking, history and methodology through theory plus a practical exercise, so it signals design aptitude rather than general academic knowledge alone.

Those details change between calls, so no fixed figure should be trusted. The official Catalan university access authority publishes the current structure, duration and scoring for each subject on its website; confirm there before planning your timing strategy.

The theory is manageable if your reference base is organised. Difficulty comes from the practical part: producing a coherent, legible proposal under time pressure and explaining your decisions. Candidates who only memorise facts often struggle; those who rehearse timed sketching and justification tend to feel comfortable.

Competent sketching helps, but examiners reward clarity of communication: readable layout, sensible proportions, annotated diagrams and honest justification. Clean line work, simple projections and well-labelled thumbnails often score better than an ambitious, illegible rendering. Practise quick, explanatory drawing rather than fine-art finish.

Retake and resit rules are set by the official access authority and can vary by call. Rather than relying on memory or forums, check the current regulations on its website, and ask your school's orientation department, which usually tracks the year's rules closely.

Start with visual language and composition, since it underpins everything. Add typography and layout, then design history and Catalan/Spanish references, then methodology vocabulary. Run practical exercises throughout rather than at the end, so theory and production reinforce each other.

Choosing an option without reading it fully, ignoring the brief's constraints, leaving work unlabelled, and writing vague justifications such as 'it looks better'. Poor time allocation is equally common: candidates over-polish one drawing and never reach the written explanation. Rehearse a full timed paper.

Use official model exams to learn the option structure and the expected depth, not to memorise content. Do them timed, then mark yourself against the brief: did you answer what was asked, is the layout legible, are decisions justified? Keep a log of recurring weaknesses and target those next.

Expect hand-based production: sketching, diagramming, layout and technical drawing with conventional instruments. Digital fluency is useful for your broader design education and for understanding contemporary practice, but plan to demonstrate your thinking on paper during the exam.