From design education of Bauhaus to the introduction of the western design educational idea after May 4th movement of 1919, then to the formalization the"artistic design"specialty by the Ministry of Education of China in 1998，we have experienced the phases from the pattern to arts and crafts design to industrial design and then to art design. Today there are three very similar names of specialties and disciplines coexisting among artistic design, study of art & design and design art studies. There are not only obvious differences but also certain connections among three concepts; their relationships lie in profession and discipline, practice and theory, from skill acquisition to artistic mastery and from theory to artistic mastery. Knowing their relations can help teachers and students understand the specialty and discipline, and also be conducive to the understanding of different educational chains in enrolling, teaching, practicing, researching and employment in order to lay the foundation for design education.