Industrial Design: Design Track
The goal of undergraduate design education in the School of Design is to provide a foundation that will allow graduates to deal with diverse professional challenges appropriately and to master tools and media of the future. This foundation has three components:
- an integrated twelve quarter curriculum, rather than a collection of courses, concentrating on the design process rather than product
- one and one-half years of supervised experience in the design field through the professional practice (co-op) program
- a structured liberal-arts education
About the Program
Industrial Design is concerned with the appearance and usefulness of manufactured goods. The industrial designer emphasizes the humanistic qualities of products of mass production with special consideration for comfort, safety and aesthetic satisfaction that they may bring to their users.
Industrial designers are frequently required to assist the planning of a system - as in computer-aided design and/or manufacturing systems, in components for modular office furniture, or in the signage for a large institution. They are also engaged in conceptual research organizations, product planning groups, and consumer advisory panels. Industrial design practice, whether in consulting or corporate offices, is nearly always a team effort involving engineering, manufacturing, marketing, advertising, and other specialties.
The curriculum combines courses in humanities, sciences, arts, and fine arts with those of the professional discipline. There are both academic and studio requirements; total credit hours are about evenly divided between the two. Studio courses emphasize visual experience to develop:
- creative ability
- skills in visual communication
- hands-on experience with technology
- the ability to conduct independent research
There are general education requirements in history, behavioral science, and a series of business and economics electives.