Industrial Design

Course Overview

The Master of Industrial Design degree is intended as preparation for students assuming responsible roles in the profession of Industrial Design. Currently, within the profession and in industrial design education, this degree is considered the terminal industrial design degree. The program offers the Master of Industrial Design accredited by NASAD, and ranked among the top graduate programs in the US. Students learn and practice design in a studio environment similar to professional design offices. Students methodically study peoples' physical and cognitive experiences during their interaction with artifacts and services in order to discover user insights and create innovative solutions. During the design process, students are expected to creatively and critically contemplate the broader impact of their works on society and the world in addition to business and organizational implications. The dynamic and sophisticated balances between form and function and innovation and practicality are constantly debated and articulated throughout the students' journey to better design. The department is proud of the decades of excellence in design practice and design thinking promulgated by its graduates. Their work informs, persuades and delights. The program teaches from a generalist viewpoint and deals with all aspects of machine-made products and their relationship to people and the environment. Of particular interest to the faculty is the contribution graduate students can make to an emerging design research culture.