The Industrial Design Program prepares students to be creative, practical, user-centered, aesthetics-focused, problem-solving, and opportunity-exploring designers, design strategists, or design leaders.
The NC State University Industrial Design Program is one of the top professional programs in this discipline in the country. The program offers Bachelor of Industrial Design (BID) and Master of Industrial Design (MID) degrees, both accredited by The National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).
Students learn and practice design in a studio environment very similar to that of professional design offices. Students methodically study human physical and cognitive interaction with artifacts and services in order to discover user experience insights and then create innovative solutions to design problems. The dynamic and sophisticated balance of form, function, innovation, and practicality are constantly debated and articulated throughout the journey to better design.
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Over the past 40 years, the Industrial Design program at NC State has grown into one of the highest-ranked ID programs in the U.S. Its graduates go on to be designers at companies like IBM, Adidas, and Under Armour. Its faculty partner on grants from the NIH to tackle human centered design for maternal and fetal medicine. Finally, the program will be moving to a dedicated space where they can work collaboratively and creatively.
The Industrial Design faculty have joined NC State University from prestigious institutions around the world, each bringing years of experience in design, research, innovation, and education. The graduates from the program are enhancing the quality of life experiences with the creative design of products, services, branding, and communication systems for companies such as IDEO, Nike, Volvo, IBM, Toshiba, Dell, Pentagram, PepsiCo, RKS Design, Microsoft, The Smithsonian, Adidas, Hasbro, Target, and Bosch.
Industrial design is the professional service of creating and developing concepts and specifications that optimize the function, value, and appearance of products and systems for the mutual benefit of both user and manufacturer. Industrial designers develop these concepts and specifications for the user and manufacturer through the collection, analysis, and synthesis of data, often within the context of cooperative working relationships with other members of a development group such as management, marketing, engineering, and manufacturing specialists. They then communicate their clear and concise recommendations through drawings, models, and verbal descriptions that embody all relevant design criteria determined by the group.
The industrial designer’s unique contribution emphasizes those aspects of the product or system that relate most directly to human characteristics, needs, experiences, and interests. This contribution requires specialized understanding of visual, spatial, and tactile senses as well as product safety and convenience criteria. Industrial designers are experts in anticipating psychological, physiological and sociological factors and perceptions that influence users of products and services. Industrial designers also maintain a practical concern for the technical processes and requirements for manufacturing; marketing opportunities and economic constraints; and regulatory requirements relevant to good design.
In addition to supplying concepts for products and systems, industrial designers are often retained for consultation on a variety of problems that have to do with product and organization identity systems, development of communication systems, interior and exhibit design, advertising devices and packaging, and other related services. Their expertise is often sought in a wide variety of administrative arenas to assist in developing industry standards, regulatory guidelines, and quality control procedures to improve manufacturing operations and products. Industrial designers are guided by a professional obligation to protect the public safety and well-being, to respect the environment, and to observe contractual and ethical business practices.
🚀 Detroit, we’re here! Kicking off the @intldesignconf with a fantastic alumni and friends meetup!
So excited to reconnect with our amazing @ncstate_gxid community. There’s nothing like bringing together brilliant minds who are shaping the future of #industrialdesign #GoPack...
NEW interdisciplinary study abroad in Scandinavia! Info session Wed @ 12:30 in KAM 130. #circulardesign #sustainability #design #architecture #copenhagen #malmö...
HUGE congrats to the incredible Graphic and Experience Design and Industrial Design Class of 2025! Your talent, hard work, and innovative spirit have shone brightly. We can’t wait to see where you go next! 🚀
Join us as we celebrate the culmination of creativity and innovation at the #IndustrialDesign Senior Show! Our graduating designers will showcase their groundbreaking projects that merge form, function, and forward thinking.
📆 Wednesday, May 1 ⏰ 5:30 PM 📍 111 Lampe, NC State College of Design
Light refreshments will be served as you explore the amazing work of our talented seniors. Don’t miss this opportunity to see the future of design!
The Student Merit Awards, organized by the Industrial Designers Society of America, recognize top graduating students who demonstrate excellence in design, leadership, and innovation. JD and Asa were selected to represent NC State after presenting their work to a panel of professional designers — and they did an incredible job!
Huge thanks to our judges for their time, insight, and support of emerging talent.
We’re so proud of all the students who shared their work — it was an inspiring day of design, reflection, and community. ❤️
We’re still reeling from our externship with Lenovo—see what we did there? 😉
From studio tours to accessibility testing, portfolio reviews, and connecting with alumni, this experience gave our GXID students an unforgettable look at innovation in action.
Big thanks again to Katie-Gray Jackson (‘18) and Brian Leonard (‘89, ‘91) for making it all happen!
And with that, we`ve closed out our speaker events for the year! 🎬🎬
Thanks to everyone who came out for Danny Stillion’s public lecture yesterday! This alumni shared valuable insights on how AI can support human creativity and shift the way we approach design.
What a joy it was to host VP of Design for Platform & Growth at IBM, Joni Saylor last week as our final Eastman innovation speaker this semester. Many thanks to her and the incredible #IBM #industrialdesign and #UX team members who also joined us....
