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.
Finally, a Home
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.
Join us for the 2025 Doctoral Research Symposium at NC State Design — Visual Methodologies in Design Research: Potentials and Pitfalls
This year’s symposium explores the evolving role of visual methods in design-based inquiry — from augmented reality to behavior mapping, from visual data collection to philosophical reflections on what visual knowledge means.
🗓️ August 15 🕘 9:00 AM – 1:30 PM ET 📍 North Carolina State University | Virtual Only 💻 Free and open to the public 🔗 Register in our bio
During the symposium, speakers and panelists will help us expand the ways we see, map and understand the world:
👁️ Panel 1 – Visual Data Collection Methods 🎙️ Moderated by Victoria J. Gallagher, NC State University College of Humanities and Social Sciences 🔸 Tony Liao, University of Houston 🔸 Anjali Joseph, Clemson University 🔸 Nilda Cosco, PhD & Robin Moore, NC State College of Design
🗺️ Panel 2 – Visual Mapping and Data Analysis 🎙️ Moderated by Todd Berreth 🔸 Bo Zhang, Oklahoma State University 🔸 Sara Queen, NC State College of Design 🔸 Lucas Noldus, Noldus Information Technology
🎤 Keynote Address: Molly Briggs, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 🎓 Closing Remarks: Dr. Elen Deming 👋 Welcome from Newton Dsouza, NC State Design Doctoral Programs
We’re looking forward to some powerful conversations — hope to see you there!...
🎮 From imposter syndrome to @nintendoamerica — @ncstate_gxid student Josue Avalos Jimenez is turning his design dreams into reality.
As a Caldwell Fellow and Graphic & Experience Design major, he’s learning that leadership isn’t always loud — it’s empathetic, intentional and collaborative.
📲 Tap the link in our bio to read how Josue found confidence, community and creativity behind the scenes at one of the world’s most iconic gaming companies....
That’s a wrap on our takeover! 🎬✨ Thanks for following along with us this past week as we shared a peek into the magic of Design Camp!
We’re endlessly grateful to everyone who makes this program possible, from our incredible staff, to the College of Design’s Facilities crew, Materials Lab, Student Services, and the amazing alumni who gave their time and stories.
It truly takes a village to run Design Camp, and Abby and I are so lucky to be part of this one. ❤️
Want to stay connected with all things Design Lab? Follow us at @ncstatedesignlab for updates, behind-the-scenes moments, and more creative energy all year long!
It’s the last day of our Design Immersions Residential Camp 😭 but we couldn’t leave without asking: what’s ONE WORD to sum it all up? Spoiler: it’s not ice cream. 🐄🍦
If you’ve been to Design Camp, drop your one word in the comments. 💬
As @ncstatedesignlab continues our takeover of @ncstatedesign this week, we’d like to celebrate the people who make Design Camp what it is…
47 kind, creative, and hardworking team members who show up every single day with heart. There have been countless moments of leadership, collaboration, and thoughtfulness.
Thank you all for making this summer unforgettable. We couldn’t do it without you! 💛
We still have more camp ahead, but this team deserves all the love.
(Did you work with us this summer? Then yes, that is our dearest team member Rumpus at the end.)
Hey everyone! Ashley Davis here to share a behind the scenes tour of @ncstatedesignlab’s Design Camp 2025. I hope you enjoy getting a glimpse of our Leazar Hall takeover.
Celebrating 4️⃣5️⃣ years of turning chaos into creativity, and glitter into gold. Design Camp is in full swing this summer! 🥳🎂
🚨 We’ve got a special takeover next week by the folks who made the magic happen: the @ncstatedesignlab staff and counselors. Be sure to tune in to get an inside look at all of the activities and excitement that take place in the studios of Leazar Hall. 🎨👀...
🎥 From the studio to the screen to the virtual world.
The College of Design is embracing the future of filmmaking through virtual production, blending architecture, animation and immersive storytelling. This behind-the-scenes look at our collaboration with industry pros shows how design education is evolving to meet the moment.
Read more about how our students are making their mark in the world of virtual production in the 2025 issue of Designlife Magazine: 🔗 in bio...
