Overview
The study of Industrial Design at NC State University is a four-year (eight-semester) program that awards a professional Bachelor of Industrial Design (BID) degree after the fulfillment of all academic requirements.
Freshman Year
This first year design curriculum establishes a solid foundation for the creative, generative, and evaluative phases of design that are common to all design practices.
In the first semester of freshman year, Industrial Design students learn the basic principles of design, design processes, design vocabulary, and disciplined work habits in mixed studio and lecture classes with all other majors in the College of Design.
The second semester of freshman year is an Industrial Design major-specific mix of studio and lecture classes for the students to continue their education in the design of physical artifacts in the natural and built environment.
Sophomore Year
In the fall semester of sophomore year, students begin a studio sequence of practical project-based learning, similar to a professional design office, as well as exposure to more advanced theories and principles of design. The students learn the critical methodologies and skills specific to industrial design as they compile their projects and processes into a portfolio of work relevant to their careers. Opportunities are provided for students to participate in collaborative studio projects with industry partners in order to conduct user-based research and engage in the design and development of professional-level projects.
In addition to the 6 credit-hour studio classes, ID students are co-enrolled in sequential 3 credit-hour support classes which cover a broad array of topics essential to the profession of Industrial Design. These include ideation and design sketching, digital visual communication, materials and processes of manufacturing, design methods, design history, and human-centered design/ergonomics. Students apply the skills and knowledge provided in these support classes to the studio work to create an interwoven, integrated method of learning that progressively prepares the students for the advanced challenges of the program.
Courses and Curriculum
Learning Objectives and Outcomes
Learning Objective:
Foundational, intermediate, and advanced designing of products and systems in terms of how they are developed, realized, and distributed; how do they address user needs of value, aesthetics, functionality, and safety; and how are they relevant to environmental, ecological, and societal issues of responsible universal design.
Outcomes
- Students will address issues of scale and complexity in framing and solving design problems through practices such as interdisciplinary collaboration, system-level design methods, division of labor, and concern for user experience.
- Students framed, solved, and evaluated design problems in terms of the fit between form and context; usefulness/usability and desirability; feasibility and viability; and sustainability.
- Students will demonstrate concern for designing for and with people by applying user-centered methods; recognizing social and cultural perspectives; resolving competing values in design solutions; and addressing increasing need for user participation in the design process.
- Students will use research as an integral component of their design process, demonstrating a basic understanding of research methods and the ability to read and use research findings in studio-based work.