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Professional industrial designers (product designers) work at the intersection of art, business, and technology to provide innovative vision for companies, services, and individuals. Using research and experience as catalysts, designers translate our psychological, social desires and aspirations into improved products and systems for better enjoyment of our world.
As a graduate, you will have opportunities to create products for all levels of production. Areas of possibility include consumer electronics, education, toys, sports, medical equipment, footwear, housewares, furniture, and exhibit design. Many graduates begin their careers immediately, designing either as a consultant, or as an in-house designer for some of the nation’s leading brands. As they continue to grow professionally, graduates often end up in leadership roles within their respective companies, making top-level decisions as a design director or creative manager.
Much of your educational experience will consist of experiential project-based studios, as well as courses in drawing, model making, manufacturing technologies (such as computer-aided design and rapid prototyping), user research, and design history. Classroom and studio experiences are complemented by two required cooperative work experiences. The co-op experience reinforces curricular goals and accelerates an understanding of professional practice.
Wentworth’s Industrial Design program leads to a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Design. It is a four-year program, fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).
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Industrial designers are artists, makers, creative problem solvers, and anyone who wants to make the world a better place. By understanding how people interact with the physical world, we create products, services, and solutions to improve peoples lives every day. Imagine an education where art and technology come together—a world where people are wearing shoes, riding bikes, playing with toys, and interacting with the digital devices you designed.
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The Bachelor of Science in Industrial Design is a four-year program, which begins in the fall semester of the student’s first year and is planned to end after the summer semester of the student’s fourth year. Much of your educational experience will consist of experiential project-based studios, as well as courses in drawing, model making, manufacturing technologies (such as computer-aided design and rapid prototyping), user research, and design history. Classroom and studio experiences are complemented by two required cooperative work experiences. The co-op experience reinforces curricular goals and accelerates an understanding of professional practice.
Visit the Course Catalog for information about program requirements.
For an overview of the year-by-year experience in the Bachelor of Science in Industrial Design program, see "What You'll Learn" below.
What You’ll Learn
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Year 1
You’ll establish a foundation for your Industrial Design program by taking introductory courses in visualization, color & composition, and visual communication, which will instill core design concepts that you’ll use throughout the program. You’ll begin work in the studio, which advances an understanding of design principles through a thematic series of three-dimensional projects.
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Year 2
Second-year industrial design students continue their studio work and expand their knowledge with courses like Conceptual Physics, which surveys physics and its applications to modern life. You’ll also work with CAD and continue to establish a firm understanding of visualization concepts.
An optional pre co-op work term is available to students during the summer semester.
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Year 3
In the fall and summer semesters of your third year, you’ll take courses like Information Architecture, which is a studio-based design course that develops each student's awareness and understanding of the visual language that designers use to graphically communicate information and meaning. In Human Factors in Design, you’ll delve into how humans interact with products and how design can affect those interactions.
In the spring, you’ll begin the first of two required co-ops.
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Year 4
In the fall, you’ll go on your second required co-op to gain more hands-on industry experience.
The remainder of your program includes Business in Design, which examines the business of design practice by focusing on client/project management, marketing, professional communication, and entrepreneurship. You’ll also finish your program with your senior capstone project.