Industrial Design Online
Industrial Design Student Gallery
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Program Description
The School of Industrial Design currently offers online courses toward
Master of Fine Arts (MFA),
Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), and
Associate of Arts (AA) degree programs.
It is the mission of the School of Industrial Design to establish the preeminent design program in
the country. Measurement of our achievement of this mission will be reflected by the following:
placement of students in industry-leading firms; maintaining top teaching staff who are practicing
professionals; increasing students' and professional instructors' exposure to the design and
business community by participating in and organizing events and workshops; and providing students
with the technical skill base enabling them to remain employable.
Our faculty members come from the many award-winning Bay Area design studios, which offer
internships year-round. Some of the companies where our students have interned include Frog Design,
Astro Design, Pentagram, New Deal Design, Daimler Chrysler, General Motors, Audi of America,
Volkswagen AG, and Leap Frog.
The MFA program offers studio courses that hone the student’s mastery of industrial design skill sets to accurately communicate ideas visually. Students will work on independent and group projects under technical and creative guidance from faculty who are also professional designers in the field. The program emphasizes the identification and resolution of social, economic and technical design problems. Prior to the final year of study at their mid-point review, students will propose a project for their thesis to a review committee. Upon the approval of the project, students then proceed through three semesters of Directed Study with faculty mentors and experts in industrial design or fields relevant to the student’s research. During the course of the thesis, students will be exposed to expertise in design aesthetics, digital technology, critical thinking, and communication. The final thesis must define a social or cultural benefit, address economic factors to define a successful path, and incorporate technical reference to demonstrate a viable conceptual basis for the thesis topic.
BFA candidates begin with their study acquiring fundamental skills and knowledge by taking courses in drawing, model-making, and digital media. Once students proceed to design courses, they are assigned to projects in which they apply critical thinking to identify and solve problems accordingly, utilizing the skills and knowledge acquired during previous semesters. The program emphasizes critical thinking, the identification and resolution of design problems and the nurturing of creativity and innovation. Students are expected to achieve expertise in problem solving processes, while gaining exposure to the design and business community. Final projects include a thorough analysis of the target market, concept development and refinement, aesthetic perspective, design finalization, and final presentation.
The AA degree is equivalent to the first two years of the BFA program, which introduces the candidates to the field of industrial design.
Concentrations Offered in BFA Program
Furniture Design
Product Design
Toy Design
Transportation Design
Career Opportunities
Automotive Designers
Corporate Design Managers
Product Designers with Corporate Design Firms
Industrial Designers with Consulting Firms
Entrepreneur Design Firm Owners
Freelance Designers
Alias Operators
Toy Designers
Sports & Recreational Equipment Designers
Furniture Designers
Firms Hiring Our Graduates
Audi
Steelcase
General Motors
Fox Racing
Nike
Pentagram
New Deal Design
Samsung
Daimler Chrysler
Williams Sonoma
Black and Decker
North Faith
Hyundai
Mazda
Course Hardware Requirements
The Industrial Design Department has online classes that require software that is only available for the PC. Please refer to the individual online class description pages of the catalog to identify particular online courses with specific software requirements. It is recommended that online students refer to these pages prior to purchasing a new computer.
More Information on Programs
Check the Online Course Schedule to see which courses are being offered next semester. If you are interested in the online Photography program or other online programs, please contact us:
- Online: Request Information, or call
- Telephone: 1-800-544-2787
Contact
If you have any additional questions, please contact:
Online:
Request Information
Telephone: 1.800.544.ARTS