Professional industrial designers work at the intersection of art, business, and technology. Through research and experience, designers enrich the lives of those around us, by interpreting our psychological and social desires/aspirations into the objects we interact with daily. Industrial Designers help provide visual order and structure for the companies they serve, as well as empathy for the environmental and social issues, and enjoyment of our world.

Your studies will begin with a Foundation Year of Design and Drawing classes, which are taken by every student majoring in any of the three Department of Design & Facilities programs (which include Industrial Design, Interior Design, and Facilities Planning & Management.) You will be encouraged to explore and expand your skills to prepare you for the rigor of your first studio classes in your Sophomore year. The Department is one of the few academic units in the United States that has dedicated studio space for sophomores as well as the juniors and seniors.

Much of your education will be studio based projects as well as courses in drawing, model making, manufacturing technologies (such as computer-aided design and rapid prototyping), user research, design history, and the successful completion of two co-op work semesters beginning in the junior year. Co-op experiences are designed to complement the studio curriculum.

This program is accredited by NASAD, the National Association of Schools of Art and Design. (See nasad.arts-accredit.org for information about NASAD accreditation.)

See photos of student work

• Gallery: Foundation Year final projects

As a graduate you will have opportunities to create for mass and private markets. Areas of possibility include, consumer products, education, toy, sports and medical equipment, foot ware, house wares, 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 nations leading brands. As they continue to grow, graduates often end up in leadership roles within their respective companies, making top-level decisions as a design director, or creative manager.

Course of Study - BIND

First Year Fall Semester

• Design I
• Drawing I
• Introduction to Computer Graphics
• English I
• Design History I
  

First Year Spring Semester

• Design II
• English II
• Design History II
• CAD I
• Visualization I: Perspective Drawing
  

Second Year Fall Semester

• Social Science Elective
• Modeling Techniques I
• Industrial Design I: Studio
• Visualization II: Ideation
• Materials and Manufacturing
  

Second Year Spring Semester

• Writing Competency Assessment
• Social Science Elective
• Industrial Design II: Studio
• Visualization III: Rendering Techniques
• Modeling Techniques II
• Plane and Solid Geometry
  

Second Year Summer Semester

• Pre-Cooperative Work Semester (Optional)
  

Third Year Fall Semester

• Conceptual Physics
• Visualization IV: Information Architecture
• CAD II
• Industrial Design III: Studio
• Human Factors in Design
  

Third Year Spring Semester

• Cooperative Work Semester I

Third Year Summer Semester

• Humanities/Social Science Elective
• Technical Elective
• Industrial Design IV: Studio
• CAD III: 3-D Modeling
  

Fourth Year Fall Semester

• Cooperative Work Semester II
  

Fourth Year Spring Semester

• Business Communications
• Humanities or Social Science Elective
• Design Perspectives: Topics of History
• Industrial Design V: Studio
• Directed Studies Research

Fourth Year Summer Semester

• Professional Practice
• Humanities/Social Science Elective
• Directed Studies Studio
• Senior Seminar
  

Department of Design & Facilities, Additional Information
The Department of Design & Facilities at Wentworth Institute of Technology offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Industrial Design (program described above), Interior Design, and Facilities Planning & Management.

The Course of Study guide above is intended for comparative reference only and is subject to change. Please refer to the Wentworth Institute of Technology Course Catalog for detailed course descriptions, departmental requirements, pre-requisites, and institutional policies.

You may contact the Wentworth Admissions Office at 617-989-4000 or 800-556-0610 or via e-mail at admissions@wit.edu if you have questions about the Admissions Process.

Please contact the Department of Design & Facilities directly at 617-989-4050 if you have questions about this course of study.

Refer to the Course Catalog for course descriptions.