Choosing Industrial Design Programs

All industrial design programs teach the fundamentals, guiding students through the process of product creation—from making initial drawings of would-be products, to building 3D mock-ups and models, to developing prototypes and planning the manufacturing process. Beyond the basics, though, industrial design schools can vary considerably in how they prepare you for your career. With this in mind, here are some things to consider when choosing a school:

Convenience

The first thing to consider when narrowing down your list of industrial design programs is how each individual program will mesh with your lifestyle. Are you willing to move, or do you need to find a school near your current location? Can you study full-time, or do you need to attend classes part-time or in the evenings? How much tuition can you afford? Answering these basic questions should help you focus in on the handful of industrial design programs you should investigate further.

Focus

While most industrial design programs will introduce you to a broad range of concepts, individual schools may be tend toward producing designers who work in certain environments, with certain materials, or producing certain categories of products. For example, some industrial design schools may tend to produce independent design consultants who work with environmentally sustainable materials to produce furniture and household items, while others may tend to train designers who work in corporate environments designing medical products or consumer electronics.

Faculty

Your professors' training and experience in the industrial design career field will inevitably be a huge influence on your own career, so when you're looking at industrial design programs, study the faculty's backgrounds carefully. What are their areas of interest? Have they worked as professional designers? It's important to know what your potential teachers' perspectives are before you sign on to let them guide your education.

Facilities

What sorts of studio space, computer labs and library materials do your prospective industrial design schools provide? You should have access to relevant industrial design publications, state-of-the-art wood and metal working studios, and training on the latest software.

Internships

Many industrial design programs send students out to work for several different companies as part of their training process. Do your prospective industrial design schools offer internship programs? Which companies do they have relationships with? What types of products do these companies create? Your internship experience will play a huge role in determining your future industrial design job possibilities, so be sure that your school's ties to industry align with your interests.

Reputation and Accreditation

Attending an accredited industrial design program will help guarantee that you're receiving a high-quality education, that you'll be able to transfer your credits to another accredited program if you so choose, and that you'll be able to go to graduate school. In addition to accreditation, you should ask around to find out about your school's reputation in the industry. The more well respected your program is, the better off you are.

Career Placement and Graduate Success

The industrial design program you choose should have a track record of producing successful graduates. It should also offer you career placement services to help you find a job after you graduate. What types of careers have your prospective schools' graduates gone on to? Do they have strong industry relationships, long lists of job opportunities, and career counselors waiting to guide you? If so, you're likely on your way to a promising industrial design career.

If you're ready to get started, take the first step by browsing our directory of industrial design schools.