Industrial Design, B.S.

NOTE: THIS PROGRAM IS NO LONGER ACCEPTING NEW STUDENTS OR INTERNAL TRANSFERS

Arnold Bernhard Center
Telephone: (203) 576-4034

Curriculum and Program Requirements

The four-year Industrial Design program emphasizes conceptualization, design, and production of products for personal, home, industrial, and commercial use, rang­ing from domestic and consumer products to medical, entertainment, and more. Stu­dents learn to design and develop product concepts, visualize them using the latest computer technology, and build models in a well-equipped model shop or computer lab. Students learn presentation skills to demon­strate their creative and unique solutions. Ad­vanced industrial design topics include UI/ UX, VR, ergonomics, materials and manufac­turing, and marketing.

Students take courses in sketching, model making, materials and manufacture technol­ogies, CAD (such as computer-aided design and rapid prototyping), the design process, design thinking and design history. Pack­age design, smartphones, lighting, furniture, home appliances, exhibit design, computer rendering, 3D printing, model making and more: all part of the SASD Industrial Design Curriculum.

Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate ability to identify, analyze, and solve industrial design problems.
   Assessment: Portfolio projects appropri­ately respond to project briefs, and are clear, focused, expressive, and commu­nicative solutions to the stated problems.
2. Demonstrate mastery of design tools, techniques, and concepts in industrial design.
   Assessment: Projects and portfolios that evidence craftsmanship, adherence to project parameters, and appropriate se­lection of materials, manufacturing tech­niques, and implementation.
3. Demonstrate an understanding of the aesthetics of form development and of the history and current state of design.
   Assessment: Projects, papers, and presen­tations for art and design history courses; in studio courses, projects that appropri­ately reference historical precedents and stylistic movements in industrial design.
4. Demonstrate proficiency in selec­tion and use of relevant technologies in design. Abilities to use available technical and industrial processes to produce a design product, and to de­sign and implement such a process.
   Assessment: Project and portfolio solu­tions are made with the appropriate tech­nology or software for the final applica­tion. Projects are planned to be feasibly reproducible by industrial/commercial means rather than by one-off or by hand.
5. Demonstrate an understanding of the cultural and societal connections link­ing industrial design trends and pro­cesses as well as a knowledge of busi­ness practices and of the market place.
   Assessment: Projects and portfolio solu­tions that are culturally- and audience-appropriate for the problem as posed by the brief for the project
6. Demonstrate proficiency in presenting their own work as well as discussing and constructively critiquing the work of others.
   Assessment: Active participation in class critiques; clear, thoughtful presentation of students’ own projects, ability to give, ac­cept, and incorporate feedback.

SASD’s Bachelor of Science in Industrial De­sign degree is accredited by National Associ­ation of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD), the governing body of undergraduate and graduate art and design schools.