The Department of Industrial Design

The Industrial Design program focuses on teaching the skills, knowledge, and dispositions required to facilitate product design for manufacturing industries. An industrial designer typically creates new product ideas or re-designs existing products in a collaborative effort with marketing, engineering, and production teams. Designers create and develop product ideas and then communicate those ideas to clients and production entities through technical drawings, concept and final renderings, mock-ups, models and prototypes.

The curriculum at MSU Denver prepares students for professional design practice by teaching graphic and verbal presentation skills as well as hands on technical skills to enhance their innate creativity. Collaborative projects with other disciplines and industry partners are a vital part of the curriculum and typically occur in the design studio classes. Students also do a professional internship as their senior experience to further enhance the real world learning the department strives for. Students are required to pass through a portfolio review process at the end of the sophomore year to allow registration for upper division studio courses thus maintaining the quality of the program's graduates. The details of this process are outlined on the department website and available in hard copy at the department office- TE-124.Graduates earn a Bachelor of Science Degree. A minor in Industrial Design is also available.

The program is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) and works with the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) to enhance the profession. The department has an active student IDSA chapter and faculty involved in the national leadership of IDSA. Through this solid foundation of an accredited curriculum, and real world learning opportunities, the program's graduates are well equipped to meet the challenges of the competitive Industrial Design industry.

12-13 Program Information Packet (Acrobat Icon 1,437 KB) (with updated information about minor in IND)

Mission

The mission of the Industrial Design Department is to provide quality education in preparing students for progressive professional positions in the practice of Industrial Design.

The department goals to fulfill the mission are:

  • to employ faculty who have appropriate academic training in relevant disciplines; who demonstrate excellence in teaching, are actively involved in professional development and research, as well as service to the university and the community; and who bring real-world experience and knowledge to enhance our educational program;
  • to offer a curriculum that continually develops the skills, knowledge, and dispositions that allow success in the practice of Industrial Design, while incorporating the most current technologies used in the field;
  • to develop new strategies and innovative approaches to delivering instruction, emphasizing practical experience and progressive thinking, that prepare students for entry-level positions in Industrial Design,
  • to encourage students to become lifelong learners inspired by diverse disciplines and cultures, and prepare them for graduate study and life in a multicultural, global society.



Policies

Department Policies

Test challenge of courses: Only IND 1450- Industrial Drawing and CAD is open to test challenge. Contact the instructor of this course if you wish to test challenge the course. Copies of the College policies relevant to test challenge are available online or at the department office in the Technology Building (TE) room 124.

Advising: All students that have declared Industrial Design as their major have been ASSIGNED TO SPECIFIC ADVISORS in the department. Each full time faculty is available to assist students with advising issues. A master list of assigned advisees is kept in the department office in the Technology Building (TE) room 124. Be SURE to speak with an advisor with the ID department before taking courses! Feel free to visit TE 124, call 303-556-2916 or contact the faculty person directly for an appointment.

Portfolio review: All students are required to submit a portfolio, for review by the faculty, after completion of IND 2450- Beginning Industrial Design Studio. Passing the portfolio review allows access to the upper division studio courses. These courses are definitive to Industrial Design graduates and require a passing portfolio before they can be taken. This process is required for NASAD accreditation and helps control the quantity and quality of the program’s graduates for the benefit of the profession.

Academic, University and Campus Policies, Procedures and Forms

Visit the Academic, University and Campus Policies, Procedures and Forms site.

Accreditation

The Industrial Design major is now accredited by the National Association For Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). NASAD is the only accreditation that the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) recognizes.

The Metropolitan State University of Denver is also accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.