Undergraduate education in industrial design at Georgia Tech leads to the Bachelor of Science Degree in Industrial Design that is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). The undergraduate program prepares students for a career in design practice as well as for graduate education in industrial design and in other related fields. The School of Industrial Design at Georgia Tech offers the only industrial design degree program in the University System of Georgia.

Industrial design is the professional practice of creating products that enhance the function, usability, value, and appearance of products, services, systems, and experiences with the goal of benefiting the user, manufacturer, community, and the environment. Industrial design education prepares students to design systems and tangible artifacts including, consumer and recreational products, business and industrial products, medical and computer equipment, transportation and environments, as well as user experience and interfaces. Both generalist and specialist, industrial designers tend to be part artist, part entrepreneur, and part engineer.

Cross-disciplinary education is the primary focus of the four-year industrial design program. The university education provides:

1. an understanding of the arts (liberal and visual arts), technology (engineering and sciences), humanities (sociology and psychology), and management (marketing and branding),
2. a collaborative and shared education through an emphasis on the design studio, and
3. an opportunity to periodically participate in real-life design projects through sponsored studio projects.

The undergraduate program offers a well-rounded course of study with an emphasis on critical thinking, basic design, design skills, and design communication. There are 6 industrial design studios after the first-year suite of introductory design classes. The industrial design studios focus on a sequential learning path which begins with form making to product design to post design that involves development and manufacturing. Design projects stress developing a broad education through an exposure to academic and professional considerations. The School encourages students to develop a diverse background in order to expand individual talents and respond to emerging opportunities in the field. Faculty members are scholars and design practitioners, giving students the opportunity to learn about both.

The faculty reserves the right to refuse credit for any project executed outside the precincts of the College or otherwise executed without proper coordination with the instructor.

Grade Requirements

All required industrial design courses must be completed with a grade of C or higher. A student may not enter a more advanced studio design course until this requirement is met; students with such academic deficiencies may be required to delay their studies for one year. Studio design courses must be taken in sequence beginning fall semester. A maximum of 9 credit hours may be taken on a pass/fail basis. Only courses taken as free electives in the undergraduate curriculum maybe taken for pass/fail credit. See "Information for Undergraduate Students" for Institute regulations regarding pass/fail courses.

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If PHYS 2231 (5 credit hours) is taken, excess hour applies to Free Electives.

International Plan

The International Plan offers a challenging academic program that develops global competence within the context of Industrial Design.

The International Plan is a four-year program that builds global competence by requiring students to spend two full terms at an Industrial Design program in another country, to develop a proficiency in a second language, and to take internationally oriented coursework. This experience provides students a deeper global competency than traditional international opportunities. The eight-semester sequence is structured to allow for the Fall and Spring third year semester to be completed at an industrial design program in another country. Students are responsible for locating those courses at the host institution that will serve as equivalents to the courses listed in the curriculum.

Degree requirements are not modified but are satisfied with specialized courses and appropriate choices of elective courses, which includes globally focused courses within the major area and a capstone Senior Studio: Global Awareness. Consult with the Industrial Design Program for the suggested curriculum.

All International Plan participants must develop proficiency in a language other than English. Unless otherwise approved, the language chosen to fulfill this requirement will have a relationship to the country or region in which the student plans to fulfill the 26 week requirement. Any variance will require approval from the IP faculty representative and the IP Committee.

Admission Requirements

• Applicants must be undergraduate degree-seeking Georgia Tech students in one of the participating majors.
• Students must submit an application via the International Plan website. Notification of acceptance will be communicated via the student's Georgia Tech e-mail address.
• There is no GPA requirement for first-semester freshmen applying to the International Plan. All other applicants must have at least a 2.5 GPA at the time of application.