Bachelor of Science in Industrial Design

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.

 
Wellness Requirement
APPH 1040Scientific Foundations of Health2
or APPH 1050 The Science of Physical Activity and Health
or APPH 1060 Flourishing: Strategies for Well-being and Resilience
Core IMPACTS
Institutional Priority
CS 1315Introduction to Media Computation3
Mathematics and Quantitative Skills
MATH 1552Integral Calculus4
Political Science and U.S. History
HIST 2111The United States to 18773
or HIST 2112 The United States since 1877
or INTA 1200 American Government in Comparative Perspective
or POL 1101 Government of the United States
or PUBP 3000 American Constitutional Issues
Art, Humanities, and Ethics
Any HUM 3
ID 2242History of Art 23
Communicating in Writing
ENGL 1101English Composition I3
ENGL 1102English Composition II3
Technology, Mathematics, and Sciences
Lab Science 4
PHYS 2211Introductory Physics I 14
MATH 1551Differential Calculus2
MATH 1553Introduction to Linear Algebra2
Social Sciences
Any SS9
Field of Study
ID 1011Industrial Design Fundamentals 12
ID 1012Industrial Design Fundamentals 22
ID 1101Introduction to Industrial Design 11
ID 1102Introduction to Industrial Design 21
ID 1401Introduction to Graphic Communications 11
ID 1402Introduction to Graphic Communications 21
ID 1418Introduction to Sketching and Modeling 11
ID 1419Introduction to Sketching and Modeling 21
ID 2023Industrial Design Studio 13
ID 2024Industrial Design Studio 23
Major Requirements
ID 2101Digital Design Methods3
ID 21023D Modeling2
ID 2202History of Modern Industrial Design3
ID 2320Human Factors in Design3
ID 2325User Centered Design Methods3
ID 2510Introduction to Smart Product Design3
ID 3031Health Design Studio 14
or ID 3041 Product Development Studio 1
or ID 3051 Interactive Product Design Studio 1
ID 3032Health Design Studio 24
or ID 3042 Product Development Studio 2
or ID 3052 Interactive Product Design Studio 2
ID 3301Materials I: Renewables3
ID 3302Materials and Processes II: Nonrenewables3
ID 4061ID Capstone Design Studio 14
or ID 4071 Invention Studio 1
or ID 4081 ID/ME Collaborative Design Studio 1
ID 4062ID Capstone Design Studio 24
or ID 4072 Invention Studio 2
or ID 4082 ID/ME Collaborative Design Studio 2
ID 3320Design Methods: User Centered Design3
ID 4206Culture of Objects: A Seminar on the Design and Culture of Objects3
Departmental Electives
Any ID course12
Free Electives
Free Electives12
Total Credit Hours130

Pass-fail only allowed for Free Electives. 

1

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.