BS Industrial Design Program

The Program

The faculty believe that an appropriate education for the professional designer must include a comprehensive body of technical knowledge involving historical sources, tools, techniques, and materials. In addition, a methodology for encouraging the creative problem solving process; and the attainment of the requisite level of skill to express visual ideas with clarity must be obtained. While being fully equipped to meet the objectives of the global marketplace, today’s designer must also achieve sufficient educational breadth to adapt successfully to the varying demands imposed on their work by economic, social and psychological factors.

The Bachelor of Science in Industrial Design is comprised of 132 semester units. The program prepares designers for professional practice, whose function will be to help shape the products and systems produced by industrial processes. The curriculum includes studies in rapid visualization, aesthetics, materials and processes, presentation techniques, design methodology, product development, human factors, product costing, and financing principles. Students often have an opportunity to work directly with industry professionals through internships or as team members on sponsored projects. Participating companies have included Oakley, Xerox, Unisys, General Electric, Hewlett Packard, NCR, Apple, Chrysler, General Motors, Hitachi, Toyota, Kawasaki, InFocus, Compaq and Nike. Graduates have found positions in a wide variety of industries, including motion picture special effects, medical and dental equipment, computer and microchip technology, small appliances, as well as air, water and land transportation. The Industrial Design program has an international reputation, attracting a substantial number of foreign undergraduate and graduate students, including exchange students and Fulbright Scholars.

Program Accreditation

The program is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). NASAD, founded in 1944, is an organization of schools, colleges, and universities. It has approximately 240 accredited institutional members. It establishes national standards for undergraduate and graduate degrees and other credentials.

Portfolio Review

Prior to admittance into Junior and Senior studio courses, all students who wish to enter the CSULB Industrial Design program must complete a portfolio review. The portfolio review is a competitive review process. The portfolio is a document that includes work created in the first and second years of Pre-Design at California State University, Long Beach. Please see Industrial Design Flow Chart and the CSULB catalog for specific class requirements and descriptions.

The Facilities

The department’s academic facilities provide dedicated and controlled access semi-private studio workspaces. These studios are available twenty-four hours a day to all students who have passed portfolio review in the industrial and interior design programs. Each studio workspace provides Ethernet and wireless access to the Internet through the university server. In addition, several dedicated studios and design laboratories are provided for student use. These facilities include: two Computer Labs, a Multimedia Lab (with large format printing capabilities), a Metal/Plastic and Wood Shop, and three Materials Resource Libraries. The facilities also house a Rapid Prototyping machine (RP) and a Computer Numerical Control machine (CNC), for generating precise models.