Studies & Degrees in Industrial Design Engineering
Industrial design engineering is the branch of engineering that gives form to manufactured products. It joins the creative work of a designer (shape, colour, ergonomics, how a person uses an object) with the technical work of an engineer (materials, mechanics, manufacturing processes and cost). Mondragon Unibertsitatea describes the field as shaping the products around us, from mobile phones and packaging to consumer goods and industrial machines.
In Spain the subject is taught as an official bachelor's degree called Grado en Ingeniería en Diseño Industrial y Desarrollo del Producto (the exact wording varies slightly between universities). The Universidad de Sevilla explains that the degree combines artistic subjects with industrial engineering content: the design, development, supervision and production of tools, industrial products, technical objects, machines and equipment from a functional, structural and aesthetic point of view, taking production cost and consumer preferences into account.
What students learn
The first year mixes basic science with visual training. At Universidad Nebrija, for example, first-year students take mathematics, calculus, physics, graphic expression, analysis of form and colour, and aesthetics. Later years add materials, mechanics, manufacturing, computer-aided design and 3D modelling, ergonomics, ecodesign and project work, usually in workshops and laboratories.
Practical work is a large part of the degree. Mondragon Unibertsitatea offers dual training with company placements from the second year and a final degree project carried out in a company. Universidad Alfonso X el Sabio lists a FABLAB with 3D printing, laser cutting and robotic arms among its facilities.
Qualifications and levels
- Bachelor's degree (grado): 240 ECTS credits over four years, at 60 credits per year, ending with a final degree project. It belongs to the engineering and architecture branch.
- Double degrees: some universities combine it with a second engineering degree. The Universidad Politécnica de Madrid lists a double degree in Ingeniería en Diseño Industrial y Desarrollo de Producto and Ingeniería Mecánica at its Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería y Diseño Industrial.
- Master's degree: official master's degrees in Spain have 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits and allow graduates to specialise, for example in product design, industrial engineering or teaching.
Ask each university whether its degree gives access to a regulated engineering profession; the pages consulted for this guide do not state it.
Where to study it
The directory lists 11 active schools for industrial design engineering, all of them in Spain. They are spread across the country: the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Universidad Nebrija and Universidad Alfonso X el Sabio in the Madrid region; the Universidad de Sevilla and the Universidad de Cádiz in Andalusia; the Universidad de Zaragoza in Aragon; Mondragon Unibertsitatea in the Basque Country; the Universidade da Coruña in Galicia; the Universidad CEU Cardenal Herrera in the Valencian Community; the Universidad de Extremadura; and the Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands.
The language of instruction is normally Spanish. Universidad Nebrija and the Universidad CEU Cardenal Herrera state Spanish as the language of their degrees, while Mondragon Unibertsitatea teaches in Spanish, Basque and English. Some universities also set a language requirement for graduation: at the Universidad de Sevilla students must prove a B1 level in a foreign language before the degree certificate is issued.
Places are limited. The Universidad de Sevilla offers 100 places for 2026-27, Mondragon Unibertsitatea 70, the Universidad CEU Cardenal Herrera 60 on its Alfara campus and Universidad Nebrija 30. Public universities charge per credit: the Universidad de Sevilla lists €12.62 per credit, with a 99% discount in later years on the credits passed the year before. Private universities set their own fees.
Students with school qualifications from outside Spain normally apply through UNEDasiss, the UNED service that evaluates the academic records of international students and runs the tests needed for access to bachelor's degrees at Spanish universities. Check the admission criteria with the university first.
Careers
Graduates work in almost every sector that makes physical products. The Universidad de Sevilla names furniture, lighting, ceramics, and plastics and metal processing; Mondragon Unibertsitatea adds the automotive industry, consumer goods and machine tools. Inside a company they usually join the design, project, research and development, manufacturing or process engineering departments. Typical tasks include:
- Product modelling and simulation
- Prototype development and test planning
- Ergonomic design and ecodesign
- Design management and product portfolio strategy
- Optimisation and industrialisation of the product
Some graduates work in design agencies and consultancies or set up their own studio.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between industrial design and industrial design engineering?
Industrial design engineering is an engineering degree: besides design subjects it includes mathematics, physics, materials and manufacturing, so graduates can take a product from the first idea through to production.
How long does the degree take in Spain?
The bachelor's degree has 240 ECTS credits and takes four years. An official master's degree adds 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits.
Do I need to be good at drawing?
Drawing and visual skills are trained during the degree in subjects such as graphic expression and analysis of form and colour, alongside mathematics and physics. Universities do not usually set a drawing test, but check the admission page of each one.
In which language is industrial design engineering taught in Spain?
Mostly in Spanish. Some universities teach part of the programme in English or in a co-official language such as Basque, and some require a B1 level in a foreign language to graduate.