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Studies & Degrees in Graphic and Industrial Design Engineering

Graphic and industrial design engineering brings together three related areas of study: technical drawing and drafting, the engineering side of product design, and graphic design. What they share is the task of turning an idea into a precise visual document, whether that is the set of drawings from which a part is manufactured, the 3D model of a product or the layout of a printed or digital piece.

The definitions of the US Bureau of Labor Statistics mark the differences. Drafters use software to convert the designs of engineers and architects into technical drawings. Industrial designers combine art, business and engineering to develop the concepts for manufactured products. Graphic designers create visual concepts, by computer or by hand, to communicate ideas. Students in all three areas learn computer-aided design (CAD) or design software, drawing standards and visual composition; the engineering programmes add materials, mechanics and manufacturing processes.

Qualifications and levels

  • Vocational training in Spain. Drafting is taught in higher-level vocational training (FP de grado superior). The Técnico Superior en Diseño en Fabricación Mecánica is a 2,000-hour qualification in which students learn to design mechanical products and make the calculations to dimension them; the official FP portal lists design draughtsperson (delineante proyectista), CAD technician and product development technician among the jobs it leads to. For construction, the Técnico Superior en Proyectos de Edificación, also 2,000 hours, leads to work as a building draughtsperson.
  • Associate degrees and certificates in the United States. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, drafters typically complete their education after high school at a community college or technical school. Some programmes lead to an associate of applied science in drafting; others to a certificate or diploma.
  • Bachelor's degrees in engineering and industrial design. In Spain the university route is a bachelor's degree (grado) of 240 ECTS credits, such as the Grado en Ingeniería en Diseño Industrial y Desarrollo de Producto of the Universidad Alfonso X El Sabio. In Australia, the Bachelor of Industrial Design (Honours) of Western Sydney University takes four years full time, and its graduates are eligible for membership of the Design Institute of Australia.
  • Bachelor's degrees in graphic design. In the United Kingdom, the Graphic Design BA (Hons) of Anglia Ruskin University lasts three years, or four with a placement year, and the University of Westminster lists a Graphic Design BA Honours. In Canada, the University of the Fraser Valley offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a Graphic and Digital Design major and a shorter diploma. In Spain, ESDI lists a Grado en Diseño with specialisations that include graphic and product design, and CESINE in Santander lists degree programmes in graphic, fashion and interior design.
  • Master's degrees. Official master's degrees in Spain have 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits. Design schools elsewhere offer master's programmes of their own; ask the school what recognition the qualification has.

Where to study

SpainExchange lists 76 active schools for this subject. The United States has 11, the United Kingdom 10 and Spain seven, followed by Canada and Argentina with four each, China, Brazil, Cyprus, Italy and Chile with three each, and Australia and Costa Rica with two each.

The list covers very different institutions. It includes universities such as the University of Westminster, Anglia Ruskin University and the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom, The Politecnico di Milano Technical University in Italy, Western Sydney University in Australia, the University of the Fraser Valley in Canada, the Universidad de Valparaíso in Chile and the Universidad Abierta Interamericana in Buenos Aires; community colleges in the United States such as Des Moines Area Community College and Pasadena City College; and design schools such as ESDI in Sabadell, CESINE in Santander and Domus Academy in Milan.

Because the subject is so wide, the name of the course says little. Look at the study plan to see whether a programme is mainly drafting, engineering or visual communication, which software it teaches and how many hours are spent in workshops. Courses are normally taught in the language of the country. Design schools often ask for a portfolio or an entrance test.

Careers

Graduates work as draughtspersons and CAD technicians in engineering firms, architecture practices and factories; as product designers and product developers in manufacturing companies and consultancies; and as graphic designers in studios, advertising agencies, publishers and in-house design departments.

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics gives separate projections for each occupation from 2025 to 2035:

  • Drafters: 180,200 jobs in 2025; employment projected to grow 1 percent, with about 14,400 openings each year
  • Industrial designers: employment projected to grow 2 percent, with about 2,800 openings each year
  • Graphic designers: employment projected to decline 2 percent, with about 16,000 openings each year, all from replacing workers who leave

These figures describe the United States only.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a drafter and an industrial designer?

A drafter turns the designs of engineers and architects into technical drawings. An industrial designer develops the concept of the product itself, combining art, business and engineering.

Do I need a university degree to work in drafting?

Not always. In Spain the usual route is a 2,000-hour higher-level FP qualification, and in the United States drafters typically train at a community college or technical school, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Is graphic design an engineering subject?

No. Graphic designers typically need a bachelor's degree in graphic design or a related fine arts field, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. It is grouped here with drafting and industrial design because all three rely on drawing and design software.