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Studies & Degrees in Industrial Design

Industrial design is the design of products that are manufactured in series: furniture, household appliances, tools, vehicles, medical devices, consumer electronics, packaging. The World Design Organization defines it as a strategic problem-solving process that drives innovation, builds business success and leads to a better quality of life through innovative products, systems, services and experiences. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics puts it more simply: industrial designers combine art, business and engineering to develop the concepts for manufactured products.

Students learn to study how people use an object, to turn that research into ideas through sketches and models, and to develop the idea until it can be produced. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, most programmes include drawing, computer-aided design and drafting (CADD) and three-dimensional modelling, as well as business, industrial materials and processes, and manufacturing methods. Much of the teaching takes place in studios and workshops, and students build a portfolio of projects during the degree.

Qualifications and levels

The same subject is taught under two traditions: in schools of art and design, where it is usually called product design, and in schools of engineering. The name of the qualification changes with the country.

  • United States. The standard route is a four-year bachelor's degree. The Bachelor of Science in Industrial Design of the Georgia Institute of Technology, for example, is a STEM-designated programme with three tracks, among them product innovation and manufacturing, and health and well-being. Graduate study leads to a master's degree such as the Master of Industrial Design.
  • Spain, universities. The engineering route is a bachelor's degree (grado) in industrial design engineering and product development, such as the Grado en Ingeniería en Diseño Industrial y Desarrollo de Producto of the Universidad Alfonso X El Sabio. Official grados have 240 ECTS credits and official master's degrees 60, 90 or 120. Design schools attached to universities offer design degrees with a product option: ESDI, a school affiliated with the Universitat Ramon Llull, lists a Grado en Diseño with a specialisation in product design.
  • Spain, higher arts education. Design is also taught as official higher arts education (enseñanzas artísticas superiores) in four specialities: graphic, product, interior and fashion design. The study plans have four academic years of 60 credits each, 240 in total. IED Madrid offers this qualification and states that it is equivalent to an official university bachelor's degree within the European Higher Education Area.
  • Italy. Design academies award academic diplomas. The undergraduate course in Product Design of the Istituto d'Arte Applicata e Design (IAAD.) in Turin lasts three years, is taught in Italian and leads to a First Level Academic Diploma recognised by the Italian ministry of universities (MUR).
  • Latin America. Industrial design is normally a first university degree of four to five years. In Brazil, the Design course of FAAP in São Paulo is a bachelor's degree (bacharelado) of four years, divided into eight semesters.

Private design schools also run their own diplomas and master's programmes. Before enrolling, ask the school what recognition the qualification has in the country where it is awarded and in your own.

Where to study

SpainExchange lists 36 active schools for industrial design. Spain has eight and the United States seven, followed by Italy with three and Denmark, Mexico, Argentina and Colombia with two each; Turkey, Brazil, Australia, Canada and China are among the countries with one.

In Spain the list includes the Universidad Alfonso X El Sabio, the Universidad Antonio de Nebrija, the Universidad CEU Cardenal Herrera, the Universitat Ramon Llull and IED Madrid. In the United States it includes the Georgia Institute of Technology, The Ohio State University and the University of Washington. Elsewhere it includes IAAD. in Turin, VIA University College in Denmark, the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá, the Universidad de Guadalajara in Mexico, the Universidad Nacional de Córdoba in Argentina and FAAP in São Paulo.

Courses are usually taught in the language of the country, and some schools add programmes in English. Admission often involves more than grades: design schools may ask for a portfolio, an interview or a specific entrance test, so check the requirements and dates early.

Careers

Industrial designers work in the design departments of manufacturers, in design consultancies and as freelancers. Common fields are furniture and lighting, consumer products, transport, medical equipment, packaging and, increasingly, the design of digital interfaces and services. Related roles include product developer, CAD modeller, user researcher and design manager.

In the United States a bachelor's degree is usually required for entry-level jobs, and candidates also need an electronic portfolio with examples of their projects, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. It counted 35,400 industrial designers in 2025 and projects employment to grow 2 percent from 2025 to 2035, slower than the average, with about 2,800 openings each year. The figures refer to the US labour market only.

Frequently asked questions

Is industrial design an art degree or an engineering degree?

It can be either. Design schools teach it as product design, with the emphasis on users, form and concept; engineering schools add more materials, mechanics and manufacturing. Compare the study plans before choosing.

Do I need a portfolio?

Often for admission to a design school, and almost always to find work: the US Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that industrial designers need an electronic portfolio with examples of their design projects.

Is a qualification from a private design school official?

It depends on the school and the programme. Some private schools teach officially recognised degrees and also their own diplomas. Ask the school what recognition each qualification has.