Industrial Design | BFA |
BFA
The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Industrial Design program is a five-year interdisciplinary course of study.
Graduates of KU’s Industrial Design program are particularly attractive to potential employers because of our well rounded and rigorous curriculum. Our students find career opportunities in a wide variety of disciplines including product design, furniture design, exhibit design, package design, human factors, design research and product planning.
The variety of products and systems that fall within the potential scope of an industrial designer's work is extremely broad. Examples range from household appliances to aircraft interiors and from furniture to major electronics equipment, transportation vehicles, and myriad other product areas. Consequently, some industrial designers choose to specialize in particular area, e.g., automobile or furniture design, while others prefer to divide their efforts among several product areas that fall within their own design interests.
Practice is directed toward the creation and development of concepts, designs, and specifications, that optimize the value, function, convenience, safety, utility, and appearance of manufactured products and systems for the mutual benefit of both users and manufacturers of those products.
Center for Design Research
In addition the Design Department has a unique research opportunity, the Center for Design Research. The Center for Design Research (CDR) serves as a resource for testing design research for industry partners. Corporate sponsored projects are supervised by KU faculty and executed by graduate students and advance undergraduates selected by portfolio review from the fourth and fifth year studio classes.
Housed in a converted native limestone farmhouse and barn on the edge of campus, the fully equipped facility has become a focal point of connection between the academic and professional worlds of design. Collaborative projects for Lear Jet, Compaq Computer Company and others have provided direct professional experience for many students and have benefited all students in our program by observing and interacting with the ongoing projects. This activity integrates theory and practice while nurturing the creative and collaborative skills necessary for today’s marketplace.
