School of Industrial Design

Become a car designer, create the next hit sneaker, design that must-have piece of furniture. From smartphones to Mars landers, industrial designers create tomorrow’s products today. You will learn to design with the user experience as a priority, a product’s branded look and feel as a criteria for success, and sustainability as a key design element.

Our hands-on collaborations with industry partners such as General Motors, Nike, Audi, Volvo, Hasbro, and so many others, allow you to gain real-world industry experience while still in school.

Your career starts here.
Take the first step.

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Industrial Design Degrees

The future happens in a blink of an eye. As an industrial designer, you will design the future of everything, from cars to computers, toys to chairs, smart home devices to wearable devices. Working in the Academy's state-of-the-art workshops with cutting-edge tools, including various Rapid Prototyping Tools, gives you a real-world, hands-on experience that allows you to transition into career opportunities seamlessly.

Automotive Restoration

Industrial Design

AA BFA Certificate MA MFA

Industry Collaborations

The Academy partners with industry-leading companies and agencies such as GM, Adidas, Jeep, Hasbro, Audi, Pininfarina, Jaguar, NASA, and Volvo, to create exposure and networking opportunities for you, the student. These cross-discipline collaborative classes work on industry-supplied design briefs and challenges to create concepts for the industry sponsor. Students have the opportunity to work with sponsors in small collaborative teams which often lead to individual recognition and job offers.

Collaboration - Designing Jaguar: Industrial Design

Collaboration - Industrial Design: Volvo Autonomous Trucks of the Future

Collaboration - Industrial Design: GM - Buick

Learn Online

Our revolutionary online courses provide the same rigorous education that we offer on campus with greater flexibility. Our online programs are purpose-built to deliver art and design courses. Study on your own time, at your own pace. Combine online and on-site classes.

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Combining Business, Art, and Science

Products don’t sell unless they are user-friendly, solve a problem or fill a need, create aspirations, and have a distinctive look and feel.

At the Academy, you will learn to design with empathy for the user and environment, use logic to analyze and solve problems, and create an appropriate aesthetic that aligns with brand/design criteria.

Start Your Career Now

Design the cars, toys, and products of the future. If you're fascinated by the creative and intellectual challenges facing the physical design industry, join us in creating the future.

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Facilities & Technology

The latest in software and equipment is essential to preparing you to enter the industrial design work force, which is why we keep up with current advancements in technology and industry practices. Whatever the pros are doing and whatever the pros are using is what you will find in our classrooms and studios.

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Student Work

Many of our students have become lead designers at companies from Nike to General Motors Design to Samsung. Check out their work and see why.

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Yu Chen Yang

Industrial Design

Rafaela Tiody

Industrial Design

Joshua Thorson

Industrial Design

Yang Gao

Industrial Design

Jon Johannesson

Industrial Design

Andrew Kang & Lewis Liu

Industrial Design

Kevin Chen

Industrial Design

Kevin Chen

Industrial Design

Featured Alumni

Jack Liu

BFA Industrial Design

Advance Studio Creative Designer,

FCA North America

My best memories of the Academy come from my collaborations with other students and interactions with professional designers. That was awesome.

Careers in Industrial Design

As one of the top art and design schools in the country, Academy of Art University industrial design graduates have a range of opportunities to choose from. Our facilities, faculty, and hands-on learning approach are designed to provide you with the tools you need to succeed in the industry.

VIEW ALL CAREERS

Your career starts here.

Take the first step.

Or call 415-274-2222 to request more information about this program.

Clay Modeler

Sketch tangible examples of what the future might hold to develop detailed 3D physical clay models based on the design direction and physical properties of an object such as a vase, car, or even a ship.

Digital Modeler

Create a digital 3D model based on design direction as a digital modeler. You'll take 2D and visual concepts and bring them to life in 3D software to help visualize the final transportation and product design piece.

Junior Designer

Create initial designs for the senior design team as a junior designer in a design studio. You'll be responsible for professional concept mockups, study models, and sketches.

UX/UI Designer

Develop scenario-based digital and physical user interaction designs. Craft every touch point in a digital or physical product to ensure brand consistency and emotional appeal.

COMPANIES THAT HIRED OUR GRADUATES

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