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Industrial Design

Are you ready to turn your creativity into real-world impact?

At Ohio State Design, our Industrial Design program is your gateway to designing products, services, and systems that make everyday life better. Whether you're dreaming of creating the next must-have gadget, designing smarter tools, or shaping innovative furniture and medical devices—this is where your ideas come to life.

You’ll learn how to think like a designer, using advanced design thinking and research to solve real human problems. Along the way, you’ll explore how things are made, how systems work, and how sustainable design can help build a healthier future. And you won’t be doing it alone—our program encourages collaboration with students across other design disciplines, giving you a broader perspective and a richer creative experience.

As you grow your skills, you’ll build a portfolio that reflects your unique vision and abilities. Your final project will be a chance to show the world what you’re capable of—an independent design that brings together everything you’ve learned.

Curious? Creative? Ready to make a difference?

Join us at Ohio State’s Industrial Design program and start shaping the future—one idea at a time.

What is the Industrial Design Major?

The Industrial Design program at The Ohio State University empowers students to design objects, services, and systems that enhance everyday life. With a strong foundation in design thinking and research, students explore how to develop innovative solutions that address real human needs. Projects span a wide range of industries, including consumer products, medical equipment, furniture, and business tools. The curriculum integrates knowledge of manufacturing, systems analysis, and sustainability, encouraging students to think critically about how design can shape the future. Collaboration is central to the experience, with opportunities to work alongside peers in other design disciplines. The program culminates in a capstone project that reflects each student’s ability to work independently and apply their comprehensive design education to a real-world challenge.

"Industrial Design improves lives by creating meaningful products, services, and systems that make everyday experiences more intuitive, inclusive, and sustainable."

Amanda Huynh, Industrial Design Coordinator

Curriculum and Course Sequence

A Collaborative First-Year Experience

All Design students begin in the 18-credit hour collaborative Design Foundations program. This is a shared first-year experience where all design students build core creative, technical, and collaborative skills before applying to their chosen major.
 

Explore Design Foundations!

Students gathered around a table collaborating on a design project.

Second Year and Beyond...

Second Year

Autumn

Spring

Third Year 

Autumn

Spring

Fourth Year

Autumn

Spring

History of Art Minor

Industrial Design students* are required to complete a minor in History of Art—a meaningful collaboration between Design and the Department of History of Art that deepens creative perspective and adds value to your degree.

The minor includes five courses (15 credit hours), with Design 2750 counting toward both the major and minor. Design 5750 is a recommended upper-level option. At least two courses must be at the 4000-level or above.

This required minor doesn’t limit your academic path—you’re free to pursue additional minors and customize your experience.

* The History of Art Minor is only required for students on the GE-N curriculum. Students who started at Ohio State prior to AU2022, and are therefore on the GE-L curriculum, have a similar number of HISTART courses in their GE-L requirements. 

Advising Sheet | GE-N [PDF]
Advising Sheet | GE-L [PDF]
Course Catalog
Capstone Projects
Research Distinction Projects
Technology Requirements

Gain Experiences & Discover Your Passion

Opportunities to become fully engaged in an experience are instrumental to discovering your passion. Internships will give you the experience you need to differentiate yourself from other candidates, support your career goals, contribute to your skill set and determine how your career exploration process and focus may need to be modified to support your long-term goals. Employers are looking for graduates that have already taken the next step to becoming professionals in their field.

Student Achievement Data

Academic YearRetention 1Avg. Time to Degree 2Job Placement 3Graduate School Acceptance 4
2024-202594%4.5 YearsNA100%
2023-202497%4.4 Years13 of 17 = 77%100%
2022-2023100%4.2 Years6 of 16 = 38%100%

 

  1. Percentage of students enrolled the previous academic year who returned the following year. 
    Source: University 15th Day Census
  2. Average time at Ohio State for the graduating class to earn their degree in design. 
    Source: University Data Store - College of Arts and Sciences Reporting
  3. Percentage of students who graduated and were employed in a full-time design job within a year of graduation. 
    Source: LinkedIn Audit* Not all alumni maintain LinkedIn Profiles
  4. Percentage of students who applied to a graduate program that were accepted. 
    Source: LinkedIn Audit* Not all alumni maintain LinkedIn Profiles

Career Prospects in Industrial Design

Students graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Design take positions with design consulting offices, corporate design departments, and government design agencies.

The work of design occurs in either the context of consultant design, where independent design firms provide services to clients, or in the context of corporate, governmental, or non-governmental/not-for-profit design, where design services are provided within an organization.

Consultant design offices can be as small as one person -- an office of 15-20 people is considered relatively large -- and the largest might employ 100 or more. Consultant offices may specialize in one design discipline, or even a subcategory of that specialty. Consultant offices can also be multidisciplinary, and employ designers from all categories, as well as engineers, researchers, marketing and human factors experts, etc.

Corporate design groups exist in all major industries, and employ designers of all disciplines. Industrial design departments are often found within product manufacturing companies.

Design offers many opportunities for a challenging career. Many designers begin with project work, and advance to research, coordination and management. Planning activities often place designers in the role of analyzing business trends, and establishing strategic goals for design activities. Many organizations value the contributions designers make to their businesses, and provide good opportunities for advancement.

Professional Organizations

Professional organizations play an important role in the development of design disciplines and provide valuable resources to their student and professional members. The following organizations are all relevant to Industrial Design.

Looking to hire a Design student? 

Employers seeking to hire for internships and/or full-time opportunities are encouraged to work with the Center for Career and Professional Success to post openings via Handshake.