Undergraduate Industrial Design

Undergraduate Industrial Design

Pratt offers a Bachelor of Industrial Design in Industrial Design. Industrial Design (ID) is a field of artists, designers, and inventors who create the objects we live with every day. Pratt/ID students arrive with a wide range of talents: in math and science, in drawing and painting, in model making and sculpture. All find a home in Industrial Design. Pratt/ID develops students’ individual talents. It might even be called “Individual Design” rather than “Industrial Design.” Opportunities after graduation are as unique and broad as our students themselves. It is an education that opens wide career possibilities.

Pratt/ID alumni are designers, artists, craftsmen, educators, entrepreneurs, researchers, and corporate leaders. This diversity comes from a program of study that allows freedom of choice and specialization. Six studio paths are offered:

• Product: hand tools to future technologies.
• Furniture: chairs to office systems.
• Transportation: hovercraft to hybrid cars.
• Exhibit/Experience: museums to restaurants.
• Table Top: teapots to teaspoons.
• General: a combination of the above.

Students study with faculty professionals with varied backgrounds. They take core courses in the freshman and sophomore years, which provide grounding in drawing, color, 3-D, and problem solving. Junior and senior year students choose studios as their talents dictate. Industrial Design department counselors assist each student with choices.

Pratt/ID offers study abroad exchanges and summer programs in Paris, Barcelona, Copenhagen, and Amsterdam. Students complete two to four semesters of computer studies in high-end workstations 3-D modeling and animation CAD programs. Elective computer courses are available for students who wish to specialize in the electronic medium.

Students who wish to major in industrial design will be reviewed at the end of the freshman year by the department for acceptance.

Pratt/ID maintains strong ties to industry through corporate-supported programs and internships. Fortune 500 companies are regular sponsors of Pratt/ID competitions and studios. With its magnificent collection of museums, libraries, and galleries, New York City is the world’s center for design. Students learn from both the richness of past culture and the cutting edge of contemporary design.

Seniors take a full year of portfolio and professional practices in preparation for career entry. The senior show is an annual showcase celebration for the next generation of Pratt designers.

Pratt’s industrial designers seek to create beautiful forms and products that express their vision as reflected by the people and culture of the times.