The Product Design Major provides a professional education for those wishing to bring order, utility, aesthetics, and appropriateness to the products, contents, and processes of our modern global society. The program prepares students for careers in the design of products, integrating the design of communications, furniture, equipment, and interfaces. In addition, issues of human factors research, computer-aided design, product development, manufacturing, business, and a host of other considerations related to the humanistic uses of technology are addressed. The department emphasizes the development of graphic, sculptural and spacial design skills as a complement to creative problem solving, technical innovation, and effective communications during the solution of actual problems of design. After initial coursework introducing basic design, communication, and collaboration processes, including computer-aided design and model making, students develop and apply theory, skill, and knowledge to functional design problems, many of which are brought into the studio by the industry.

Visiting designers also bring knowledge of current design, manufacturing and professional practices into studio and lecture courses, while visits to actual studios provide opportunities for direct observation and firsthand knowledge of design and manufacturing processes. Based on this foundation of skills and experience, emphasis in the final semesters shifts to the integration of the total design process by the individual students on a thesis project prior to graduation.

During the final semester, the instruction focus shifts to career planning, portfolio preparation and the development of information-gathering and business communication skills to better prepare the student to enter the profession.