render of student project: massage therapeutic device

Bachelor of Science in Industrial Design

Bachelor of Science in Industrial Design

Georgia Tech’s School of Industrial Design distinguishes itself through its commitment to the end-user and its multidisciplinary approach to problem-solving. Through rapid prototype iteration and a focus on people, industrial design students gain valuable practice in empathetic design

Our school is significantly different from other ID programs. For us, industrial design is an art that operates at the intersection of design, technology, and business. We combine Georgia Tech's rigorous scientific approach with our design traditions of free-wheeling conceptual development. Integration with computer science classes and our own teaching and research labs motivate students to solve problems and imagine design solutions that anticipate the future.

The Bachelor of Science in Industrial Design program is a recognized Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) degree - CIP code 11.0105: Human-Centered Technology Design. STEM designation makes our international students eligible to apply for a two-year OPT extension, as well as STEM-specific scholarships.

Undergraduate Admissions

BSID Curriculum

Portfolio Guidelines

student lighting project, blue light with smiley face

First Years, Sophomores: Unconventional Artists

First-year industrial design students begin their academic career by diving into classes that build core design skills. Students learn to sketch, model, design, and visually communicate in studio courses taught by ID faculty and industry experts. Lecture classes introduce students to the history of industrial design, and the breadth of career opportunities afforded by the discipline. With this broad learning in their first year, our students are well-positioned to be skillful, creative problem solvers.

As sophomores, ID students connect to research, expand their digital design skills, and build fundamental skills in smart product design – a hallmark of our program. View a sample course below. 

student project: DART bike

Junior Year: Research-Driven Specializations

Our Product Development and Innovation specialization applies advanced design and manufacturing methods to a broad range of product design applications. We focus on parametric modeling, 3D scanning, advanced materials, and digital manufacturing.

Our Health and Well-Being specialization focuses on a proactive approach to design research, universal design, and product and service design, which creates innovations in wellness and health-related products and ecosystems.

Our Interactive Product Design specialization leverages body scanning, sensor-based technologies, and soft-goods design to explore "smart" products and next-generation wearables. View a sample junior level course below.

student project: wash bus for the unhoused to enable them to wash their clothes

Senior Year: Creative Problem-Solving

In the classroom we continue to zoom out, exploring the role of students in product and service systems design, brand and experience design, and design entrepreneurship. Studios often work with notable Atlanta clients such as Coca-Cola, Emory Healthcare, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, NCR, MailChimp, Chick-fil-A, Porsche, and others.

Senior students bring all their skills to the table in a final capstone design project, solving significant problems with their comprehensive design skills. Several choose to participate in interdisciplinary teams with engineers to tackle real-world problems and generate beautiful solutions that really work. View a sample senior year course below. 

Beyond the Studio

The School of Industrial Design also offers one of Georgia Tech's most popular minors, and our students are among the highest percentage of those participating in study abroad programs and internships.

A student holds up a product sketch while giving a presentation.

Minor

Students can learn to creatively solve problems within their major study as well as design fundamentals.
A Makita saw prototype.

Co-Op & Internships

Georgia Tech has a strong co-op culture, and we have strong industry ties here at the School of Industrial Design.
Students studying abroad sit on stone stairway in Barcelona, Spain.

Study Abroad

Learn the many ways that industrial design students can gain an international design education through Georgia Tech.

Undergraduate Academic Support

Troy Whyte

Troy Whyte

Academic Advisor, School of Industrial Design
Kevin Shankwiler

Kevin Shankwiler

Senior Lecturer, School of Industrial Design, and Undergraduate Program Coordinator
360 Virtual Tour of design building

Take a Virtual Tour

Ready to experience what it's like to be an industrial design student? Whether you want the large-scale feel of a virtual campus visit or the close connection of a one-on-one meeting, we're committed to providing a virtual experience that's customized just for you.

Have a VR headset or Google Cardboard? You can use these devices to take the VR tour on your mobile device.

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