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B.F.A. Industrial & Product Design

Build a career designing commercial products that excite the aesthetic and fulfill the functional needs of consumers.
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Degree Type Bachelor of Fine Arts
Careers & Salaries Career Outcomes
Delivery On Campus

From Prototype to Profession

UW-Stout's Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) in Industrial & Product Design program blends creativity with practical skills in a hands-on learning environment. Here, you will take your original ideas from the drawing board to the real world, utilizing cutting-edge technology and methods. Our focus on applied learning means you'll be creating designs that meet the needs of today's industries, with the guidance of expert faculty and through collaborations with industry partners preparing you for a successful career in design.

NASAD Accreditation

UW-Stout's School of Art & Design is accredited by the National Association for Schools of Art and Design.

Students in the industrial and product design program complete a critique in the lab.
A doodle of a clip board and pen

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Career-Defining Curriculum

Our curriculum provides a foundational and advanced understanding of industrial and product design, seamlessly integrating theory with hands-on practice. Graduates are equipped with critical design skills and technical knowledge, preparing them to meet the demands of the industry and excel in their careers.

View program plans, credit requirements, and course descriptions.

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Accelerated Degree (UG + GR) Option

Students can also elect to pursue an accelerated B.F.A. Interior Design + M.F.A. Design program that reduces the cost and time it takes to earn a master's degree through shared credits.

 

Industrial and Product Design Lab space.

UW-Stout's B.F.A. in Industrial & Product Design program, emphasizing a balance of aesthetics, functionality, and user experience. Our curriculum is designed to develop innovative designers ready to impact the future of products and systems, blending creative skills with practical application in the industrial design field.

  • Innovate with Purpose. Learn concept development to transform your creative ideas into practical, market-ready designs.
  • Beauty Meets Function. Delve into aesthetics and form, where artistic vision meets user-centric design, creating visually appealing and functionally superior products.
  • Human-Centered Design. Master ergonomics to design products prioritizing user experience, comfort, and accessibility.
  • Visualize Success. Harness the power of advanced 2D and 3D visualization tools, bringing your design concepts to life with precision and clarity.
  • From Sketch to Shelf. Acquire essential skills in design for manufacturing, ensuring your ideas are not just innovative but also producible and marketable.
Flexplus-Chair-Design
Ryan Hoyt Senior Capstone Project design.

Showcase of Student Work

Our students gain experience working on real-world projects with a unique combination of art and technology. Their innovative creations, showcased in this gallery, reflect the interdisciplinary approach and technical proficiency fostered by our program. 

View Student Work

 

Student prototype for a portable dryer airify


Lunch bots student prototype

Graduate Success

Graduates from UW-Stout's Bachelor of Fine Arts in Industrial & Product Design emerge as well-rounded professionals, with a portfolio that spans an impressive range of industries—from medical devices to consumer electronics and from footwear to transportation. Our alumni's success is a testament to a curriculum that not only fosters mastery of design and technical skills but also instills a deep understanding of fine arts, sustainability, and liberal arts. This comprehensive education ensures our graduates are not just ready for the current market but are also equipped to lead and innovate in the ever-evolving field of product design, benefiting users and manufacturers alike.

Industrial Design Careers

Positions

  • Industrial Design
  • Product Designer
  • Bicycle Designer
  • Medical Device Designer
  • Footwear Designer
  • Technical Designer
  • Toy Designer
  • Design Drafter
  • Color, Material, and Finish Designer
  • Architectural Color Designer
  • Creative Designer
  • Product Developer
  • Exhibit Designer

Employers

  • 3M
  • Andersen Windows
  • Ashley Furniture
  • Asics
  • Black Diamond Equipment
  • Brooks-Stevens
  • Colony Brands
  • Croc
  • CSI Creative
  • Fisher-Price
  • Garmin
  • Harley-Davidson
  • Hasbro
  • Hoka
  • KitchenAid
  • Kohler
  • Logitech
  • Masterlock
  • Michael’s Crafts
  • Milwaukee Tool
  • Nike
  • NordicWare
  • OshKosh Corporation
  • Polaris
  • Primordial Soup
  • Presto Industries
  • RedWing Shoes
  • Room & Board
  • Sherwin-Williams
  • Spectrum Brands
  • Target
  • Trek Bicycles

Faculty at the Forefront of Innovation

Jennifer Astwood, Program Director

Jennifer Astwood

Program Director
Professor, Department of Design
230 Applied Arts Building
Call: 715-232-3699
Email: astwoodj@uwstout.edu

Courses: 
DES 231 Industrial Design: Product Form & Visualization
DES 331 Intermediate Industrial Design: Product Interface Design
DES 432 Industrial Design Capstone II
 

Dave Richter-O'Connell
Associate Professor of Industrial & Product Design
Courses: 
DES 205 Design Drawing & Concept Visualization
DES 232 Industrial Design: Ergonomics & Human Factors
DES 332 Intermediate Industrial Design: Design for Materials & Manufacture
DES 320 Furniture Design
DES 431 Industrial Design Capstone I: Advanced Research Methods
 

Andy Janetski
Lecturer of Industrial & Product Design
Courses: 
DES 205 Design Drawing & Concept Visualization
DES 331 Intermediate Industrial Design: Product Interface Design
DES 320 Furniture Design
ETECH 266 Engineering Graphics Surface Modeling & Rendering
DES 405 Advanced Design Drawing
 

Emily Pieper
Lecturer of Industrial & Product Design
Courses: 
DES 231 Industrial Design: Product Form & Visualization
DES 331 Intermediate Industrial Design: Product Interface Design
DES 432 Industrial Design Capstone II
 

Dan Banasik
Lecturer of Industrial & Product Design
Courses taught: DES 320 Furniture Design
DES 332 Intermediate Industrial Design: Design for Materials and Manufacture
 

Related Annual Events

School of Art & Design Senior Show

Capstone projects by approximately 100 graduating seniors will be on display, providing a chance to talk with the artists and designers.
Continue Reading

Design Wisconsin

Our 4th Annual Design Wisconsin event showcasing the impacts of Industrial Design on Wisconsin's Culture, Commerce, Community, and Brand
Continue Reading

Additional Program Details

Objectives & Outcomes
  1. Understand the collaborative, multidisciplinary nature of design through exposure to faculty and students from multiple design disciplines.
  2. Define, understand, and identify the elements and principles of art and design and apply them to a variety of design solutions.
  3. Understand, analyze, and integrate the history of art and design within a cultural and aesthetic context.
  4. Communicate successfully using various means including speaking, writing, and visual communication, including the discipline‐specific communication of technical information.
  5. Apply methods and theory and research to design solutions in relationship to various social, behavioral, psychological, and cultural factors.
  6. Apply concepts and issues related to safe, ethical, socially responsible design and sustainable design practice to include an understanding of safety and accessibility.
  7. Understand, identify, and apply universal design theory and practice, ergonomics, and user interface systems.
  8. Apply standards of practice for the industrial design profession including ethics, collaboration, professional development, and various business models. 
B.F.A. Admissions Requirements

New First-Year Students

Students admitted as Pre-Bachelor of Fine Arts (Pre-BFA) students will join an exciting community of first-year art and design students with classes and events geared towards preparing you for a successful application to the intended BFA program. 

As a student accepted into one of the six BFA programs, please be aware of the following:

  • You will be required to submit a portfolio in the spring semester of your freshman year to apply for acceptance into the intended BFA program. Portfolios will be evaluated by School of Art and Design faculty. Through your first-year experience, you will be given the tools and skills required to prepare and submit the portfolio, and the necessary support to navigate the application process.

Transfer Students

  • All transfer students will be admitted as a Pre-Bachelor of Fine Arts (Pre-BFA) student.  Upon acceptance information will be provided on how to submit a portfolio and essay to be reviewed by a committee of School of Art & Design faculty, who will determine direct admissions into the BFA major of your choice.
  • Priority Deadlines:
    • Spring Admission: October 1 at 9 a.m. CST  
    • Fall Admission: March 1 at 9 a.m. CST
  • Submissions may be made after the priority date; however, there is no guarantee when it will be reviewed for a decision nor what art-specific coursework you may be able to get into after the review is completed and whether or not registration for the next semester has begun.  There is a $10 application fee assessed at the time you electronically submit your portfolio.

Transfer students are considered for both fall and spring. This includes portfolio and essay submission by the priority deadline. Students applying for one of the BFA programs will remain admitted as a "Pre-BFA" student if you: 

  • do not submit a portfolio/essay 
    or
  • apply after the BFA program has closed 
    or
  • are not approved for the BFA program after submission of a portfolio/essay. 

You may then apply for a change of major in subsequent semesters, depending upon available openings in the program. If needed, BFA Foundations courses will be available to "Pre-BFA" students pending seat availability. 

Program Advisory Committee

Advisory Committee Members

JenniferAstwoodAssociate Dean; Professor; Program DirectorUW-Stout
DevinBergProfessorUW-Stout
MichaelBergeInnovation ManagerPresto
RachelDorseyStudent; President, IDSA UW-Stout
Logan Ernster ('15)Senior Industrial DesignerP-Soup
ErikEvensenProfessor; Program Director, M.F.A. DesignUW-Stout
LinneaFeigSenior Industrial DesignerErgotron
MichaelHammond ('00)Design ManagerTrek
AndyJanetskiLecturerUW-Stout
Angelena KraemerDirector, Design & MerchandisingAshley Furniture
MichaelLeighton ('02)Senior Design ManagerPolaris
MicahMariahOwnerStudio MLM
JeremyOdegardPrincipal Industrial DesignerMolex
KatieRemalyMotor Cycle Designer + CMFHarley-Davidson
DaveRichter-O'ConnellAssociate ProfessorUW-Stout
Sarah EileenSmithLecturerUW-Stout
CalebToftProduct DesignerAshley Furniture
Brynn WildenauerArchitectural Color DesignerSherwin Williams
NickWilliamsNordicWareNordicWare
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