Bachelor Programme in Industrial Design 180 credits
About the programme
The Bachelor Programme in Industrial Design takes ideas from vision to reality through a creative, life-centred design process. The programme emphasises sustainable, norm-critical design practices that address social and ecological challenges, encouraging students to imagine responsible and resilient futures through design. During the programme, students refine and develop artistic abilities, physical and digital skills, analytical thinking, and critical reflection.
Student work
Discover designs created by our BFA Industrial Design students.
While studying
In your first year, you will build a strong foundation in industrial design, learning core skills such as sketching, prototyping and hands-on techniques in our workshops and digital labs. In the second year, you will take these skills further by exploring interaction design, systems thinking and participatory design. In your third year, you will bring everything together to shape your own vision and practice as an industrial designer.
Throughout the programme, you will work on real-world projects with companies, organisations and public authorities, tackling diverse and complex challenges.
Industry-like design studios
All programmes reside in industry-like design studios, where each student has an individual workspace. The shared spaces - workshops, computer labs, painting rooms, libraries - build innovative learning environments defined by a collaborative spirit.
24/7 access to facilities
Whether it's a weekend, day or night, all students have access to the school premises. Key equipment within the facilities includes 3D-printers, laser cutters, milling machines, painting rooms and much more. The cutting-edge digital infrastructure with multiple computer labs and studios allows students to master 3D-modelling, digital sketching, electronic prototyping, and programming.
Applied design courses
Applied design projects form the backbone of Bachelor Programme in Industrial Design. Projects include lectures, field trips, site visits, group method work, user studies and studio work. The projects are often carried out in collaboration with external partners and tutoring is given both by our own teachers and visiting professional designers. The projects you will work on are human and more-than-human centred projects based on specific user groups rather than product categories.
Design techniques
Between major project work, you will take in-depth courses in several design techniques:
- Sketching and visualisation techniques
- Form and colour studies
- Model and workshop techniques
- Communication strategies
- Digital 3D modelling (CAID)
- Material exploration
- Physical and digital prototyping
Collaborative degree projects
The second half of the sixth and final term is devoted entirely to the examination project. You will carry out your exam project in cooperation with a corporate sponsor or other external partner. It is important that the project is seen as a collaboration and not a commission. You are expected to define a problem area, establish contact with an external partner and write a project brief that includes aims, method description and anticipated deliverables.
A design student’s answer to DJ stage fright
In his degree project Viktor Strömberg has explored how DJs can build confidence and joy in live performance.
Courses in the programme
Year 1
• Becoming a designer: Introduction
• Exploration of form and materials
• Design expression 1
• Design studies 1
• Designing for functionality
• Designing for people
• Design expression 2
• Design studies 1
Year 2
• Exploration of interaction and experience
• Designing with people
• Design expressions 3
• Design studies 3
• Becoming a designer: Practice
• Designing together
• Design expressions 4
• Design studies 4
Year 3
• Exploration of design (as) research
• Designing design: Immersion
• Becoming a designer: Direction
• Design expressions 5
• Design studies 5
• Designing design: Articulation
• Degree project in design
• Being a designer: Reflection
Future and career opportunities
The programme’s close ties with companies, including a ten-week internship, make students highly attractive in the job market. Graduates go on to work as industrial designers in diverse fields, from consumer products to healthcare, mobility and digital experiences. Many join leading design consultancies or international companies, while others pursue entrepreneurial paths or continue to advanced studies.
Master's programmes
Exchange studies
The BFA Programme in Industrial Design is open to exchange students on a one-term basis. For more information on how to apply, please visit the website for exhange studies.
Programme director
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Film about the programme
Are you curious to know more about industrial design? Do you want to know how it to work as an industrial designer?
Voices about the programme
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Joakim Englander is shaping the future of gaming
Alumni
Following his degree in Industrial Design from UID Joakim Englander is one of two concept designers at DICE responsible for the hardware of the game Battlefield.
Programme coordinator