Industrial designers play a vital role in shaping the way we live through the design of products and systems we use at home, at work and in the public domain. The job demands imagination, creative thinking, technical knowledge and a keen awareness of change and new possibilities. Designers consider not just the physical objects they design but the way those things are experienced and used by people in diverse settings.

As an industrial design student you will learn design process, visual communication, technology and materials, market research, ergonomics, research methods and professional practice. Projects you undertake in our design studios will give you hands-on experience and an opportunity to apply your learning in a practical environment.

Students considering industrial design as a career choice will have the capacity to develop skill in visual communication such as sketching and computer modelling. They will be curious and inventive, able to work with technology and materials, and ready to enlarge their understanding of the social, environmental and commercial contexts in which they work.

Careers in industrial design are competitive so it is critical that graduates have a high level of professional and technical excellence. The Bachelor of Industrial Design at UNSW is a four year degree that ensures you will be work-ready and highly employable as a graduate. In the final year of the degree, you will consolidate and showcase your capability with a substantial research and design project. Students graduating with honours can further their interest in research by undertaking higher degrees at UNSW.

The Bachelor of Industrial Design Program provides academic education and practical experience leading to professional qualifications in industrial design. It requires full time attendance for four years. There are two central goals. The primary goal is to equip students with the theoretical and practical knowledge, skills and techniques needed for the design, documentation and administration of design and product development. The second more general goal is to provide students with an all-round problem-solving education. In achieving these goals students will be able to direct their skills in more specialist areas, such as marketing and design management, according to their particular interests. Core lectures and practical sessions cover theoretical knowledge in the following areas:

Students are not required to undertake the other elective and general education requirements in the exact order as indicated in the above program structure. This structure provides a suggested order for the completion of these elective and general education requirements, however a student can choose to do them in a different sequence. For example, a student may choose to complete an Open Elective in S2 of Yr 2 and undertake the 6 UOC of General Education in S1 of Yr 4.

NOTE: The 12UOC of BE Interdisciplinary Learning Courses can be undertaken at any stage from the end of Year 2 to the end of Year 4 including summer terms.

A list of 2016 Interdisciplinary Learning Courses is below:

Summer Semester:

Students are required to choose 2 courses from the suite of Built Environment Interdisciplinary courses to complete a minimum of 12 UOC of BEIL courses.

Refer to General Education

The Bachelor of Industrial Design degree(Honours) may be awarded with a class of honours based upon the quality of performance in the program, measured by WAM, and in accordance with current program policy. Honours are Class 1 or Class 2 Division 1 or Class 2 Division 2. In calculating honours, equal weighting is given to the mark for the fourth year project (the combination of IDES4101 in Semester 1 and IDES4102 in Semester 2 - both courses 12 UoC) and the student's overall WAM in the program.

The Honours Score requirements calculated this way are as follows: Honours 1, a combined average of 75 and over, Honours 2 Division 1, a combined average of 72 - 74.99, Honours 2 Division 2, a combined average of 68 - 71.99.

1. The degree of Bachelor of Industrial Design is awarded at either Pass or Honours level after the successful completion of a minimum of 192 units of credit.

2. To fulfil these requirements, students must complete:

Depth Component

3. The standard duration of the program is 4 years consisting of 8 semesters of full-time study (24 units of credit per semester).

Open (free) Electives

Open electives can be chosen from any courses offered by any Faculty at UNSW for which the student meets pre-requisite or other enrolment requirements. The exceptions are those specific General Education GEN prefix courses which cannot be counted as open electives. Open electives do not need to be taken outside the Faculty, students can choose FBE electives as open electives.

FBE Electives

FBE Electives are elective courses offered by the Faculty and are generally denoted by a BENV prefix. Electives from outside the Faculty cannot be counted as FBE electives.

For information regarding fees for UNSW programs, please refer to the following website:  UNSW Fee Website.

The long list of global companies which have employed graduates for overseas positions includes, Nokia, Motorola, Toyota, Johnson and Johnson, Wilkhahn and Lego. Locally, graduates are working with companies such as Breville, Sunbeam, Electrolux, Freedom, Street Furniture Australia, Box and Dice, Nielsen Design Associates, Blue Sky Creative.

Graduates have also taken their design skills into firms working in related fields, such as packaging, graphic design, interior architecture, architecture and marketing. The BIndDes is unique because of its comprehensive combination of design skills, marketing and technology. This means graduates will enjoy diverse career opportunities, with many taking leading positions in the design field.

Graduates may apply for membership of the Design Institute of Australia.

Some Careers:

The Degree of Bachelor of Industrial Design from the University of New South Wales is recognised by the Design Institute of Australia.