B.F.A. Industrial Design

The Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Industrial Design program prepares students for careers in the field of contemporary product design. UW-Stout industrial design graduates hold successful careers designing a wide array of products including medical devices, prosthetics and bicycles, as well as household and industrial products, tools and devices. The success of our students is derived from a program that highlights the intersections of fine art, design, history, sustainability and a strong liberal arts education.

The BFA in Industrial Design program provides a comprehensive applied learning environment that prepares graduates for a successful career in the field of contemporary product design. Industrial designers create and develop concepts and designs that optimize the function, value and appearance of products and systems for the mutual benefit of both user and manufacturer. As part of their program, students in the industrial design program are required to participate in a regional, national or international co-op or internship. UW-Stout also provides numerous opportunities to study abroad internationally.

A required mid-program benchmark portfolio review offers industrial design students an assessment of their progress in foundation art and design courses. Extensive library resources and the art and design department visual resource center are significant assets. A 2.0 overall grade point average and a 2.5 or better in Art and Design department courses (ART/ARTH/DES/GDD) is required to complete this Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. Students must present a portfolio of their work in the final two semesters of their program, as part of a public exhibition hosted by the School of Art and Design.

This UW-Stout degree is one of only two industrial design programs in Wisconsin and Minnesota, and is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design.

General Requirements
Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree

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. 

New First-Year Students

Students will be admitted as a Pre-Bachelor of Fine Arts (Pre-BFA) student. As a Pre-BFA participant, you 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 freshmen 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 choiceThe priority deadline is no later than 9:00 a.m. on October 1st for spring admission and 9:00 a.m. on March 1st for fall admission.&
• 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 both fall and spring. This includes portfolio and essay submission priority dates.&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

• Official TOEFL score: 
  • Minimum iBT (or MyBest) score of 70, or minimum paper-based score of 525.
• Official IELTS score:
  • Minimum score of 6.0
• Pearson Test of English (PTE Academic)
  • Minimum score of 48
• Duolingo English Test:
  • Minimum score of 95
• Other:
  • Successful completion of UW-Stout's English as a Second Language (ESL) program.
  • Successful completion of an English language program affiliated with UW-Stout.
  • Graduate from a high school in the United States.
  • You have earned at least 15 transferable university-level credits from an accredited English medium-sized institution.
  • You have earned a grade of C or better in a course equivalent to UW-Stout's English 101: Composition 1.

Positions

• Product Designer
• Bicycle Designer
• Medical Device Designer
• Footwear Technical Designer
• Sunglasses Designer

Employers

• 3M
• Andersen Windows
• Harley Davidson
• Hasbro
• Kohler
• Leapfrog
• Masterlock
• Michaels Crafts
• Microsoft
• Nike
• Rave Sports
• Target
• Trek Bicycles