Course General Description

Industrial design is concerned with the appearance and usefulness of manufactured goods. Industrial designers work on a wide array of products, from cars to shoes to medical equipment to toys. Product design involves the synthesis of a variety of diverse requirements and values into a coherent creation. Among such requirements and values are functional suitability, aesthetics, technical performance, economic resources and constraints, social and cultural issues, environmental concerns and human comfort.In UC's industrial design program, students learn to emphasize the humanistic qualities of products of mass production with special consideration for comfort, safety and visual satisfaction which they may bring to the users. In a curriculum balanced between academic and studio requirements, students are able to develop creativity, visual communication skills, hands-on experience with technology, and the ability to conduct design research in interdisciplinary collaboration. The program promotes critical thinking and innovative solutions for the future through strategic research with an emphasis and understanding of global impact, sustainability and collaborative partnerships. Industrial design students apply the highest standards of conceptual sophistication, aesthetics and craftsmanship at every level of study.In the third year, students choose to focus on product design or transportation design.

School General Description

The University of Cincinnati traces its origins to 1819, the year in which Cincinnati College and the Medical College of Ohio were chartered. In 1870, the City of Cincinnati established the University of Cincinnati, which later absorbed the earlier institutions. In 1906, the University of Cincinnati created the first cooperative education program in the United States through its College of Engineering. For many years, the University of Cincinnati was the second oldest and second largest municipal university in the country. In 1968, UC became a "municipally sponsored, state affiliated" institution, entering a transitional period culminating on July 1, 1977 when UC became one of Ohio's state universities. The University of Cincinnati is classified as a Research Extensive University by the Carnegie Commission, and is ranked as one of America?s Top 25 public research universities.