Industrial Design
Visual and Performing Arts
Why Major in Industrial Design at Allegheny College
The industrial design major complements the College’s Art, Science and Innovation programs. In this major, not typically offered at an undergraduate level in a liberal arts context, students work at the intersection of art, design and practical problem-solving to produce innovative products that engage with emerging technological and cultural trends to develop design solutions. Technologies explored include robotics, artificial intelligence, modeling software, and production techniques such as 3D printing and CNC machining.
Unusual Combinations
Students often combine Industrial Design with:
Division
- Visual and Performing Arts
Program Type
- Major
Number of Credits
48 for major
Your Four-Year Journey
Year 1: Understanding
Your first year experience is designed to prepare your mind for everything that follows. The courses you take will prepare you to think critically, communicate creatively, and question everything.
Featured Courses:
Year 2: New Approaches
As a sophomore, you’ll declare your major and select your mentor. But that’s just the start of it. You’ll also be asked to choose a minor from an alternate discipline to keep your perspectives fresh and your mind wide open.
Year 3: Delving Deeper
As you delve deeper and take on a Junior Seminar, you’ll develop an even more eloquent understanding of your chosen fields. And you’ll begin to focus on improving your research skills and rhetorical ability in preparation for your Senior Comp.
Year 4: The Comp
One of the accomplishments our alumni are most proud of is their Senior Comp. Every Allegheny student must research, propose, create, and defend an original creative or critical project. You’ll be paired with a mentor throughout the project, and the experience will prepare you well for any step you take after graduation.
Faculty and Staff
Email: ithomas@allegheny.edu
Phone: 814-332-3379
Assistant Provost, Academic Innovation
MFA in Emerging Practices, The State University of New York at Buffalo; BFA, University of Calgary
Email: brich@allegheny.edu
Phone: 814-332-3381
Program Contact
Byron Rich
Department Chair, Assistant Provost of Academic Innovation, Associate Professor