Industrial Design is a human-centred problem-solving process driven by creativity, innovation, and research. Its goal is to create and deliver products, services, and communication that enhance the human experience while building business success. It is a trans-disciplinary profession that harnesses creativity to resolve problems and collaboratively creates solutions with the intent of making a product, space, system, service, experience, or business better.
At its core, Industrial Design provides an optimistic way of looking at the future by reframing problems as opportunities. It links innovation, technology, research, business, and consumer behaviour to provide new value and competitive advantage across economic, social, and environmental territories.
The Bachelor of Arts in Industrial Design is a four-year full-time undergraduate honours programme by coursework.
Shortlisted candidates would be invited for an Admission Exercise as part of the selection process in order to be considered for admission.
Singapore-Cambridge ‘A’-Level Applicants with H1/H2 Results:
H1 pass in Mathematics, Physics, Economics or Art; OR Pass in 'O' Level Additional Mathematics.
Singapore-Cambridge ‘A’ Level Applicants with ‘A’ / ‘AO’ Results:
At least an O grade attained for one of the following ‘A’ Level subjects:
- Mathematics, Physics, Physical Science or Economics;
OR - 'AO' level pass in Mathematics;
OR - ‘O’ Level pass in Additional Mathematics
For candidates with Polytechnic Diplomas:
All full-time diplomas; and at least a pass in Mathematics in GCE ‘O’ Level.
For candidates with LASALLE/NAFA Diplomas:
Acceptable diplomas; and at least a pass in Mathematics in GCE ‘O’ Level.
Click here for more information on Mathematics Requirement.
For candidates with International qualification:
Year 12 or higher level pass in Arts or Economics or Mathematics or Physics.
For candidates with NUS High School Diploma qualification:
A good major CAP in Mathematics or Physics or Arts.
For candidates with International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma:
Pass in SL MAA or Physics or Economics or Visual Arts; or HL MAI.
For more detailed information on eligibility, please refer to the Indicative Grade Profile (IGP).
For more detailed information on admissions, please visit NUS Office of Admissions
For Cohorts AY2021/2022 onwards
An adjusted Curriculum Structure was put in place to align the curriculum with the University’s objective to provide more flexibility to students in charting their University experience and encourage trans-disciplinary opportunities in learning. In order to benefit fully from the adjustments that have been, Polytechnic applicants from Cohort AY2021/2022 onwards will have to start from Year 1 of the BA (Hons) Industrial Design programme, even for applicants that have graduated from a design programme.
Polytechnic applicants from Cohort AY2021/2022 onwards who graduated from a design programme will be granted an additional exemption from DTK1234 Design Thinking (4 units).
The BA (Hons) Industrial Design curriculum is divided into 3 main progressive levels, namely Design Fundamentals, Design Platforms and Final Year Thesis. Students learn fundamental design knowledge, skills and capabilities in the first 3 semesters (Design Fundamentals), put these into practice in the next 4 semesters through a series of conceptual and industry projects (Design Platforms), and finally demonstrate their proficiency with a thesis project in the final year (Final Year Thesis).
A detailed course structure can be found here.
Semesters 3–7
As part of our strategy to evolve constantly, a major component of the course is the Design Platforms. It allows students to tailor their individual course of learning by selecting and participating in 2 concurrent design studios from a range of 6 to 8 different design projects offered every semester – ranging from furniture design, healthcare design, consumer electronics design, transportation design, apps and interaction design, retail design, home appliance design, conceptual design, service design and more. The range of different topics reflect the ever-expanding role of an industrial designer; not only are students able to receive exposure to different areas of industrial design, they also get the opportunity to learn different approaches to designing from the individual studio leaders and industry collaborators.
In addition, the vertical format of the design platforms encourages cross-learning of ideas, skills and methods while junior students work alongside and/or compete with senior students. Students in a lower year will take up the role of a junior designer, whilst senior students will have the opportunity to assume the role of a senior designer. This arrangement reflects the prevalent importance of group dynamics in industry practice, where design teams often comprise of junior designers, senior designers and sometimes a creative director.
Semesters 7–8
In the fourth year, students are required to research and investigate opportunities and develop a comprehensive design project. The major topics addressed in this level include research methodology, brief formulation, project planning techniques, information search and documentation, product analysis and evaluation, concept development and selection process for design development, design detailing and final market implementation.
The final year thesis gives students the opportunity to self-initiate a project according to their area of interest, preparing the graduates for a career in design. The final project ensures that students are sufficiently competent in research as an integral part of the design process. At this final year level, students would learn to form and evaluate value judgments on design decisions that ensures design proposals meet with rationalised and functional criterion as well as less tangible qualities of the aesthetic. Successful graduates will demonstrate innovation and competency in industrial design.
To broaden the students’ exposure, around two-thirds of each cohort goes for a one-semester overseas exchange programme during their third year to distinguished design schools. Our partner schools include:
- Delft University of Technology (TU Delft)
- École cantonale d'art de Lausanne (ECAL)
- Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e)
- Georgia Institute of Technology
- Institut Supérieur du Design (ISD) Rubika
- Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST)
- L'École Nationale Supérieure de Création Industrielle (ENSCI–Les Ateliers)
- National Cheng Kung University (NCKU)
- Polytechnic University of Milan
- Strate School of Design (Serves and Lyon Campus)
- Tsinghua University
- Zhejiang University (ZJU)
Under the Student Exchange Programme (SEP), students can spend up to one semester in approved overseas Universities offering similar courses. These courses could be counted towards the fulfilment of the student’s graduation requirements.
Each student is eligible for only one of these semester-out experience throughout his/her candidature at the division: Student Exchange Programme (SEP), Semester-long internship (Special Studies) or NUS Overseas College (NOC).