MID Industrial Design

Our program prepares leaders in the ever-evolving and multi-faceted field of Industrial Design. Through a rigorous curriculum, students are challenged to confront the complexities of contemporary social, political, economic, and technological transformations. Graduates gain knowledge and tools to effectively apply design processes and practices — skills to create innovative objects for the home, products for business, and built environments that positively impact everyday life, while also contributing to the repair of social and ecological systems.

Overview
The MID degree is a two-year, 60-credit program for all students, regardless of their previous background. Collegiality and cohesion in each incoming group of graduate students is essential to a pro­gram that creates a learning environment where the richness of the program is enhanced by diversity, inclusion, and a strong sense of community.

What We Offer
Our MID program is a generalist, humanist scheme designed to support the varying skills and interests of the students. Students can take specialized studios and courses that respond to their individual interests and pursuits. The entire curriculum is designed to offer all students the professional knowledge and skills in historical, societal, and global contexts that are necessary for becoming successful design professionals and entrepreneurs. 

Students who choose to extend their program experience to up to three years have the opportunity to participate in Global Innovation Design (GID), an international program in cooperation with RCA/Imperial College in London and Keio University in Tokyo, where they will be able to study in both cities over the course of the second year of the MID.

What You Do
Design Thesis provides the greatest possible freedom and opportunity for pursuit of a selected topic, and is done under the direction of a Thesis Advisor of students’ choice. Thesis subjects address social and environmental issues of global significance. The projects range from consumer products and furniture to complex systems that involve emerging technologies, materials, and behavioral patterns. Thesis culminates in a formal presentation to invited jurors, followed by a presentation of the work at the annual Pratt Show, a public event attended by industry leaders and potential employers.