Bachelor of Science in Product Design Degree

The products you interact with on a daily basis—from footwear to consumer electronics to medical devices (and everything in between)—are the result of extensive human-centered design processes. ArtCenter’s Bachelor of Science degree in Product Design equips you to create functional, relevant and appealing products. Here, you’ll develop the commercial mindset along with the digital and hands-on design skills needed to tackle new frontiers in design and innovation.

Program Overview

ArtCenter’s product design major prepares students to enter a workforce with the highly sought after design, research and analytical skills necessary to thrive as a creative mind in a variety of professional environments. Under the guidance of our faculty of working designers, you’ll develop products that improve lives while gaining a keen understanding of what it takes to succeed as an entrepreneur or within an existing organization. If you’re especially interested in the business side of design, you can spend a semester in INSEAD business school’s top-ranked MBA program.

Our bachelor’s in product design program provides an immersive education in visual, creative, technical and analytical best practices. Deep-dive into special topics like 3D modeling, packaging design, and industrial design. Gain comprehensive expertise in design research methodologies, business principles, materials technologies, manufacturing processes, global trends and sustainable practices. Expand your marketable skillsets in our state-of-the-art research lab, CMTEL (Color, Materials and Trends Exploration Laboratory).

Real Designs, Real Prototypes, Real Business Partners

At ArtCenter, your classroom learning forms the foundation of your professional experiences. We’ll invite you to participate in DesignStorms® and other Sponsored Studios, which are commissioned by corporate partners who trust ArtCenter students to explore new frontiers in design and innovation. Past partnerships include Meta, Jaguar, Under Armour, Arby’s and Adidas.

The product design major equips you with an array of real-world expertise. You’ll prototype designs in on-campus labs, build a web portfolio to prepare for internship placements and have the option to study away in Portland in our brand-sponsored design studio where you'll work on-site at top athletic brands like Nike, Adidas and Under Armor.

Careers in Product Design

With a product design degree, you’ll come up with functional, relevant products that have visual and emotional appeal. You’ll engage in practices that minimize environmental impact from production to disposal. You'll then emerge with a professional-quality portfolio that will appeal to corporations and organizations that prioritize smart design on local and global scales. Whether you plan to work for an industry giant or branch out on your own entrepreneurial path, ArtCenter prepares you to become an innovative creator and a paradigm-shifting leader in roles like:

  • Consumer Product Design
  • Package Design
  • Toy Design
  • Furniture and Lighting Design
  • Exhibition Design
  • Interface Design
  • Entertainment Design
  • Automotive Design
  • Model Making
  • Surface Modeling
  • Entrepreneur
  • Inventor
  • Trend Researcher/Forecaster

Learn more about Product Design at ArtCenter

Get feedback on your admissions portfolio and receive guidance throughout your application process.

The scope of the product designer has evolved tremendously. We pride ourselves on our process: understanding human need, solving problems and creating innovative ideas, artifacts and systems.

image of a face repeating into the foreground

Featured Course

In Community Studio, students partner with Black-owned businesses to help build their brands

Student Gallery

Product Design

student presents work in front of class
Featured Course

Designing for Mental Wellness

Product design students were enlisted to build a digital, FDA-approved device that allows oncologists to prescribe mental health care in a way that engages more patients.

Natalie Candrian shines as head of product design for Olympic track star Allyson Felix’s brand Saysh

Alum Jeremiah Baker on Designing for Tech, Advocating for Change, and the Red Thread of an ArtCenter Education

Sponsored Projects

Sponsored Projects bring industry professionals into the classroom

Earn Your Bachelor’s in Product Design at ArtCenter

Create products that shape environments, interactions and experiences with the bachelor’s in product design degree at ArtCenter. Establish expert skills through theory, lab trials and real-world practice with human-centered, functional, commercially savvy design processes. You’ll excel as a creative and a leader in your classrooms, with industry partners and long into your career.

mock up of disassembled headphones

Take the first step toward a career in product design.