Bachelor of Arts in Industrial and Innovative Design

About the B.A. in Industrial and Innovative Design Degree

Cedarville University’s industrial and innovative design degree is the only industrial design — including interior and architectural design — program in the world offered through a Christian university. The program was crafted from scratch to meet the high demands of a rapidly changing professional landscape and incorporates Cedarville’s highest standards of academic rigor and biblical worldview integration.

In a unique collaboration, Cedarville partners with the International Center for Creativity (ICC) in northwest Columbus, Ohio. You will spend your first two years on Cedarville’s campus completing your Bible minor and general education courses. Then, you will complete your junior and senior years at ICC’s unique and picturesque professional design studios where you will be challenged, inspired, and prepared for a dynamic career in 3D design.

Industrial and Innovative Design Program Highlights

Comprehensive — You will be immersed in the design and creativity development experience, learning rendering skills, hands-on problem-solving, model making, digital design, design research, design entrepreneurship, presentation skills, and design-thinking methodology.

Broad exposure — You will be taught a wide range of design application options through studying course work in:

• Consumer product design
• Exterior architectural design
• Interior architectural design
• Transportation design

Specialization — In the spring of your senior year, you will select a specific area of design through a capstone research project to then develop during a nearly 12-week “deep dive” into that particular area of interest.

Innovative — The academic team at the ICC understands that each student has their own unique learning style, and the curriculum and delivery methodology is just as innovative as the content itself.

Intense, real-world experience — You’ll benefit from classes that are delivered consecutively, versus concurrently in a traditional program, meaning that you’ll focus on and master one subject area fully before moving on to another. This allows for more intensity, increased retention, and a greater simulation to “real-world” design projects, demands, and deadlines.

Outstanding faculty — You’ll learn from experienced faculty with real-world experience.

Outcomes for Industrial and Innovative Design Majors

Placement of graduates from the industrial and innovative design program into design careers has been very high, often well above 90% in the specific major! Within six month of graduation, our graduates have been hired at corporations like Reebok, Bose Electronics, Sterilite Corporation, Honda Research and Development, General Dynamics (Bath Iron Works), Steelcase, Integrated Package Machinery; at retail space planning firms like WD Partners, PlanIt Studios, Continental Office; and at prestigious industrial design consultancies like Priority Designs, Bigger Tuna, BZ Designs, Benjamin & Bond, and more.

According to industry data, employment of commercial and industrial designers is expected to grow approximately 4% over the next decade. Employment growth will arise from increased demand for quality new or upgraded products that are safe and comfortable to use, and for high-technology products in consumer electronics, medicine, transportation, and other fields. Despite the increase in design work performed overseas, most design jobs, particularly jobs not related to high-technology product design, will still remain in the United States.

Opportunities for Industrial and Innovative Design Majors

During the ICC experience students typically have multiple interactions with industry professionals, who attend presentations, jury work, conduct content-specific workshops, and even supervise class projects. Not only does this enhance students’ education and experience, but it also can assist with career networking and advice, and résumé and portfolio review.

Mostly, students have an “experience” that is truly one-of-a-kind through challenging and relevant projects, available and engaged faculty, a dynamic and fresh curriculum, all in a setting that inspires creativity, collaboration, and innovation.