1. School of Architecture & Design
  2. Architecture & Design Programs
  3. Industrial Design

Industrial Design

UL Lafayette is proud to offer the only degree-granting Industrial Design program in Louisiana.

As an industrial design student, you’ll learn how to imagine and create products that are not only beautiful and functional—but also meaningful, sustainable, and human-centered. Our program prepares you to design for the real world, where creativity meets purpose and innovation drives impact.

Who Should Apply

This program is ideal for students who:

  • Are curious about how things work — and how they could work better.
  • Enjoy both creative problem-solving and hands-on making.
  • Want to improve everyday experiences through smart, thoughtful product design.
  • Are passionate about technology, design, sustainability, and improving lives.
  • Seek a career that blends engineering, art, ergonomics, and human behavior.

Learn how to apply »

Key Features

  • Louisiana’s only Industrial Design degree program, giving you a unique advantage in the region.
  • Professional four-year degree, with a curriculum grounded in both creative exploration and technical rigor.
  • Hands-on learning environment focused on collaboration, experimentation, and real-world relevance.
  • Emphasis on human-centered design, universal design, and sustainability.
  • Training in both traditional techniques and emerging technology, including 3D modeling, CNC milling, photorealistic rendering, and rapid prototyping.
  • Faculty who are committed to mentoring, supporting your creativity, and helping you become a thoughtful, industry-ready designer.

What You’ll Study

Our curriculum balances design theory, technical skills, and hands-on practice. You’ll explore:

  • Concept generation and product development
  • Form studies, sketching, drawing, and model making
  • 3D modeling, rendering, and fabrication technologies
  • Ergonomics, usability, and user-centered research
  • Design history, sustainability, and ethics
  • Visual communication and portfolio development

You’ll learn how to bring ideas from initial sketch to prototype, considering function, aesthetics, production, and user needs every step of the way.

Explore the curriculum »

What You Can Do with an Industrial Design Degree

As an industrial designer, you’ll help shape the products and experiences people use every day — everything from consumer electronics and home goods to medical devices, food packaging, furniture, and more.

Graduates of our program go on to work in:

  • Product design and development
  • Consumer electronics and wearable tech
  • Healthcare and medical equipment design
  • Automotive and transportation design
  • Furniture and lifestyle goods
  • Environmental and exhibition design
  • UX/UI and interaction design
  • Manufacturing and innovation labs

You may also find careers in adjacent roles like design consulting, sustainability innovation, prototyping labs, or user experience research — or even launch your own product line or studio.

Career Opportunities »

Skills You’ll Develop

Throughout the program, you’ll build a diverse set of creative and professional skills, including:

  • Visual and verbal communication, from sketching to presenting
  • Creative problem-solving and critical thinking
  • Human-centered research and design strategy
  • Project and time management under real-world constraints
  • Team collaboration and interdisciplinary work
  • Mastery of design technologies like CAD, CNC milling, and rapid prototyping

Requirements

All students in the School of Architecture and Design must meet the admissions requirements set by the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and the College of Arts as a whole to be accepted into the architectural studies program. Learn more about the University's admissions requirements. 

In the School of Architecture and Design, you must earn a C or better in all courses. To major and graduate with a degree in interior design you must achieve and maintain a cumulative 2.0 GPA or better.

After completing your first-year courses, you must go through a review to ensure that you have the skills and knowledge to complete the architectural studies program. For the review, you must compile a portfolio of 10 to 20 pages (8-1/2" x 11" dimensions) that showcase your work from the DSGN 101 and DSGN 102 courses. The evaluations will happen at the conclusion of both the spring and summer semesters.

In addition to your portfolio, our committee will assess your academic performance. To be admitted to the second year of architectural studies, you must retain a minimum 2.4 cumulative GPA and have completed these courses:

  • DSGN 101 Basic Design I
  • DSGN 102 Basic Design II
  • DSGN 114 Design Communication
  • ENGL 101 Rhetoric and Composition
  • ENGL 102 Composition and Literature
  • MATH 109 or MATH 110

After our committee has completed the review, we will give each student a final assessment. You will be allowed to enroll in second-year design courses if you receive an "accepted" review.

A computer is not required for students in their first year, but it will be required for students in their second year. Find out more about the computer requirements for second year Architecture, Interior Design, and Industrial Design.