Cultivate
Provides opportunities inside and outside the classroom to cultivate and enhance your overall learning and academic experience.
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DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRIAL DESIGN
Explore the Industrial Design Major
Industrial Design (ID) is the professional practice of designing products, devices, objects and services used by millions of people around the world every day. Industrial designers typically focus on the physical appearance, functionality and manufacturability of a product, though they are often involved in far more during a development cycle. All of this ultimately extends to the overall lasting value and experience a product or service provides for end-users. Every object that you interact with on a daily basis in your home, office, school or public setting is the result of a design process. During this process, myriad decisions are made by an industrial designer (and their team) that are aimed at improving your life through well-executed design. (credit: idsa.org)
What Are Milestones?
Milestones are activities students should complete and skills they should develop during their first year, middle years and final year at MSU Denver.
Major Milestones help prospective and current students explore major and career options and create a year-by-year plan that makes the most of their time at MSU Denver and sets them up for post-graduation success.
Career Milestones provide ways to explore options for jobs and/or attending graduate school after graduation and help students understand the types of essential skills employers look for.
Both types of Milestones integrate curricular (what happens inside the classroom), co-curricular (what happens inside and outside the classroom), and non-curricular (what happens outside the classroom) experiences.
Career Milestones Resources
There are nine essential skills you should have in order to find, acquire, maintain, and grow within a job.
Essential skills built through majoring in Industrial Design include:
- Teamwork & Collaboration
- Critical Thinking
- Technology
Learn more about essential skills.
Students graduating from Industrial Design find themselves most often in product design, development, exhibit design, and many more.
- Employment rate for Industrial Designers is projected to grow 2% from 2022-2032.
Explore career opportunities by major.
Students who choose to pursue a graduate degree often consider these pathways:
- ArtCenter College of Design
- Ohio State University
- Rochester Institute of Technology
Learn more about applying to graduate school.
Major Milestones Resources
Learn more about Major Milestones for your major and how to make the most of your time at MSU Denver!
How To Get The Most Out Of This Page
Follow These Steps
- Click on your year in school from the list below.
- Read the steps listed in each category: Cultivate, Engage and Prepare.
- Complete any necessary steps listed.
- Check out further resources by connecting with your academic advisor, the Classroom to Career Hub, and your department faculty.
All options listed below are available in-person and online unless noted otherwise.
Major Milestones Categories
Engage
Highlights activities you can engage and participate in globally, nationally and locally to enhance your essential skills and start building your resume.
Prepare
Lists steps to prepare for postgraduate success whether that's entering the workforce, attending graduate school or pursuing other goals and plans.
Arrive! What to Explore During Your First Year at MSU Denver
- Attend orientation and register for classes.
- Meet with your Academic Advisor.
- Complete FAFSA/CASFA/COF and the General Scholarship Application.
- Join a student organization and get connected to support on campus.
- Declare a major, (explore our fully online programs!) or meet with an exploratory advisor to learn about options.
- Attend signature events on campus (Convocation, Fall Fest, Spring Fling, etc.).
- Check out Career Link for on campus and career-aligned jobs.
- Attend Classroom to Career Hub (C2Hub) career workshops and events.
- Write your early experience resume and utilize resume resources from the C2Hub.
- Attend Orientation, declare your major and register for classes
- Meet with your department academic advisor to map out your course journey
- Complete scholarship and financial aid application
- Take the IND 1000-Introduction to IND course
- Join the IND student club and start getting connected on campus
- Speak with a professor or IND advisor about opportunities within the department
- Attend department-sponsored events, including the end-of-semester Senior Show(s)
- Check out on-campus and career-aligned jobs on Career Link
- Begin to develop and explore a career pathway
- Build your portfolio and resume early
- Research and connect with design professionals online and through in-person networking opportunities
Thrive! Make the Most of Your Middle Years at MSU Denver
- Consider adding a minor or certificate to your chosen major.
- Explore resources like the tutoring program or the writing center.
- Get familiar with MSU Denver’s Academic Planning Tool.
- Explore student leadership on campus and volunteering in your community.
- Earn credit and gain experience through an internship, study abroad, or community-engaged learning.
- Attend identity or interest-based campus events like the Richard T. Castro speaker series.
- Connect with the Undergraduate Research and Scholarship program.
- Attend an in-person Career Fair to network and secure a professional headshot.
- Connect with the Classroom to Career Hub (C2Hub) for opportunities for professional mentoring and job shadowing.
- Build your student portfolio of design work
- Check your Degree Progress Report and meet with your department advisor
- Build your sketching, computer modeling, physical prototyping, and creative problem-solving skills
- Speak with a professor about special projects in which you could engage outside of classes
- Attend speaker and special events hosted by the department
- Seek out other hands-on learning experiences or design volunteer opportunities
- Participate in IND student club activities
- Connect with the Classroom to Career Hub (C2 Hub) on professional mentoring and networking opportunities
- Consult with the department’s Internship Coordinator about local internship connections you are researching
- Attend career fairs
Soar! Maximize Your Final Year at MSU Denver
- Meet with your advisor to complete remaining graduation requirements.
- Ready to Graduate? Check out this guide from the registrar!
- Attend or present in-person at a major-specific or industry-specific conference or networking event.
- Attend in-person alumni and campus-wide networking events.
- Submit a proposal to present in-person at the Undergraduate Research Conference.
- Seek to collaborate with local civic organizations.
- Finalize your portfolio of relevant projects and skills.
- Attend in-person career-focused events with an industry-ready resume.
- Identify needs for Professional Certifications or MCAT/LSAT etc. and prepare for professional school admissions.
- Prepare and submit applications for jobs, graduate school, or relevant post-grad training.
- Refine your design skills while seeking assistance from professors and professionals to strengthen your work
- Develop a self-directed final project for the IND Pro-Studio class
- Determine which electives you will take to both broaden and deepen your design learning
- Take advantage of opportunities to practice your leadership skills, especially related to design activities
- Continue to attend special events hosted by the department, and engage with individuals at those events
- Collect and organize your portfolio materials
- Seeking out internship opportunities to fulfill the graduation requirement and prepare for professional employment
- Collect information about companies and areas of design opportunities that are of interest to you
- If considering graduate school, discuss options with your faculty advisor
Roadrunner Roads
Things every student should do at MSU Denver.
Roadrunner Upkeep
- Complete FAFSA/CASFA/COF/Scholarship Applications every year.
- Stay on track for graduation by meeting with your advisor every year and check into the Rowdy Pit Stop every semester.
- Read The Runner in your email every Monday.
Roadrunner Career Readiness
- Find and get hired for jobs during college and beyond by visiting the Classroom to Career (C2) Hub and utilize their resources for students.
- To be prepared for any opportunity that comes your way, update your resume early & often.
- Explore options for hands-on learning and graduate school & get prepared for both.
- Log in to Career Link each month to stay up to date on programs, events, and job/internship opportunities.
Roadrunner Wellbeing
- Explore wellness and belonging resources from CESA.
- Access mental wellbeing support through the Counseling Center.
- Visit Rowdy’s Corner when you need some food access support.
- Nourish your physical well-being by checking out the Rec Center and Exercise Sciences, including for-credit courses.
- Determine your need for a Health Insurance Opt-Out Waiver each semester.
Follow Us
Contact the Department of Industrial Design
Connect with Us
Phone: (303) 615-0599
Email: [email protected]
Campus Location:
Aerospace and Engineering Sciences Building (AES)
Suite 200A
1449 7th Street