Program Overview

Bachelor Programme in Industrial Design

The Bachelor Programme in Industrial Design takes ideas from vision to reality through a creative, life-centred design process. The programme emphasises sustainable, norm-critical design practices that address social and ecological challenges, encouraging students to imagine responsible and resilient futures through design. During the programme, students refine and develop artistic abilities, physical and digital skills, analytical thinking, and critical reflection.

About the Programme

• The programme is a three-year, full-time programme.
• It is located in Umeå, Sweden.
• The programme is taught on campus.
• The programme is a first-cycle programme.

While Studying

In the first year, students build a strong foundation in industrial design, learning core skills such as sketching, prototyping, and hands-on techniques in workshops and digital labs. In the second year, students take these skills further by exploring interaction design, systems thinking, and participatory design. In the third year, students bring everything together to shape their own vision and practice as an industrial designer.

Courses in the Programme

• Year 1:
  • Becoming a designer: Introduction
  • Exploration of form and materials
  • Design expression 1
  • Design studies 1
  • Designing for functionality
  • Designing for people
  • Design expression 2
  • Design studies 1
• Year 2:
  • Exploration of interaction and experience
  • Designing with people
  • Design expressions 3
  • Design studies 3
  • Becoming a designer: Practice
  • Designing together
  • Design expressions 4
  • Design studies 4
• Year 3:
  • Exploration of design (as) research
  • Designing design: Immersion
  • Becoming a designer: Direction
  • Design expressions 5
  • Design studies 5
  • Designing design: Articulation
  • Degree project in design
  • Being a designer: Reflection

Future and Career Opportunities

The programme’s close ties with companies, including a ten-week internship, make students highly attractive in the job market. Graduates go on to work as industrial designers in diverse fields, from consumer products to healthcare, mobility, and digital experiences. Many join leading design consultancies or international companies, while others pursue entrepreneurial paths or continue to advanced studies.

Master's Programmes

• Advanced product design
• Interaction design
• Transportation design

Eligibility

• General entry requirements and approved work samples and approved interview.
• General entry requirements for bachelor's studies must be submitted no later than the supporting documentation deadline for the Second admissions round (Autumn).

Degree

After completing the study programme, a student who has applied for a degree can obtain a Degree of Bachelor of Fine Arts (180 credits) in accordance with the local qualification descriptor established by the Vice-Chancellor. The degree is awarded in the main field of study (Industrial design).

Application and Tuition Fees

• Application fee: SEK 900
• Tuition fee, first instalment: SEK 160,650
• Total fee: SEK 963,900

Application

Application is made in two steps:

1. Registration on universityadmissions.se
2. Upload your work samples

Selection

The selection process for the Bachelor Programme in Industrial Design is carried out in two steps. First part: The 20-30 applicants with the best work samples are shortlisted by the recruitment group, consisting of the programme coordinator and professional industrial designers. Second part: Applicants who are shortlisted for the second part of the selection process will be contacted for an interview at the Institute of Design in Umeå during one day.