Product Design
About the Major
Product design is about creating the future in the form of new objects, systems and services. It is inherently creative and interdisciplinary blending design, engineering, business, art, and humanities. Students in this major will gain experience generating, visualizing, and prototyping innovative concepts. Read more about the major.
Common Entry Level Job Titles
- Design Researcher
- Industrial Designer
- Packaging Designer
- Product Designer
- Product Developer
- Product Engineer
- User Experience Designer
Types of Employers
- Consumer product companies
- Industrial product companies
- Product design consulting firms
- Marketing firms
- Medical device companies
Alumni Internship and Volunteer Contacts
Search for students' previously completed experiences related to this major (to get ideas- not to get a list of openings) at: z.umn.edu/experiencedatabase. Database is updated through Summer 2019 semester only and will be updated yearly.
Salary and Employment Statistics
See the employment and salary page for statistics on the most recent graduates and previous years.
Top Career Resources
- Summer 2020 Product Design Resources
- Industrial Designers Society of America
Field information, upcoming events, industry press releases and job postings - World Design Organization (formerly International Council of Societies of Industrial Design)
Professional association with job postings, trend reports, and student membership - Coroflot
Search design job postings, post a portfolio and promote your work to hiring organizations - Core77
Browse design related news and jobs, post a porfolio, and explore design groups
Additional Resources
In addition to these resources we recommend the following strategies to locate more information about careers related to your major:
- O*NET and Careerwise. These tools provide comprehensive information about a wide range of careers including typical duties, salaries, employment outlook, skills and interests.
- Locate professional associations related to your major or career interests by conducting a Google Search on “(Name of major/career area/industry) professional associations.” Try these keywords: product, design, industrial, sustainable, systems, user experience, CAD, drafting
- Get involved in one of the many industry-related student groups on campus. These groups provide links to experiences, guest speakers, and discussion with like-minded students.
- Job Requirements and Job Outlook for Product Design/Industrial Design
- What is Industrial Design? A primer for beginners
- Getting Started in Industrial Design
- Getting an Industrial Design Job