Purdue University

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OVERVIEW

Purdue University offers both a BFA and an MFA in Industrial Design through the Patti and Rusty Rueff School of Design, Art, and Performance. The program emphasizes product design, manufacturing, and user experience, with students engaging in corporate-sponsored projects with companies like Nike, Microsoft, Whirlpool, and Bose. Over 90% of graduates secure roles as industrial designers in electronics, furniture, toys, and consulting.

The Patti and Rusty Rueff School of Design, Art, and Performance at Purdue University provides professional Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) and Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degrees in Industrial Design. The four-year BFA combines art, liberal arts, and technical skill-building in form-giving, sketching, ideation, prototyping, and 3D modeling, culminating in corporate projects with major industry partners. The 60-credit-hour MFA adds advanced theory, research methods, art and design history, and a final graduate exhibition or research project, emphasizing innovation at the intersection of business, technology, and human-centered design. Housed in Yue-Kong Pao Hall with dedicated computer labs and 3D printing capabilities, the program places a strong emphasis on leadership and hands-on making within the Midwest manufacturing industry.