Industrial Design BFA

Department of Art and Design Admission Guidelines

Program Admission Contact:

Dr.Denis Feigler, 973-655-2091

University Admission Contact:

The Portfolio Interview for Industrial Design

Go to Department of Art and Design -- How To Apply for initial application instructions and Portfolio Review dates, then review the instructions below.

The next-step Portfolio Review is an opportunity to present your artistic work to the faculty and learn more about your intended major. Following the appointment, results will be forwarded to the Office of Admissions, which, in turn, will notify you of your admission status.

Industrial Design applicants should consist of the following portfolio requirements:

Your portfolio is a mirror of who you are as a designer. Since design is a highly interdisciplinary profession, your approach to presenting yourself and your work must take this factor into consideration. The portfolio communicates your interest for the profession, demonstrates your enthusiasm and gives evidence of your readiness to start your industrial design studies. We encourage you to include a selection of your most recent projects, which best represent your ideas and your visions, while also demonstrating a range of essential skills necessary to be successful in the major.

Freshman students:

Do not rely only on the projects you completed for your art classes in high school, they may not be appropriate for this major. Consult with your teachers and ask them to advise you.

When applying to the BFA in Industrial Design, in your portfolio you must include works that demonstrate your interest and aptitude for the profession. These are drawings of objects and/or initiatives in product development. The intention is to demonstrate an understanding of proportion, aesthetics, and structure, through applied knowledge of two-point and three-point perspective. The drawings should be free hand line drawings, studies of three-dimensional exploration of objects in space.

Compulsory material:

All applicants must include a minimum of three finished line drawings of objects in three-point perspective from each of the following product design categories:

Furniture design (home, office, public places)
Lighting design, (show resourcefulness with your selection)
Transportation design (bicycle, car, scooter, baby stroller, wheelbarrow, etc.)
Consumer products (Toaster, coffee maker, sporting goods, communications devices or power tools)

Emphasis should be on the aesthetics and function of the product, as well as the originality of their design. Show off the designer in you, by paying attention to details.

Inclusion of photos of 3D models is optional. Of primary importance are exploratory sketches that show a variety of solutions and ideas for each product presented. You must be able to demonstrate an equivalence of the BFA in Industrial Design First-Year Design Stream. Include your best most recent projects that demonstrate creative exploration, concept development as well as some awareness of human anatomy.

Explain briefly and articulately your ideas behind each project. We expect that as part of this visual presentation you also submit pages from your journal, or sketchbook that indicate your process of research, thinking and investigation.

In addition, be prepared to discuss the reasons for choosing the BFA in Industrial Design program

Selection of 6 pieces of 2-D and 3-D artwork. Applicants are advised to review the Studio Portfolio Preparation Guidelines for advice on preparing the portfolio.

Photocopy of your high school or college transcript.

Writing Samples

Submit two examples of writing, each between 200 and 400 words. In your first sample, please look ahead and address this question:

How do you hope to have changed at the end of your time as an MSU ID student?

In you second sample write about a personal passion or obsession other than visual art or design.

Is there something you love to do, can’t stop thinking about?

Note to out-of-town applicants: Where long-distance travel for an in-person interview is prohibitive, the department will sometimes explore alternative options with an applicant. Special circumstances should be addressed with the Program Admission Contact.

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Important Information for Transfer Applicants

You may be considered for the sophomore level, if you completed the first year studies at a university in an accredited Industrial Design program and you achieved at least a C+ or higher in each of the major subjects. This does not apply to the foundation course of 2D design, 3D design Color Study and Figure Drawing. It is expected that the majority of your presented work directly applies to the Industrial Design area and demonstrate adequate knowledge of related subjects.

Applicants transferring from community colleges must complete the four-year sequence of major studio studies of the BFA in Industrial Design major, unless they demonstrate excellence in visualization, model making, problem solving and human factors, and completed courses that focus on these subject areas.

Note: The same compulsory portfolio requirements as for freshman apply.

A maximum of nine credits of 100- or 200-level Industrial Design coursework taken at other institution may be accepted as Major Studio Courses in the BFA in Industrial Design major, depending on the presented competence level.

If you are planning on transferring from a NJ community college into the Department of Art and Design at Montclair State University as a BFA in Industrial Design major, please follow the guidelines suggested on the NJ Transfer Web page. The NJ Transfer's Plan Academic Program (RTP) feature allows you to choose the institution at which you are currently enrolled and the Montclair State program into which you wish to transfer; and lists the best courses for you to take while at your current institution.

While at the community college level, it is important for you to concentrate on your Foundations classes (e.g. 2D and 3D Design, Color Studies, and Life Drawing), rather than taking too many classes in an area of specialization. It is highly recommended that Transfer students come to Montclair with no more than two beginning-level courses in the area of specialization (note: specializations at MSU include Ceramics, Drawing, Metalwork & Jewelry, Painting, Photography, Printmaking, Sculpture).

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