whats up everyone i have a good question
What degree is better for Industrial Designing, a “B.I.D” or a “B.F.A”? 
Please if any one has comments or knows the answer to this question, get back at me
thanks
Generally there are three different types of ID undergraduate degrees, BFA, BS, and BID
To my knowledge, none of them is “better” or more preferred by employers than the other, but they do have different curriculum requirements.
BFA has a more extensive foundation year, more art, architecture, and design history requirements, there are generally no math requirements and fewer literature type classes.
BS I think typically has less of an “art” foundation, and it has math and science requirements.
BID, my school just started offering one as I was leaving, and I think it was one of the few in the country. It was a BFA program that if you stayed one more year you got a BID, seemed like more of a money making scheme as there where no additional classes, you just paid another year of tuition to hang out. This might have changed though.
I got a BFA and am extremely happy with it. As a professional, I reflect the most on what I learned in those foundation and history classes, though at the time I didn’t understand why I needed to be there…
Same story here, I got a BFA in Industrial Design
First year was foundations with courses in figure drawing, technical drawing, design sketching, color, all the standards. I also started out in graphics so I got a heavy dose of typography couses.
Years 2 - 5 were all about core ID classes (building stuff), heavy art history, heavy english, marketing, communications, and photography
We were also required to take physics, calculus, economics, human factors, and business law which turned out to be great courses. I added to that with a minor in engineering and sampled courses from civil, mechanical, electrical and computer science.
I walked away feeling that my design skills still needed some work but I was very well rounded from all of the other subjects. It helped a lot when I got out and started working because I could handle a lot of different disciplines and was a pro at doing research and proposals.
Compared to people who went to art schools I know I got more exposure to technical subjects and liberal arts although for doing engineering it might have been nice to do more science and math like you get in a BS program.
I’m currently getting ready to finish off my minor in engineering as a second full degree in computer science so that should be interesting. Once you have the first undergrad it takes no time at all to get a second. Then I’ll let my employer pay for grad work.
Guys you have given me more info then i could ever ask. i commend you and applaud you, am sure your have turned out to be elite designers and hope to make my own foot steps to help other up comming designers just as you did for me.
Sincerely
William A. Lopez
I did the bid in my school. First semester is like any other, then wintersession is research for your degree project. 2nd semester you focus on your degree project. Also helps give you more time to finish other graduation requirements that they weren’t clear about like out of major electives (instead of the ID courses like pro-e, etc that didnt’ count at all towards my graduation).
-Doesn’t really mean anything applying for work, maybe lets the resume pop out a little more but it’s the portfolio and your personality that count for getting the job. Good stuff on the resume just gives you a better chance at getting interviews.