<p>Can anyone tell me about this program, and "design" as a whole? It would be especially valuble to hear from engineering gurus actually in the field about the pluses and minuses of such a degree. Also (and this may be why I ask about it's "reliability"), I have seen such a department at almost no other school in the country. Is this the case? If so, why?</p>
<p>This stuff appeals to me because of the art/creativity involved, awhen contrated to something like EE, which seems like it would be boring as hell to someone like me. I love things that combine art and science. Seems like coming from Stanford, this would be a LEGIT degree- but would employers be like, "Yeah, we don't know what to do with this" ?</p>
<p>seems like a fun major but do mechanical engineering just to be safe- especially when you're going to be taking a number of mechanical engineering courses anyway. Most employers will not know what to do with you and you won't get any respect because employers will not put you in the same category as the other engineering majors- most employers don't even know what to do with architectural engineers, who are way more popular than 'product designer's' but still very unpopular. Do the product design thing in grad school if it's a program you have thoroughly researched and are genuinely interested in.</p>
<p>I disagree with most of these posters.
Combining art and science and focusing on usability, utility and beauty at the same time will be huge I suspect for employers.</p>
<p>You don't need a degree in product design to design anything. I wonder how many people who worked on Apple products are have degrees in product design...</p>
<p>You don't need a degree in film studies from USC to direct a movie or a create a TV show, either. Hmm... Judd Apatow, Ron Howard, George Lucas, John Singleton, Robert Zemeckis, Shonda Rhimes, Josh Swartz...</p>
<p>The experience simply gives you a much better chance of doing so successfully.</p>
<p>I guess it depends on what options you are considering. If it's between ME and this, I'd say the ME route is probably safer and better overall. If it's between psychology and this, I'd say product design sounds better. </p>
<p>But also remember, you're asking a bunch of engineers/would-be engineers if art is better than engineering. If all you think about all day is product design, then it's a pretty clear answer. You need to have a good sense of aesthetics and have some type of artistic skill. There probably won't be too much "science" in that program as you think. Mostly things like ergonomics.</p>
<p>stevee:
DS was asked to work on an Apple project at his university after his graduation. He had ME experience. CAD. HCI (design) as his 2 major. He had other plans for the summer and not particularily interested in another 3-6 months in this city. In fact he was more interested in Toronto. In my business, I particularly discover that people will think inside the box no matter how many sides of the box I destroy. My ideal hire is a person who has been doodling and making things rather going to school to make the box.</p>
<p>This seems kind of silly to argue about. No one wants a well engineered product that is ugly nor do they want a cool looking product that is poorly engineered. In a perfect situation designers and engineers would work together. I think this is what is making Target such a success story.</p>
<p>I'd stick to MechE If I had to make that choice. I agree with a previous poster who said if you are interested, take some art classes. I highly doubt how impressive a degree like that would be with employers it might be considered closer to the arts than applied sciences, from a employers point of view that is. Technical degrees are markedly versatile, a solid background in engineering will do wonders for your career if you have the creativity to design products.
Plus if you ever feel inspired, you will have the skills necessary to visualize what it would take to produce the actual item.</p>
<p>Good Idea on art classes. I have a cousin by marriage who draws rather than make a photo or computerized illustration. He does this to high light particular features.</p>
<p>Son took an art class for his HCI-ME majors. Drawing Nudes. $300/credit hour, 3 credits. Something that can be done at local school. After seeing his drawings, I can assure you that nudes at Ivy caliber schools are less appealing than those at a local CC. The CC nudes are cheaper too.</p>
<p>I hope students don't overlook the inherent benefits of doing and studying stuff they love. You are more likely to be successful both at school and at work if you are engaged in something you find personally fulfilling. If you're in a program that weaves together two fields you love, I would think, so much the better.</p>
<p>"The difference between our examples is that yours are all outliers and mine are not.</p>
<p>And whether the experience actually gives you a better chance is questionable.</p>
<p>Your attitude already confirms that you set your mind on this, so why bother asking?"</p>
<p>Outliers??? First, your example referenced ONE very specific company with a very specific business plan and mentality- hardly a very 'representative sample', considering it seems you want to view this matter through statistical glasses. Not to mention that you have no way to validate what you inferred. </p>
<p>Secondly, yes, I suppose you could call mine 'outliers'- except that the field of film making is so small, and the number of people who successfully do the job is minuscule. When you consider the additional fact that the film school @ USC is very small, it seems pretty obvious that these 'outliers' have created a pretty significant percentage of the successful projects that have come out of Hollywood... Presenting a pretty stong correlation between USC film school and successful industry work. </p>
<p>Lastly- I have an "attitude" now? I simply saw merit in you comment, and was simply asking another question to provoke more thought on the subject. The idea of adding a creative bent to a somewhat dry program of study appeals to me- but my mind is so very far from "made up"...</p>