Encouraging Masters of Industrial Design

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Industrial design has become wider and deeper in scope.  Strategy, environments, innovation, form, branding, emotional, design thinking, product, interaction, vehicle, soft goods, furniture, research, sustainable, it’s getting huge!  And I think that it’s time to evolve.

We’re trying to cram so much into a 4 year degree, that it’s taking 5 years or more to do it.  If our students are spending 5 plus years in school anyway, then why not just make it an even six? 

Is an engineer expected to study mechanical, aerospace, electrical, fluid dynamics, civil, architectural, industrial production and manufacturing?  No, the engineering community realized that these are all related but distinct focuses of engineering, so they created separate programs.

Since we think that we’re so special and are worth a lot of money and we want more respect, we should require professionals to have a masters degree. Raise the bar of entry.  The base ID education with core courses  in undergrad and then a specialization and focus in graduate school.  That way we have specialized experts in their discipline. 

Other professionals that we are working beside have graduate degrees, MBAs, PEs, even licensed social workers are required to have a masters degree. Why shouldn’t we? 

More credibility, more expertise, more specialization, more authority, more earning potential.  What do you think?

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