IIS Proposal Final

Nixon Industrial Design 1
Individualized Interdisciplinary Studies Degree Proposal
Concentration: Industrial Design
Sponsors:
Dr. Petros Katsioloudis, Industrial Technology Program Director
Department of STEM Education and Professional Studies
Professor David Shields, Assistant Professor of Graphic Design
Department of Art

Personal Background
I have long been interested in the interaction of art and design in relation to
society. Having shown an aptitude for art at an early age, I was heavily involved
in gifted art programs as a child developing a love for all things artistic and
creative. I eventually attended a magnet school for the arts and technology as a
technology major, which ultimately shaped my interest in engineering. Because
of this, I entered Old Dominion as a Mechanical Engineering Technology major;
however, I have always found myself being drawn back to art. I have struggled
with the idea of being strictly an “engineer” the duration of my time at ODU and
as a result I now find myself at a crossroads. I do not feel I fit the mold of an
engineer in a modern sense. Instead I feel more attuned to my creative
capacities rather than math and science. I view myself in a more traditional sense
of the word engineer meaning one who “artfully brings something about or
arranges for an event or situation to occur.” Because of this, my interests have
broadened into more design-based fields. These particular fields typically merge
art, math, science, engineering, and critical thinking. I believe my abilities are
best suited for one of these industries and my purpose lies at the intersection of
these disciplines. I have a unique perspective that could prove beneficial in the
design field. I am uncomfortable with the idea of restricting myself to one
particular area of study, as I feel it puts constraints on my abilities. For these
reasons I am proposing a curriculum where I can seamlessly combine each of
these disciplines into a more concentrated program parallel to an Industrial
Design program.
For the past 3 years I have been an intern with Columbia Gas of Virginia where I
help to determine the feasibility of providing natural gas to existing and
prospective customers. In addition to the practical workplace experience I have
received, I have also gained beneficial experience in critical thinking and design.
This has better helped to shape my pursuit of a career pertaining to design as
opposed to engineering. I believe this experience will prove invaluable to doing
so.
Ultimately, I would like to enter a field where I can utilize my gifts and talents to
produce something meaningful. I am a firm believer purpose lies at the
intersection of our interests. I would be remiss not to take the necessary steps to
carve a niche according to my strengths and abilities.

Field of Study
My focus in pursuing an Industrial Design-like degree is more career-oriented
than academic; however, I do intend on applying to an Industrial Design MFA
program (curriculum attached). My goal is to establish a foundation for doing so.
My hope is to enter the workforce a well-rounded, multi-faceted individual with an
understanding in the aforementioned disciplines in order to provide a unique
perspective in the design process. I have structured my personal curriculum
similar to programs offered in various schools in Architectural Design, Industrial
Design, Product Design and Architecture with most emphasis being placed on
Industrial Design. This is a relatively new discipline and subsequently programs
vary in expectations of students; however, there is typically heavy focus being
placed on art/design, critical thinking/problem solving, and manufacturing
processes according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Any background in math/
science, engineering and/or management will serve as supplemental material.
Industrial Designers are charged with “developing manufactured products.” In
doing so, industrial designers are expected to provide consultation to prospective
clients, express ideas in a tangible means such as sketches or renderings, create
and develop prototypes and other physical interpretations of ideas, examine
materials and manufacturing specifications, work collaboratively with specialists
in various other fields, and effectively bring into fruition varying concepts
(Bureau). From the Bureau of Labor Statistics information on Industrial Design I
have identified and adapted a number of the qualities and skills necessary to be
effective in these duties including:
 Analytical Skills: Logic, Reasoning, Critical Thinking, Problem Solving
 Artistic/Creative Ability
 Proficiency in Computational Skills 
 Interpersonal Skills: Cooperative and Collaborative
 Mechanical Skills: Understanding of Manufacturing Processes
 Innovation 
 Ingenuity 
 Resourcefulness
 Visualization
These qualities draw from the disciplines I have defined as integral to pursuing
Industrial Design.

Justification and Overview of Courses
The program I am proposing will consist of four disciplines in particular:
Studio Art- the foundation of this program will consist of courses intended to
create a suitable art/creativity foundation for pursuing a graduate degree in
Industrial Design then obtaining a job in the Industrial Design field. I have chosen
courses that will provide a foundation geared more toward design such as ARTS
202- Two-Dimensional Design, ARTS 203- Three-Dimensional Design, etc. The
Studio Art classes I register for will also be instrumental in reinforcing my
understanding of design principles and composition. These courses will also help
me prepare a suitable portfolio for graduate school admission.
Engineering- the engineering courses selected are intended to give a conceptual
understanding of engineering principles and theories. These courses, in
particular, will give me an in-depth analysis of various materials and
manufacturing processes essential to pursuing a career in Industrial Design.
• Courses focused on materials and manufacturing processes such as MET
200- Manufacturing Processes and Materials, MAE 201- Material Science,
and MET 410- Advanced Manufacturing Processes will be immensely
useful in increasing my understanding of these areas.  
• MET 240- Computer Solid Modeling will be critical to establishing design-
centered thinking and visualization.  
Management- Industrial Design is dependent on proficiency in collaboration and
cooperation. In order to effectively do so, an Industrial Designer must have an
understanding of principles of project management, risk analysis, leadership,
teamwork, etc. The management courses listed will serve as an introduction and
analysis of these principles as they relate to the workforce.  
Math/Science- although Industrial Designing is more heavily predicated on art
and design than math and science, it is critical to have practical understanding of
mathematical and scientific concepts. 
Combining courses from each of these disciplines will give me knowledge and
experience pertinent to Industrial Design. There are major/minor combinations of
existing curricula offered at Old Dominion that could prove beneficial to my
pursuit of a career in Industrial Design; however, creating a curriculum of my own
closely modeled after Industrial Design programs elsewhere will ensure all bases
are covered and be much more beneficial.

As evidenced by the attached curriculums, there is a particular interest on
foundation courses in order to provide students with a suitable basis for
furthering their studies in Industrial Design. James Madison University makes
courses such as Two-Dimensional Design and Three-Dimensional Design
prerequisites for the Industrial Design program in order to ensure students are
equipped with the tools necessary to for the upper-level courses. I have tried to
mirror this by incorporating the equivalent courses offered at Old Dominion
University such as ARTS 202- Two-Dimensional Design and ARTS 203- Three-
Dimensional into my curriculum. In addition, I have also included ARTS 279-
Fundamentals of Digital Art and MET 240- Computer Solid Modeling in my
curriculum as equivalents to GRPH 200- Computer Graphics and INDU
220/INDE- CAD I: Digital Design, each Art and Design requirements at James
Madison. Virginia Tech also has a similar course known as IDS 2304- Computer
Aided Industrial Design.
In each of the curriculums considered there is heavy emphasis on courses
focused on materials and manufacturing processes. JMU, Virginia Tech,
Parsons, as well as other programs not included incorporate these courses into
their curriculums. Through the Mechanical Engineering and Mechanical
Engineering Technology programs at ODU I have been able to take comparable
courses such as MET 200 and MET 240 and I will be able to further engage in
these disciplines through MET 445- Computer Integrated Manufacturing and
MET 495- Design for Manufacturing. These courses will provide a practical and
conceptual understanding of design as it relates to materials and manufacturing
processes which are heavily interdependent. Additionally, Masters’ programs
typically build upon the foundation provided by these courses. PGIN 5040-
Materials, Manufacturing, and Assembly is an element of Parsons’ Master’s
program.
The Engineering Management courses I have incorporated serve as an
opportunity to provide me with the skills necessary for analytical thinking and
ethical business practices as it relates to the workplace. Virginia Tech offers a
course through their Industrial Design program called IDS 3204- Topics in
Professional Development which aims to refine students’ approach to business
and the work environment. The courses I have taken through ODU’s Engineering
Management program address similar topics.

Sponsor Reactions
My sponsors have been instrumental in helping to shape my proposal given their
exposure to Industrial Design through various outlets. Each sponsor was able to
provide me with useful information concerning my proposal as it relates to the
Industrial Design field.
Dr. Katsioloudis encouraged me to enroll in STEM 382, which I was previously
unaware of, as this course encourages students to “analyze and design products
representative of today’s industrial-technological society [with] emphasis being
placed on design methodology, aesthetic value, and design thinking.” These are
skills critical to establishing myself as an Industrial Designer. While this course
only “teaches the basic disciplinary knowledge of industrial design,” it will provide
me a suitable foundation to build upon going forward.
Dr. Katsioloudis and I also talked at length about the importance of art and
design courses as it relates to this discipline as these courses help designers
learn to effectively convey thoughts and ideas creatively. He was also supportive
of my decision to enroll in manufacturing process and materials courses as these
courses give a conceptual understanding of some of the methods that are crucial
to product development, thus making me a more effective designer.
Professor Shields played a pivotal role in helping to structure my proposal in a
way that truly provides me with foundational skills beneficial in the Industrial
Design field as he was able to pass along my proposal to an associate of his who
is currently practicing Industrial Design. Using this information Professor Shields
provided me with a practical understanding of the skills necessary for an
Industrial Designer and an idea of the type of courses I should include in my
proposal. The information he provided along with the courses I have chosen to
fulfill their suggestions are as follows:
 Graphic Design- anything that would help him learn the Adobe Suite and
basic formatting skills for presentation purposes and user interface design.
The better he is at graphic design and presenting himself the better off he
will be. Also, those kind of courses might teach him some "design thinking
skills" rather than just a fine arts approach.
o ARTS 279- Fundamentals of Digital Art is designed in a way to give
students an introduction to the Adobe Suite as it relates to design
principles
 Digital Drawing- would always be helpful as most Industrial Designers are
moving towards doing everything that way.
o Courses such as MET 120- Computer Aided Drafting and MET
240- Computer Solid Modeling have provided me with an
introduction to digital rendering and an understanding conceptually
designing three dimensionally.

 Human Factors- anything that would better shape understanding of the
human body and how to design around it
o ARTS 231- Fundamentals of Drawing and ARTS 331- Drawing
Composition have provided a brief glimpse into design as it relates
to humans. While these course are more closely related to fine arts,
ARTS 231 did touch briefly on the human figure and ARTS 331
touched on issues of perspective and dimensioning as it relates to
human perspective.
 Modeling- anything that would [teach how] to quickly convey ideas through
physical models would be great. [...] anything that could teach hand skills
beyond just sketching would be beneficial.
o ARTS 203- Three-Dimensional Design has been very beneficial in
developing these skills. ARTS 202- Two-Dimensional Design, while
obviously in the two-dimensional realm, also helps to develop craft
skills.
In addition to providing courses to bolster my proposal, each of my sponsors also
recommended various resources to help me improve as a designer.

Concentration: Industrial Design (B.A.)
Total Transfer Hours: 138
Lower Division General Education Requirements
Satisfied according to University General Education and Arts and Letters
Requirements
Individualized Integrative Studies Core:
IDS 300W- Introduction to Interdisciplinary Studies (3) (Proposed)
ENG 307T- Digital Writing (3) (Registered Summer 2016)
IDS Integration Project (Proposed):
 IDS 368- Interdisciplinary Studies Internship (3)
 IDS 493- Electronic Portfolio (3)
 IDS 497- IDS Individualized Senior Project (3)
Concentration: Industrial Design (B.A.)
Studio Art
Course Title Date Credit Hours Grade
ARTS 279 Fundamentals
of Digital Art
Spring 15 3 A
ARTS 202 Two-
Dimensional
Design
Proposed 3 Registered
ARTS 203 Three-
Dimensional
Design
*ARTS 304 Color Proposed 3 Registered
ARTS 331 Drawing
Composition
Mechanical Engineering Technology
MET 200 Manufacturing
Process and
Materials
Fall 15 3 B
**EET 305 Advanced
Technical
Analysis
Fall 15 3 C+
MET 240 Computer
Solid
Modeling
STEM 382 Industrial
Design

MET 445 Computer
Integrated
Manufacturing
(Summer 16)
MET 495 Design for
Manufacturing
(Summer 16)
Engineering Management
ENMA 301 Intro to
Engineering
Management
Fall 12 3 B
ENMA 401 Project
Management
Fall 12 3 C
ENMA 424 Risk Analysis
Engineering
Fall 14 3 A
ENMA 480 Ethics
Philosophy
Engineering
Fall 12 3 A
Curriculum Credit Hours: 54
Upper Level Credit Hours: 30
Proposed Remaining Credit Hours: 33
*ARTS 304- Color: This course has been included based on the design principle
of Aesthetic-Usability Affect which essentially states beautiful objects are
perceived to be easier to use than ugly objects. The premise for taking this
course was the better understanding I have of what people are attracted to
visually and why, the better designer I will be.
**EET 305- Advanced Technical Analysis- EET 305 is designed to encourage
students to approach problems analytically and solve accordingly. This course
was beneficial in helping me to hone my critical and analytical thinking skills.

Senior Project
I propose the use of my experience as an intern for Columbia Gas of Virginia to
fulfill the requirements necessary for the IDS Integration Project as I believe it is
applicable to the pursuit of my goals as they relate to Industrial Design.
My internship was designed to give me experience “designing, planning,
estimating, and observing construction of a multitude of projects” while also
giving me an opportunity to develop and hone technical skills, improve
interpersonal and communication skills, and prepare me for a successful future in
the workforce. I was expected to “proficiently design and analyze a particular
product or condition and develop a strategy for effectively and efficiently solving
the task at hand.” While the product was natural gas, I developed skills and
techniques applicable across any design field such as:
 Research and Exploration
 Conceptualization
 Iteration
 Documentation
 Presentation
These particular skills translate to any design process.
Given the assets I obtained during my tenure with Columbia Gas of Virginia, I
believe my experience to be beneficial to my Industrial Design curriculum.
Experience in the workforce is invaluable regardless of the discipline. I made it a
point to glean any advantage possible in my career pursuit through my
experience with Columbia Gas of Virginia.

Sources
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook
Handbook, 2016-17 Edition, Industrial Designers,
on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/ooh/arts-and-design/industrial-
designers.htm (visited March 16, 2016).

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