Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU)

BA (Hons) in Industrial Design

Program outline

This program is specifically designed to provide students with:

• A holistic experience in the field of industrial design. Industrial designers focus on the product’s appearance and value on top of how it functions, how it’s manufactured, and user experience.

Degree level 1

First-year students will be focusing on the fundamentals of industrial design which includes drawing, creative thinking, project management, design process, and model making. Students will be exposed to various skills from manual & digital sketching, brainstorming methods to model making realizing their concept design into reality. Students will be working in team managing projects, handling restricted timelines, develop communication skills as well as entrepreneurial skills.

Common modules

• Creative Project
• Presentation Techniques
• Trend and Visual Thinking
• Digital Illustration
• Design History and Context

Option modules

• Computer-Aided Design (CAD)
• Material and Form
• Project Management
• 3D design

Degree level 2

Second-year students will be exposed to advanced 3D modeling skills, focusing on advanced form and conceptual design. The students will be required to transfer and decipher the consumer needs, market needs, and problems into designs that will lead to solving a problem for those needs. Holistic design considerations such as ergonomic design, manufacturing process, understanding different materials, and market needs will be the pinnacle focus in the second year.

Common modules

• Ergonomics
• Digital Design Project
• Model Making
• Universal Design
• Manufacturing Process

Option modules

• Product Design*
• Transport Design*
• Furniture Design*
• Sustainable Design*
• Creativity and Innovation
• Automotive Design Innovation
• Advance 3D Visualisation

* Modules determined by the area of interest

Internship (16 weeks)

Students will undertake a short Internship/ Industrial Training for a minimum period of 16 weeks to prepare them for a smooth transition from the classroom to the working environment.

Degree level 3

In the final year, students will make use of their knowledge from previous studies and industrial experience to produce a high-quality final-year project. Students are allowed to choose the topic or area of study based on the specialism topics of their choice. Students will then need to manage the project, design process, timeline, and budget. Conversely, students will be able to explore industry projects and competition briefs. Lastly, students will get to display and present their work in the final year exhibition, professional industry guests are invited to view and assess the student's work.

Common modules

• Research Project Report
• Exhibition Design
• Design Futures

Option modules

• Industry Project *
• Production Visualisation*
• Professional Project 1 *
• Professional Project 2 *

* Projects unique to specialism route

MQA compulsory subjects*

• Ethnic Relations (M’sian Students)
• Islamic & Asian Civilisation (M’sian Students)
• Malaysian Studies (Int’l Students)
• Malay Communication Language (Int’l Students)
• Workplace Professional Communication Skills
• Employee & Employment Trends
• Co-Curriculum

(*All students are required to successfully complete these modules as stipulated by the Malaysian Qualification Agency.)

If architects design the house, then industrial designers design everything inside.

Industrial Design is the professional practice of designing products used by millions of people around the world every day. Every product you have and interact with in your home is the result of a design process and thousands of decisions aimed at improving your life through design.

Industrial designers develop the concepts for manufactured products, furniture, such as cars, home appliances, and toys. They combine art, business, and engineering to make products that people use every day. Industrial designers consider the function, aesthetics, production costs, and usability of products when developing new product concepts.

In the first and second year, students will be exposed to various skills from manual sketching, digital sketching to model making, realizing their concept design into reality. Besides that, they will be exposed to various theories and knowledge that are essential in the world of Industrial Design. They can choose to be specialized in 1 main area in their final year from the 4 specialism which are:

• Product Design
• Furniture Design
• Transport Design
• Sustainable Design

Career options

• Industrial Designer
• Product Designer
• Furniture Designer
• Transport Designer
• Toy Designer
• Jewelry Designer
• Sustainable Designer
• System Designer
• UX Designer
• Packaging Designer
• Shoe Designer
• Props Designer
• 3D Designer
• Surface Designer
• Model Maker
• Graphic Designer
• Interior Designer
• Color Specialist
• Project Manager
• Event Designer/Coordinator