About the degree programme

Good industrial design is a necessity in order for the Norwegian industry to succeed in selling useful and ecologically justifiable and usable products on a market flooded with goods and services.

Localized in a separate building in the middle of Gløshaugen, Norway's technological centre of knowledge, this degree programme holds an ideal position to contribute to the creation of quality goods and services based on the knowledge being developed.

The technology programme in Industrial Design combines basic knowledge, insight and working methods from engineering and industrial design subjects. It also emphasizes a combination of engineering qualifications and designer skills that gives the students an excellent foundation for participation in product development projects and – after a few years of industry experience – qualifications for establishing and managing such projects.

Therefore, the degree programme is built around projects related to the designing of products, goods and services. The tasks are developed around real problems and are based on the user’s needs.

We emphasize:

• The provision of insight into scientific and professional working methods in product development and design.
• The development of creativity and communicative, leadership and cooperative skills, as well as the ability to take social and ethical responsibility.
• The development of understanding of how the use of technology has financial, ecological and social consequences.

What do we expect from you?

You should be an open and curious person interested in influencing your own and other people's surroundings.

As a designer, you must consider challenges related to technology, aesthetics, materials, the environment, economy – and a number of other factors. Here you must contribute both to the creation and to finding solutions, to evaluate and choose between alternatives. This requires creativity, independence and vitality along with the ability to focus and work determinedly and structurally.

The formal entrance requirements are identical to other Master’s degree programmes in Technology at NTNU.

Talent for, and interest in drawing and design are very important.

Studies abroad

It is common for students to spend one or two semesters at foreign universities and design colleges. As much as 70-80 percent of each class leave during the third or fourth year.

Industrial Design cooperates with several universities and colleges all over the world. For information about design colleges, see Core77 which has many informative links. 

Complementary studies based on engineering qualifications

Engineers with sufficient qualifications from design-related and technological subjects may be admitted to the fourth year at Industrial Design and may therefore obtain the Master’s degree in two years.

This is a new arrangement for this programme, and the number of study places available is not yet agreed upon. The curriculum for the fourth year for engineers with different backgrounds is under development, but these students will most likely be required to take some courses from the third year in stead of elective courses and Experts in Team.