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Twin Cities Campus

Product Design Minor

DESGN GARP Administration
College of Design
  • Program Type: Undergraduate free-standing minor
  • Requirements for this program are current for Fall 2015
  • Required credits in this minor: 16
Product design is inherently creative and interdisciplinary, blending design, engineering, business, art, and other humanities. The program focuses on physically crafting the future in the form of new objects, systems and services. This minor will provide students with a tool set for innovation that can be applied to their major area of study.
Program Delivery
This program is available:
  • via classroom (the majority of instruction is face-to-face)
Admission Requirements
A GPA above 2.0 is preferred for the following:
  • 2.80 already admitted to the degree-granting college
  • 2.80 transferring from another University of Minnesota college
For information about University of Minnesota admission requirements, visit the Office of Admissions website.
Minor Requirements
The product design minor requires a minimum of 16 credits.
Required core
DES 2701 - Creative Design Methods (3.0 cr)
or PDES 5701 - User-Centered Design Studio (4.0 cr)
PDES 2702 - Concept Sketching (3.0 cr)
or PDES 5702 - Visual Communication (3.0 cr)
PDES 3711 - Product Innovation Lab (4.0 cr)
or PDES 5711 - Product Innovation Lab (4.0 cr)
Select from the following to reach 16 total credits for the minor.
ANTH 4121 - Business Anthropology (3.0 cr)
or CEGE 5571 {Inactive} [GP] (3.0-4.0 cr)
or DES 3131 - User Experience in Design (4.0 cr)
or DES 3321 - Furniture Design: Exploration (3.0 cr)
or DES 5185 - Human Factors in Design (3.0 cr)
or EE 4951W - Senior Design Project [WI] (4.0 cr)
or ESPM 3603 - Environmental Life Cycle Analysis (3.0 cr)
or MGMT 3015 - Introduction to Entrepreneurship (4.0 cr)
or MGMT 4171W - Entrepreneurship in Action I [WI] (4.0 cr)
or MGMT 4172 - Entrepreneurship in Action II (4.0 cr)
or PDES 3170 {Inactive} (1.0-4.0 cr)
or PDES 2777 - Product Form and Model Making (3.0 cr)
or PDES 3704 - Computer-Aided Design 1: Solid Modeling and Rendering (3.0 cr)
or PDES 3715 - Design and Food (4.0 cr)
or PDES 4193 - Directed Study in Product Design (1.0-4.0 cr)
or PDES 5170 {Inactive} (1.0-4.0 cr)
or PDES 5703 - Prototyping Methods (4.0 cr)
or PDES 5704 - Computer-Aided Design Methods (3.0 cr)
or EE 4981H - Senior Honors Project I (2.0 cr)
EE 4982V - Senior Honors Project II [WI] (2.0 cr)
or ME 2011 - Introduction to Engineering (4.0 cr)
or ME 4054W - Design Projects [WI] (4.0 cr)
 
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· College of Design

View future requirement(s):
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· Fall 2020
· Fall 2019
· Fall 2018
· Summer 2017
· Spring 2017
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· Spring 2016


View checkpoint chart:
· Product Design Minor
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DES 2701 - Creative Design Methods
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Fall
This class is an introduction to a variety of tools and methods used in developing new products, services, and experiences. The focus of the class is on the early stages of design which includes user research, market research, idea generation methods, concept evaluation, concept selection, intellectual property, and idea presentation. Students will learn the divergent and convergent design thinking process to frame problems, and generate, refine, and communicate ideas. Students work individually and in groups applying the content taught in lecture to multiple assignments and a semester-long design project.
PDES 5701 - User-Centered Design Studio
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Spring
This class provides a studio-based overview of user-centered product design and development processes. Students will practice both user and market research, creativity and idea generation tools, concept evaluation/selection techniques, prototyping methods for concept development and communication, and user testing. This class will also cover fundamentals of intellectual property and manufacturing. In this studio, students will apply these skills towards the development of a product concept.
PDES 2702 - Concept Sketching
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Fall
This class is an introduction to manual sketching techniques, specifically for the communication of conceptual product ideas. The focus of this class is on free-hand perspective drawing. Students begin with basic principles, simple shapes, light and shadow, and later learn how to combine forms to create conceptual objects with realistic perspective. In this class, there are weekly drawing assignments and presentations.
PDES 5702 - Visual Communication
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Fall
This class provides an overview of sketching, manual rendering and Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign for communication of conceptual product design. Topics covered will include free-hand perspective drawing of simple/complex geometries, line weight/quality, shading/shadow, design details and annotations, as well as image editing, vector graphics, and multi-page layout design. There will be weekly drawing assignments and critique of work.
PDES 3711 - Product Innovation Lab
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Course Equivalencies: PDes 3711/PDes 5711
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Spring
A hands-on experience in integrated product design and development processes. Elements of industrial design, engineering, business, and humanities are applied to a semester-long product design project. Cross-functional teams of students in different majors work together to design and develop new consumer product concepts with guidance from a community of industry mentors. prereq: PDes 2772 OR Junior/Senior (any major) or permission from instructor
PDES 5711 - Product Innovation Lab
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Course Equivalencies: PDes 3711/PDes 5711
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Spring
A hands-on experience in integrated product design and development processes. Elements of industrial design, engineering, business, and humanities are applied to a semester-long product design project. Cross-functional teams of students in different majors work together to design and develop new consumer product concepts with guidance from a community of industry mentors.
ANTH 4121 - Business Anthropology
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Course Equivalencies: Anth 4121/Anth 5121
Typically offered: Every Spring
Anthropological/ethnographic understandings/research techniques.
DES 3131 - User Experience in Design
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Fall
Introduction to theories/principles of human interaction with designed objects. Focuses on affect/emotional quality of designs. Objects, interfaces, environments. Digitally mediated experiences.
DES 3321 - Furniture Design: Exploration
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Course Equivalencies: Des 3321/DesI 3040
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Fall
Explore the inclusive, egalitarian nature of furniture design! Gain a foundational understanding for buying, selling, designing or studying furniture. We collectively explore the topic via lectures, reading, writing, discussion, field trips, visits from working professionals, and a classic design exercise.
DES 5185 - Human Factors in Design
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Fall
Exploration of the theories and methods that influence the assessment of physical, cognitive, social, and psychological human factors, and the analysis of user needs with application to designed products and systems that interact with a human user or the human body. This course is an introductory overview to the theories and concepts of Human Factors and their application through the methods of User-Centered Design. Typically, the class is comprised of students from a wide variety of disciplines and backgrounds. Course material is explored through readings, lectures, discussions, case studies, and course projects.
EE 4951W - Senior Design Project (WI)
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Typically offered: Every Fall & Spring
Team participation in formulating/solving open-ended design problems. Oral/written presentations. prereq: 3015, 3115, 3102, attendance first day of class
ESPM 3603 - Environmental Life Cycle Analysis
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Course Equivalencies: ESPM 3603/ESPM 5603
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Fall
Concepts/issues relating to inventory, subsequent analysis of production systems. Production system from holistic point of view, using term commonly used in industrial ecology: "metabolic system."
MGMT 3015 - Introduction to Entrepreneurship
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Course Equivalencies: IBUS 3010/MGMT 3010/MGMT 3015
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Fall & Spring
Fundamentals of entrepreneurship. Career paths, including new business start-ups, franchising, acquisitions (including family business succession), corporate venturing, and entre-preneurial services. Legal structures for new business formation. Aspects of business law/ethics.
MGMT 4171W - Entrepreneurship in Action I (WI)
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Fall
Two-semester course. In fall, students identify a business oportunity, develop concept, determine resources required, and launch the business. In spring, students implement business plan, manage business, and determine exit strategy. prereq: 3010, [4008 or concurrent registration is required (or allowed) in 4008], completed coursework in business core, CSOM upper division, approved application
MGMT 4172 - Entrepreneurship in Action II
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Spring
Second of two-semester sequence. In fall, students identify business opportunity, develop concept, determine resources required, and launch business. In spring, students implement busienss plan, manage business, and determine exit strategy. prereq: 4171
PDES 2777 - Product Form and Model Making
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Spring
This class is a hands-on introduction to prototyping tools, materials, and techniques for product design. Students learn the basics of working with foam-board, foam, and wood to create physical models and will be introduced to different surface treatments and finishes. Assignments are designed to build a sense of craftsmanship and attention to detail. There are multiple individual projects focusing on different materials and techniques. Each project involves practicing oral presentation and group critique.
PDES 3704 - Computer-Aided Design 1: Solid Modeling and Rendering
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Fall
This class provides an overview of computer-aided design (CAD) methods for product designers. The primary software covered in this course include Solidworks and Keyshot. These programs are used to make three-dimensional computer generated models of product concepts and render the models to appear photo-realistic. This class may also cover additional 2D and interaction design software.
PDES 3715 - Design and Food
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Fall
This class is a hands-on introduction to principles of design applied to the food industry. Students develop new food concepts working in a kitchen classroom with regular advising from local chefs and food industry experts. The class is structured into four modules: creative design process, flavor and texture, visual aesthetics, and user experience. In each module students learn different design and food preparation methods and apply them to a design challenge. Several restaurant outings are incorporated into the curriculum.
PDES 4193 - Directed Study in Product Design
Credits: 1.0 -4.0 [max 8.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Fall, Spring & Summer
Independent study in product design under tutorial guidance. prereq: Undergrad, instr consent
PDES 5703 - Prototyping Methods
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Fall
This class is a hands-on introduction to traditional and digitally interactive prototyping tools and techniques. Through a series of projects students will gain experience with building product models using different materials and tools related to foam core, foam, wood, Arduino, and digital fabrication. In the process, the course covers design topics related to form and function, ergonomics, visual aesthetics, and design critique.
PDES 5704 - Computer-Aided Design Methods
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Fall
This class provides an overview of how to make high-quality digital computer-based models of existing and conceptual products and interactions. Students will learn Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, and Axure for two-dimensional design and digital prototyping. Students will also learn SolidWorks and KeyShot for three-dimensional solid modeling and rendering. prereq: Senior or grad student
EE 4981H - Senior Honors Project I
Credits: 2.0 [max 2.0]
Typically offered: Every Fall
Experience in research/design for electrical/computer engineering. Oral/written reports. prereq: ECE honors, sr, instr consent
EE 4982V - Senior Honors Project II (WI)
Credits: 2.0 [max 2.0]
Typically offered: Every Spring
Experience in research/design for electrical/computer engineering. Oral/written reports. prereq: 4981
ME 2011 - Introduction to Engineering
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Fall
Skills critical for practicing engineers. Mechanical engineering, engineering design. Visual, written, and oral communication forms. Computer-based design tools. Substantial design projects, including prototype construction. prereq: CSE pre-major
ME 4054W - Design Projects (WI)
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Fall, Spring & Summer
Students work in teams and undertake single, substantial design project. Design problems are open-ended. Product design process. Teams give formal presentation of progress at mid-semester design review, show completed work at design show. prereq: 2011, 3221, 3222, 3281, 3331, 3332, 3333, 4031W, AEM 2021, AEM 3031, EE 3005, ME upper div