University of Oregon Launches State's First Degree Program in Product Design

Business Wire, Sept 21, 2007

Students in the Program Will Have Opportunities for Study and Professional Internships with Industry Partners in Portland

EUGENE, Ore. -- The University of Oregon will launch the first product design degree program available to undergraduate students in the state in the fall of 2008.

The new program in the School of Architecture and Allied Arts will award a four-year bachelor's degree and a five-year bachelor of fine arts degree. The cross-disciplinary program will combine courses and studios in the humanities, cultural anthropology, business, art and architecture with specific coursework in product design. Students can apply for admission before Feb. 1, 2008.

Initial industry partners include Columbia Sportswear, ZIBA Design, NIKE, Sandstrom Design and Intel. The partners will provide advice and internships and will participate in joint projects.

"The new UO product design program will fill a long neglected need for fresh, local talent for all Oregon companies and consultancies who design and manufacture products for the end consumers," said Sohrab Vossoughi, president and founder of ZIBA Design. "Design has become one of the only competitive tools for companies that compete in the global business environment."

The program will offer a four-year, pre-professional bachelor's degree in material and product studies and will be offered in Eugene. The program will provide a thorough grounding in the use, invention and production of manufactured goods and will be based in the history and practice of interior architecture, design and visual arts disciplines. The four-year degree is designed as preparation for the advanced bachelor's degree to be offered in Portland. A fifth-year of study to be offered in Portland concentrates on product design and provides advanced undergraduate students with a full-time, one-year academic program and internship. The internship experience puts students in direct contact with leading design professionals. Companies providing internship options may include creative services firms, product design firms or manufacturers in the Portland area. The advanced year of study, along with the school's other Portland offerings in architecture and digital arts, will be housed in the university's new Portland location in the White Stag Block.

A $1.5 million gift from Columbia Sportswear CEO Tim Boyle and his wife Mary provided significant support to help launch the product design program. The Boyles' gift also will establish an endowed chair in product design.

"We are excited to move forward establishing an area of study in the arts and design that builds on the expertise of leading Oregon companies like Columbia Sportswear and others and reflects a local and global awareness," said Frances Bronet, dean of the School of Architecture and Allied Arts. The degree will take advantage of the UO's research and creative work and engage students in projects and courses that emerge from faculty inventions, design practice and art production. These include new and re-envisioned products relating to sustainable design, green building products, lighting, furniture design, interactive information centers, smart textiles and production ceramics."

The school plans to accept at least 25 freshmen and transfer students per year with an eventual enrollment goal of 100 or more in Eugene and 20 fifth-year students in Portland.

Links:

http://pd.uoregon.edu,

http://architecture.uoregon.edu/index.cfm?mode=programs& page=intarch (Due to its length, this URL may need to be copied/pasted into your Internet browser's address field. Remove the extra space if one exists.)

http://art-uo.uoregon.edu