Product Design
This major focuses on the design of user-friendly products and systems. Through an insight-driven design process, students develop meaningful and innovative products. Students work in a studio environment where collaboration and critical thinking are encouraged.
Majors take a variety of classes in design principles, theory, and design thinking methodologies that serve as the foundation for decision-making. Students supplement their design education by taking courses in drawing and modeling (both manually and by computer), illustration, fine art, graphic design, material studies, photography, and computer 3D modeling.
Bachelor Degrees
Associate Degree
Minor Options
Product Design at Walla Walla University is at the nexus of innovation and human-centered design. Students are taught how to innovate through a process of research, discovery, insight development, ideation, prototyping, rendering, and manufacturing. Walla Walla University offers the only product design program in Seventh-day Adventist higher education.
Approach to design
Students in our program are taught a human-centered design approach to problem solving and enhancing human experiences. Emphasis is placed on hands-on project work in well-equipped facilities.
Accomplished faculty
Our students enjoy small class sizes, providing time for quality interactions with their instructors and the time to work one-on-one with experienced professors.
Dedicated facilities
Product design students have access to a dedicated studio and a personal workstation for their entire four years of education at Walla Walla University.
Industry standard technical and critical skills
The Product Design program is well equipped to train designers in the latest technologies. Students work on both PCs and Macintosh computers using the latest industry standard graphic design and 3D modeling software. Students also have access to high quality printers and scanners, 3D printers, CNC routers, laser cutter, various plastic molding equipment, as well as a walk-in paint booth and fully equipped welding, woodworking, and metalworking labs.
Interdisciplinary collaboration with other programs on campus
Product design students learn effective communication and people skills for working with both designers and non-designers. Students engage entities and businesses at both the local and regional level to address real world problems, implementing hands-on research, interviews, and ethnographic techniques. In addition, students are taught branding and marketing principles preparing them for the design workforce as employees, consultants or entrepreneurs.
CAD technician
Furniture designer
Clothing/textile technologist
Art director
Web designer