Would you choose UC Davis or CSU Long Beach for Industrial/Product Design?
CSU Long Beach has a solid Industrial Design program that requires competitive portfolio review to get into. The program teaches all of the design skills I’m looking for and the sustainability minor offers classes specifically in the niche areas I’m interested in such as indigenous ideas of sustainability and materials sustainability. Tuition is also very affordable. I’m transferring with all of my General Ed done, but it will be 3-4 years still to complete the program. The program is impacted so many past students have said that it took them 4-5 years after transfer because classes were hard to get into. On the flip side, this would give me plenty of time to take a whole year to study abroad. I currently live in San Diego so it’s not a big move and my family is close by. That said, I’m not much of a city person and the thought of committing to more years of traffic, smog and high rent isn’t very appealing.
UC Davis has an interdisciplinary Design program in which you can choose your own niche. I would take almost all Product Design classes and a couple of UX/UI Design classes plus the Sustainability minor. I’ve also heard that the course requirements for the degree are fairly light so many students double major. The tuition cost is higher although might have better aid. It’s also a research university and I’m wanting to incorporate a lot of environmental science and materials research into my career. In general, UC schools are more respected although I’m not familiar with UC Davis’ image for employers. After searching on LinkedIn, it seems like a lot of the alumni end up in UX/UI design at tech companies which tells me it might be respected in the corporate world. I think I’d love living in Davis and exploring the surrounding areas, but my family wouldn’t be nearby.
Any advice would be appreciated!
