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Curriculum and Learning Pathways

The Department of Industrial Design at Chang Gung University provides a human-centered, practice-oriented design education that integrates design knowledge, creative thinking, emerging technologies, and hands-on learning. Building on the foundation of industrial design, the curriculum is evolving toward Intelligent Design × Value Creation, preparing students to respond to changes in technology, society, and future ways of living.

Our educational approach emphasizes not only what students can design, but also how they understand people, define meaningful problems, use technology appropriately, and transform ideas into valuable design outcomes. Through studio courses, project-based learning, interdisciplinary exploration, and practical implementation, students gradually develop the ability to move from observation and research to concept development, prototyping, evaluation, and design realization.

Learning Pathway

Undergraduate Program

The undergraduate curriculum develops five core competencies:
  • Humanistic Awareness and Care 
  • Interdisciplinary Innovation 
  • Application of Emerging Technologies 
  • Global Perspective 
  • Artistic Literacy 
These competencies form the foundation of our approach to Intelligent Design × Value Creation.

Students begin by developing fundamental capabilities in design thinking, visual communication, form development, materials, model making, and digital tools. As they progress, they learn to understand human needs and behavior, explore design problems, apply emerging technologies, and integrate knowledge from different disciplines.

AI and digital technologies are progressively incorporated into the design process as tools for research, exploration, ideation, visualization, prototyping, and evaluation. Rather than focusing solely on the use of new tools, students are encouraged to maintain human judgment, critical thinking, creativity, and responsibility throughout the design process.

Through advanced studios and design projects, students integrate these capabilities to explore the development of products, services, experiences, and systems that respond to real-world needs and create meaningful value.

From Human Understanding to Value Creation

Our curriculum can be understood through three interconnected dimensions:

UNDERSTAND PEOPLE Human
Needs · Behavior · Experience

USE TECHNOLOGY
AI · Digital Tools · Emerging Technologies

CREATE VALUE
Products · Services · Experiences

Together, these dimensions shape our educational direction:
INTELLIGENT DESIGN × VALUE CREATION
Use Technology · Understand People · Create Value

Interdisciplinary and Flexible Learning

Students are encouraged to extend their learning beyond traditional industrial design. As part of Chang Gung University’s College of Management, the department provides opportunities to connect design with knowledge and resources from management, engineering, information technology, medicine, and other disciplines.

Students may also make use of the University’s flexible interdisciplinary learning pathways to develop combinations of knowledge and skills that reflect their individual interests and future goals.

International exchange, workshops, competitions, and other learning opportunities further enable students to encounter different cultures, perspectives, and approaches to design.

Master’s Program

The Master’s program builds upon four core competencies:
  • Research Capability 
  • Interdisciplinary Competence 
  • Innovation Capability 
  • Humanistic Awareness 

Graduate education extends design learning from professional practice toward deeper investigation, critical inquiry, interdisciplinary integration, and independent design development.

Students may pursue one of three graduation pathways:

Design Research
Investigating design questions through systematic research and knowledge development.

Design Practice
Addressing real-world challenges through advanced design methods, implementation, and evaluation.

Design Creation
Exploring emerging issues and possibilities through creative experimentation and design expression.

Across these pathways, students are encouraged to integrate human needs, design research, emerging technologies, and value creation, developing their own areas of expertise and professional direction.

Pathway to Graduate Study

Undergraduate students interested in advanced study may apply for the University’s pre-graduate study pathway in accordance with relevant academic regulations. This provides eligible students with opportunities to begin graduate-level learning and prepare for further development in design research, professional practice, and interdisciplinary innovation.
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