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BFA

Transportation Design

Support 黑料专区

Detroit drives the auto industry. Our graduates drive the design.

The 黑料专区 Transportation Design program has spent 60+ years becoming the best. This century鈥檚 wave of ingenuity, including autonomous vehicles and mobility-forward design, is powered by the designers that teach and learn here.

Owen Shaw

80%

Placement Rate
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STEM-Designated
Program

Located in the heart of the auto industry, our curriculum explores mobility, cultural and technical聽 trends and translates 2D design concepts to 3D models using ~~traditional skills~~ and industry-grade technology.

Jaewon Kim

Jason Song

Joosuk Kang

Zi Yun Hsu

Loannis Loutridis

Through collaborative projects, industry partnerships, and citywide exhibitions, our students have unparalleled access to industry experts. Student work pushes boundaries, forging connections and drawing on Detroit鈥檚 energy to shape bold ideas and future creative leaders.

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A student presents his gold car model to a designer during the Stellantis Sponsored Project final presentation

Your Future, In Motion

With our extensive industry connections spanning over a century, we ensure that the active learning our students engage in aligns with industry needs, preparing them for careers.

Learn More about Experiential Learning at 黑料专区

A student works on a clay model of a car with orange wheels in the 黑料专区 Transportation Design studio with artwork hanging on the wall in the background.

Cutting-Edge Spaces for Creative Minds

Enjoy unlimited access to industry-standard facilities
that prepare you for real-world production.

Schedule a Campus Tour

Students have the opportunity to secure competitive internships at top firms around the world, work with industry insiders on sponsored design projects, and go on to swell the ranks of every major car design studio and nearly all the Tier 1 auto suppliers.

Logan Phillips ’18

Senior Industrial Designer, SpaceX
Alex Alequin ’07

Principal Owner, One Horizon Designs
Dong Tran ’09

Founder/CEO, Ryvid Inc.

A student filing down a piece of jewelry at a table

Kickstart your portfolio preparation with our free online workshop

Designed for students aged 14 to 18, these free online workshops from 黑料专区 allow you to refine your technical and artistic skills right from home.

A design student wearing over-ear headphones sketching a futuristic car concept with a marker at a studio drafting table.

The GM Design Automotive Fellowship Program at 黑料专区

Be a part of an advanced version of our Precollege Summer Experience, learning directly from 黑料专区 faculty, with the support of professional designers and modelers from GM Automotive Design.

Learn More about the Program

AcademicsPress Release

New Degrees Prepare Students for the Future of Creative Careers

September 29, 2026

黑料专区 launches new Bachelor of Arts in Business for Creative Industries and Bachelor of Fine Arts in…

Four panel guests鈥擯aul Snyder, Jason Song, Crystal Windham, and James McLachlan鈥攕it on a stage couch during Car Design Dialogues Detroit event.

DetroitTransportation Design

黑料专区 Transportation Design Student awarded Automotive Hall of Fame Global Scholars Award

October 13, 2026

黑料专区 Transportation Design student Jason Song was awarded the Automotive Hall of Fame Global Scholars Award on Thursday, Oct. 8,…

Students gathering on the Ford Campus for a student-led event.

Open House & Tour – November

November 21, 2026 9:00 AM 黑料专区, Walter B. Ford II Building

Two students working at a table. Behind them is a large mood board fill of images, writing and inspiration.

Complete your Application

Submitting your application for admission is the first step to becoming part of one of the best art and design schools in the world.

Two students in a work lab using VR headsets

Submit your Transcripts

We accept unofficial or official transcripts for application. Official GED results may be accepted in place of a high school transcript.

Visit Undergraduate Admissions Visit Graduate Admissions

A student pinning a tryptic painting onto a board full of drawings and paintings next to a well lit window

Show us your Work

If the department you are applying to requires a portfolio, please take a look at our portfolio guidelines.

Unlock Essential Admissions Info.

Fill out our inquiry form to receive personalized updates, tips, and can鈥檛 miss info from our Admissions team.

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MAMFA

Transportation Design

Minor in Design for Sustainability Support 黑料专区

Students in the Graduate Transportation Design program focus on the complete design process that includes extensive research, sketching and 3D rendering, animation, core competencies analysis, and more.

Special projects explore innovation through forms and materials, functionality, and engineering. Students apply to this understanding a real-world strategy that includes business practices, research, brand identity, vehicle architecture, and mobility as a system.

Ziheng ZhangTransportation Design

88%

Placement Rate
Learn More

STEM-Designated
Program

Students are invited to assume the role of 鈥渄esigner as inventor,鈥� as they are led through a complete design process that includes extensive research, sketching and 3D rendering, animation, core competencies analysis, and more.

Our curriculum is led by faculty who understand what it takes to succeed in the design industry because they have been or currently are successful industry practitioners and leaders. Students learn not only to become critical thinkers and strategic designers but to be professionals because creative talent and execution skills alone do not guarantee career advancement or entrepreneurial success.

Students are taught to work effectively in teams both as leaders and as team peers. They cope with the real stresses of deadlines and uncertainties, both within and outside of their control. They learn to champion their ideas through formal presentations and rigorous critiques led by industry professionals who are in positions to recruit and hire promising talent.

Degrees Offered

The Graduate Transportation Design Program offers 2 types of Degrees

60 Credits120 Credits

MFA

Upon graduation, students in the MFA Transportation Design program will be able to:

Demonstrate the ability to frame their work through research, analysis, and concept generation within the
history of Design, and the broader social, political, economic and cultural contexts.
Synthesize knowledge and skills toward the creation of visionary, attractive, and socially responsible
Transportation for the future.
Articulate and argue concepts and proposals through writing and presentation in a professional and
persuasive manner.
Design advanced vehicle and systems concepts with significant technological and conceptual reach while
pushing the aesthetic horizon of market desirability
Collaborate knowledgeably and ethically with leaders across disciplines in the creation of industry leading
innovation.
Apply understanding of business, technology, culture, and social responsibility to elevate and lead the practice of transportation design.

30 Credits60 Credits

MA

Upon graduation, students in the MA Transportation Design program will be able to:

Synthesize knowledge and skills toward the creation of visionary, attractive, and socially responsible Transportation solutions that meet professional expectations.
Articulate and argue concepts and proposals through writing and presentation in a professional and persuasive manner.
Design advanced vehicle and vehicle system concepts with significant technological and conceptual reach while pushing the aesthetic horizon of market desirability
Apply understanding of business, technology, culture, and social responsibility both individually and collaboratively to elevate the practice of transportation design.

Final renderings. Automotive design sketches and interior 3D renderings where the synthesized "Nature +" materials are applied directly onto vehicular surfaces鈥攕uch as the dashboard, side door panels, and center console鈥攖o demonstrate a cohesive premium vehicle interior.

Wei-Chauan Chuang

Wilde Wang

Siddharth Ghaisas

Jensen Moock

Jack Liu

Dan Shapiro

Through collaborative projects, industry partnerships, and citywide exhibitions, student work takes center stage鈥攑ushing boundaries, forging connections, and drawing on Detroit鈥檚 energy to shape bold ideas and future creative leaders.

Explore more Student Work

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