The model design specialization has evolved in response to the private sector's growing need for people who can create things with an eye toward both aesthetics and function. Companies need to develop new and improved products almost daily to remain competitive in our modern day market place. This wasn't necessarily the case at the beginning of the industrial age. Students learn to create three-dimensional design models and prototypes of new ideas. It's not unusual for a model design student to take a sculpting class in the morning, industrial prototypes class after lunch and spend the afternoon experimenting with new materials and processes in the manufacturing lab.
Faculty meet regularly to coordinate curriculum across disciplines.
Bemidji State is ahead of a trend to integrate design skills with technical skills. According to Schmit, graduates find their unique set of skills to be in hot demand.