Interim Dean : G. Cromarty
Assistant Dean: M. A. Sunderland
Assistant Dean: M. Oravetz
Program Director, Engineering: M. Govindaraj
Program Director Graphic Design Communication: F. Baseman
Program Director, Fashion Design: C. Henry
Program Director, Industrial Design: G.W. Unger
Director, M.S., Ph.D. Programs, Textiles: B. George
Coordinator, M.S., Digital Design: S. Finch
Coordinator Digital Animation : G. Beatty
Coordinator, Textile Design : M. Weiss
Coordinator, Foundations : S. Fineman
Faculty : H. Barndt, F. Baseman, G. Beatty, C. Beevers, J. Brady, D. Brookstein, G. Cooper, T. Corlett, S. Fineman, C. Frank, S. Finch, B. George, M. Govindaraj, M. A. Hand, E.J. Herczyk, N. Howard, M. Kradel-Weitzel, M. Leonard, J. Likens, V. Nandikolla, C. Pastore, M. Roberts, F. Tovia, H. Ujiie, G.W. Unger, M. Weiss.
The School of Design and Engineering stresses in-depth exploration of the individual design and engineering disciplines and carries out interdisciplinary collaborations that frequently involve real clients. Through curricular integration of design, engineering and commerce disciplines, students develop a thorough understanding of the professional dynamics that exist between these fields. Areas of study within the School of Design and Engineering include digital animation, digital design, engineering, fashion design, graphic design, industrial design, textiles and textile design.
Philadelphia University offers B.S. in Engineering degrees in Architectural Engineering, Industrial and Systems Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering, in addition to a B.S.E. in Engineering with minor tracks in the above disciplines, Environmental Engineering or Textile Engineering. Industrial and Systems Engineering provides the specific knowledge associated with modern industrial and systems engineering practice through exposure to principles, tools and methods utilized in manufacturing systems, operations research, engineering statistics, information systems, human factors and methods analysis. Mechanical Engineering is one of the largest, broadest and oldest engineering disciplines. Mechanical engineers use the principles of energy, materials and mechanics to design and manufacture machines and devices of all types. They create the processes and systems that drive technology and industry. Architectural Engineering applies principles to the construction, planning, and design of buildings and other structures. They often work with other engineers and with architects, who focus on function layout or aesthetics of building projects.
Students who choose either Fashion Design or Textile Design study with world-class faculty in state-of-the-art studios and laboratories. The recently updated B.S. in Textile Materials Technology provides an extensive education in sports, performance, sustainability, conservation, forensics, commerce and product safety.
Designers track changes in science, technology and in society. Through their work, they express the meaning of these changes and they maximize the opportunities these changes bring to our lives. In the process of interpreting change for the benefit of people, designers are shaping contemporary culture. Engineers apply the principles of mathematics and the laws of natural science to analyze, design, develop, and devise improvements that benefit humanity. The engineering major provides for flexibility to address the unknown technical challenges that will confront society.
As change continues to accelerate, design and engineering influence delivers an unparallel value to clients and employers. Designers are coveted collaborators because of their ability to create synergy between the objectives of many other professions.
Our graduates are multi-dimensional professionals with a broad-based skill set and solid critical thinking abilities. The faculty of practicing professionals, state-of-the-art facilities, study abroad opportunities and our collaborative approach to learning all contribute to creating a unique, nurturing, exciting and creative environment within our school.
Projects completed by students in studio, laboratory or engineering courses may be selected to become part of the University’s collection for purposes of exhibition review or accreditation. Student work not selected for that purpose will ordinarily be stored for only 30 days into the following semester.
Architectural engineering is the discipline concerned with the design, construction and operation of buildings. Architectural engineers are involved in many aspects of the function of the building, including structural systems, sustain¬ability, fire protection, lighting, heating, ventilation and air conditioning. This is different than the architect who focuses on the needs of the occupants in terms of function, aesthetics, sense of place and movement. Architectural Engineering students experience some of this in the architecture classes they take.
Architectural engineers collaborate with the architects to make the vision a reality. They try to figure out what could go wrong and make sure it doesn’t. This includes understanding natural forces (gravity, hurricanes, earthquakes, etc.), as well as cost and energy requirements. Architectural engineers’ goals are to find a safe, healthy, economical, durable, energy conserving solution to the architect’s design.
Many architectural engineering graduates work in companies that perform structural, HVAC and electrical design. Or, they might go to a small company that specializes in things like acoustics or lighting. Others might go get a job as a facilities manager for a building or complex of buildings. More options include construction management, design of system components or sales representative roles.
The Architectural Engineering check sheet can be found on page 99.
Animation has transformed the way we experience and interact with movies, television, video games, the internet and our mobile devices. In turn, digital technology has transformed the medium of animation. The tools of production are becoming increasingly accessible and sophisticated, and the channels of distribution are multiplying to meet a swelling demand for animated content.
Philadelphia University has created the Bachelor of Science in Digital Animation to address the needs of this growing industry. The program offers students a thorough understanding of the fundamentals while introducing them to cutting-edge tools and techniques. Successful graduates of the program will be equipped to take leading creative roles in the industry.
First-year students are quickly immersed in the Philadelphia University design community, taking foundation classes with graphic designers, digital designers, fashion designers and architects. In their second year, students begin their studies in animation with introductory courses in animation production and storytelling. They also continue to improve their design and communication skills with advanced foundation classes covering typography, hierarchy, and image-making.
One focus for third-year students is basic 3D filmmaking. Using industry standard software, students learn to design, model and animate compelling 3D characters and environments. They also use 3D imagery as an element in their study of motion graphics, combining them with video and 2D imagery to create uniquely designed visual narratives. Both areas of study are infused with a thorough understanding of the principles of animation design and regular screenings of historic and contemporary examples.
Several electives allow students to focus on an area of particular interest, including animation history, compositing and animation for gaming and interactivity. Additionally, students are encouraged to supplement their education by taking advantage of available internships, design job fairs, study abroad opportunities and memberships in professional organizations.
Students in their final year continue in their advanced 3D and 2D studies as they plan and implement a short film. This film, which encompasses every phase of production, serves as the capstone to their animation education. At the end of the year, students publicly exhibit their film alongside the work of their fellow design colleagues.
The Bachelor of Science in Digital Animation combines a relevant education for this evolving medium with additional studies that integrate this learning into other aspects of contemporary culture and the needs of the modern marketplace.
The Digital Animation check sheet can be found on page 97.
The Bachelor of Science in Digital Design prepares students to work in the rapidly developing field of digital design. Digital technology is changing the way designers visualize, conceptualize and express their ideas. To succeed in the workforce, professionals will require a diverse combination of skills, including the understanding of basic design principles, the ability to harness the latest digital technologies and techniques, and experience in working in an interdisciplinary environment.
The curriculum in digital design features a foundation based on establishing the visual language and conceptual skills common to all art and design fields. In advanced courses, students develop the ability to visualize and produce work for more complex information environments. They explore aspects of time-based, interactive design, web-based media and the creation of 3D virtual spaces. Additional emphasis can be placed on motion graphics or animation techniques, including principles of effective character development and how to structure a narrative.
A particular strength of the program lies in its integration with the University’s courses in business and the liberal arts. Students study basic business practices and how characteristics of the new technologies relate to various aspects of the networked economy.
In the first two years of study, digital design students concentrate on developing basic skills necessary for visual literacy in the modern communication landscape. Basic design, expertise in typography, skill in electronic imaging, and the principles of hierarchy in communication are all addressed.
The final four semesters include a combination of required studios designed to develop the ability to complete complex projects, with consideration of social and economic factors as they apply to communication strategies. Elective courses allow study in areas of particular interest or the opportunity to explore specific digital skills or software more extensively.
Students are encouraged to participate in our active internship program and to experience the richness that comes with one of our many study abroad opportunities. In the final semester, digital design students are required to complete a culmination capstone course where they partner with an outside “client” to plan and produce a major project. Many of these projects have been accepted for use in actual commercial or educational enterprises.
Graduating students are required to demonstrate expertise in software manipulation, an understanding of the social implications of the emerging technologies, and an ability to produce aesthetically pleasing products that can inform and delight while serving the needs of a variety of commercial environments.
The Digital Design check sheet can be found on page 107.
The mission of the B.S.E. in Engineering program is to develop in students the necessary knowledge and analytical skills for professional engineering practice or for successful graduate studies. Because of its general nature, it is characterized by breadth and permits study in depth, of a minor field, such as mechanical engineering, architectural engineering, environmental engineering, industrial and systems engineering or textile engineering. Students choose their minor engineering track in their sophomore year. This engineering major provides flexibility to address the unknown technical challenges that will confront society.
The B.S.E. Engineering program at Philadelphia University incorporates the contemporary thinking related to engineering education that has been studied in the National Academy of Engineering publication “The Engineer of 2020 – Visions of Engineering in the New Century.”
The B.S.E. in Engineering check sheet can be found on page 101.
The world of fashion is fast-paced, energetic, creative and exciting. Innovative designers who know the potential of the materials they use in the contemporary marketplace have a dynamic impact on the retail industry.
The Bachelor of Science in Fashion Design includes art and design foundation courses, specialized fashion courses and studies in merchandising management, giving students a strong foundation in both design and business.
Future designers begin at the University with traditional studies of line and form. Our proven curriculum in apparel management and production includes hands-on experience with the latest computerized design and production equipment. In addition, our unique understanding of textile materials makes this program one of the best in the country.
Fashion Design students have an opportunity to add an international dimension to their education by participating in the Study Abroad Program during their third year of study. Students studying overseas gain a cross-cultural experience while broadening their design skills, enabling them to strengthen their competitive edge in the global marketplace. Students can also choose to participate in the Internship Program designed to enrich their education while gaining work experience.
Fashion Design graduates may begin as fashion design assistants, working under the supervision of a designer; or work as a fashion adapter, altering trend-setting designs to fit the need of the average customer. Some designers start their own firms, working with production houses and retailers to produce and distribute under their own label.
The Fashion Design check sheet can be found on page 109.
The Bachelor of Science in Graphic Design Communication prepares designers to work in the rapidly changing and increasingly global profession of graphic design. By combining a strong design core and a vigorous College Studies program with a business awareness segment, this program addresses the issues of visual communications, cultural understanding and today’s market-driven economy.
First-year design courses stress the visual language and conceptual exploration common to all art and design fields as the essential foundation for more advanced work in graphic design. The next three semesters continue this exploration by using the computer as a design and production tool combined with methods that are more traditional. Students develop a visual vocabulary of typography, symbols and cultural imagery while studying the ethical, historical and business side of this exciting profession.
The final three semesters require students to concentrate on utilizing their skills in research, design development and execution in solving “real-life” assignments in preparation for the culmination project in Graphic Design Communication. The final capstone course prepares students to enter the professional world.
By the beginning of the third year, students choose to concentrate in either Design electives or Business/Marketing electives. This allows them to strengthen their design skills with studio electives or to enhance them with business/marketing electives to prepare them to work closely with professionals in that area.
The Business/Marketing electives are located in the School of Business Administration. The Design electives can be chosen from several of the other design disciplines on campus. Students should plan these choices with the assistance of their academic advisors.
The Graphic Design Communication check sheet can be found on page 111.
Industrial and systems engineers organize the people, information, energy, materials and machines involved in the production process. They make things and systems work better, more safely, and more economically. Industrial and systems engineers might work in manufacturing –dealing with design and management, quality control and the human factors of engineering. Or they might work in management systems because their training makes them ideal for dealing with operations, business planning, financial analysis and project management.
Industrial and systems engineers are team members who apply their engineering skills and business knowledge to finding the best solutions to issues affecting productivity, profits and people. Not only are industrial and systems engineers employed across the spectrum of the for-profit sector, they also help to advance society in such areas as science, health and social services.
The B.S.E. in Industrial and Systems Engineering check sheet can be found on page 113.
Industrial designers conceive and develop ideas for products and systems that are useful, desirable and meaningful. Good design generates business; therefore, design services are in demand with product manufacturers and other clients. During the design process the designer synthesizes marketing, aesthetics, engineering, safety, manufacturing and environmental issues to the mutual benefit of the client and the user. To this end, the industrial designer works with interdisciplinary development teams, in which it is the designer’s specific concern to give shape to the quality and culture of a person’s interaction with products.
The curriculum places strong emphasis on critical thinking. Knowledge of ergonomics, of basic materials, communication skills, computer skills and the technology of production is taught, as it is essential knowledge to the practicing design professional. The interdisciplinary structure of the Industrial Design program exposes students to ideas and methods in other design majors. Other departments on campus act as project clients or design-team resources to simulate the reality students will encounter in their careers. Frequently projects are carried out in collaboration with industry clients in the same manner that this would be done by design professionals.
In their junior year, students enter a design-studio environment in which they can witness the various design tools, design processes and their outcomes. Beyond the achievement of fundamental design competencies, students are encouraged to define the profession as it relates to them and to choose those design tools and processes that best realize their interests and potential.
The Industrial Design program is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). NASAD was established in 1944 to improve the educational practices, maintain high professional standards in art, and design education.
The Industrial Design check sheet can be found on page 115.
The B.S.E. in Mechanical Engineering Program at Philadelphia University provides a broad-based education with a concentration on fundamentals and basic laws in mechanical, thermal and fluid sciences. The development of math, science and engineering skills in students are adequately addressed in the choice of courses. Engineering design is part of many of the courses from the very first semester. Further emphasis on design is placed in courses such as machine design, design for manufacturability and the two-semester senior design project. Students are given ample opportunity to use modern computer aided design and mathematical modeling tools. Students also develop skills to apply the theory to design experiments that demonstrate their understanding of fundamental laws in thermodynamics, fluid mechanics and mechatronics.
The B.S.E. in Mechanical Engineering check sheet can be found on page 117.
With expanding international markets, the billion-dollar textile industry cuts across a multiplicity of products and commerce – fashion, home furnishings, medical, performance, retail and technical. This provides a world of opportunity for talented textile designers. Our program puts you on the fast track to an exciting career in this field. Textile majors range from those that are design and trend oriented, to those focused on textile science, engineering, and product development – enabling specialization in the area most suited to individual interests and strengths.
Each year, our students win awards in prestigious, international design competitions sponsored by textile associations and industry corporations.
Textile designers begin their education in the studio to develop a sense of color, light, shape, texture and form. Next, they explore properties of fibers, yarns and dyes, and study the ways that fabrics are constructed. Advanced courses allow students to concentrate in a breadth of fabrication technology, including woven, knit, and printed textiles.
The University invites designers, artists, industry leaders, and experts onto campus. These weekly presentations create an opportunity for students to interact with and explore the range of career possibilities in the textile design field. Additionally, frequent field trips provide exposure to design studios, textile manufacturing facilities and product development firms.
The Textile Design check sheet can be found on page 119.
The School of Engineering and Textiles offers a five-year Bachelor of Science/Master of Science (B.S./M.S.) program to qualifying students majoring in textile design. Students follow the B.S. in Textile Design program for the first three years. Graduate courses taken in the fourth year of undergraduate study are applied toward both the B.S. and M.S. degrees. The fifth year includes a summer session in addition to the fall and spring semesters.
The five-year program offers an opportunity for students wishing to further their design education through a year of graduate-level work. They are given the opportunity to work on design development on a more concentrated basis, and therefore extend their design skills and portfolio work (within their chosen undergraduate specialization) to a level not attainable through the undergraduate program.
Application should be made through the Graduate Admissions Office during the junior year. Currently enrolled students will be considered for admission if they have maintained a 3.0 GPA. The GRE is required for full acceptance to the program and must be taken before the end of the senior year.
The Joint B.S./M.S. in Textile Design check sheet can be found on page 105.
The Bachelor of Science in Textile Materials Technology (TMT) prepares students to work in a global industry that includes fiber-engineered products for medical, geotextiles, architecture, fiber-reinforces composites and traditional apparel and home-furnishing applications. TMT program is comprised of thirteen (13) core textile courses, which delineate all TMT majors. The true interdisciplinary nature of Textile Materials Technology is realized in the student’s ability to select advanced work in one of the five, 9-course concentrations:
Sports and High Performance Materials involves the selection, specification, and design of equipment and clothing materials for the enhancement of human performance. Qualified TMT students could complete two graduate-level courses to facilitate a transition into the M.S. Textile Engineering program.
Product Safety & Materials Evaluation is a natural outgrowth of the research activities of the Institute for Textile and Apparel Product Safety (ITAPS) and the Laboratory for Engineered Human Protection (LEHP) at the Philadelphia University Research Center. Qualified TMT students could complete two graduate-level courses to facilitate a transition into the M.S. Textile Engineering program.
The Commerce concentration is designed to collaborate with the School of Business Administration. Students may select courses that focus on international marketing and management or select courses that enable a pre-MBA concentration that leads to the completion of a BS/MBA in 5-years of study.
Textile Conservation & Forensics evolved through collaboration with the faculty in the School of Science and Health on course development and research, e.g. forensic chemistry. Utilization of the textile & costume collection at the Design Center and the museums and conservation laboratories in and around Philadelphia will enable a new focus for research and internships using textiles and related materials.
Sustainability allows an in-depth analysis of textile processes that are distinct to the industry and provide students with sufficient depth of knowledge to make informed decisions about the future of textile related businesses. Students could conceivably double-major with the Environmental Sustainability major offered in the School of Liberal Arts. Qualified TMT students could complete two graduate-level courses to facilitate a transition into the M.S. Sustainable Design program.
Another dimension of the program will be to educate and graduate fully integrated individuals who possess the technical and social competence and confidence to succeed in professional practice and advanced education, be lifelong learners and exercise responsible stewardship.
The Textile Material Technology check sheet can be found on page 121.