Questions about I.D. (and math??)

[Forecast]

Hey everyone!

I have a few questions... I'm a high school senior applying to RISD for early action and I know that is the college I want to go to (not because it's big name, but I did a precollege there this summer and the whole structure & environment fit perfectly for me)

Anyway, I really began to take a serious interest in Industrial Design although my main focus was drawing & illustration. I was wondering, purely from a financial standpoint, if industrial designers get paid well? What about in comparison to teaching art in high school?

My second question is about math/science requirements or electives at RISD. I don't think I'll need a math class, but I was wondering (I haven't heard anything about it) if this means that I'll never take mathematics in my life, ever again.

I'm asking because I'm horrible at math, and I also am curious to know if this will hinder my growth at ID? How much math/science/calculus/whatever do industrial designers even use?

Thanks so much for your help :)

[Elwell]

I can't speak specifically for RISD, but you probably won't have to take any math classes. The math that you'll need for ID will be indirect, since perspective is really a branch of geometry, but that's primarily pictures, not numbers.

[Noah Bradley]

I've got a couple friends starting ID here at RISD and I haven't heard them ever mention anything about having to take math/science. You'll need to use the various measuring devices and such and be able to make conversions between different scales, but not exactly hard math.

Good luck with the major. All of my friends love it so far. :)

[Samurai_em]

Any (accredited) degree program is going to require you take some college level math.

[Noah Bradley]

Any (accredited) degree program is going to require you take some college level math.

Umm... you sure about that?

Because I really don't think that's the case. I transferred into RISD, but I'm 95% certain that none of my college-level math credits were included. Soooo... no, there actually isn't a math requirement. No science, either. Or foreign language (thank God for that).

[Samurai_em]

RISD requires that students complete 42 credits in the liberal arts, constituting almost a third of the coursework toward the BFA. You are required to complete credits in English; History, Philosophy + Social Sciences (HPSS); and History of Art + Visual Culture. RISD also requires general liberal arts credits which may be fulfilled in any of these departments or in areas such as math, science or foreign language.

Looks like you get a choice at RISD if I'm reading this correctly, I wish my local college was like that. I found this via a simple google search btw.

You said you "transferred in" though, did you complete any liberal arts requirements before transferring? Why would they not include your math credits? Especially since they state on their website that it can count toward your 42 required liberal arts credits.

[Seedling]

Any (accredited) degree program is going to require you take some college level math.

Not true.


I took a math appreciation course at risd. It was a joke.

If the ID department requires any math, it will be simple.

Highschool teachers are paid in peanuts, are overworked, and are treated terribly. Teach only if you love to teach.

[Elwell]

Yes, that's fairly standard at art schools. For instance, at SVA, you need 30 humanities and sciences credits (not including art history), including at least one 3 credit course each in literature, history, science, and social sciences. Math classes count towards the science requirement.

[Samurai_em]

Not true.


That's why I posted my second post, it's ok reading isn't my strong suit either. ;) no worries.

[Noah Bradley]

Why would they not include your math credits?

Because I had taken other liberal arts courses that filled up my liberal arts requirements.

[Forecast]

Seedling: A math appreciation course? What exactly is that?

If being a HS teacher is difficult/underappreciated, why do people do it then? How is it underappreciated?

Thanks for the info guys

[Sogbad]

Have you spent much time researching Industrial Design, and what the job really entails? One thing you need to consider is that there is much more to Industrial Design than drawing, if you think that the designer just draws cool pictures you'll be disappointed. As an Industrial Designer you'll spend time thinking about the potential market of the products, how the product functions, how it will be manufactured, what materials it will be made from, how much it will cost and how much it will sell, well I'll stop listing things as there's plenty more to the role.

[Seedling]

Seedling: A math appreciation course? What exactly is that?

It’s spending a whole two weeks looking at the pretty pretty difference between zero and null set.

If being a HS teacher is difficult/underappreciated, why do people do it then? How is it underappreciated?

They do it from a combination of love for teaching, love for the students, and gritty, admirable tenacity.

A (public) highschool teacher has to undergo years of expensive education, only to face low pay, soul-crushing internal politics, hostile parents, crowded classrooms, endless late nights of grading papers, and students who are understandably angry at being imprisoned in school for the duration of puberty. Half of all people who go into the field leave for another career after the first year. It’s a shameful situation, and those who endure the first year and who stick around for more are either worthy of sainthood or are certifiable.

[Black Spot]

I like maths. I think it’s pretty, logical and doesn’t lie to you.

Saying that (I’ve forgotten the names) but someone years ago took over 200 pages to prove 1+1=2, only to have some young upstart prove that maths has no basis in logic. It is man made after all and how do we know that all the 1s are equal?

[Zirngibism]

At CCAD, we have an optional "mathematics for art" class (I think it's called that...). As I understand, the industrial design majors have to take it (and possibly interior design) but like Elwell said, it's more about geometry than numbers from what I hear. It would likely deal with proportions (how to blow stuff up while keeping the scale, for example).

[Minkie]

If you hate math, don't teach. Even art teachers have to take math classes.

I personally don't know much about the industrial design field, but I do know a lot about teaching. As a designer (in training) my ultimate goal is to become a vocational teacher, or a professor. I also wanted to be a high school art teacher, that is, until I took high school art classes. :)

I'm not sure which state.. or even country you live in, but here in the USA here is a rough idea of what you would expect if you go for a career as an art teacher.

-First, most other subjects you have to pick an age group to teach with for your license. IE- PreK-3, 4-8th, and 9th-12th. But, as an art teacher you will get a license to teach grades preK-12, which is a plus because you have a lot more flexibility in job choices.

-Next, the pay. As a beginning designer in general, you will make around 25-30k a year, supposedly. As a teacher you will make roughly 60k a year. But.. half of that is in benefits. Teachers have an excellent union here, so you'll get some of the best health career, dental, lots of sick days (you will be sick A LOT working with children in any public setting), as well as protection from students. Meaning.. you will have a lawyer and the backing of the union if a child unfairly accuses you of hitting them or something. Being a high school teacher I'm sure you'll wanna give a smack down to more then one student.

The down side to the pay is that one- you're not going to be making much, nor have the potential to make much more then your beginning pay. And you don't get payed overtime, once the bell rings you stop getting payed, even though you have five hours worth of homework to grade. Also, that 30k you get payed? Only for the months you work, mean, unless you go to a year round school you won't be getting payed during those three months of vacation. You have a choice of either taking your pay check as is and deal with being poor during the summer, or have your paycheck spread out so you'll still be getting payed each week over the summer.

-One down side? Poor funding. Thank you no child left behind. People hate paying property taxes, and yet they bitch when sports are threatened to be cut. And yes, the football team will come before your art supplies in most cases. You have a limited amount of money to spend on supplies. Students who don't understand the amount of money you have to spend on supplies. And there for you have to constantly replace things, and in some cases teachers use their own money to buy supplies for their class.

-Next.. you will be up to your ass in paper work. Lots and lots and lots of paper work. You have to document EVERYTHING. All those "teacher days" are entire days spent just documenting everything that you have in class rooms for budgeting reason. Tables, chairs, paint, hell you'll be counting erasers.

-Ungrateful kids. For every child you get in your class that absolutely LOVES art and takes every word you say as the words from god. You will have about... 15 that hate art, want to just goof off, and get a C so they can get their credit to graduate.

-Parents. Ahhh.. gotta love the parents. You'll have parents that just don't give a shit about their kids art class. Parents who are actually very interested in what you're teaching your kid. And then.. the parent, the onnnne parent that on parent-teacher night nearly busts down your down and demands why their A student child is failing art. And it's all your fault, because how can anyone possibly fail art?

That's just some of the highlights.

Now.. how you get there.

-Before the no child left behind act you could teach with a bachelors and be fine. But noooow, you have to get a masters. You can start teaching with a bachelors, but have a certain amount of time to get a masters, which is six years of schooling I believe. I can't tell you what the time limit is, specifically.

-Your License: In the USA you will be subjected to three different tests, called Praxis one, two and three before they will let you in the classroom. The first will come after you complete all your general eds (which will include some kind of advanced math in most cases), you will take praxis one which is much like the ACT, just a test over all the general stuff you've learned and this will get you into the teaching program at your college. After you've been in the program for a while, learning all the basics of teaching (the importance of environment, communication skills, dealing with said parent), you will take praxis two. This will be a test on what you teaching will focus on, the age group and subject. Yours will be over all ages preK through 12, and over art. Finally.. after you've been through all this work you will take praxis three. The most nerv wracking test a teacher will take in their life, or so I hear. This test takes place IN the classroom. Ever had someone come into one of your classes and watch your teacher clip board in hand? They will judge you one everything you do while teaching, from how your class is set up, how well you communicate with students and build repor, to how you grade your papers. (Don't use a red pen, use purple. Red freaks students out, purple is a friendly neutral color. ;) ) So pretty much.. six years of education focusing on education and art, and three major tests.

That's the basics, pretty much. If you have any more questions feel free to e-mail me.

But as a side note.

No one teaches for the money, if that's your main concern save your self the time and effort.

and

Take a math course any way. It's just a valuable asset to have in your arsenal of life skills. Even as a designer (in training) I use math all the time, especially when I'm coming up with budgets for projects, and later will be making budgets for clients.

-Minkie