BA

Business for Creative Industries

Lead where creativity and business meet.

The BA in Business for Creative Industries is a dynamic approach to understanding the business behind the creative world. Studying at one of the world’s top creative institutions, you will earn a business degree while also gaining an insider’s understanding of the art and design process – in just 3 years!

A group of students on a blue couch, gathered around a laptop on a small table

Creative industries need business leaders who understand how ideas are made — and how successful businesses are built around them. The BA in Business for Creative Industries prepares you to do both.

Graduate in 3 Years

Students in our program will graduate a full year before traditional programs. This program blends strategic business leadership with creative experience and insight to shape the future leaders, innovators and thinkers ready for a career that blends creativity with business. Graduating in only three years also means you save a year of tuition and fees.

Transfer-Friendly

Aligned with the Michigan Transfer Business Pathway, this degree allows students to transfer from community colleges and complete the degree at CCS in two years. You gain the same strong business foundation, while starting your career faster and with a CCS degree.

Business Degree in a Creative Institution

Unlike traditional business programs, graduates of the BCI program will have a real understanding of the creative worlds they’ll inhabit and an insider’s perspective on art and design project creation and management through challenge-based projects, internships and experiential learning.


Students in this program have the unique opportunity to supplement their business courses with cross-disciplinary electives in studio disciplines – this means access to CCS’s industry-grade facilities, such as 3D modeling technology and 3D printers, fashion studios, UX and virtual reality studios, and more.

Frequently Asked Questions


A group of students at a table looking at a screen

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 in the creative industries.

A student working on a laptop in front of a window overlooking the Ford campus

Cutting-Edge Spaces for Creative Minds

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


By collaborating with peers who are majoring in studio subjects, students will have hands-on experience in project management, market research, finance and budgeting, marketing and storytelling, and much more.

*Note: This information was gathered using Lightcast Labor Market Analytics and includes the median salary for the lifetime of a career in these specific professions. CCS alumni outcomes may vary.

Possible Career Choices

Brand or Marketing Manager

Business Development Consultant

Consumer Insights Manager

Creative Assets Manager

Creative Project Manager / Project Manager

Design Manager

Design Researcher

Event Coordinator

Gallery Director / Culture Curator

Government Relations Specialist

Licensing or Partnerships Manager

Media Services Manager

New Product Manager

Operations Manager

Producer (Film, Media, Games)

Product Manager (Design-Driven Industries)

Production Assistant

Production Coordinator / Production Manager

Production Designer

Research and Development Manager

Studio Manager / Design Studio Administrator

Transportation Business Analyst

Writer

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BFA

Product designers shape the physical and digital world around us.

From performance footwear and smart tech to life-saving medical devices. Our Bachelor’s in Product Design (Industrial Design) program empowers creative problem-solvers to turn bold ideas into meaningful, beautiful and functional human experiences.

Side view of desk with tools and paint bottles. Lucy Fata
93%

Placement Rate
Learn More

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STEM-Designated
Program

Product designers create consumer products and experiences that enrich and impact every aspect of life – from the shoes you wear to life-saving medical devices and everything in between.


Located in the heart of Detroit’s world-renowned design scene, our students learn by doing. Through real-world industry partnerships and collaborative studio projects, you will gain hands-on experience, forge professional networks, and draw inspiration from a city built on innovation.

A student is presenting a concept in a board room to Trek designers for a sponsored studio project.

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.

Two students working in the Product Design space, one working with 3D printers and the other looking at a red 3D printed shoe.

Cutting-Edge Spaces for Creative Minds

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


Internationally, nationally and right here in Detroit, Product Design graduates pursue multiple avenues upon graduation

*Note: This information was gathered using Lightcast Labor Market Analytics and includes the median salary for the lifetime of a career in these specific professions. CCS alumni outcomes may vary.

Adidas logo
Matel logo
Carhartt logo
Converse logo
Disney logo
General Motors logo
Hasbro logo
Nike swoosh logo
Reebok logo
Apple logo
Allbirds logo
Black + Decker logo
Fisher Price logo
Bose logo
Target logo
HOKA logo
Hot Wheels logo
LEGO logo
Milwaukee logo
NERF logo
PING logo
Pininfarina logo
PUMA logo
Stanley logo
The North Face logo
TREK logo
Under Armor logo
VANS logo
Whirlpool logo

Possible Career Choices

Consumer Electronics Designer

Footwear & Athletic Equipment Designer

Furniture Designer

Tools & Equipment Designer

UX/UI Designer

Accessories Designer

Color & Materials Designer

Exhibit Designer

Independent Design Consultant

Market & Trend Forecaster

Medical Equipment Designer

Visualization Designer

3D Modeler

Product Designer

Industrial Designer

Appliance Designer

Automotive Designer

Market Researcher

Recreation Equipment Designer

Toy Designer

Trend Forecaster

Virtual Reality Designer

Watercraft Designer

  • A person holding out a PING G425 driver on a golf course

    Ryan Davis ’21

    Industrial Designer, PING

  • A racer holding up a white, cylindrical trophy, kissing it in front of a colorful background

    Alexis Dimaguila ’22

    Industrial Designer, Pininfarina

  • A stand mixer on a counter top, next to some decorations, and a sack of onions hanging down. The image is dramatically lit

    Brandon Mock ’11

    Design Manager, Kitchen Aid

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BFA

Transportation Design

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

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

Interior with Hologram Owen Shaw
84%

Placement Rate
Learn More

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STEM-Designated
Program

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

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’s energy to shape bold ideas and future creative leaders.


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.

A student works on a clay model of a car with orange wheels in the CCS 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.


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.

*Note: This information was gathered using Lightcast Labor Market Analytics and includes the median salary for the lifetime of a career in these specific professions. CCS alumni outcomes may vary.

Audi logo
Autodesk logo
BMW logo
Ford logo
General Motors logo
Harley Davidson Motorcycles logo
Infiniti logo
John Deere logo
Lear Corporation logo
Maserati logo
Mercedes logo
Michelin logo
Polaris logo
Renault logo
Rivian logo
Scout logo
SpaceX logo
Stellantis logo
Tesla logo
Toyota logo
Vizcom logo
Volkswagon logo
Volvo logo
  • A dramatically lit image of a lunar rover on the surface of the moon with a space background

    Logan Phillips ’18

    Senior Industrial Designer, SpaceX

  • A plane flying over land and sea. It's tagged with N867CA on the side

    Alex Alequin ’07

    Principal Owner, One Horizon Designs

  • A motorcycle on a wet road with a river and cityscape in the background

    Dong Tran ’09

    Founder/CEO, Ryvid Inc.

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Fill out our inquiry form to receive personalized updates, tips, and can’t miss info from our Admissions team.

MAMFA

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.

(Daniel) Dong Ug Kim
92%

Placement Rate
Learn More

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STEM-Designated
Program

Students are invited to assume the role of “designer as inventor,” 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 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 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.

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

Our Department

Hands-on experiences that help bring your imagination to life.

Students walking and talking around boards during industry day

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.

Developed for the Extended Reality (XR) course, Prescription for Profit is an interactive installation that exposes the stark disparity between the manufacturing costs of essential medications and their retail market prices. By scanning barcodes on prescription bottles, users trigger animated content alongside a printed receipt that breaks down the actual costs and corporate profits. This immersive experience highlights the steep price barriers that routinely place life-saving treatments out of reach for thousands of people.

Cutting-Edge Spaces for Creative Minds

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


Internationally, nationally and right here in Detroit, Transportation Design graduates pursue multiple avenues upon graduation

*Note: This information was gathered using Lightcast Labor Market Analytics and includes the median salary for the lifetime of a career in these specific professions. CCS alumni outcomes may vary.

Ford logo
Tesla logo
General Motors logo
Stellantis logo
Karma logo
Vizcom logo
Polaris logo
Kia log
Studio Syn logo
Mazda Logo

Possible Career Choices

Airplane Designer

Alias Modeler

Automotive Color & Trim Designer

Automotive Exterior Designer

Automotive Interior Designer

Autonomous Vehicle Designer

Bicycle Designer

Clay Modeler/Sculptor

Concept Hardware Artist

Creative Designer

Design Engineer

Digital Modeler/Sculptor

Industrial Designer

Market Researcher

Mass Transit Designer

Mobility Systems Designer

Motorcycle Designer

Recreational Vehicle Designer

Surface Designer

Transportation Systems Designer

UX Designer

Vehicle Exterior Designer

Vehicle Interior Designer

Virtual Reality Designer

Watercraft Designer

  • A vehicle in front of a large cascading water fall and lush greenery

    Dan Shapiro ’22

    Creative Designer, General Motors

  • A vehicle on a road with an open side; the vehicle has a bunch of products inside

    Dong Wu ’18

    HMI Architect, FAW-Volkswagen

  • A bi-pedal vehicle next to silhouetted people

    Veda Huang ’22

    Junior Industrial Designer, Pride Mobility Products Corporation

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MAMFA

User Experience Design

CCS’s Graduate program in User Experience Design is situated at the intersection of creativity and emerging technology, grounded in speculative thinking and experimental practices in response to societal, technological and cultural themes.

Juyoung Lee, Wenqi Yan, Mihir Sharma, Ragunath Rajasekar
100%

Placement Rate
Learn More

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STEM-Designated
Program

Here, students learn to design technologically-mediated systems, experiences and human interactions with objects, spaces and interfaces.

Degrees Offered

The in-person User Experience Design Program offers 2 types of Degrees

60 Credits

2-year Full-time MFA

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

  • Utilize advanced Design and technology skills and knowledge to resolve User Experience and Interaction Design challenges.

  • Critically engage with Design Research Methods and analysis in informing practical and/or critical User Experience and Interaction Design outcomes.

  • Independently initiate imaginative and innovative User Experience and Interaction Design outcomes and hypotheses that critically challenge established practices.

  • Utilize advanced Research and idea generation to generate contextually rich technologically mediated experiences and interactions.

  • Utilize professional intellect and communication skills in proposing and implementing advanced ideas and thinking for creative Leadership in User Experience and Interaction Design.

  • Develop in-depth critical and contextual understanding of interrelated User Experience and Interaction Design factors informing innovation and evidencing original thought and creativity in the generation of ideas.

30 Credits

2-year Part-time MA

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

  • Utilize advanced design and technology skills and knowledge that integrate the key elements, terminology, theory, and practices to resolve user experience and interactive design challenges.
  • Critically engage with Design Research Methods and analysis in informing practical and/or critical User Experience and Interaction Design outcomes.
  • Utilize user-centered research and idea generation to generate contextually-rich technologically mediated interactions.
  • Develop in-depth critical and contextual understanding of interrelated User Experience and Interaction Design factors informing innovation and evidencing original thought and creativity in the generation of ideas.

Our students are taught by industry professionals and leading academics working at the cutting edge of UX design.

Emphasizing ethically, socially and environmentally responsible mindsets, the program foregrounds skills in design thinking, user-centered research, prototyping and communication. Students will learn advanced user-centered research methods and work with the latest software and hardware for design ideation and development. Students will also learn about physical and cognitive ergonomics in human-machine and system interactions.

Not able to attend in-person? Our fully asynchronous online Master of Professional Studies in User Experience Design might be for you.


The program is grounded in creativity, speculative thinking, and experimental practices, frequently working with industry partners in sponsored studios.

A CCS student showcases work and speaks to an industry professional at a CCS Industry Day Event.

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.

A student sits at a desk in front of a computer monitor with a VR headset on and artwork in the background

Cutting-Edge Spaces for Creative Minds

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


Alumni Success

Our Alumni are changemakers, leading and inspiring the next generation of design.

*Note: This information was gathered using Lightcast Labor Market Analytics and includes the median salary for the lifetime of a career in these specific professions. CCS alumni outcomes may vary.

Brambles logo
Comsumers Energy logo
Tomtom logo
HBO logo
Stellantis logo
VML Logo

Possible Career Choices

User Experience (UX) Designer

User Interface (UI) Designer

Interaction Designer

Visual Designer

UX Researcher

Mobile or Web UX Designer

AI UX Designer

Smart Mobility UX Designer

Automotive UX Designer

Content Designer

Systems Designer

Service Designer

Product Designer

UX Strategists

Lead/Principal UX Designer

Entrepreneur/UX Startup Founder

UX Director/Head of UX

  • An image of a TV, laptop, tablet and phone showing the HBO max interface and how it looks on different screens

    Hakha Mashayekhi ’15

    Director of Product Design, HBO Max

Unlock Essential Admissions Info.

Fill out our inquiry form to receive personalized updates, tips, and can’t miss info from our Admissions team.

MPS

User Experience Design Online

The Master of Professional Studies (MPS) in User Experience Design is a fully online graduate degree designed for working professionals and learners who need to balance their studies with busy lives.

UX Design Studio II Student Project

Students learn to design technologically mediated systems, experiences, and human interactions that are data-driven. Critical inquiry and design provocations sharpen insights as students become adept with models of interaction, experience, and communication.

The Masters of  Professional Studies (MPS) in User Experience Design (UX) is a fully online graduate degree program focusing on building students’ professional skills and understanding of the User Experience Design field.

The program, designed for working professionals and students who have a need to balance their studies with life commitments, takes place one class at a time, consecutively over 18 months.

Over 18 months, students will take one class at a time, developing skills in user-centered research, interface design, smart mobility, user testing, augmented reality, and data visualization, culminating in a two-part capstone project that foregrounds professional skills aligned to personal career goals.


Our students are taught by industry professionals and leading academics working at the cutting edge of UX design. Students will learn advanced user-centered research skills, and work with the latest software and hardware for design ideation and development. Students will also learn about physical and cognitive ergonomics in human-machine and system interactions.


Alumni Success

Our Alumni are changemakers, leading and inspiring the next generation of design.

*Note: This information was gathered using Lightcast Labor Market Analytics and includes the median salary for the lifetime of a career in these specific professions. CCS alumni outcomes may vary.

Brambles logo
Comsumers Energy logo
Tomtom logo
HBO logo
Stellantis logo
VML Logo

Possible Career Choices

User Experience (UX) Designer

User Interface (UI) Designer

Interaction Designer

Visual Designer

UX Researcher

Mobile or Web UX Designer

AI UX Designer

Smart Mobility UX Designer

Automotive UX Designer

Content Designer

Systems Designer

Service Designer

Product Designer

UX Strategists

Lead/Principal UX Designer

Entrepreneur/UX Startup Founder

UX Director/Head of UX

  • An image of a TV, laptop, tablet and phone showing the HBO max interface and how it looks on different screens

    Hakha Mashayekhi ’15

    Director of Product Design, HBO Max

Unlock Essential Admissions Info.

Fill out our inquiry form to receive personalized updates, tips, and can’t miss info from our Admissions team.