Among other business-oriented courses, industrial and interaction design students take “Professional Practices,” which covers client relations, office organization and management, proposals and contracts, protection of designs and patents, and more. You may also wish to consider a minor in entrepreneurship and emerging enterprises, which is offered through SU's Martin J. Whitman School of Management and includes coursework in essential business tools.

Visiting and resident designers and scholars are a wealth of professional knowledge, and you will have the opportunity to interact with them throughout your Syracuse education. In addition to the numerous events in the School of Art and Design, you can attend such lecture series as the college’s Golden Mean Series, which brings together design, business, and creative professionals, and the University Lectures.

You can apply the skills you learn in the studio and classroom in professional settings by voluntarily participating in an internship, which refines technical proficiency, develops professional confidence, and bridges the gap between college and the professional world.

SU’s Center for Career Services can help you explore internships as well as prepare for the job search. The center offers workshops and critiques on resume writing, interviewing techniques, and job search strategies, as well as individual counseling. As early as your first year, you may work with the staff in identifying your goals and aspirations, and your strengths and weaknesses, to get an early start on developing your career path. It also offers a job opportunities list for after graduation, on-campus recruitment events, and a resource library.