Wood Design and Craftsmanship

Undergraduate Curriculum for the 'Wood Design and Craftsmanship' Professional Elective within the Wood Science and Technology Program

Students who desire a better understanding of wood tooling, furniture design and how to fashion wood through skills such as carving, turning and joinery can select the WSC Professional Electives option in Wood Design and Craftsmanship. Students in this option take courses in Wood Sculpture, Topics in Studio Art, Design of Wood Structures, and Computer-Aided Design (CAD). Through a collaborative arrangement with Maine's Center for Furniture Craftsmanship, students also take a 3 month intensive program to develop hands-on wood working skills for course credit in the UMaine WSC curriculum. The core segments of the wood crafting and wood design curriculum allows students to build furniture of their own design and learn from experts in the field. Students learn in a beautiful setting near the coast of Maine. Those who elect this option with the intent of developing a business after graduation are also encouraged to take selected business courses. Students develop a firm understanding of wood tooling, craftsmanship and design concepts in the WSC core curriculum. Regular field trips in our classes expose students to a rich variety of wood designers and fabricators in the state of Maine ranging from Thomas Moser Cabinetmakers, producers of fine wooden furniture, to Hodgdon Yachts the builders of multi-million dollar wooden marine vessels.

The University of Maine is the only program in the US that provides a fully-accredited 4-year wood science and technology degree and also provides a curriculum and Certification in Wood Design and Craftsmanship. The breadth of this curriculum prepares students for a variety of career options.

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