Change by Design

Prerequisites: All OF THE FOLLOWING: ARTDES 200: Any 200 Level Studio.

Description: Work together to create social impact through design & entrepreneurship. Together with community partners, students emphasize problem identification to prototype ideas, build objects, develop innovations and processes, and refine these through field work, validation, and testing. These are real-world challenges that students tackle together as they acknowledge that the WHY and the HOW are just as important as WHAT we create. As collaborative teams, we will put our problem-solving skills to work on some of the biggest global issues, and to design for creativity, innovation, health, poverty, homelessness, education, and more. We turn theory into action by designing and carrying out a project rooted in community connection. We will use emergent strategy, design thinking and action-based research to explore possible ways for artists and designers to leverage our talents to create social change. Depending on our cohort and partnerships, our design work could be physical objects, digital design, interactive events, and anything in between! This work demands skilled hands, big hearts, bigger business sense, and the courage to strive towards non-normative work that can inspire, challenge, and respond with vision, curiosity, and sensitivity. Multi-disciplinary student teams work hands-on through rough and final prototypes. Designing, drawing and development of concepts, logos, and branding strategies; learn a theoretical framework for social entrepreneurship and design thinking; and explore the individual skills and will be necessary to respond to complex social needs, both local and global, while connecting across age, race, and class. Please note that a background check will be required in order to participate in this class.

Frequency: This course is typically offered in the fall term of every academic year, though scheduling may vary according to future term circumstances.