University Catalog 2023-2024

Design courses for Graduate Students (DDN)

DDN 685  Master's Supervised Teaching  (1-3 credit hours)  

Teaching experience under the mentorship of faculty who assist the student in planning for the teaching assignment, observe and provide feedback to the student during the teaching assignment, and evaluate the student upon completion of the assignment.

Prerequisite: Master's Student

Typically offered in Fall only

DDN 696  Summer Thesis Res  (1 credit hours)  
DDN 701  Research Methods in Design  (3 credit hours)  

Survey of research methods in the field of design including overall systems of inquiry, criteria for assessing quality, strategies and tactics. Strengths and weaknesses of various research designs. Experimental and quasi-experimental research, correlational research, qualitative research strategies, simulation and modeling research, action research and design intervention, case study, and combined strategies.

Prerequisite: Graduate standing

Typically offered in Spring only

DDN 702  Research Paradigms in Design  (3 credit hours)  

Overview of contributions and limitations of various theoretical perspectives that inform the field of design inquiry. Knowledge and theory construction. Nature, scope, and merits of scientific approach. Criticism of the scientific approach and examination of alternative approaches utilized in design research and practice. Linking philosophy, research, and action/practice/application.

Prerequisite: Graduate standing

Typically offered in Fall only

DDN 740  Introduction to Practice-Based Design Research  (3 credit hours)  

This course presents an introduction and overview of interdisciplinary research theories, strategies, and methods as applied to issues in professional practice of design. Special emphasis is placed on the roles, values, and specific methods related to design practice, including (not limited to) case study analysis and evaluation; design typology; engaged research; research and development (e.g. prototyping); and design process. Course content is adaptable to student needs and interests. Restricted to Doctor of Design (D.Des) students; other advanced post-professional design students may enroll with permission of instructor. Although course content and instruction is predominantly online, the course requires one week of face-to-face intensive on-campus instruction and other activities before Fall term begins (TBA).

Restriction: Doctor of Design Students or other advanced students (PhD or other DDes programs off campus) may be enrolled by permission of instructor only.

Typically offered in Fall only

DDN 741  Case Study Analysis in Design  (3 credit hours)  

The case study method addresses the importance of learning how to learn as an essential element of professional growth as well as a means toward building a culture of reflective design practice. Case studies provide orientation and perspective on the complexity of design practice, both for novices and seasoned professionals. When closely examined, lessons learned from design processes and decision-making provide opportunities to build a body of professional knowledge. Course content is adaptable to student needs and interests. Restricted to Doctor of Design (D.Des) students; other advanced post-professional design students may enroll with permission of instructor. Although course content and instruction is predominantly online, the Fall course requires one week of face-to-face intensive on-campus instruction and other activities prior to the start of Fall term. The Spring course requires one week of face-to-face intensive on-campus instruction and other activities during Spring term (TBA).

Corequisite: DDN 740

Typically offered in Fall and Spring

DDN 771  Design as Cognitive Artifact  (3 credit hours)  

Relationship between theories of human cognition and design. Analysis and critique of design objects as cognitive artifacts and extension, transformation, or diminishing of human thought by their form and content. A critical examination of cognitive, linguistic and social science theories shaping design.

Prerequisite: Doctoral student, Design Majors, Corequisite: DDN 830 or 831

Typically offered in Fall and Spring

DDN 772  Design as Cultural Artifact  (3 credit hours)  

Recent theories in various disciplines concerning a cultural understanding of graphic design. Theories of mass and popular culture, critiques of creativity and authorial intentionality, influences of interpretive criticism, theories of consumption and issues of cultural representation. Emphasis on adaptation of these theories to an understanding of the cultural significance of graphic design. Non-majors by permission only.

Prerequisite: Doctoral student, Design Majors, Corequisite: DDN 830 or 831

Typically offered in Fall only

DDN 773  New Information Environments  (3 credit hours)  

Changing role of design in new information environments. Implications of new technology on social construction of meaning, impact of electronic media on culture and cognition, and differences in designing artifacts and designing interactions.

Prerequisite: Doctoral student, Design Majors, Corequisite: DDN 830 or 831

Typically offered in Spring only

DDN 779  Human Use of the Urban Landscape  (3 credit hours)  

Techniques for documenting and analyzing user needs at cite planning scale. Methods of integrating user needs into design programming in design and redesign projects. Community participation methods. Examples of best practice in design of user-intensive settings in residential, health, education and recreation. Principles of Universal Design. Fieldwork-oriented.

Typically offered in Spring only

DDN 795  Special Topics  (3-6 credit hours)  

Typically offered in Fall and Spring

DDN 809  Dissertation Colloquium  (1 credit hours)  

Prerequisite: Doctoral student in Design

Typically offered in Spring only

DDN 810  Special Topics  (1-6 credit hours)  
DDN 830  Independent Study  (1-3 credit hours)  

Typically offered in Fall and Spring

DDN 890  Doctoral Preliminary Examination  (1-9 credit hours)  

For students who are preparing for and taking written and/or oral preliminary exams.

Prerequisite: Doctoral student in Design

Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer

DDN 893  Doctoral Supervised Research  (1-9 credit hours)  

Instruction in research and research under the mentorship of a member of the Graduate Faculty.

Prerequisite: Doctoral student in Design

Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer

DDN 895  Doctoral Dissertation Research  (1-9 credit hours)  

Dissertation research.

Prerequisite: Doctoral student in Design

Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer

DDN 896  Summer Dissertation Research  (1 credit hours)  

For graduate students whose programs of work specify no formal course work during a summer session and who will be devoting full time to thesis research.

Prerequisite: Doctoral student in Design

Typically offered in Summer only

DDN 899  Doctoral Dissertation Preparation  (1-9 credit hours)  

For students who have completed all credit hour, full-time enrollment, preliminary examination, and residency requirements for the doctoral degree, and are writing and defending their dissertations.

Prerequisite: Doctoral student in Design

Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer