Environmental Design Minor
15 semester hours required for minor
The ENVD minor allows students from design and non-design disciplines to enrich and broaden their education through the understanding and application of design and design thinking methods. In an increasingly complex and interconnected world, design and design thinking methods are becoming appropriated by businesses and different organizations as tools that help them with problem-solving in a creative and effective manner. Education in design and design thinking provides a framework for a quick and effective problem-solving embedded in understanding of human activities.
Students who acquire an ENVD minor will be able to demonstrate nimbleness and adaptability in the real world, the ability to approach issues from many different angles, and offer constructive and effective methods for human-centric problem-solving. These skills will enable them to offer a well-rounded, competitive portfolio, regardless of their major. The ENVD minor will enable them to be more competitive candidates for positions in both the public and the private sectors and in design professions as well as in other disciplines such as engineering, business, the sciences, education, and others.
Students will be able to:
- understand the social, cultural and economic forces that shape design proposals;
- engage in and understand a basic design process;
- develop the ability to engage in and create opportunities for inter-disciplinary collaborations;
- understand applicability and benefits of design thinking as a creative problem solving approach in non-design disciplines.
Students can enroll in classes and therefore start fulfilling requirements towards completion of ENVD minor. The Environmental Design Minor requires completion of 15 semester hours — this can be accomplished through two different options:
Option 1 (Recommended for students from non-design majors)
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ENVD 2100 | Environmental Design Workshop I | 6 |
| ENVD 4010 | Elements of Design Thinking and Communication | 3 |
| ENVD 4970 | Special Topics in Environmental Design | 3 |
| ENVD 5030 | Studies in Design Thinking and Entrepreneurship | 3 |
| Total Hours | 15 | |
Option 2 (Recommended for students from design majors)
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ENVD 2000 | Environmental Design Concepts and Practices I | 3 |
| ENVD 2200 | Readings in Landscape Architecture | 3 |
| or ENVD 2010 | Introduction to Design and Design Methods | |
| ENVD 3000 | Environmental Design Concepts and Practices II | 3 |
| ENVD 4010 | Elements of Design Thinking and Communication | 3 |
| ENVD 5030 | Studies in Design Thinking and Entrepreneurship | 3 |
| or ENVD 4970 | Special Topics in Environmental Design | |
| Total Hours | 15 | |