Design Studies 1, 3 credits

Contents

The Design Studies course runs as an independent course throughout the semester, parallel to other courses, and includes scheduled work time equivalent to one day every other week. The course is a separate entity and is based on, but not directly linked to, the content of the parallel courses or projects.

Within the Design Studies students read and discuss texts that address fundamental concepts, ideas, and practices within the design field in various ways. This is to support and develop reading, thinking, and writing as central parts of design work. The purpose of the course is to maintain continuity in working with conceptual and theoretical approaches to, and in, design by reading, writing, reflecting, discussing, and articulating perspectives on and interpretations of design. The course content follows the progression within the program.

Expected learning outcomes

For a passing grade, the student shall be able to:

Knowledge and Understanding: 

(ELO 1) Describe what a design-philosophical approach to design entails and relate this to key concepts and ideas within the design field.

Skills and Abilities: 

(ELO 2) Read, summarize, present, and discuss design-philosophical and design-historical texts.

Judgment and Approach: 

(ELO 3) Reflect orally and in writing on one's own stance and understanding of design based on various design-philosophical, theoretical, and conceptual approaches.

(ELO 4) Identify issues within contemporary international/global design practice and societal development, and critically reflect on Western design history in general, and one's own future professional role in particular.

Required Knowledge

General entry requirements for admission to the Bachelor's programme in Industrial Design and English

Form of instruction

The teaching mainly takes place in the form of seminars, as well as through supervision, presentations, and workshops. The student is expected to engage in self-studies in the form of reading and writing.

Examination modes

 All seminars are of a testing nature. Throughout the course, the student submits exercises in connection with the mandatory seminars, which constitute partial examinations. Assessment and grading are based on the student's participation in seminars as well as submitted exercises. The final examination of the course consists of an individual presentation.

In order to pass the course, all assessed assignments must be approved. The final grade for the course is based on an overall assessment and is given as either Fail (U) or Pass (G).

Adapted assessment

The examiner may decide on deviations from the course syllabus's examination form. Individual adaptation of the examination form should be considered based on the student's needs. The examination form is adapted within the framework of the course syllabus's expected learning outcomes. A student who needs an adapted examination must request adaptation from the department no later than 10 days before the examination. The examiner decides on the adapted examination, which is then communicated to the student.

Transfer of credits

A student can receive credit for all or parts of this course if they can present a certificate showing that they have completed and passed an equivalent course. For further information, refer to the Procedure for Credit Transfer at Bachelor's and Master's Level on Umeå University's website.

Other regulations

The course Design Studies is conducted in parallel with other courses and runs as a single subject course throughout the whole semester.