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Human-Centered Design Minor

The minor in Human-Centered Design is an interdisciplinary program focused on the process of innovation for addressing human needs. Students planning to pursue the minor should submit the Human-Centered Design Minor Student Worksheet (Word).

For advice contact Professor Peter Robbie (Engineering Sciences) or Professor Lorie Loeb (Computer Science).

1. Design Foundation (Prerequisites) (2 courses)

• ENGS 12: Design Thinking
• ENGS 21: Introduction to Engineering

2. Ethnographic Methods and Human Factors (Psychology) (choose 2 courses)

Ethnographic Methods:

• ANTH 3: Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
• ANTH 18: Introduction to Research Methods in Cultural Anthropology
• ANTH 56: Introduction to Research Methods in Medical Anthropology
• SOCY 11: Research Methods
• GEOG 11: Qualitative Methods and the Research Process in Geography

Human Factors (Psychology):

• PSYC 21: Perception
• PSYC 22: Learning
• PSYC 23: Social Psychology
• PSYC 27: Cognitive Neuroscience
• PSYC 28: Cognition
• PSYC 40: Introduction to Computational Neuroscience
• PSYC 43: Emotion
• PYSC 51.11: Thinking about Thinking

3. Design Electives (choose 2 courses)

• ENGS 18: Systems Dynamics in Policy Design and Analysis
• ENGS 44: Sustainable Design
• ENGS 75: Product Design
  (For Engineering Majors: If ENGS 75 is selected for the minor, it may not be counted toward the major.)
• COSC 27: Projects in Digital Arts
• COSC 28: Advanced Projects in Digital Arts
• COSC 67: Introduction to Human-Computer Interaction
• FILM 51: Game Design
• PBPL 43: Social Entrepreneurship
• SART 65: Architecture I
• SART 66: Architecture II
• SART 68: Architecture III
• Independent Study in a relevant discipline

Students may petition the department to substitute relevant courses in section 2 (that cover ethnographic methodology or human factors psychology) and 3 (that focus on problem-solving of human needs and result in the creation of artifacts). Before taking courses in Section 3, it is recommended that students complete both courses in Section 1 plus at least one course from Section 2.