Redesigning the Design Degree at Stanford:
Curriculum design for Stanford’s fastest growing engineering major
Problem Statement
The Product Design degree at Stanford was becoming The Design degree. It was expanding to encompass new forms of design beyond physical making. In this process, the design department created domains, focus areas intended to give students a deep understanding of a wicked problem. However, students felt like the Domains were something they had to do because the Domains didn’t reflect student’s interdisciplinary interests. We felt Domains could do a better job of uplifting Design students’ unique interests and creative perspectives. So, we worked with faculty to find the right question and decided to ask this:
How can we create scaffolding in the new Design curriculum that ignites interdisciplinary creativity and innovation while honoring student interests?
Research Methods
Survey & Qualitative Interviews
We designed a survey and sent it out to declared and prospective Design majors. We got nearly 70 responses on this survey. Then, we conducted a 30-minute qualitative interview with ten of those students. After that, we categorized key quotes that highlighted patterns in student’s thoughts and feelings towards Domains. This brought to light insights about the current Domains in the Design degree.
Presenting and Collaborating with Faculty
After conducting our research, we presented our insights to d.School faculty with a menu of potential new Domain designs we developed. We also led a workshop with the faculty to iterate on the current Domains.
From Insight to Action
Our research led to the development of an honors thesis option for students who want a more individualized degree.