Our Curriculum
The DSI curriculum is cross-disciplinary, systems-level, collaborative, and hands-on. Our coursework draws from within and outside the traditional design avenues to examine the complex systems that connect every major issue today. Students apply what they learn in projects, involving real clients and communities, to a self-designed Thesis project that caps the program.
First Year Fall Semester
SIG-5030
Fall semester: 3 credits
09/07/24 – 12/10/24
Tuesdays, 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm with the exception of the following Tuesdays:
9/10, 10/15, 10,22, 11/19 and 11/26).
Saturdays, 10:00 am – 5:00pm (9/07, 10/19. 11/23, and 12/07)
Instructors: Michelina Ferrara and Lorena Estrella
Location: DSI Quiet Room
This course introduces ideas, methods, and skills essential for putting the “social” in “social innovation” and for nurturing conditions for people to create together through complexity and uncertainty. Through a lively mix of activities, students internalize a living systems view of social change, learn to convene and host conversations that matter to a community, and grow their ability to stand in good relationships with themselves and others.
SIG-5360
Fall Semester: 1 credit
11/04/24 – 12/16/24 (7 sessions)
Mondays, 6:00 – 9:00 pm EST
Instructor: Tara Maurice
Location: Classroom
Students learn to use systems thinking and creativity to explore the intersection of sustainability and design, including discussions on economics and quality-of-life indicators, how to distinguish problems from symptoms, and unpacking the operating principles for life on Earth.
SIG-5350
Fall semester: 3 credits
09/04/24 – 12/11/24
Wednesdays, 1:00 – 4:00 pm EST
Instructor: Mari Nakano
Location: DSI Classroom
To address complex social issues – such as poverty, civil rights, climate change, access to infrastructure and services – students will learn to apply design research to uncover needs, beliefs, and value systems, in collaboration with others. Students explore techniques to understand context by immersing in real-world settings; reframe and analyze relationships and systems; and reduce harm and increase equity. Students complete a self-driven project using participatory methods and community-based approaches which they can apply to their future design practice.
SIG-5220
9/04/24 – 12/11/24
Wednesday, 6:00 – 9:00 pm EST;
Holiday Notice: **Please note this class does meet on Wednesday, Nov. 27**
Instructors: Miya Osaki + Amanda Ramos
Location: Auditorium
In this year-long lecture series, students interact with leaders in social innovation today. Guest speakers share the diverse opportunities, perspectives, and careers – and how design plays a role. Students practice facilitation skills and critical thinking, as well as define shared values and their own positionality as social designers. Students craft a personal statement and portfolio, and network with visiting DSI alumni working in design, social impact, technology, consultancies, NGOs, and government. Watch Lecture Videos
SIG-5170
Fall Semester: I credit
10/25/24 – 11/15/24 (3 sessions)
Fridays, 10 am – 5 pm EST
Instructor: Lee-Sean Huang
Location: Auditorium
From Skynet to Hal 9000, popular culture has cast artificial intelligence (AI) as the catalyst of the apocalypse, but what if AI could help humanity instead of dooming it? This course explores AI and machine learning and how these technologies may be applied to global issues. We will look at the history of AI, from the works of Alan Turing to Elon Musk, and examine the current state of the technology: how it fails and where it succeeds. A background in computer science is not necessary. The course will culminate in a project to design and prototype an AI application for social good.
SIG-5150
Fall semester: 3 credits
09/05/24 – 12/12/24, Thursdays, 6:00 – 9:00 pm EST;
12/17/24 Tuesdays, 6:00 – 9:00 pm EST (make up session)
*Holiday Notice: No class on Thursday, November 28 in observance of Thanksgiving. Note the last class date is a Tuesday, December 17 per the academic calendar to make up for the missed session.
Instructor: Grace Kwon
Location: DSI Classroom
Students learn mapping and visualizing systems in order to facilitate a journey from thinking to making. Readings, discussions and weekly “experiments” are employed to investigate how mapping and modeling techniques can help develop sustainable frameworks of action. The course helps students visualize and articulate their thinking, explore ways of planning, making, and communicating solutions, and develop new models of engagement and action.
First Year Spring Semester
SIG-5390
Spring semester: 3 credits
1/16/25 – 5/1/25
Thursday, 6:00 – 9:00 pm EST
Instructors: Stephanie Stavropoulos and John Stavropoulos
Location: DSI Classroom
Games designed to address social and political issues are one of the fastest growing categories in the ‘serious games’ movement. This course incorporates game theory and analysis with hands-on development of social impact games: interactive experiences that integrate socio-political events, values and messages into their design and game mechanics. Working in teams, students take on game projects from concept to a functional prototype, and refine their projects through several iterations, ending with a game festival with a jury of experts.
SIG-5410
Spring semester: 2 credits
1/17/25 – 5/2/25
Friday, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm EST (1/31, 3/14 and 4/11)
Friday, 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm EST (all other sessions)
Instructor: Lee-Sean Huang
Location: Classroom
In this course focused on making, students will explore a range of methods and techniques for taking a concept to completion using design and physical computing. The class will focus on digital and physical prototypes as a method of testing and learning. This learning will support the systematic design decisions that determine the quality, impact and outcome of social design.
SIG-5070
Spring semester: 3 credits
1/14/2025 – 4/29/2025
Tuesday, 1:00 – 4:00 pm EST
Instructors: Miya Osaki, Corwin Green
Location: Auditorium
Students learn to use language and personal voice as well as verbal and visual communication skills to engage, persuade, and shift behavior through story-writing and storytelling, cogent logic and public presentations. Throughout the semester, students work with external clients and organizations to design communications as a system with intentional impact on outcomes. The course culminates in presentations of design interventions developed in collaboration with communities.
SIG-5225
Spring semester: 3
1/15/2025 – 4/30/2025
Wednesday, 6:00 – 9:00 pm EST
Instructors: Miya Osaki, Amanda Ramos
Location: Auditorium
This is the second part of a two-semester course featuring weekly guest speakers pioneering how social design is practiced. Students continue their practice via weekly facilitations, creative reflections, and analysis. Students refine their personal statements and design portfolios and gain feedback from practitioners from various organizations such as NYC Mayor’s Office/ACS, Hyperakt, 18F, Purpose, NationSwell, Sublation Studios, Sourcemap, ACLU, Tapestry, Johnson & Johnson and more. Watch Lecture Videos.
SIG-5440
Spring semester: 3 credits
1/13/25 – 5/5/25
Mondays, 6:00 – 9:00 pm EST
Instructors: Alison Cornyn, Despina Papadopoulos
Location: DSI Classroom
In the first of 3 thesis semesters, students investigate a variety of topics, researching to confirm their own interests and define a thesis direction. Exercises in reframing the issue, audience identification, observation and research help students define unmet needs and build hypotheses. Students identify a social issue, establish partnership with an external collaborator, volunteer in a community, and clearly articulate the concept and metrics for success. By the end of the semester, students have a fully vetted topic for their thesis.
Second Year Fall Semester
SIG-6190
Fall semester: 6 credits
09/09/24 – 12/16/24
Monday, 6:00 – 9:00 pm EST
Instructors: Mari Nakano, Kara Meyer, Sahar Ghaheri, Lona Vincent
Location: Auditorium
In the fall, guided by thesis advisors, students conduct research with their community partners to develop a thorough understanding of the context, landscape and challenges of their thesis topic. They design and implement a series of prototypes to test and refine their theory, and create a compelling presentation, which brings each vision’s potential to life through words, images and graphics. Presentation to the thesis committee for approval of the thesis topic is required.
SIG-6170
Fall semester: 3 credits
9/03/24 – 12/10/24
Tuesday, 6:00 – 9:00 pm EST
Instructor: Kira McDonald
Location: Classroom
This yearlong course looks at the theory and practice of gathering and visualizing data by integrating the identification of metrics into ongoing student projects and evaluating metrics from case studies in order to understand their strategy. In the fall the course focuses on data and visualization for exploration: asking useful questions and engaging in purposeful discovery.
SIG-6220
Fall semester: 3 credits
9/04/24 – 12/11/24
Wednesday, 6:00 – 9:00 pm EST;
Instructors: Miya Osaki + Amanda Ramos
Location: Auditorium
In this year-long lecture series, students interact with leaders in social innovation today. Guest speakers share the diverse opportunities, perspectives, and careers – and how design plays a role. Students practice facilitation skills and critical thinking, as well as define shared values and their own positionality as social designers. Students craft a personal statement and portfolio, and network with visiting DSI alumni working in design, social impact, technology, consultancies, NGOs, and government. Watch Lecture Videos
SIG-6180
Fall semester: 2 credits
09/06/24 – 12/13/24
Fridays, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm EST, Leadership Lab Days: 09/27/24, 10/25/24 and 11/22/24. Please note Lab Days are subject to change.
Holiday Notice: Class is canceled, Friday, November 29 in observance of Thanksgiving. Please note, the final class ends on Wednesday, December 18 to make up for the missed session.
Instructor: Karen Proctor
Location: Auditorium
A yearlong survey of key leadership theories and practices will be examined in this course, with the aim for students to discover their leadership identity and apply their new knowledge and understanding in positive social change contexts. Through in-class discussion, case studies and leadership development process documentation, students will engage in intensive, reflective experiences that have been designed to transform leadership notions into knowledge. The course helps students to consider the “why” of their DSI experience from a leadership lens.
SIG-6185
Fall semester: 1 credit
09/05/24 – 12/17/24
Thursdays, 6:00 – 9:00 pm EST
Holiday Notice: No class on Thursday, November 28 in observance of Thanksgiving. Note the last class date is a Tuesday (12/17/24) per the academic calendar to make up for the missed session.
Instructor: Kobla Asamoah
Location: Auditorium
This course is devoted to equipping students with the business language and concepts needed for real-world venture success. Students will gain practical knowledge and hands-on experience in the key business building blocks needed to execute a successful start-up that is viable, financially sustainable and scalable. Students will also have the opportunity to evaluate and present their respective theses as a business concept.
Second Year Spring Semester
SIG-6940
Spring semester: 6 credits
1/13/25 – 4/28/25
Monday, 6:00 – 9:00 pm EST
Location: Auditorium
Instructors: Mari Nakano, Kara Meyer, Sahar Ghaheri, Lona Vincent
In the final semester, students complete their thesis project and develop it into tested interventions, ready to be implemented. Presentation of the thesis to the full board of advisors is required for completion. The thesis committee, additional faculty and outside experts will critique presentations at critical intervals during the semester. The culmination of the thesis process is a public presentation at the annual Thesis Show.
SIG-6175
Spring semester: 3 credits
1/16/25 – 4/29/25
Tuesday, 6:00 – 9:00 pm EST
Instructor: Kira McDonald
Location: Classroom
The second half of this year-long course continues building familiarity with data issues and In the spring, students study data and visualization for explanation: how various tools and techniques help us communicate with and influence others. Guest lecturers include data scientists, financial modelers and corporate social responsibility experts.
SIG-5225
Spring semester: 3 credits
1/14/2025 – 4/29/2025
Tuesday, 1:00 – 4:00 pm EST
Instructors: Miya Osaki, Corwin Green
Location: Auditorium
Students learn to use language and personal voice as well as verbal and visual communication skills to engage, persuade, and shift behavior through story-writing and storytelling, cogent logic and public presentations. Throughout the semester, students work with external clients and organizations to design communications as a system with intentional impact on outcomes. The course culminates in presentations of design interventions developed in collaboration with communities.
SIG-6182
Spring semester: 2 credits
1/19/25 – 5/2/25
Fridays, 11:00 am – 2:00 pm EST
Instructor: Karen Proctor
This is the second part of a two-semester course.
A yearlong survey of key leadership theories and practices will be examined in this course, with the aim for students to discover their leadership identity and apply their new knowledge and understanding in positive social change contexts. Through in-class discussion, case studies and leadership development process documentation, students will engage in intensive, reflective experiences that have been designed to transform leadership notions into knowledge. The course helps students to consider the “why” of their DSI experience from a leadership lens.
SIG-6950
Spring semester: 1 credit
Thursday, 6:00–7:30pm (1/23, 2/6, 3/13, 3/28 and 4/3)
Thursday, 9:00am-4:00pm (2/13); Saturday, 9:00am-4:00pm (2/15)
Instructor: Anne LaFond & Reshma Trasi
This course complements the thesis process, examining how to measure program effectiveness and evaluation (M&E). Monitoring is the routine process of data collection and measurement of progress toward program objectives; evaluation is the use of social research methods to systematically investigate a program’s effectiveness. Students will be guided on the development of their own theory of change, measurement plan, and data collection.
