Curriculum
After several years of research with industry, alumni, and current students, we are excited to announce the transition to an 18-month program. This change reflects an improved continuity across Thesis Studio as well as the incorporation of new courses in human-centered design leadership.
The custom-designed EDI program curriculum focuses on an integrated design process that blends analytical skills, intuition, and creative thinking to develop practical solutions. Starting in fall 2020, the 18-month program includes eight core courses open only to EDI students, seven elective courses of the student's choosing, and a three-unit thesis project.
EDI Curriculum
| Quarter | Course 1 | Course 2 | Course 3 | Course 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall Year 1 |
Human Centered Design Studio 1, Product Design | Design Research | Design Communication & Methods | Elective |
| Winter Year 1 |
Human Centered Design Studio 2, Interaction Design | Human Centered Design Studio 3, Service Design | Differentiation by Design | Elective |
| Spring Year 1 |
Product Management | Brand and Design Leadership | Elective | Elective |
| Summer Year 1 |
Summer Internship | Summer Internship | Summer Internship | Summer Internship |
| Fall Year 2 |
Thesis Studio DSGN 499 | Design Strategy | Elective | Elective |
| Winter Year 2 |
Thesis Studio DSGN 499 | Thesis Studio DSGN 499 |
Core Courses
EDI core coursework provides students with a high-level understanding of the design process, research methodologies, and innovation strategy through team-based project work.
Guided by iterative prototyping and testing, students work in teams to define design problems and develop concepts for innovative products, interactions, services, and experiences.
All students take eight core courses, plus thesis:
- DSGN 401-1 Human-Centered Design Studio 1, Product Design (fall)
- DSGN 401-2 Human-Centered Design Studio 2, Interaction Design (winter)
- DSGN 401-3 Human-Centered Design Studio 3, Service Design (winter)
- DSGN 410-0 Design Research (fall)
- DSGN 420 Design Communication and Methods (fall)
- DSGN 430 Product Management (spring)
- DSGN 450-0 Differentiation by Design (winter)
- DSGN 455 Design Strategy (fall)
- DSGN 474 Brand and Design Leadership (spring)
- DSGN 499 Thesis (EDI1 spring 1 credit; EDI2 fall 2 credits)
View Segal's course descriptions
Electives
EDI is part of The Graduate School (TGS) at Northwestern. All TGS students can take any electives approved by TGS. This long list of electives can be found in the TGS catalogue.
Summer Internship
During the summer between their third and fourth quarters, EDI students are encouraged to participate in one of several design-related summer internships. Internship opportunities vary and no student is guaranteed placement. For more information, contact Amy O'Keefe, Director of the EDI program, at edi@northwestern.edu or 847-467-4275.
Grade and Residency Requirements
EDI students must make satisfactory academic progress as defined by The Graduate School to qualify for degree completion. In addition, every credit unit counted towards the master’s degree must receive a grade of "C" or better. Students must complete all degree requirements within six quarters of study in order to qualify for the master’s degree.
Students who do not meet satisfactory academic progress requirements will be placed on academic probation for one quarter. If after one quarter, academic progress has not improved, students will be subject to exclusion from the degree.
