Fall 2020 Undergraduate Courses

The courses listed are open to students of any major but are for undergraduates only.

an undergraduate student sketches a design on a piece of paper on a white board
ITD 102 Sketching for Thinking and Communication

Faculty: Joe Meersman
Unique Number: 20979 & 21001

Sketching is the fastest way to convey ideas, whether in an ideation session or just taking notes in a meeting. Designed to help students learn the basic elements of sketching to visualize concepts and quickly bring alignment to any team.

undergraduate student presents design during portfolio critique
New! ITD 350T Portfolio Development

Faculty: Jai Dandekar
Unique Number: 20988 & 20989

Portfolio Development will focus on creating projects and case studies for your portfolio. Whether you want to redesign an existing project, refine and create a case study for a project nearing completion, or even create a project from scratch, this semester long course will help you accomplish that. Crosslisted with DES 330T and AET 330T.

aerial photo of hands at a laptop on a table with coffee and cell phone sitting next to it
New! ITD 150 Digital Prototyping

Faculty: Brooks Protzmann
Unique Number: 20980

Digital prototyping quickly communicates your ideas, be it a product, service, or process. You can make and test an idea in near real-time which allows you to get immediate feedback on your concept. In this class, we will learn the different ways to create digital prototypes, practice making prototypes, and learn the various tools available to make and share a digital prototype. 

Blue neon sign reading "data has a better idea" sits beneath a window looking out onto a city skyline
New! ITD 350 Designing with Data

Faculty: Paul Janowitz
Unique Number: 20972

In this 5 week course, students will learn how to make design decisions using data. Students will learn how to create insights, impact design and change habits through mental models, observational design, primary research, UX, behavioral change, and human centered use of data.

UT Austin students prototyping furniture in a Center for Integrated Design course
New! ITD 350 Prototyping Physical Space

Faculty: Scott Whitthoft
Unique Number: 20983

Studio-based exploration of the iterative development of low-resolution immersive environments.

two undergraduate students sit on grass and study a piece of paper. the student on the left points to the paper, and the student on the right wears a paper head covering
ITD 101 Intro to Integrated Design

Faculty: Gray Garmon
Unique Number: 20969

Introduction to the concept of design thinking as a core fundamental in education and industry across all disciplines and channels. Guest speakers may facilitate discussion of various innovation issues facing businesses today.

Design students stand on a bridge outside and take notes as they study the creek below them and their professor lectures
ITD 301D Intro to Design Thinking

Faculty: Scott Witthoff / Jared Huke
Unique Numbers: 20970 / 20975

What is design thinking? In this course, students learn the principles of design thinking and apply them to real-world problems while working in interdisciplinary teams. Students learn how to frame problems, learn about people and their behaviors, then apply those insights to improve products and services through rapid prototyping and iteration. 

different prototypes sitting on a table at the University of Texas at Austin
ITD 110 Introduction to Prototyping

Faculty: Scott Evans
Unique Number: 20977

Create and test mechanical prototypes in a team setting. Explore case studies as well as an overview of overarching design and entrepreneurial processes in engineering. 5-week class meets Thursdays Aug 27-Sept 24 

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ITD 115 Creative Entrepreneurship

Faculty: Cam Houser
Unique Number: 20976

Exploration of the integration of entrepreneurship in industry and introduction to the creative process of starting new ventures.

undergraduate student in foreground speaks to classmates in background about design project
ITD 150 Storytelling for Influence

Faculty: Shawna Murland
Unique Number: 20981

Storytelling is one of the world's most accessible and powerful tools for achieving astonishing results. Stories humanize data, build empathetic connections, define great leaders, and inspire others. During this 5-week course, we will examine the influential role of storytelling in the user-centered design process and explore the principles that drive influential stories.

Photograph of woman sitting in her room between her bed and a vanity desk
ITD 150 Using Photography for Better Design

Faculty: Jon Freach
Unique Number: 20984

In this course students will learn how to see the world more critically by using methods of observation. Students will combine photography with interviews and note taking to document their experiences and generate data for storytelling purposes. Students will learn five types of observational research methods and apply them to weekly presentations to demonstrate comprehension of observational research methods and create rich photographic essays to tell human stories.

a chorus line of dancers in suits and top hats posing onstage with a large fan backdrop
ITD 350 Business of Entertainment

Faculty: Natasha Davidson
Unique Number: 20982

This course will explore the fundamentals of producing entertainment from inspiration to execution. We will explore all aspects involved in producing live stage and on screen commercial productions.

two students wearing black jackets take notes in notebooks outside in the fall weather
ITD 110 Designing Your College Experience
POSTPONED UNTIL SPRING 2021

Faculty: Julianna Murphy
Unique Number: 20978

Open to all UT students, this is a hands-on project-based course that will use the skills and mindsets of Design Thinking to empower students to reflect, ideate, and prototype their own undergraduate experience here at UT. The classwork teaches methods of problem definition, design research, and solution generation that will enable students to successfully navigate and take ownership of their learning.

still from movie Benjamin Button with main character and smiling woman
ITD 150 Design in "Deviant" US Culture
POSTPONED UNTIL SPRING 2021

Faculty: Jared Culp
Unique Number: 20973

First studio in a series of probing exercises examining the effects of latent memories that have given shape to American culture. The course is an examination into the traditions of the Tent Revival. The course seeks to unearth the subconscious experiences that have shaped this "deviant" religious tradition and to understand how traditions have influenced the contemporary black experience. Participants will examine based on economy, aesthetics, urbanism, and ideology. The challenge of the course will be to create a service blueprint for a contemporary user that exposes these latent memories.

close up of a medical mask on a pink background
ITD 150 Ethics in Artificial Intelligence Design (COVID-19 Focus)
POSTPONED UNTIL SPRING 2021

Faculty: Manoj Saxena
Unique Number: 20971

This class will focus on COVID-19 with content and examples around use of Responsible and Ethical AI in times of crisis, like the COVID-19. Students will work on practical examples with healthcare companies, ensuring healthcare services are being delivered to all communities without bias or discrimination.

close up on shiny white robot arm against dark background
ITD 225 Design for Artificial Intelligence
POSTPONED UNTIL SPRING 2021

Faculty: Alex Swain
Unique Number: 20974

Artificial intelligence is considered to be the next industrial revolution. How can we, as designers, apply these AI technologies to create new compelling user experiences and opportunities that help inspire, automate, or impact our everyday lives? This course will provide insight into the history, technologies, and examples of how AI is being applied today and how we can leverage user-centered design to conceive new experience possibilities along with an introduction to basic AI creation.