Semester 3

Power of Ten™ by Ray and Charles Eames (1977)

Culture & Society

by Annemiek van Boeijen

Design does not take place in a vacuum. In fact, designers operate in an entangled world. If we look at the world as complex environments or ecologies consisting of multiple people, products and systems which are entangled, unpredictable and interdependent, what does that mean for design? To find out, we have to look at the big picture.

Because we operate in an entangled world, we must unravel things to understand the role of design and the impact it has. To find the meaning of design in a broader sense.

Instead of looking at the direct intended uses of design, this elective course zooms out to look at the larger picture, to see how it affects people and the whole ecology where our designs will land. But also, the other way around, how our culture and society influence the way we think as designers.

Learn to analyse, or study this entangled world by exploring concepts that are rooted in anthropology and sociology. Things like identity, power, gender, and more. This requires an open mind and reconsidering our own values and way of thinking. Looking at our world as an outsider, with a sense of curiosity and asking critical questions.

This course will give a better understanding of design and how it fits into the big picture as well as present practical tools for those who want to design with culture & society in mind.

“I hope this class helps people discover the relevance of the subject that we explore and that they are inspired to develop their own view on what design can mean in a larger context in society.”

Semester 6

Position yourself as a designer

The final year of the bachelor’s programme is devoted to personal development and freedom of choice. For example, in this semester you can choose a minor within your own faculty, at another Dutch university, or you can even go abroad for six months.

After this six-month period, everyone returns to the faculty and there is once again room to take electives. These can broaden your knowledge and skills and are chosen based on your own interests.

Once you finish your electives, it’s time for the Bachelor Final Project. During this project, you choose the route you want to take. You pick the case, design process, and methodologies to use. The knowledge and skills you have gained over the last five semesters are utilised and highlighted in the Bachelor Final Project. This is one of the last opportunities you have, before you graduate, to learn new things.