Minor Design for Social Change

Minor Design for Social ChangeThe study

About the study

Mode of study:: Full-time
School:: Art and Economics|Media
Duration:: 6 months
ECTS:: 30
Type:: Minor
Language:: English|Dutch

Minor Design for Social Change in brief

You assume the role of designer, project manager, programmer or director.
You design solutions for social issues, such as poverty reduction inequality, transport and climate

Is the minor Design for Social Change something for you?

Do you enjoy addressing social issues, such as poverty reduction, inequality, clean water, transport, climate and waste? And do you like working together with fellow students, the work field and lecturers to come up with an inspiring design? Then the Design for Social Change minor is right for you. You can attend this minor if you are attending a course within HKU Art and Economy. Are you studying at another university? Then you can follow this minor if you have passed your first year.

Why should you take the Design for Social Change minor at HKU?

We offer you good facilities, knowledge and contacts, so you can tackle issues and problems that affect everyone. Within HKU, we work with themed weekly programmes and challenges. The focus in this minor is on the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), such as poverty reduction, inequality, clean water, transport, climate and waste. Does this sound exciting to you? Then apply for minor this minor now.

Practical information on the minor Design for Social Change

Semester 2: February 2021 to June 2021
2-week blocks with a central theme
Number of contact hours: 8
Number of hours of self-study: 32 (including teamwork)
Testing: group report, organising a knowledge-sharing event, individual reflection report

Please note

The minor is taught in English, unless all participants speak Dutch.

Minor Design for Social ChangeWhat will you learn

Minor Design for Social Change

What will you learn?

During the Design for Social Change minor, you focus on social design. You design solutions for social issues. You work in interdisciplinary teams, assuming a role as designer, project manager, programmer or director. It's up to you. Together with fellow students you choose a theme and research it, then you show your view of that theme in a presentation, text, film, animated film or installation.

In brief, you learn to make the result of your project and research (visually) transparent for a wide audience.

Frame Innovation method

This minor focuses on Kees Dorst's Frame Innovation method. In 2018, he was appointed as an advisor to the UNDP, the United Nations organisation tasked with realising the 17 development goals defined by the UN.

During the minor, you go through the steps of this model in blocks of two weeks per theme. Each block ends with a meeting, in which you discuss the results with the problem owners.

Themes

The following themes are central:

Archaeology and architecture
Learning to identify paradoxes
Building contexts with de-framing
Expanding the field (new players/game changers)
Theme research / re-framing through design thinking
Developing new frames and rapid prototyping
Game changing: futures, what is needed for transformation and integration into the organisation

Instruction modes

The minor consists of lectures, project work, tutorials and coaching. Each week, at fixed times, you have lectures, process supervision and training in research skills and you give presentations. Read more about the various elements.

Each Monday morning you have a lecture. You are taught about the theory of Frame Innovation by a regular lecturer.
Each Monday afternoon you have a tutorial. You will be supervised by a regular lecturer in the creative and visual research, based on the Frame Innovation method.
On Tuesdays and Thursdays you will be coached by two regular lecturers. You will receive support in not only the content but also the process and the research method.

Minor Design for Social ChangeApplication and admission

Minor Design for Social Change

Application and admission

Language

The minor is taught in English as long as there are participants who don't speak Dutch. If all participants speak Dutch, the course is held in Dutch.

Something for you?

This minor is right for you if you enjoy addressing social issues. If you can identify with the points below, then apply now!

You are creative
You are critical and have the ability to reflect on yourself and your projects
You keep abreast with social developments
You collaborate and organise well
You enjoy innovation
You have good communication and presentation skills

During the selection, we assess whether the minor is suited to you.

Prior education

You can attend this minor if you have a first-year diploma and if you are attending a Bachelor in the social, creative or economic domain.

KOM-Portal

Apply for the minor Design for Social Change via the KOM-Portal

For the admissions procedure, we ask you submit a number of things.

A brief motivation letter
A concise CV
Your own work, if any

Brief motivation letter

Write a brief motivation letter (max. 1 A4), showing that you are socially committed. What have you made, written or organised or what would you like to do? Have you worked on something as a student or volunteer? Tell us what you want to research and learn in this minor and how you would like to contribute practically to the design team.

A concise CV

Compile a concise CV. Show who you are, what you can do and you have done.

Own work

Send some of your own work (if you have any) that relates to the topic, in image, text, audio, video, drawings, photos or any other medium that fits with your way of working.

Deadline

There is a continuous selection process up until the deadline set on the KOM-Portal

Find out more?

First, read the frequently asked questions. Haven't found your answer yet? Get in contact with the Student Affairs Service Desk. They will help you with questions about (almost) everything that has to do with studying at HKU.

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