Design for Social Impact Certificate
This program is available at the following locations:
- Corvallis
- Ecampus
In pursuing the Design for Social Impact (DSI) Certificate, students discover the power of collaboration through multidisciplinary projects and a supportive community, learning to leverage communication skills, holistic problem solving, and human centered design to tackle complex problems effectively. Whether you're passionate about sustainability, social justice, technological innovation in the arts, or transdisciplinary design, our program empowers you to pursue your interests and drive meaningful change. At the heart of the DSI program are hands-on project experiences that bridge theory with practice. Collaborating with real clients from OSU, local communities, non-profit organizations, the arts sector, and industry partners, students design solutions of tangible value. These projects not only enrich learning but also contribute meaningfully to society. Students learn to navigate ambiguity and complexity, emerging as confident innovators prepared to make a difference in their communities and beyond. Recognizing that innovation thrives in flexibility, our curriculum is adaptable to the evolving needs of our students and society. No matter your academic background, the DSI certificate program welcomes you, ensuring that every student has the opportunity to contribute their unique perspective and skills.
Certificate Code: C400
Upon successful completion of the program, students will meet the following learning outcomes:
- Apply sound design principles across disciplinary definitions and perspectives to translate knowledge into action for the greater good.
- Use design thinking to make informed assessments of alternative solutions to complex problems.
- Build and lead inclusive and collaborate teams that incorporate multidisciplinary perspectives, provide accountable leadership and build effective solutions utilizing a variety of skills and approaches.
- Integrate social justice and responsibility perspectives in the design of solutions that will positively impact society.
- Demonstrate effective communication skills in developing, evaluating and presenting innovative solutions that engage with diverse audiences.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Core | ||
| Select two courses from the following: | 7-11 | |
| INNOVATION FOR SOCIAL IMPACT | ||
| +*TRANSDISCIPLINARY COMMUNITY-ENGAGED DESIGN THINKING | ||
| MULTIDISCIPLINARY DESIGN FOR SOCIAL IMPACT | ||
| Social Change, Sustainability and Justice | ||
| Select one or two courses from the following: | 3-8 | |
| +*FOOD JUSTICE | ||
| +SUSTAINABLE CAPITALISM: EXPLORING POWER, PROSPERITY, AND JUSTICE | ||
| +*PURPOSE, STRUCTURE, AND FUNCTION OF EDUCATION IN A DEMOCRACY | ||
| +*SOCIAL JUSTICE,CIVIL RIGHTS & MULTICULTURALISM IN EDUCATION | ||
| +*ARTS & SOCIAL JUSTICE | ||
| +*CLIMATE JUSTICE | ||
| +*ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE | ||
| +PUBLIC HEALTH EQUITY & SOCIAL JUSTICE IN THE U.S. | ||
| *SOCIAL CHANGE AND AMERICAN POPULAR MUSIC | ||
| *INTRODUCTION TO DISABILITY STUDIES | ||
| +POWER, INEQUALITY, AND PUBLIC POLICY | ||
| *SOCIAL PROBLEMS | ||
| +*SUSTAINABILITY, JUSTICE, AND ENGAGEMENT | ||
| +CREATING SOCIAL CHANGE IN THE THEATRE INDUSTRY | ||
| Electives | ||
| Select 8-17 credits from the following for a total of 27 credits: | 8-17 | |
| APPROACHES TO SOCIAL JUSTICE | ||
| *ANTHROPOLOGY OF INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT | ||
| 3-D CORE STUDIO | ||
| DIGITAL CORE STUDIO | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO TIME-BASED ART | ||
| SCULPTURE I | ||
| VIDEO ART | ||
| *CREATIVE COLLABORATION: DESIGNING AND BUILDING | ||
| CREATIVE FIELD WORK I | ||
| *HISTORY OF DESIGN | ||
| SCULPTURE II | ||
| SONIC ARTS | ||
| OFF THE SCREEN - VIDEO INSTALLATION ART | ||
| CREATIVE FIELD WORK II | ||
| SENSOR TECHNOLOGIES AND THE ARTS | ||
| FOUNDATIONS OF THE ENTREPRENEURIAL MINDSET | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO ENTREPRENEURIAL MARKET OPPORTUNITIES | ||
| SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS OPERATIONS | ||
| ^MANAGING ETHICS AND CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY | ||
| IDEATION AND CREATIVE THINKING | ||
| SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND SOCIAL INITIATIVES | ||
| INNOVATION MANAGEMENT | ||
| LAUNCH ACADEMY | ||
| ADVANCED LAUNCH ACADEMY | ||
| TECHNOLOGY COMMERCIALIZATION | ||
| GREEN BUILDING MATERIALS | ||
| THESIS | ||
| PROJECTS | ||
| COMPUTER AIDED DESIGN | ||
| DESIGN THINKING AND PROCESS INNOVATION | ||
| DESIGN RESEARCH | ||
| SERVICE DESIGN INNOVATION | ||
| MATERIALITY AND MAKING FIELD PROJECT | ||
| +DESIGN ENGINEERING AND PROBLEM SOLVING | ||
| ENGINEERING GRAPHICS AND 3-D MODELING | ||
| *SUSTAINABLE ENGINEERING | ||
| ^MULTIDISCIPLINARY ENGINEERING CAPSTONE DESIGN 1 | ||
| +^MULTIDISCIPLINARY ENGINEERING CAPSTONE DESIGN 2 | ||
| ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION | ||
| +*ENDANGERED SPECIES & SOCIETY | ||
| +SUSTAINABILITY FOR THE COMMON GOOD | ||
| +*SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH | ||
| HOUSEHOLD ENERGY IN GUATEMALA: BACKGROUND | ||
| HOUSEHOLD ENERGY IN GUATEMALA: APPLICATIONS | ||
| *ENGINEERING FOR GLOBAL HEALTH SOLUTIONS | ||
| MULTIDISCIPLINARY CASE STUDIES IN HUMANITARIAN ENGINEERING, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY | ||
| CO-DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT: A REMOTE COLLABORATIVE EXPERIENCE | ||
| SYSTEM DYNAMICS MODELING FOR HUMANITARIAN ENGINEERING | ||
| +HUMANS AND THE OCEAN | ||
| +SOCIETY, CULTURE, AND THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO DESIGN | ||
| MECHANICAL COMPONENT DESIGN | ||
| DESIGN FOR MANUFACTURING | ||
| THE FUNDAMENTALS OF MUSIC TECHNOLOGY | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO DIGITAL AUDIO | ||
| APPLIED MUSICIANSHIP: BEGINNER BEAT MAKING (DAW) | ||
| SOUND SYNTHESIS | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO ARTS ENTREPRENEURSHIP | ||
| BASIC RECORDING TECHNIQUES | ||
| SURVEY OF SOCIAL MEDIA | ||
| +NEW MEDIA FUTURES | ||
| THE MEANING OF VIDEO GAMES | ||
| NEW MEDIA VISUALIZATION | ||
| INTERACTIVE DESIGN AND USER EXPERIENCE | ||
| +OCEANS, COASTS, AND PEOPLE | ||
| *ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS | ||
| PSYCHOLOGY OF HUMAN COMPUTER INTERACTION | ||
| SOCIAL DIMENSIONS OF SUSTAINABILITY | ||
| *ENVIRONMENTAL SOCIOLOGY | ||
| *SOCIETY AND NATURAL RESOURCES | ||
| *SUSTAINABILITY ASSESSMENT | ||
| +*SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES | ||
| VISUAL PRINCIPLES OF THEATRE | ||
| SCENE CRAFTS | ||
| STAGE LIGHTING | ||
| SCENE AND STAGE DESIGN | ||
| *GENDER AND TECHNOLOGY | ||
| *GENDER AND SCIENCE | ||
| *PODCAST STORYTELLING | ||
| ^ENVIRONMENTAL WRITING | ||
| +WOOD INNOVATIONS FOR SUSTAINABILITY | ||
| +*BIOLOGY, STRUCTURE, AND UTILIZATION OF WOODY PLANTS | ||
| WOOD CHEMISTRY | ||
| PHYSICAL AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF WOOD | ||
| PHYSICAL AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF WOOD PRACTICUM | ||
| Total Credits | 27 | |
- *
Baccalaureate Core course. Applies to general education requirements for undergraduate students in a catalog year up to 2024-2025
- +
Core Education course. Applies to general education requirements for undergraduate students in catalog year 2025-2026 and beyond
- ^
Writing Intensive Curriculum (WIC) course
Certificate Code: C400