Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design

Bachelor of Science in Comprehensive Design

Students on Summer 2020, Fall 2020, or Spring 2021 requirements CMPDSGNBS

View Degree MapA semester-by-semester path to completing degree and major requirements

Requirements

The major requires at least 41 credit hours (53 with the Addenda requirements), including the requirements listed below.

Pathways. One (1) course:
- SOAD-A 100 Pathways: Introduction to Art, Design and Merchandising
SOAD-A 100 Pathways: Introduction to Art, Design and Merchandising
Credits
3
Prerequisites
None
Description
Explores the fields of art, design, and merchandising within the contemporary landscape of creating and making. Identifies where these disciplines have mutually reinforcing values and opportunities for interdisciplinary study. Provides a common experience for art, design and merchandising students.
- Summer 2025CASE AHcourse
  
  Spring 2025CASE AHcourse
  
  Fall 2024CASE AHcourse
Forums of Exchange. Complete one (1) of the following options:
- Both of the following.
  1. Intermediate Forum. One (1) course:
    - SOAD-A 201 Forum of Exchange I
    SOAD-A 201 Forum of Exchange I
    
    Credits
    1
    Prerequisites
    None
    Description
    Interdisciplinary experiences serve as the foundation for discussion and written/verbal responses. Students select from a range of activities including lectures, cross-critiques, site visits, interviews, class visits, museum exhibitions, and performances to observe, question and compare art, design and merchandising disciplines.
    Repeatability
    May be repeated for a maximum of 4 credit hours.
    Grading
    S/F grading.
  2. Advanced Forum. One (1) course:
    - SOAD-A 401 Forum of Exchange II
    SOAD-A 401 Forum of Exchange II
    
    Credits
    1
    Prerequisites
    None
    Description
    Interdisciplinary experiences in art, design and merchandising serve as the foundation for discussion and written/verbal responses. Students select from a range of activities including lectures, cross-critiques, site visits, interviews, class visits and selected exhibitions.
    Repeatability
    May be repeated for a maximum of 4 credit hours.
    Grading
    S/F grading.
- Project Management for Comprehensive Design. One (1) course:
  - SOAD-C 281 Project Management for Comprehensive Design
  SOAD-C 281 Project Management for Comprehensive Design
  
  Credits
  2
  Prerequisites
  SOAD-C 280
  Description
  Covers key components of the management and execution of a creative project. Focuses on scope management, project time management, and communications.
Comprehensive Design Sequence.
1. Creative Core: 3D Design. One (1) course:
  - SOAD-A 103 Creative Core: 3D Design
  SOAD-A 103 Creative Core: 3D Design
  Credits
  3
  Prerequisites
  None
  Description
  Volume, space, material, and physical force studies provide the basis for exploration of three-dimensional form; includes carving, construction, modeling, and casting using wood, plaster, Styrofoam, clay, etc.
  Repeatability
  Credit given for only one of FINA-F 101 or SOAD-A 103.
  Summer 2025CASE AHcourse
  
  Spring 2025CASE AHcourse
  
  Fall 2024CASE AHcourse
2. Introduction to Comprehensive Design. One (1) course:
  - SOAD-C 280 Introduction to Comprehensive Design
  SOAD-C 280 Introduction to Comprehensive Design
  Credits
  3
  Prerequisites
  SOAD-A 103, SOAD-A 104, or consent of instructor
  Description
  Focuses on skill building across the spectrum of modalities: drawing, physical model building, and 3D modeling. Uses human-centered design strategies to explore how human perceptions and activities affect design decisions.
  Repeatability
  Credit given for only one of AMID-C 280 or SOAD-C 280.
  Summer 2025CASE AHcourse
  
  Spring 2025CASE AHcourse
  
  Fall 2024CASE AHcourse
3. Issues in Comprehensive Design. One (1) course:
  - SOAD-C 380 Topical Issues in Comprehensive Design
  SOAD-C 380 Topical Issues in Comprehensive Design
  
  Credits
  3
  Prerequisites
  SOAD-C 280; or consent of instructor
  Description
  Focuses on the combination of empathy, creativity, and rationality needed to understand the context of a problem and develop solutions that fit the particular context.
  Repeatability
  May be repeated with different topics for a maximum of 8 credit hours in AMID-C 380 and SOAD-C 380.
4. Issues in Collaborative Design. One (1) course:
  - SOAD-C 381 Topical Issues in Collaborative Design
  SOAD-C 381 Topical Issues in Collaborative Design
  
  Credits
  1–4 credit hours
  Prerequisites
  SOAD-C 380; or consent of instructor
  Description
  Employs design thinking strategies to understand challenges facing a community partner. The class will then focus on a co-design participatory approach, with project partners to offer solutions to the project. Classes may partner with regional organizations and companies.
  Repeatability
  May be repeated with different topics for a maximum of 8 credit hours in AMID-C 381 and SOAD-C 381.
5. Special Problems in Comprehensive Design. One (1) course:
  - SOAD-C 480 Special Problems in Comprehensive Design
  SOAD-C 480 Special Problems in Comprehensive Design
  
  Credits
  3
  Prerequisites
  SOAD-C 381; or consent of instructor
  Description
  Leverages a unique combination of design thinking and strategic planning to design, prototype and test solutions to real problems faced by communities, businesses, individuals, and organizations. Provides opportunity to act as a consultant for a real client to design and propose a strategic plan, implement accepted plans, and evaluate the impact of the solution.
  Repeatability
  May be repeated with different topics for a maximum of 6 credit hours in AMID-C 480 and SOAD-C 480.
6. Intensive Seminar in Comprehensive Design. One (1) course:
  - SOAD-C 481 Intensive Seminar in Comprehensive Design
  SOAD-C 481 Intensive Seminar in Comprehensive Design
  
  Credits
  3
  Prerequisites
  SOAD-C 380; or consent of instructor
  Description
  Provides opportunities to engage in the research, testing, and prototyping required for larger scale projects. Completed projects may range from public art to installations to furniture design. Includes discussions of materiality, fabrication, form, use, and structure as part of design and fabrication.
7. Design Practice. One (1) course:
  - SOAD-W 200 Design Practice
  SOAD-W 200 Design Practice
  
  Credits
  3
  Prerequisites
  SOAD-A 103; or consent of instructor
  Description
  Gain a working understanding of methods for thinking about problems and solutions through a human-centered approach. Explore the entire design process, including problem scoping, defining, researching, modeling, prototyping, producing, and testing, resulting in viable human-centered, transparent, and imaginative solutions.
8. Design Research, Methods, and Process. One (1) course:
  - SOAD-W 250 Design Research, Methods, and Process
  SOAD-W 250 Design Research, Methods, and Process
  
  Credits
  3
  Prerequisites
  SOAD-W 200; or consent of instructor
  Description
  Introduction to fundamental approaches to design research, methods for exploring design situations, and the generation and application of design insights processes. Create a series of visual/textual artifacts that will help analyze and generate design for key moments in human-information interaction.
9. Design in Context and Culture. One (1) course:
  - SOAD-W 300 Design in Context and Culture
  SOAD-W 300 Design in Context and Culture
  
  Credits
  3
  Prerequisites
  SOAD-W 250; or consent of instructor
  Description
  Explore the relationships between design, context, and culture. Based on user research, create a series of cultural and context-based artifacts that will help analyze and design strategies and specific experiences within a design.
10. Design of Systems. One (1) course:
  - SOAD-W 350 Design of Systems
  SOAD-W 350 Design of Systems
  
  Credits
  3
  Prerequisites
  SOAD-W 300; or consent of instructor
  Description
  Explores "systems thinking" for designers. People are the center of the systems we create when we develop new designs. The digital and physical spaces that we design and inhabit are rapidly accelerating in complexity. This course introduces systems-level approaches to design.
Capstone.
1. Design Capstone: Research & Development. One (1) course:
  - SOAD-W 400 Design Capstone
  SOAD-W 400 Design Capstone
  
  Credits
  3
  Prerequisites
  SOAD-W 350, SOAD-C 480, SOAD-C 481, or consent of instructor
  Description
  Capstone in the design studio sequence. Students will demonstrate a complete understanding of project production, development of an integrated design solution, and creation of an expressive and innovative solution that mediates existing conditions.
2. Design Capstone: Studio Project. One (1) course:
  - SOAD-W 450 Design Capstone II: Studio Project
  SOAD-W 450 Design Capstone II: Studio Project
  
  Credits
  1–6 credit hours
  Prerequisites
  SOAD-W 400; or consent of instructor
  Description
  Students, working individually or in teams, will complete complex projects that resolve issues of design on multiple scale levels and across systems. By the end of the course, students will demonstrate a understanding of project production, the development of an integrated design solution, and the creation of an expressive and innovative solution that mediates existing conditions.
Addenda Requirements*.
1. Studio Art Courses. Six (6) credit hours:
  - SOAD-A 101 Creative Core: Color
  - SOAD-A 211 Cross-Disciplinary Workshops in Art, Design, and Merchandising
  SOAD-A 101 Creative Core: Color
  Credits
  3
  Prerequisites
  None
  Description
  Explores color's fundamental principles and formal elements; its contextual meanings and sociological connotations; and its significance within the fields of art, design and merchandising. Cultivates visual sensitivity, develops aesthetic knowledge and the production of creative work through studio practices.
  Repeatability
  Credit given for only one of SOAD-A 101 or FINA-F 102.
  Summer 2025CASE AHcourse
  
  Spring 2025CASE AHcourse
  
  Fall 2024CASE AHcourse
  SOAD-A 211 Cross-Disciplinary Workshops in Art, Design, and Merchandising
  Credits
  3
  Prerequisites
  None
  Description
  A variable topic studio course that focuses on skill development and technical manipulation of materials within the specific traditions of a particular discipline. Emphasizes fundamental principles of art and design within a discipline. Designed around a variable topic such as image, time, narrative, space, materials, and markets.
  Repeatability
  May be repeated with a different topic for a maximum total of 12 credit hours in SOAD-A 111 and SOAD-A 211.
  Summer 2025CASE AHcourse
  
  Spring 2025CASE AHcourse
  
  Fall 2024CASE AHcourse
2. Art History Courses. Six (6) credit hours:
  - Any ARTH-A 100–499
Major GPA, Hours, and Minimum Grade Requirements.
1. Major GPA. A GPA of at least 2.000 for all courses taken in the major—including those where a grade lower than C- is earned—is required.
2. Major Minimum Grade. Except for the GPA requirement, a grade of C- or higher is required for a course to count toward a requirement in the major.
3. Major Upper Division Credit Hours. At least 18 credit hours in the major must be completed at the 300–499 level.
4. Major Residency. At least 18 credit hours in the major must be completed in courses taken through the Indiana University Bloomington campus or an IU-administered or IU co-sponsored Overseas Study program.

Notes

* Courses used to fulfill addenda requirements require a grade of C- or higher and do not count toward the Major GPA or Major Hours.

Major Area Courses

Unless otherwise noted below, the following courses are considered in the academic program and will count toward academic program requirements as appropriate:
- Any course at the 100–499 level with the SOAD-C or SOAD-W subject area prefix—as well as any other subject areas that are deemed functionally equivalent
- Any course contained on the course lists for the academic program requirements at the time the course is taken—as well as any other courses that are deemed functionally equivalent—except for those listed only under Addenda Requirements
- Any course directed to a non-Addenda requirement through an approved exception

Exceptions to and substitutions for major requirements may be made with the approval of the unit's Director of Undergraduate Studies, subject to final approval by the College of Arts and Sciences.

The Bachelor of Science degree requires at least 120 credit hours, to include the following:

College of Arts and Sciences Credit Hours. At least 100 credit hours must come from College of Arts and Sciences disciplines.
Upper Division Courses. At least 36 credit hours (of the 120) must be at the 300–499 level.
College Residency. Following completion of the 60th credit hour toward degree, at least 36 credit hours of College of Arts and Sciences coursework must be completed through the Indiana University Bloomington campus or an IU-administered or IU co-sponsored Overseas Study program.
College GPA. A College grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.000 is required.
CASE Requirements. The following College of Arts and Sciences Education (CASE) requirements must be completed:
1. CASE Foundations
  1. English Composition: 1 course
  2. Mathematical Modeling: 1 course
2. CASE Breadth of Inquiry
  1. Arts and Humanities: 4 courses
  2. Natural and Mathematical Sciences: 4 courses
  3. Social and Historical Studies: 4 courses
3. CASE Culture Studies
  1. Diversity in the United States: 1 course
  2. Global Civilizations and Cultures: 1 course
4. CASE Critical Approaches: 1 course
5. CASE Foreign Language: Proficiency in a single foreign language through the first semester of the second year of college-level coursework
6. CASE Intensive Writing: 1 course
7. CASE Public Oral Communication: 1 course
Major. Completion of the major as outlined in the Major Requirements section above.

Most students must also successfully complete the Indiana University Bloomington General Education program.

Bachelor of Science in Comprehensive Design

Requirements

Major hours and GPA

Major Area Courses

Major requirement exceptions and substitutions