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Emphasizes the role that empathy can play in everything we do. Understanding empathy throughout our lives enables us to live a full and intentional life. How do we become compassionate people? When we approach trying to solve problems in our world, how do we ensure that we consider others, their perspectives and their needs? This course will provide students with a foundational understanding of empathy and engage them in empathic practices such as observation, interaction, and perspective taking.

Lecture, discussion, and case studies provide a foundation for examining the Human-Centered Design (HCD) process. Key stages—assessing needs, synthesizing insights, ideating, prototyping, and implementation—are explored alongside applications in technology, healthcare, education, and social services. Theoretical exploration highlights ethical considerations, common challenges, and emerging trends. By analyzing real-world examples, students develop a deep understanding of how HCD shapes innovation and drives meaningful impact across fields.

Subject offerings of new and developing areas of knowledge in design thinking and human-centered design intended to augment the existing curriculum. 1 to 4 undergraduate hours. 1 to 4 graduate hours. May be repeated, if topics vary, in the same term to a maximum of 6 hours or in separate terms to a maximum of 12 hours.