The Bachelor of Science degree in Design, Innovation & Society focuses on developing skill sets in design processes to innovate and solve problems in everyday life. Students will explore the interconnectedness between people, technology, culture, and social change to address today's complex societal issues
Students learn how to leverage the influential role of design through a deeper understanding of social issues, ethical considerations, global perspectives, diverse cultures, sustainability challenges, and value systems. This knowledge is applied to help address complex issues and to envision possibilities for enhancing human life through design.
The program offers three pathways:
- Design & Technology pathway examines how innovative technologies enable the ways we communicate, build, and experience the world around us through design
- Design & Social Change pathway develops skills to identify opportunities, envision strategies, and create approaches to improve the health, well-being, and sustainability of individuals, communities, and the planet
- Design & Culture pathway explores the media, mechanisms, and institutional frameworks for human expression, examining how design influences and is influenced by history, politics, economics, and culture
The program spans diverse design theories, methods, and disciplines. It combines content areas like visual communication, the design process, research methods, and technology, to enable students to collaborate effectively with designers and professionals from various fields.
Graduates gain the skills, tools, methods, and strategies to become future leaders in the expansive field of design.
Required internships and collaborative capstone projects provide leadership opportunities, networking, and other career-building experiences.
How to Get in
Current UW–Madison Students
Students within their first 60 GPA credits at UW-Madison
| Requirements | Details |
|---|---|
| How to get in | No application required. All students who meet the requirements listed below are able to declare. For information on how to declare, see: https://go.wisc.edu/sohe-declare. |
| Courses required to get in | None. |
| GPA requirements to get in |
|
| Credits required to get in | None. |
| Other | Must be in good academic standing with their current school or college. |
All other students (who do not meet the declaration criteria above)
| Requirements | Details |
|---|---|
| How to get in | Application required. Meeting the requirements listed below does not guarantee admission.(https://go.wisc.edu/sohe-apply) |
| Courses required to get in | None. |
| GPA requirements to get in | None. |
| Credits required to get in | None. |
| Other | Must be in good academic standing with their current school or college. |
| Semester | Deadline to apply | Decision notification timeline |
|---|---|---|
| To apply for a fall start | The fifth Friday of the term. | Students will be notified about decisions approximately one month after the application deadline. |
| To apply for a spring start | The fifth Friday of the term. | Students will be notified about decisions approximately one month after the application deadline. |
| To apply for a summer start | This program does not accept applications to start in the summer. |
Prospective UW-Madison Students
All prospective UW–Madison students must apply through the central Office of Admissions and Recruitment.
Freshmen should declare their intention to pursue Design, Innovation, and Society when they apply for admission to UW–Madison. In addition, students may indicate interest in Design, Innovation, and Society when registering for Student Orientation, Advising, and Registration (SOAR).
Additional Information
Students cannot declare the Certificate in Design Strategy and the Design, Innovation, and Society major.
For transfer students, sequential courses and courses taught only once a year should be taken into account when calculating time toward completion of the degree, as graduation time may be extended.
University Requirements
All undergraduate students must complete both the following Core General Education (Core GenEd) and University Degree and Quality of Work requirements. The requirements below apply to students whose first term at UW-Madison or whose earliest post-high school college attendance at any institution is Summer 2026 or later.
Students whose first term at UW-Madison or whose earliest post-high school college attendance at any institution occurred before Summer 2026 should refer to the archived Guide for the requirements that apply to them.
Core General Education (Core GenEd) Requirements
| Civics & Perspectives | 3 credits of Civics & Perspectives coursework. |
| Communication & Literacy | 6 credits of Communication & Literacy coursework. This requirement may be partially satisfied by a qualifying placement test score. For more information see this tiny url: https://go.wisc.edu/qualifyingenglishplacement |
| Humanities & Arts | 6 credits of Humanities & Arts coursework. |
| Mathematics & Quantitative Reasoning | 6 credits of Mathematics & Quantitative Reasoning coursework. This requirement may be partially satisfied by a qualifying placement test score. For more information see this tiny url: https://go.wisc.edu/qualifyingmathplacement |
| Natural Science & Wellness | Complete both:
|
| Social & Behavioral Science | 3 credits of Social & Behavioral Science coursework. |
| Total Credits | 30 credits. |
For more information see the policy.
University Degree and Quality of Work Requirements
All undergraduate degree recipients must complete the following minimum requirements. Requirements for some programs will exceed these requirements; see program requirements for additional information.
| Total Degree | 120 degree credits. |
| Residency | Complete 30 credits in residence. A course is considered “in residence” if it is taken when in undergraduate degree-seeking status and:
|
| Quality of Work | Achieve at least the minimum grade point average specified by the school, college, and/or academic program. |
| Math | Demonstrate minimal mathematics competence by: |
| English Language | If required to take the UW-Madison English as a Second Language Assessment Test (MSN-ESLAT), demonstrate minimal English language competence by:
|
| Language | Complete one:
|
| Major Declaration | Declare and complete the requirements for at least one major. |
School of Human Ecology BS Requirements
All Human Ecology majors share the requirements listed below. Each major has additional requirements. A single course can simultaneously count toward university, school, and major requirements if it carries the relevant designations
| Human Ecology Breadth | 6 credits in the School of Human Ecology (CNSR SCI, CSCS, DS, HDFS, INTER-HE) taken outside of the home department of the major. Excludes INTER-HE 202 or 601. |
| Communication A | Complete either:
|
| Communication B | One course with the Communication B designation. |
| Quantitative Reasoning A | Complete either:
|
| Quantitative Reasoning B | One course with the Quantitative Reasoning B designation. |
| Humanities/Literature/Arts | 9 credits with the Humanities, Literature, or Language designations. |
| Social Science | 9 credits with the Social Sciences designation. |
| Natural Science | 9 credits with the Biological, Natural, or Physical Science designations. |
| Ethnic Studies | 3 credits with the Ethnic Studies designation. |
Graduation Requirements
| Cumulative Credits | Students must earn 120 degree credits. |
| Quality of Work | Students must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.000 to remain in good standing and be eligible for graduation. |
| Residency | Students must complete 30 degree credits in residence at UW–Madison. |
Design, Innovation, and Society Requirements
A complete list of requirements is below. Students should follow the curriculum requirements in place at the time they entered the major. This requirement list should be used in combination with a DARS report.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Design, Innovation, and Society Core Requirements | ||
| DS 120 | Design: Fundamentals I | 3 |
| DS 123 | What is Design? | 3 |
| DS 140 | Visual Thinking - Form and Space | 3 |
| DS 220 | Design: Fundamentals II | 3 |
| DS 221 | Person and Environment Interactions | 3 |
| DS/GEN BUS 240 | Human-centered Design and Business | 2 |
| DS/ANTHRO/ART HIST/HISTORY/LAND ARC 264 | Dimensions of Material Culture | 4 |
| DS 650 | Collaborative Design Capstone | 3 |
| DS 679 | Research Methods in Design | 3 |
| CSCS 455 | Entrepreneurialism and Society | 3 |
| Design, Innovation, and Society Pathways | ||
| Select 9 credits from one of the following depth areas: | 9 | |
| Design and Culture Depth | ||
| History of Fashion, 1400-Present | ||
| History of Architecture and Interiors I: Antiquity through 18th Century | ||
| History of Architecture & Interiors II: 19th and 20th Centuries | ||
| History of Textiles | ||
| Material Culture of Childhood | ||
| History of Graphic Design and Typography | ||
| History of Landscape Architecture | ||
| A History of the World in 20 Buildings | ||
| Mecca, Cairo, Istanbul, Delhi: Great Cities of Islam | ||
| History of Wisconsin Architecture, 1800-present | ||
| Cities of Asia | ||
| History of American Vernacular Architecture and Landscapes | ||
| Frank Lloyd Wright | ||
| Curatorial Studies Exhibition Practice | ||
| Introduction to Museum Studies I | ||
| Introduction to Museum Studies II | ||
| Design and Social Change Depth | ||
| Problem-definition: Design Programming | ||
| Design Thinking for Transformation | ||
| Environments of Crisis & Design | ||
| Global Artisans | ||
| Community and Social Change | ||
| Community and Social Innovation Lab | ||
| Community Based Research and Evaluation | ||
| Consumer Strategy Consulting Practicum | ||
| Design and Technology Depth | ||
| Digital Fabrication for Designers | ||
| Color Theory and Technology | ||
| Wearable Technology | ||
| Virtual Reality | ||
| Videogames & Learning | ||
| Game Design I | ||
| Game Design II | ||
| Digital Art and Code | ||
| An Introduction to Geographic Information Systems | ||
| Our Digital Globe: An Overview of GIScience and its Technology | ||
| Introduction to Cartography | ||
| Introduction to Human-Computer Interaction | ||
| Introduction to Digital Media Production | ||
| Introduction to Digital Communication | ||
| Architectural Visualization | ||
| Career Readiness | ||
| DS 252 | Design Leadership Symposium | 1 |
| INTER-HE 202 | SoHE Career & Leadership Development | 1 |
| INTER-HE 601 | Internship | 3 |
| Electives | ||
| Select courses to bring degree credit total to 120 | ||
Learning Outcomes
- Integrate thorough understanding of the history and theory of relationships between design and human behavior, with a particular emphasis on human ecology perspectives.
- Demonstrate the intellectual skills for inquiry, creative thinking, and critical analysis in design and its application to local, national, and global challenges.
- Demonstrate a range of research skills that will allow them to identify, evaluate, and apply design solutions for the betterment of social, political, economic, cultural, and environmental sectors.
- Practice excellent communication skills, across a range of formats (eg, written, oral, and visual communications) and target audiences (eg, scholarly, professional, community-engaged communications) that will further understanding and application of the role of design in everyday life.
- Develop professional skills (eg, teamwork both within and across fields, project management and leadership, representation of skills through portfolio production) to apply design research skills to create new knowledge and solve problems in real world settings.
Four-Year Plan
This is a sample four-year plan for Design, Innovation, and Society. It is intended as a general guide and may not reflect the most current course offerings or requirement designations. We encourage all students to work with their academic advisor to develop an individualized plan and to verify all degree requirements through their DARS report.
| First Year | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
| DS 120 | 3 | DS 123 | 3 | ||
| Communication A | 3 | DS 140 | 3 | ||
| Science | 3 | DS 220 | 3 | ||
| Elective | 3 | Communication B | 3-4 | ||
| Humanities | 3 | Quantitative Reasoning A | 3-4 | ||
| 15 | 15-17 | ||||
| Second Year | |||||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
| DS 221 | 3 | DS/ANTHRO/ART HIST/HISTORY/LAND ARC 264 | 4 | ||
| DS 252 | 1 | INTER-HE 202 | 1 | ||
| Social Science | 3 | Ethnic Studies | 3 | ||
| Science | 3 | Social Science | 3 | ||
| Humanities | 3 | Elective | 3 | ||
| Elective | 3 | ||||
| 16 | 14 | ||||
| Third Year | |||||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
| DS/GEN BUS 240 | 2 | CSCS 455 | 3 | INTER-HE 601 | 3 |
| Human Ecology Breadth | 3 | Pathway Option #1 | 3 | ||
| Quantitative Reasoning B | 3 | Social Science | 3 | ||
| Human Ecology Breadth | 3 | Humanities | 3 | ||
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 | ||
| 14 | 15 | 3 | |||
| Fourth Year | |||||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
| Pathway Option #2 | 3 | DS 679 | 3 | ||
| Science | 3 | DS 650 | 3 | ||
| Elective | 3 | Pathway Option #3 | 3 | ||
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 2 | ||
| Elective | 2 | Elective | 3 | ||
| 14 | 14 | ||||
| Total Credits 120-122 | |||||
Advising and Careers
Advising & Career Center
The Advising & Career Center (ACC) fosters undergraduate students' personal, academic, and professional development. Through advising, academic planning, and career education, we support students as they navigate the college experience—from exploring our majors as prospective students to becoming Human Ecology alumni.
Academic Advising
Each Human Ecology student is assigned to an academic advisor in the Advising & Career Center. Human Ecology academic advisors support academic and personal success by partnering with current and prospective Human Ecology students as they identify and clarify their educational goals, develop meaningful academic plans, and pursue their own Wisconsin Experience.
To explore academic advising resources or schedule an appointment with Human Ecology academic advisor, visit Academic Advising in Human Ecology.
Career Development
Each Human Ecology student is assigned to a career advisor in the Advising & Career Center. Active engagement in the career development process is a vital component of a student’s personal growth in college and future success as a lifelong learner, professional, and global citizen. Human Ecology career advisors help prepare students for life post-graduation through advising and integration of career readiness throughout our curriculum.
To explore career development resources or schedule an appointment with a Human Ecology career advisor, visit Career Development in Human Ecology.
For information about possible career paths related to this major, check out What Can I Do With A Major In Design, Innovation, & Society?
Wisconsin Experience
Internships
Internships are a vital component of student career development and a highly valued part of the undergraduate curriculum in the School of Human Ecology. By bringing classroom theories to life in real-world settings, high-quality internships foster essential professional development. They provide a unique opportunity for students to explore careers related to their major, gain hands-on experience in a field of interest, and understand workplace expectations by performing professional tasks in their chosen field.
For Human Ecology majors, completing an internship is a required part of the undergraduate curriculum. To fulfill this requirement, students must meet the following criteria:
- Enrollment Requirements: Have at least junior standing (54+ credits) and taken INTER-HE 202 (SoHE Career & Leadership Development) before pursuing the internship.
- Time Commitment: Complete a minimum of 150 hours at the internship site to earn 3 academic credits.
- Eligibility & Approval: Secure an internship that is educational in nature, directly related to their major and career goals, and verified and approved by the Advising & Career Center.
- Note: Additional course prerequisites may be required for certain Human Ecology majors.
For more information and step-by-step guidance, please visit Human Ecology Internships.
Student Organizations
To see our active list of Human Ecology Student Orgs and for more information about joining, please visit Human Ecology Student Organizations.
Learn more about UW–Madison registered student organizations through the Wisconsin Involvement Network.
Resources and Scholarships
Scholarships
The School of Human Ecology (SoHE) awards many merit and need-based scholarships each year. Students can learn more about these opportunities on the Human Ecology scholarships webpage. To be eligible for these awards, scholarship recipients must be registered as full-time Human Ecology students. For further questions on the scholarship application, please contact the School of Human Ecology Scholarship Coordinator at scholarships@sohe.wisc.edu.
Support Resources
Human Ecology students experiencing personal, academic, or financial challenges should contact SoHE Academic Deans Services. Additional campus resources include the Financial Aid Basic Needs website, Office of Student Assistance and Support, and University Health Services.