2022-20

Motion Introduced by:  Curriculum and Academic Programs Committee,

Date of First Reading:    January 31, 2022

Date of Second Reading: February 28, 2022

Title of Motion: Request from the College of Global Futures – School for the Future of Innovation in Society – for the establishment of a graduate degree – MS Futures and Design

Action Requested: This curricular proposal has received all college, school, unit and university administrative approvals, and is being presented to the Senate for review and voting decision.  

Rationale: This program trains students in social-scientific and design-based approaches to the study of change and alternative futures, with a focus on critical theories and practical methodologies for anticipating change, cultivating strategic insight, and creating better futures.

This transdisciplinary program will combine future-focused theories and practices from design (speculative design, design fiction), arts/humanities (science fiction, performance), and the social sciences (foresight, science and technology studies, complex adaptive systems) to investigate and craft alternative futures. Students will learn a range of future-oriented theories and methods used today by organizations and invent the theories and methods of tomorrow. Students will explore a variety of epistemological perspectives and experiential processes to systematically define complex problems and explore robust strategies of change. In doing so, they will diversify their critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

At the conclusion of this program, students will emerge well-qualified to find fulfilling careers in applying their learning to strategy, foresight and design for organizations, industry and policy institutions.