Design + Technology

Fordham's undergraduate program in Design and Technology (D+T) is an innovative interdisciplinary program that connects creative expression, design, justice, and technology to support the next generation of designers, artists, and technologists. D+T combines the forces of the four different program partners that founded the major/minor: Communication and Media Studies, Computer and Information Science, Visual Arts, and the Gabelli School of Business.

In this program, a designer is understood as a visionary who integrates aesthetics, functionality, and ethical considerations to innovate and solve problems. Design itself refers to the intentional process of synthesizing ideas, needs, and constraints into experiences that positively affect individuals and communities.

D+T has a flexible curricular model that allows for hands-on coursework students can personalize to their interests and professional goals. The overarching goal for every D+T student is to learn to make, use, and reimagine design and technology in ways that impact society and communities in meaningful ways.

Program Curriculum

Design and Technology (DEST)
Total Required: 11 courses total (36 credits)

Required (3 courses)

  • DEST 1001: Intro to Media Design
  • DEST 1002: Intro to Design Prototyping
  • DEST 4600: Capstone Seminar

Elective distribution (8 courses across four design competencies)

  1. Social responsibility (2 courses)
  2. Design Methods (2 courses)
  3. Business Strategy (2 courses)
  4. Computation and Making (2 courses)

A notable feature of the D+T curricular design is that students take two courses across four design competencies, creating lots of flexibility in personalizing pathways towards diverse contexts and professional goals. The required core ensures students have a broad foundation for thinking and making, and can use design and technology as lenses for inquiry, collaboration, and creative expression across a variety of contexts.

Here are the competencies in more details:

    • Social Responsibility (Design as Social): how design shapes, and is shaped by, society, justice, and community. (2 courses)
    • Business Strategy (Design as Product): design in organizational and market contexts, including branding, entrepreneurship, and sustainability.
    • Design Methods (Design as Process): research practices and creative frameworks that generate ideas and solutions.
    • Making (Design as Material): hands-on creation of digital and physical artifacts, building mastery of tools and technologies.

Students in the Design & Technology program will:

  • Integrate design, technology, and justice to address societal challenges creatively and effectively.
  • Commit to ethical, inclusive, and sustainable practices that prioritize community well-being and social impact.
  • Engage in experiential learning that bridges academic concepts with real-world practice, fostering professional readiness.
  • Develop leadership, cultural sensitivity, and lifelong learning skills to navigate and shape evolving design and technology landscapes.

Want to learn more about the D+T program? Have questions? Contact us at [email protected]