Undergraduate Courses 2024-25

Undergraduate courses marked with [EXP] may adopt the approach of experiential learning subject to different offerings. Students should check the delivery mode of the class section before registration.

• ISDN 1001

  Introduction to Integrative Systems and Design

  3 Credit(s)
  Description

  This is a foundation course in which students will learn about the societal, economical, and cultural impact of integrative systems and the importance of integrating design into the creation of integrative systems. Through lectures, discussions, case-study and presentation, hands-on dis-assembly and re-assembly exercises, students will learn about the basic design principles, design terminology, design skill-sets, design thinking and process, and how a good design relates to the design principles. Students will also learn about what is an integrative system and the importance of using technology to build an integrative system and how it is decomposed into different sub-systems that involve multiple technology components, interacting with each other.
• ISDN 1002

  Redefining Problems for the Real Needs

  3 Credit(s)
  Description

  Design Research is an introduction of research methodology and methods used for exploring problems as well as identifying opportunities for design initiatives. It guides designers how to unravel needs and problems in the real world before inventing. This course introduces students various design research principles, methods and ethics for investigating people and their world. It is a learning-by-doing course in which students, work in groups, learn the principles in class and apply them in the field. The course sets out several challenges in local context. After conducting both contextual research and user research, students are guided to seek insights and identify opportunities for technological innovation aiming to solve the identified problems. Overall, students explore the real world in a lively yet methodical way.
• ISDN 1004

  Sketching

  1 Credit(s)
  Description

  This course focuses on developing the skills to generate, visualize and define design concepts in 2-D and 3D in both paper and digital formats. Topics covered include freehand sketching on paper, freehand sketching on mobile devices, illustrating the basics of perspective and orthogonal drawing, storyboarding, and visual communication. Students will develop skills in sketching both organic as well as geometric forms.
• ISDN 1006

  Human-centered Innovation

  3 Credit(s)
  Corequisite(s)

  ISDN 1002

  Mode of Delivery

  [EXP] Experiential learning

  Description

  A project-based, experiential course that exposes students to practice the five modules in design thinking - “Empathize”, “Define”, “Ideate”, “Prototype” and ‘Test”. The unmet needs will be identified by observing the daily routine of real services and people. Research on existing solutions and how to conduct the stakeholder and market analyses will be taught for designing the needs screening matrix in needs selection. Students are going to unlock their creativity potentials through the in-class activities.The new ideas of addressing the unmet needs are generated in which the ideas are grouped ad organized into a concept map. To translate a promising concept from an idea into a rudimentary design, the concept exploration is facilitated by prototyping. The prototypes are tested by the potential users. This course aims to develop students’ communication, interpersonal, analytical, design and project management skills.
• ISDN 1010

  Academic and Professional Development I

  0 Credit(s)
  Description

  This course is designed to provide academic advising to enhance personal and professional skills for ISD students throughout their 4 years of study. Activities involve workshops and a mentoring program. For ISD students only. Graded P, PP or F.
• ISDN 1011

  Industrial Training

  0 Credit(s)
  Description

  This course is designed to provide practical technical and design training to ISDN students. For ISDN students only. Graded P, PP or F.
• ISDN 1100

  Experiencing Design

  3 Credit(s)
  Description

  This course aims to cultivate students’ appreciation of design and sense of aesthetic sensibility. This raises students’ awareness of design to the visuals and beauty of surroundings and equally important, solving everyday problems in an aesthetic way. Furthermore, the course familiarizes students with design language, which enables them to discuss design and exchange their viewpoints. The course covers design fields from city planning, architecture, lighting, cars, consumer products, to information, services and interaction design. Different design stories from different parts of the world are unfolded wherein the need, cultural and environmental specificity of the design in different societies and at different times are explained. Each week, a special topic is addressed, for example, form follows function, design and technology, color theory and so on.
• ISDN 2000

  What is Design and Why Design?

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 2261

  Description

  This course introduces what design is and why it is valued. Design is the purposeful act of creative problem solving. Students learn about fundamental design theories, principles, and methods through a project-based learning approach. Students then experience several stages of a creative design process. The process begins by asking students to identify real-world problems through social, business, scientific, and technological perspectives. To add specificity, students will be able to describe the behaviors and needs of social interactions, observe demographic phenomena, assess business viability, and identify and understand technological changes and impacts, etc. After defining a problem statement, students will be guided to generate creative solutions using brainstorming tools and creative thinking skills. Selected solutions will be presented in form of prototypes and open for user feedback. This course emphasizes the appreciation of the role and significance of design for our society.
• ISDN 2001

  Second Year Design Project I

  1 Credit(s)
  Prerequisite(s)

  ISDN 1002

  Corequisite(s)

  ISDN 1004 AND ISDN 1006 AND ISDN 2300

  Description

  This course is the first part of a one-year project course offered to second year students. The project requires application of technology and design to develop innovative solutions to a challenging problem. Each student is assigned a component of a large project, which is sponsored by industry. Project planning. Distribution of tasks among the team members. Identification of the problem through interactions with the staff of the sponsored company. Ideation. Design concept generation. Selection of ideas. Prototyping. Testing and redesigning. Instructor's approval is required for enrollment in the course.
• ISDN 2002

  Second Year Design Project II

  3 Credit(s)
  Prerequisite(s)

  ISDN 2001

  Corequisite(s)

  ISDN 2400

  Description

  This course is the second part of a one-year project course offered to second year students. The project requires application and integration of technology and design to develop innovative solutions to a challenging problem. Each student is assigned a component of a large project, which is sponsored by industry. The focus of this course is testing and redesigning of the design concept created in 2001. The process is repeated until a final design emerges. Instructor's approval is required for enrollment in the course.
• ISDN 2010

  Academic and Professional Development II

  0 Credit(s)
  Description

  Continuation of ISDN 1010. Graded P, PP or F.
• ISDN 2200

  Systems Thinking and Design

  3 Credit(s)
  Description

  This course in Systems Thinking aims to gain students systemic understanding when tackling global challenges in the real world. For example, as widely understood that climate change is more than merely a technological problem. Rather, it is systemic problem underlying aspects of people, technology and environment that are all interconnected in the entire environment. With emphasis on systems, it is important to broaden students' perspective from merely viewing problems in isolation but in relationship with its surroundings. This course stresses on attaining a systemic perspective when approaching technological design in integrative systems. The course introduces studies of systems thinking to aid students systemic understanding. In the course, students are given specific assignment, such as intelligent mobility or waste management systems, and work in groups. At the beginning, they define the systems and analyze specific issues underlying in the systems. Afterwards, they suggest, justify and evaluate their solutions in systemic context.
• ISDN 2300

  Introduction to 3D Design

  3 Credit(s)
  Description

  This course will provide the theoretical principles and real-life examples of a wide variety of digital design technology. The course includes using computer-aided techniques to convert sketches into digital 3D models, animate static 3D models into computer animation, and finally render the 3D models to become the final product image or video. The course also describes how the 3D models and renderings are being used in Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality. Topics covered will include Photogrammetry, Fundamentals of 3D Modeling, NURBS, Principles of Traditional Animation, Computer Animation, 3D Rendering, Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality. Instructor’s approval is required for enrollment in the course.
• ISDN 2400

  Physical Prototyping

  3 Credit(s)
  Prerequisite(s)

  ISDN 2300

  Description

  The aim of this course is to take design concepts to reality. Students will convert their concepts that were created using sketches or 3D design software to tangible prototypes. Quick prototyping using various materials will provide hands-on experience. The course will also provide knowledge on various 3D prototyping technologies so that students can explore the most suitable means to generate functional and aesthetically pleasing prototypes. Hands-on experience with assembly to generate complete prototypes will be emphasized.
• ISDN 2500

  Introduction to Systems Design Engineering

  3 Credit(s)
  Description

  A project-based course that introduces the core concepts in Systems Design Engineering. A system is a purposeful set of interrelated components that form an integrated whole and work together to achieve some objective. The course aims to better prepare future design engineers, as they will be challenged with different multidisciplinary systems in the future. Topics covered in this course include multidisciplinary system design, the design process (problem definition, life-cycle design, design specification, concept/design generation and evaluation, design for manufacturing and assembly), system modeling and analysis, mechanical design and prototyping, ergonomics & human factors through industrial design, user experience & usability testing, design documentation and communications. Instructor's approval is required.
• ISDN 2601

  Exploring the World through Smart Mechatronics

  3 Credit(s)
  Previous Course Code(s)

  ISDN 4000I

  Exclusion(s)

  ELEC 1100

  Description

  This course provides an introductory experience into the design and application of smart mechatronic systems on building integrative systems. Students will learn how smart integrative systems are built to sense and interact with humans and the environment, to serve everyday real-world needs. The course includes fundamental theory and also practical hands-on labs and projects for the student to acquire the basic knowledge of designing mechatronic systems, using embedded system to control and practice design thinking process. In the lab sessions, students design and build a succession of mechatronic subsystems, leading to an integrated system in a final project. Lecture topics include embedded system design, basic electronics, use of sensors and actuators, system modelling, measurement and control, and appreciation of the impact of smart mechatronics system in solving real-world problems. In the final project, students will apply design thinking approach to meet the project requirements, specified from users’ perspective.
• ISDN 2602

  Internet of Things: Integrative System Design

  3 Credit(s)
  Previous Course Code(s)

  ISDN 4000G

  Exclusion(s)

  ELEC 1200

  Description

  IoT (Internet of Things) is the key enabling technology for many integrative systems. A design thinking-led approach is used to motivate and engage students to design IoT systems, leading to user-centric solutions. Through the design of IoT systems, students learn fundamental theories and gain hands-on working experience on several key components for IoT systems, including circuits and sensors, signal processing, embedded systems, and communication and networking. In the final project, students will apply design thinking approach to meet the project requirements, specified from users’ perspective.
• ISDN 2603

  Materials, Shape and Design

  3 Credit(s)
  Description

  This is a course on design and materials infused with design thinking. It covers the relationship between materials and their properties that inform their use in the design of things. We take a design-focused view, expanding the design requirements into an exploration of material properties for given shapes. This will lead naturally into a deeper understanding of functional properties and structures of materials on the one hand, and deformation and failure modes of solid mechanical objects on the other. Various material families, including metals, alloys, polymers, copolymers, and composites will be studied, and a basic understanding of how shape affects mechanical performance will be introduced. In the projects, the choice of optimal materials and shapes of an object will be determined using the design thinking approach. Instructor's approval is required.
• ISDN 3001

  Third Year Design Project I

  3 Credit(s)
  Description

  This course is the first part of a one-year project course offered to third year students. Each student is assigned a component of a large project, which is sponsored by industry. The project is expected to be of increased technical complexity compared with the second year project. Project planning. Distribution of tasks among the team members. Identification of the problem through interactions with the staff of the sponsored company. Ideation. Design concept generation. Selection of ideas. Prototyping. Testing and redesigning. In addition, students have to consider sustainability, manufacturability, and marketability of the proposed product solutions, which have to fulfill needs of the client under a budgetary constraint. Students are expected to spend less time on planning and idea generation as they have already gained these experiences in the second year but more time on prototyping and testing, as this project requires application and integration of more advance technologies and design. Instructor's approval is required for enrollment in the course.
• ISDN 3002

  Third Year Design Project II

  3 Credit(s)
  Description

  This course is the second part of the third-year project course offered to third year students. The focus of this course is testing and redesigning of the design concept generated in 3001. The process is repeated until a final design emerges. Instructor's approval is required for enrollment in the course.
• ISDN 3004

  Advanced Sketching

  2 Credit(s)
  Previous Course Code(s)

  ISDN 4000L

  Prerequisite(s)

  ISDN 1004

  Description

  The course enhances the visual communication and creativity skills of students through a palette of advanced sketching skills such as how to draw in perspective and; how to develop visual narratives vis-à-vis scripts and storyboards. A larger spectrum of tools and materials will be introduced such as drawing with markers and other mixed-media. The course contains extensive in-studio sketching sessions where students will explore various advanced sketching approaches under the guidance of the instructor; to further develop their individual creativity and visual communication skills. The course requires basic knowledge on sketching.
• ISDN 3010

  Academic and Professional Development III

  0 Credit(s)
  Description

  Continuation of ISDN 2010. Graded P, PP or F.
• ISDN 3150

  AI for Design

  3 Credit(s)
  Prerequisite(s)

  ISDN 1001 OR ISDN 1002 OR ISDN 1006 OR EMIA 2020

  Description

  This course explores the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and design, providing students with a general understanding of how AI tools can enhance the design process. Through practical exercises and case studies, students will learn how to use AI to generate design ideas and layouts, predict user behavior and preferences, and create human-centered designs. The course will also cover the ethical considerations of using AI in design, including data bias and privacy concerns. By the end of the course, students will acquire hands-on experience with AI tools and models and be able to incorporate them into their design process.
• ISDN 3200

  Graphic Communication

  2 Credit(s)
  Description

  This course aims to get the students acquainted with a number of basic components used to build a coherent and meaningful graphic project/entity, which are central to understanding visual communication on fundamental level. This is done through series of lectures and related assignments where these are broken down and applied with special purposes. Necessary technical requirements for digital and physical/material application are covered at the start, after which main design tools (image and text) are analyzed along with basic visual design rules and guidelines (unity, hierarchy, balance, contrast, etc.) followed by addressing elements to build a fundamental graphic narrative (color, reduced visuals, full visuals, infographics), concluded by application of aforementioned items across different media: Deliverables ‐ Poster, Booklet, Digital Presentation, with consistency in translation of semiotic values and with showcasing basic visual literacy in execution of each as a final requirement.
• ISDN 3300

  Interaction Design

  3 Credit(s)
  Description

  Interaction Design is a design practice to enhance the interaction between users and design solutions. This course stresses user interaction with technology‐based products, services or systems. It also studies the broader interactions beyond merely interaction between users with computer platforms. Students will be introduced several forms of interaction design and their core design principles and tools improving user interaction. They include, Interaction Design (IxD) studying how to form a structure for users to act and react to the products, services or systems; User Experience Design (UX) exploring how to enhance a positive feeling for users while interacting; User Interface Design (UI) enhancing the experience through better design of the interface elements. Finally, the course will consider broader aspects of Interaction Design, including interfacing the workflow with other teams, privacy, and dark patterns. Students will design an interactive application from the initial ideation to usability testing.
• ISDN 3350

  Global Product Development

  3 Credit(s)
  Previous Course Code(s)

  ISDN 4350

  Alternate code(s)

  ENTR 3350

  Description

  Joint lecture and project-based course on global product development through a global and interdisciplinary team approach among three institutions in Beijing, Hong Kong and Seoul. This course requires students to go out into global society and industry companies beyond (China, Hong Kong, Korea) for seeking and defining a global user-centered design problem by themselves, to develop the engineering design alternative to solve it, and then to build a working critical function prototype. Students will collaborate through online tools as well as 3 face-to-face meetings throughout the semester in the three respective campuses. This course provides various lectures such as marketing, industrial design, patent law, creative thinking, conceptual design methodology, and case studies in problem ideation. Instructor's approval is required for enrollment in the course.
• ISDN 3360

  From Product Innovations to Successful Technology Startups

  3 Credit(s)
  Alternate code(s)

  ENTR 3360

  Description

  This course is intended for students who want to seriously pursue technology startups. Students will be guided to identify critical steps and important milestones associated with each step in order to build a technology startup. The course requires students to take an existing project idea with early conceptual design and prototype, and bring it to the next level of project realization. Lecture topics include market research, industrial design, patent law, supply chain management and business model development. Cross-college faculty and external experts will provide individual and team mentoring for student projects. Company visits, field trips, trade shows and interactions with experienced entrepreneurs will be arranged. Students with good performance in this course are recommended to different funding and incubation opportunities. Instructor's approval is required for enrollment in the course.
• ISDN 4000

  Special Topics

  1-4 Credit(s)
  Description

  This course will cover the selected topics related to system engineering, robotics, smart city, biomedical applications and/or design thinking. It may be repeated for credits if different topics are taken. May be graded letter grades or DI/PA/F subject to different offerings.
• ISDN 4001

  Final Year Design Project I

  4 Credit(s)
  Description

  This course is the first part of the final year project course. Students will continue to expand their skills in technical and design elements as well as knowledge about marketability, sustainability and manufacturability of their product solutions via this project. Students will be assigned into a team and they will define their own project. They will formulate a project proposal to demonstrate project feasibility from a technical and business perspective and seek approval through a proposed project presentation. Students will be given resource and time constraints to complete project milestones under the supervision of a faculty advisor. Regular project meetings will be held to track progress. Each student in a group will be responsible to lead one key element for a successful outcome. A first semester final presentation will update faculty advisors, other ISD faculty and mentors on the project progress and future development plans. Instructor's approval is required for enrollment in the course.
• ISDN 4002

  Final Year Design Project II

  4 Credit(s)
  Prerequisite(s)

  ISDN 4001

  Description

  This course is the second part of the final year project course, which continues the project based learning training from the first semester. Students will continue their project and come to a conclusion achieving the project milestones or coming up with the final product prototype by the end of the semester. A final project presentation covers the overall project achievements to the faculty advisor, other ISD faculty members and mentors. Instructor's approval is required for enrollment in the course.
• ISDN 4010

  Academic and Professional Development IV

  0 Credit(s)
  Description

  Continuation of ISDN 3010. Graded P, PP or F.
• ISDN 4200

  Product Management

  3 Credit(s)
  Description

  A product manager can be considered the CEO of a product line. Interdisciplinary skills are required to deal with the design, technical and business aspects to make the product successful in the marketplace. In this course, students are introduced to various responsibilities of a product manager and clear examples are used to illustrate how product managers interface with cross functional team members to make decisions, assess markets and financials, develop strategies and product roadmaps, and seek customer input. The course aims to get students ready for a position as a product manager. Instructor's approval is required for enrollment in the course.
• ISDN 4330

  Ergonomics in Design

  2 Credit(s)
  Description

  Many of the products marketed today have the word "ergonomic" attached to them. How ergonomic are they? The course is designed to provide a basic understanding of ergonomics in design through the introduction of human anatomy, anthropometry, and modeling techniques with the aim of improving safety, productivity, comfort and health of people.
• ISDN 4900

  Independent Study

  1-3 Credit(s)
  Description

  Independent studies or projects under the directed guidance of a faculty member on an integrative systems and design topic. A written report, presentation, and/or an examination are required. Enrollment in the course requires prior approval of the course instructor, and credits assigned depend on the workload. May be repeated for credits. Graded by letter or P/F subject to different offerings. May be graded PP.