BAPD3100 Critical reflection in design practice Course description

In this course, the students will be given an opportunity to delve deeper into one or more areas of design. They will plan and carry out a creative design and development process, preferably with a focus on the users’ needs, wishes and requirements. Critical refleciton and dialogue with the target groups and regular user presentations/tests will be an important part of the work.

Knowledge equivalent to having passed the first, second, third and fourth semester, or equivalent.

After completing the course, the student is expected to have achieved the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and competence:

Knowledge 

The student

• is capable of carrying out a complex design process with a pertaining specialisation in the design discipline, from an international and sustainable perspective
• knows relevant methods and tools in the chosen design practice
• can systematically explore aesthetics, functionality, material technology and production methods within the chosen design practice
• can do critical reflections in relation to own design practice

Skills

The student is capable of:

• identifying and describing the relevance of a chosen design practice
• demonstrating how users, stakeholders and professional/resource environments can be involved in the project
• mastering digital and analogue tools, such as development, communication and presentation tools
• leading a discussion, through testing, visualisation and presentation of models/prototypes (physical or virtual), that provides and demonstrates deep insight into a chosen design practice

General competence

The student:

• can contribute to critical reflection in a local and global perspective
• is perceived through the project work as an innovative design student who possesses in-depth knowledge in a chosen area
• is capable of building relevant networks
• is capable of communicating with the parties involved such as users and audience
• is capable of sharing own experience and knowledge with other students and taking part in discussions with the design discipline
• is capable of reflecting on his/her own development in the learning process

In the course BAPD3100, the students will carry out a design project through a comprehensive process and acquire in-depth knowledge and experience in a chosen specialisation. The topic of the specialisation shall be in the field of design with a work process leading to innovative products that can be realized in practice. The students are encouraged to reach out to external resource persons during the project.

The specialisation can be part of the preparation for the bachelor’s thesis in the final semester.

The students have the option of taking external practical training for up to two days a week in the course. The practical training must take place in an establishment in the external professional environment, and it is the students’ responsibility to find a relevant enterprise and agree on a period of practical training. The enterprise and agreement must be approved in advance by the course coordinator/department. 

Independent work, individually or in small groups. 

Workshops, lectures, visits to enterprises and supervision linked to a chosen specialisation. 

The following coursework is compulsory and must be approved before the student can take the exam:

• Reflection on learning in the project
• Approved project description (individual or in small groups)

Portfolio assessment subject to the following requirements:

• Documentation of the design process; max 3500 Words
• Product documentation, functional prototype and descriptions

The medium and form depend on the chosen specialisation.

Both parts of the portfolio must be passed (grade E or better) to pass the exam in the course.

The exam result can be appealed.

All.

A grading scale from A - F where A is the best grade and F is fail.

Two internal examiners. External examiners are used regularly.