MAPD4100 Sustainable Design Approaches Course description

The course "Sustainable Design Approaches" introduces the ecological, social, and economic challenges that global society faces today and explores how designers can contribute to sustainable industrial production and everyday lifestyles through new design solutions. The course provides an overview of scientific sustainability principles as well as the political global goals (such as the Paris Agreement and the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, Agenda 2030). It further explores how these may be implemented in the design process.

Systems theory and thinking will introduce you to the elements of sustainability and explain the complexity of relations in socio-ecological systems. You will train your design methodology to find focus, identify needs, and define problems related to chosen tasks and user groups, as well as explore a set of design strategies in idea generation and the design of final solutions. Finally, you will be introduced to methods for evaluating products and services to discuss their contribution to sustainable development at both the product level and from a systemic perspective.

Content:

• Sustainability principles
• Sustainability challenges
• Human basic needs
• Sustainable design strategies
• Design for a circular economy (Cradle to Cradle)
• Understand the principles of Life Cycle Assessment
• UN Sustainable development goals
• Systems thinking
• Design for sustainable behaviour
• Harmful substances in products
• Team work processes and reflection of own learning as well as self-management

Language of instruction: English

• Individual oral presentation of journal or conference articles in class (15 to 20 minutes).
• Participation: Obligatory participation in 2 excursions is required in order for the student to pass this course. The dates for the excursions will be announced at semester start.

• Individual project report (5000-6000 words). The project examination counts 70% of the final grade.
• Individual oral examination (20 minutes for each candidate). The oral examination counts 30% of the final grade.

Both exams must be passed in order to pass the course.

The oral examination cannot be appealed.

New/postponed exam

In case of failed exam or legal absence, the student may apply for a new or postponed exam. New or postponed exams are offered within a reasonable time span following the regular exam. The student is responsible for applying for a new/postponed exam within the time limits set by OsloMet. The Regulations for new or postponed examinations are available in Regulations relating to studies and examinations at OsloMet.

For the oral exam, students will not have access to computers or other aids.

For the final assessment a grading scale from A to E is used, where A denotes the highest and E the lowest pass grade, and F denotes a fail.

Two internal examiners. External examiner is used periodically.

Associate Professor Norun Christine Sanderson

The course is equivalent to previous courses MAUU4200 and MAUUD4200.

Attempts made in equivalent courses will count towards the limit of 3 exam-attempts per course.

Kristin Støren Wigum