CSC 40100

This advanced course in visual communication design is for students to understand social advocacy within the local (South Bend) context. Each semester new risk areas and deep rooted inequities within the local communities are explored. Students understand their role as designers/collaborators/catalysts through real life experiences working closely with members, groups, and organizations already deeply invested in the community. Students from diverse disciplines create a multi-disciplinary team that focuses on complex social problems that combines and delicately balances strategic thinking with innovation. Working as a group, students conduct research in the field, partner closely with local agencies to understand the system and based on this research and understanding of the inherent social ecology, build design approaches that address these multifarious problems. Projects in the past have ranged from addressing the Digital Divide in the City of South Bend to Mitigating Youth Violence in South Bend. DESN 20101 (VCD1) is recommended, but not required.

Class Dates: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:30 a.m.–12:15 p.m.
Instructor: Neeta Verma

Credits: 3
Associated Term: Spring 2024

Crosslisted with: DESN 40100, CDT 40700