2026-2027 Academic Catalog

Author: Watson Peacock

  • CDS-376 MOBILE UI/UX

    This elective course expands students’ ability to,use marketing strategies to identify mobile,opportunities for targeted and diverse consumer,and user groups. Students utilize knowledge of,human-centered user interfaces and experiences to,create digital apps that respond to a particular,consumer need. Projects consider the role of,current trends, and how they can be visually,manifested,in type, language, color, image, sound, and,motion. The research will inform mapping,,wireframing,,high-low prototyping, performative usability,testing, logic, and unique smartphone,applications.

    Credits: 3

    Prerequisites: CDS-264

  • CDS-374 DATA VISUALIZATION

    This elective course develops presentation methods,that help students take complex data sets and,transform them into expressive graphic contexts,that,are accessible and readable. Concepts of,information,logic, hierarchy, semiotics, biases relative to,narrative,constructions identified in complex data and how,different audiences may read content are concepts,integrated into project briefs. The historical and,contemporary nature and function of data,visualization within design studio practice will,be,highlighted. Solutions integrate the breadth and,depth of communication design visual language(s),to,develop static or dynamic solutions that can be,experienced on screen, in print, or in a,performative,space

    Credits: 3

    Prerequisites: CDS-311 or CDS-312

  • CDS-373 PUBLICATION DESIGN

    This elective course expands on sequential,narrative concepts explored in previous,typographic courses. The student’s understanding,of the unique conditions related to the design of,digital and analog publications includes,unconventional publications that can be serial or,systemic in nature. Assignments require students,to analyze the nature of the intended audience,,the publication content, the author’s intent,,design writing, the goals of the publication,,materiality, and the intended exchange with the,reader in developing a visual response that can be,multi-platform when appropriate.

    Credits: 3

    Prerequisites: CDS 311 or CDS 312*,*formerly DGD 311 or DGD 312

  • CDS-365 EXTENDED REALITY (XR) DESIGN

    This XR design course is the third in a series of,required courses exploring the role of digital,technology in communication design and strategy,systems. Students learn about immersive,technologies such as augmented reality (AR),,virtual reality (VR), and mixed reality (MR).,Students explore how these technologies blend the,physical and virtual worlds and consider the,narrative complexities of communicating between,these spaces. The course emphasizes hands-on,learning through a human-centric lens, focusing on,understanding different users and user groups.,Students prototype, user test, perform, bodystorm,,and play, while applying critical methods,,iterative design processes, and digital UI and UX,techniques as they pertain to spatial computing.,Students are encouraged to think about the future,of digital communication systems and consider,these emerging technologies as opportunities for,experimentation. Additional courses to consider,are Data Visualization, Experience Design, and,Mobile App Development.

    Credits: 3

    Prerequisites: CDS 264, CDS 211, CDS 212*,*Formerly DGD 264, DGD 211 and DGD 212

  • AHV-206 HISTORY OF AMERICAN ILLUSTRATION

    This course focuses on printed art in America,from pre-1890 through the 1950’s. The influence,of illustrators on the attitudes and customs of,their times is the focus. Using a format of,study by decade, the course explores the making,of pictures to tell a story regardless of medium. ,A more theoretical approach is used in discussions,of the great teachers and of women in,illustration.

    Credits: 3

    Prerequisites:

  • AHV-219 GLOBAL SOUND CULTURES

    Explorethe rich soundscapes of the world through,an interdisciplinary lens, examining the,intersection of music, design, and culture. The,course covers diverse musical traditions across,continents and time, with a focus on how sound,embodies cultural identity and social expression.,Students engage with hands-on projects, including,designing instruments and building their own,synthesizers, to understand the creative process,behind music-making and sound design. The course,also features in-class and on-your-own trips to a,selection of Detroit’s vibrant cultural spaces,,such as museums, music studios, and performance,venues, where students can experience live,performances and explore the city’s musical,heritage. Through listening sessions, readings,,workshops, and discussions, students develop a,deeper appreciation of how music shapes, and is,shaped by, global and local contexts. No musical,experience is required.

    Credits: 3

    Prerequisites: WRT-102

  • AHV-221 HISTORY OF INTERIOR DESIGN

    This course is a comprehensive survey of the,historical development of interior design with,emphasis on furniture and the decorative arts.,The course explores the designs and materials of,Egypt, the Classical Mediterranean, the Medieval,World and Tudor-Elizabethan England. Students,examine the influence of Islam on Spanish design,and that of the French monarchy on Baroque,,Rococo, and Neoclassical styles. The course,concludes with the technological developments and,their impact on designs of the late 19th and 20th,centuries. Lectures and on-site study of museum,collections provide direct experience of the,decorative arts. The history of interior design,and furniture encompasses numerous styles,,movements, and individual artistic contributions.,It also reflects the influence of cultural,,political, and social developments

    Credits: 3

    Prerequisites:

  • AHV-357 ICONOGRAPHY AND MYTHOLOGY

    In this course, students explore world mythology,and the works of art they have inspired. Western,artists historically have drawn inspiration from,Christian beliefs and symbols as well as from the,myths of ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome. ,Contemporary artists have also been influenced by,the beliefs and symbols of Asia, India, Native,America, Africa and other cultures. These are the,basis for most animated stories, video games,,films and many other forms of literature and,works of art. The course will explore the,beliefs, meanings and symbols of many cultures as,they are used in art both historically and today.

    Credits: 3

    Prerequisites: WRT 102 and any 200 level Liberal Arts (General Education),subject.

  • AHV-401 FILM NOIR AND BEYOND

    Film Noir, with roots in German Expressionism and,American hard-boiled fiction, is an enduring,cinematic phenomenon. Beginning in the 1940s,,Hollywood-produced stories of ill-fated,protagonists seduced by femmes fatales, dirty,deals, and double-crossing partners, struck a,nerve with American audiences (and soon after,World War II with French critics who named and,defined the “Noir” style). These dark tales,reflected a 20th century malaise spawned by the,Great Depression, WWII, and a contemporary shift,in gender roles. Our course will examine the,origins of Noir.

    Credits: 3

    Prerequisites: Any 300 level Liberal Arts (General Education) subject.

  • AHV-402 FILM STUDIES: SCIENCE FICTION

    In this course students will explore the ways in,which science fiction films have represented,contemporary culture trends such as fear of the,other and cold-war paranoia in Invasion of the,Body Snatchers, the terror of the body in Aliens,and the transhumanism in District 9. Course,readings will examine the development of the,science fiction film as a distinct genre from a,variety of viewpoints including historical,analysis, race and gender studies, and critical,theory. This course may apply as an upper level,English and Liberal Arts elective.

    Credits: 3

    Prerequisites: Any 300 level Liberal Arts (General Education),subject.