Design for Social Impact

Building Resilient Communities explores the essential foundations of resilient communities. It provides an in-depth perspective on the construction, maintenance, and animation of communities, including theoretical foundations, case studies, practical advice, readings, and discussions.

At the core of the program is a profound reflection on resilience, addressing themes such as mental health at both the collective and individual levels. What strategies are necessary to care for mental health in the community context?

The program goes beyond theory by encouraging students to put these concepts into practice. It fosters the creation of meaningful connections among different MDES cohorts, thus offering an immersive experience where the principles that are taught are applied to real-life situations.

This course will combine theory of the fundamentals of Design Thinking with practical hands-on applications. Over the course of the semester, the group will work in teams of 3 to 4 to solve a collective challenge using the Design Thinking ‘Sprint’ methodology. From this experience students will co-create a tangible deliverable (prototype) that addresses the proposed challenge.

Develop vital leadership and communication skills—including non-violent communication, intercultural collaboration, and project management—through workshops and organizing a community event.

The course provides introductory-to-advanced-level instruction on research methods. It focuses on various methods currently used to inform the research process in the fields of fine arts, photography, and new media. The course will guide students in formulating, developing, and refining a research problem based on their area of interest, and in formulating and supporting claims, arguments, and hypotheses through data (source material).

Students will be introduced to the basic tenets of research and will be taught how to support their reasoning throughout the research and writing process. After conducting preliminary research and formulating a research problem, students will engage in data collection and analysis. They will learn to differentiate between primary, secondary, and tertiary sources and how to carry out both quantitative and qualitative research. Finally, they will learn how to properly cite their sources, format their thesis writing according to a chosen citation style, and meet PCA’s standards and requirements.

The course will also introduce students to written research methodologies, stakeholder-centered design methods, ethnographic fieldwork, applied research methods, data gathering and analysis, accurate referencing, and academic integrity. They will develop active listening skills and learn to analyze, critique, and evaluate the writing and speaking of others, notably through peer review.

Weekly sessions throughout the semester, dedicated to group and individual tutorials, will be complemented by workshops led by renowned researchers and specialists. These workshops will focus on key aspects of arts-based research methodologies, ranging from conducting research to communicating findings, including honing presentation skills.

By the end of the course, students will have mastered a range of research methods from which to choose for their subsequent research and methodology courses. They will have identified their research question for the thesis and either selected or been recommended a thesis advisor.

The consequences of design on human behavior, on the fabric of society and on the planet as a whole make it fundamental for designers to consider the ethical implications of their activity. This course will examine how designers can analyse their practice and the greater framework within which they operate in order to encourage ethically conscious choices.

To address the challenge that you are focusing on during this year, there are many ways to act: entrepreneurship for the common good, joining existing organizations while creating yourself a meaningful career, or channeling your energy into volunteer actions on the ground. To take action, you can choose one or several means.

The goal of the coaching sessions will unfold across two main dimensions:

1. Help you choose your battle(s) and associated means of action: Do you have the spirit of an entrepreneur? What roles could you occupy in which type of organization to fulfill the life mission you want to pursue? etc.
2. Assist you in developing the right network, gaining relevant experiences, and acquiring the necessary tools to confidently transition to this mean of action right after completing your Master’s in Design for Social Impact.

The first semester of Design Studio was devoted to acquiring digital tools, the second semester is dedicated to analog tools and skills required to take a design to market. The course is divided into 3 parts:
(1) SPROUT – a design-driven innovation methodology
(2) Business tools: business models, business plans, pitching & marketing
(3) Design Fiction: A design thinking methodology to imagine and address future issues. These sessions are offered during Workshop Week as an intensive 4-day program

As part of your final individual project, based on your personal aspirations for the future, organize an event bringing together about a hundred people. This event will serve as an opportunity to move in the right direction for your personal and professional future as a transition actor. Here are a few examples of possible objectives:

• If you’re considering entrepreneurship, host an event to present your prototype to beta-testers or potential funders, laying the foundations for your community.
• If you wish to engage in voluntary action, gather your friends and others to collectively address your cause with a partner organization, aiming to inspire new advocates for action around you.
• If you’re aiming for a career in impact, present your thesis to a broader audience, particularly if it aligns with the same topic, enhancing your credibility for potential recruitment processes.

Students will document the research they conduct on the theme of their final project, as well as the research they have done on the cost and means of production of their project. One of the criteria for evaluating the thesis is the extent to which the student’s work is situated in an art-historic and cultural context, requiring students to conduct research using written documentation, artefacts, and the learning resources available to them in Paris (see section devoted to libraries and other learning resources).

You may select an elective from the many course offerings in your department or in other departments with the approval of your department chair, such as:

• Designer’s Ethical and Social Responsibility
• Digital Fabrication Design
• Design Thinking
• Project Management*
• French
• Drawing Technology and Perception
• Advanced Printmaking*
• Intellectual Property Rights
• Concept Development Storytelling
• Photography as Installation*
• Photography in the Expanded Field*
• History of New Media*
• Educational Principles
• Alternative Processes Image-Making*
• The Art of Code I & II
• 4D Studio I & II*
• The Fashion Editorial
• Social Entrepreneurship
• Project Management*
• Set Design*
• Environmental Graphics*
• Furniture & Display Design*

* Undergraduate level courses

To address the challenge that you are focusing on during this year, there are many ways to act: entrepreneurship for the common good, joining existing organizations while creating yourself a meaningful career, or channeling your energy into volunteer actions on the ground. To take action, you can choose one or several means.

The goal of the coaching sessions will unfold across two main dimensions:

1. Help you choose your battle(s) and associated means of action: Do you have the spirit of an entrepreneur? What roles could you occupy in which type of organization to fulfill the life mission you want to pursue? etc.
2. Assist you in developing the right network, gaining relevant experiences, and acquiring the necessary tools to confidently transition to this mean of action right after completing your Master’s in Design for Social Impact.

This course introduces and outlines the role, purpose, and perception of “art” and “design” in various marketplaces and contexts for the emerging arts entrepreneur. Topics include issues in marketing aesthetic products; case studies on art fairs, art institutions, and cultural events; models of consumer behavior, art, and technology; macro-economic issues that affect the arts industries, arts policy, and access; art-as-business; design in the international context; merchandising; difficulties and the impact of the various business environments on art and design disciplines.