This course introduces graduate level design methodologies. Students are expected to develop research as it pertains to their individual projects and to expand their understanding of a broad range of design practices. The student will demonstrate graduate level capabilities in reading and writing in this course through the execution of bibliographic, methodological and theoretical projects. In particular, the student will demonstrate capacity to discriminate and navigate through the methods, tools and procedures of use to advanced designing as it engages with human behaviour, the techno-sciences, social constructs and environmental imperatives. The student will generate familiarity with the literature, traditions, and trends in design methods and such range of approaches (methodology) to permit the student to develop the particular framework, tools and procedures for their work plan. The development and capacity to communicate these means will flow directly into the deliverables that will constitute the student's program, in particular the thesis project and its exposition. 

Course Learning Objectives 

  • describe a preliminary integral research framework to support a viable Master's level thesis research trajectory
  • identify the design research methods and methodologies that are relevant to their own work
  • identify a range of critical contextual references crucial to their practice

Upon completion of the course the student is expected to:

  • Understand and distinguish various research methods and their applications within a range of practices.
  • Formulate a problem space for their research interests, with an understanding of methods and methodologies best used to engage in this problem space.
  • Analyze and synthesize research and data in order to answer a research question 
  • Effectively construct a researchable question.