Designing for Complexity and Social Impact (Online) | Minneapolis College of Art and Design

Designing for Complexity and Social Impact (Online)

This course introduces students to a framework and processes to address complex social challenges, grounded in the principles and methods of design thinking with elements from other schools of thought, such as social entrepreneurship, systems change, lean methodology, and community-centered approaches.

Course description

Addressing such challenges requires a set of behaviors and mindsets that can be mastered and applied by intrapreneurs or entrepreneurs. Following a conceptual foundation, the course will shift to the analysis of case studies which illustrate the impact and potential scalability of design-informed solutions to complex social problems. Students will then apply tools they have learned moving from insights to execution in an iterative manner. Key steps in the process include:building empathy and relationships; visioning, identifying, and clarifying a community need; analyzing the larger environment in which a need or problem is situated; building coalitions for co-creation; prototyping one or more solutions to address the need; testing and evaluating those solutions; and developing ways to seed and scale the intervention for long-term social impact. / This is a graduate level class and is part of MCAD's Master of Arts in Creative Leadership.

Open to students ages 18 and above. Review complete policies, including class cancellation policies, before completing your registration.

Class Meeting Details

This online course is asynchronous, meaning that there are no set class meeting times. Instead, the course is project-based, with 2 to 3 deadlines per week, and students can choose a time and place that works best for them to complete the work. Course activities may include readings; video demonstrations and tutorials; online discussions; projects; and critiques.

Prerequisites

None

Required materials

Hardware
A computer, tablet, or smartphone with internet access.

Textbook
See canvas.mcad.edu/books for a list of required textbooks.

Class resources

This class uses Canvas, MCAD's learning management system. Please see the link for more information.

Class savings

Register on or before May 11 and save $25.

Register for more than one class at a time and receive $25 off each additional class (same-day registrations only).

Additional savings. Are you eligible?

Questions?

Contact MCAD Continuing Education at continuing_education@mcad.edu or call 612.874.3765.

Register

Title
Non-Credit Tution
$1,980.00
Student Birthdate
  • Date:
    -
  • Time:
    Asynchronous
  • Day(s) of the week:
    Asynchronous
  • Ages:
    Open to student ages 18 and above.
  • Term:
    Fall 2026
  • Instructor: Adel El-Huni
  • Location:
    Online
  • SKU:
    CL 6203 20 FA26

Prerequisites:

None

Address

2501 Stevens Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55404

Contact Us

612.874.3700
800.874.MCAD (6223)
Fax: 612.874.3701

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Land Acknowledgement

The Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD) acknowledges it is located on traditional, ancestral, and contemporary lands of Indigenous people. This is the ancestral homeland of the Dakota and Ojibwe people, who were forcibly exiled from the land because of aggressive and persistent settler colonialism. We recognize that this place has a complex and layered history. As a community dedicated to creativity, MCAD is committed to ongoing efforts to support and advocate for American Indian Nations and peoples.


Nondiscrimination Policy

MCAD admits students of any race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, or marital status to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, or marital status in the administration of its educational policies, scholarship and loan programs, and other school-administered programs.