This minor is not admitting new students as of 2025-2026, and will be discontinued.
Program Description
The Department of Human Centered Design offers a minor in Design Innovation and Strategy. This minor provides students with an understanding of design thinking and practice through the production of designed artifacts. The Design Innovation and Strategy minor may be of particular interest to students from Information Science, Computer Science, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, and other Engineering departments who are seeking design studies that compliment and may partly overlap with their technical understanding. The Design Innovation and Strategy minor is meant to help prepare students to design more holistically in response to today's complex challenges and opportunities.
Eligibility
To be considered for the Minor in Design Innovation and Strategy, students cannot be a Design and Environmental Analysis major.
Transfer Credits
Course credits from institutions other than Cornell or from academic units at Cornell other than DEA cannot be counted towards the minor in Design Innovation and Strategy.
Completing the Minor in Design Innovation and Strategy
During the semester in which the student plans to graduate, s/he must submit a completed Application to Graduate with a Minor in Design Innovation and Strategy to DEA's Academic Programs Coordinator (deaundergrad@cornell.edu). The current version of requirements for a Minor in Design Innovation and Strategy is used to evaluate the completion of the minor. If the Intention to Minor form has been submitted, the student has the option to make a request to use the earlier version of requirements in-effect at the time the Intention to Minor form was submitted to DEA. After verification by DEA that all requirements for the minor have been completed, the student's college registrar will be notified and the final transcript will indicate that a Minor in Design Innovation and Strategy was earned.
Minor Requirements
Earning a minor in Design Innovation and Strategy requires a minimum of 17 credits within DEA. Only DEA courses may be used to satisfy the requirements of the minor. Courses must be completed as letter grade with a grade of B- or better. Courses offered only as S/U are accepted but must not exceed a total of 3 credits toward the credit requirement for the minor.
Getting Started
Start by taking the three core courses required (DEA 1110 Making a Difference by Design, DEA 1140 Principles of Design Computing, DEA 1501 Introduction to Environmental Psychology - Writing in the Major) for the Design Innovation and Strategy Minor. Submit the Intention to Minor in Design Innovation and Strategy form after successfully completing the three core courses requirement. To receive consideration or priority in DEA course enrollment, a completed Intention to Minor in Design Innovation and Strategy form must have been submitted prior to the semester in which enrollment is desired. Formally declaring intent to minor in Design Innovation and Strategy does not guarantee enrollment in DEA courses. The minor is self-guided. Some courses require prerequisites so careful planning by the student is warranted.
University Graduation Requirements
Requirements for All Students
In order to receive a Cornell degree, a student must satisfy academic and non-academic requirements.
Academic Requirements
A student’s college determines degree requirements such as residency, number of credits, distribution of credits, and grade averages. It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of the specific major, degree, distribution, college, and graduation requirements for completing their chosen program of study. See the individual requirements listed by each college or school or contact the college registrar’s office for more information.
Non-academic Requirements
Conduct Matters. Students must satisfy any outstanding sanctions, penalties or remedies imposed or agreed to under the Student Code of Conduct (Code) or Policy 6.4. Where a formal complaint under the Code or Policy 6.4 is pending, the University will withhold awarding a degree otherwise earned until the adjudication process set forth in those procedures is complete, including the satisfaction of any sanctions, penalties or remedies imposed.
Financial Obligations. Outstanding financial obligations will not impact the awarding of a degree otherwise earned or a student’s ability to access their official transcript. However, the University may withhold issuing a diploma until any outstanding financial obligations owing to the University are satisfied.
Additional Requirements for Undergraduate Students
The University has two requirements for graduation that must be fulfilled by all undergraduate students: the swim requirement, and completion of two physical education courses. For additional information about fulfilling University Graduation Requirements, see the Physical Education website.
Physical Education
All incoming undergraduate students are required to take two credits (two courses) of Physical Education prior to graduation. It is recommended they complete the two courses during their first year at Cornell. Credit in Physical Education may be earned by participating in courses offered by the Department of Athletics and Physical Education and Cornell Outdoor Education, by being a registered participant on a varsity athletic team, or performing in the marching band.
Students with medical concerns should contact the Office of Student Disability Services.
Swim Requirement
The Faculty Advisory Committee on Athletics and Physical Education has established a basic swimming and water safety competency requirement for all undergraduate students. Normally, the requirement is taken during the Fall Orientation process at Helen Newman Hall or Teagle Hall pools. The requirement consists of the following: jump or step feet-first into the deep end of the pool, float or tread for one minute, turn around in a full circle, swim 25 yards using any stroke(s) of choice without touching the bottom or holding on to the sides (there is no time limit) and exit from the water. Students who do not complete the swim requirement during their first year, during a PE swim class or during orientation subsequent years, will have to pay a $100 fee. Any student who cannot meet this requirement must register for PE 1100 Beginning Swimming as their physical education course before electives can be chosen.
If a student does not pass the swim requirement in their first Beginning Swimming PE class, then the student must take a second Beginning Swimming PE class (PE 1100 or PE 1101). Successful completion of two Beginning Swimming classes (based on attendance requirements) with the instructor's recommendation will fulfill the University's swim requirement.
Students unable to meet the swim requirement because of medical reasons should contact the Office of Student Disability Services. When a waiver is granted by the Faculty Committee on Physical Education, an alternate requirement is imposed. The alternate requirement substitute is set by the Director of Physical Education.
