SCWK 8843 Theories of Design Thinking for Social Change

Design thinking is a non-linear, iterative process that organizations use to understand users (e.g., clients, families, communities), redefine complex problems, and create innovative solutions to prototype and test. It is increasingly present in organizations striving to increase equity. This course, relevant to clinical- and macro-oriented students, will focus on theories and approaches to understand the context of program and policy development as well as fieldwork research. Topics include behavioral health frameworks, stakeholder engagement, co-design, user interviews, community advisory boards, trauma-informed approaches, and more. This material will prepare students for success in the capstone course, Practicing Design Thinking for Social Change.