Western
Washington University
Bellingham, Washington
A multi-disciplinary, cooperative
Degree Program in Sustainable Design
Huxley College
of the Environment
Planning and Environmental
Policy
Department of Engineering
Technology
Industrial Design Program





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Minor in
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Sustainable
Design
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APPLICATION DEADLINE: Applications
are accepted semi-annually on the third Friday of fall and spring quarters.
FACULTY IN SUSTAINABLE DESIGN
Professor Arunas
Oslapas, Industrial Design, Department of Engineering Technology
Professor
Nicholas Zaferatos, Urban Planning and Sustainable Development, Huxley
College of the Environment
ABOUT THE MINOR
Huxley College
of the Environment and the Engineering
Technology Department jointly offer a
minor in Sustainable Design.
Design is the process of conceptualizing, representing, and creating projects,
processes, or products (ranging in scale from consumer objects to regions).
Sustainability requires that designed products promote long-term economic,
social, and ecological values and equity. The minor provides basic foundations
in environmental studies and design, and allows for individualized tailoring
according to the student's interests.
GOALS
OF THE MINOR
The goal of the program is to enable students with
strengths in design, or in environmental studies, to gain complementary skills
in the other area so as to pursue sustainable design careers more effectively.
The program is also open to students from any area at Western who would benefit
by the set of concepts and skills offered. Students in the program will obtain
an understanding of the natural systems within which human institutions and
technologies function, and of the social systems which mediate human
interactions with ecosystems. This background allows the student to make
informed decisions about how ecological constraints define sustainability, and
how human choices shape the context in which sustainable projects may be
implemented or used. The coursework in industrial design introduces the design
process and provides skills in the representation of design concepts. A special
course taken in the senior year, Estu 415, will bring students together to
consider the wider systems context of sustainable design, and to work
collaboratively on real world sustainable design projects.
THE
APPLICATION PROCESS
APPLICATION DEADLINE: Applications are accepted semi-annually on the third
Friday of fall and spring quarters.
Students of the
sustainable design minor are accepted into the minor by application, and space
will be limited. Those students who show the highest affinity for integrating
environmental systems information, sustainable design principles, and
understanding of practical applications will be accepted into the minor. Students should prepare a statement explaining their
educational goals, background coursework, and experiences qualify them for this
program. Examples of the applicant's own design concepts or products, or
evidence of participation in ecological management are also welcome.
LINK TO APPLICATION FORM
APPLICATION CONTENT
The student should prepare a binder
(8 1/2" x 11 inch format)
with the application form as
the cover page. Include the following:
LETTER OF APPLICATION | NARRATIVE
STATEMENT
In your Letter of Application,
please describe
a) application form that contains your contact
information (email, address, phone, student number)
b) a statement
explaining your educational goals for the minor, and how specific background
courses have prepared you the program. Other experiences that qualify you for
this program should be described.
c)
a narrative description of your past
experiences, such as your own design concepts or products, evidence
of participation in ecological
management, design projects, class papers, books read, videos watched, personal activities or creative projects,
participation in community work, membership in clubs, etc.
d) your overall GPA.
EVIDENCE OF WORK
Please submit a "Portfolio" of your work. The Portfolio contains representative materials presented in an 8 1/2 x 11
inch format including:
a) academic papers and
research reports;
b) projects;
c) illustrations;
d) other creative projects that
show evidence of sustainable activities.
SUBMISSION AND DEADLINE
The application must be received by the deadlines indicated above. A short list will be produced, and
candidates on the list will be interviewed by program faculty. Applicants will
be notified of final decisions. Applications may be submitted
to either department:
Sustainable Design Minor: Admissions
Department of Environmental Studies, AH 217. Huxley
College of the Environment, Mail Stop 9085
or
Sustainable Design Minor: Admissions, ET 204
Department of Engineering Technology, Industrial Design. Mail Stop 9086
Link to WWU Catalog |