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Please see “Independent Studies” section.

Please see “Independent Studies” section.

Please see “Independent Studies” section.

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Please see “Internships” section.

Please see “Internships” section.

Satisfies Global Citizenship

Using the communicative approach, this course stresses the fundamentals of pronunciation, grammar, practical vocabulary, useful phrases, and the ability to understand, speak, read, and write simple Italian. Using fundamental sentence structures in the present and past tenses, students practice speaking and holding simple conversations in class and writing compositions. Lectures and discussions are included covering geography, customs and culture in Italy. The course is conducted in Italian except in cases of linguistic difficulty as determined by the professor.

Satisfies Global Citizenship

• Advisory: ITAL 1*.

This course is a continuation of Italian 1 and completes the elementary grammar. The course stresses the fundamentals of pronunciation, grammar, practical vocabulary, useful phrases, and the ability to understand, speak, read, and write simple Italian. Using fundamental sentence structures in the present and past tenses, students practice speaking and holding simple conversations in class and writing compositions. The course includes the reading of simplified texts with emphasis on oral expression and further study of Italian history and culture. The course is conducted in Italian, except in the case of linguistic difficulty as determined by the professor.

*The advisory for this course is comparable to two years of high school Italian.

Satisfies Global Citizenship

• Advisory: ITAL 2*.

This course is a review of Italian grammar with special emphasis on idiomatic constructions and expressions. It includes the study and reading, in and out of class, of selected passages from Italian literature. Basic literary analysis and vocabulary building are developed using the selected readings. Emphasis is also placed on the use of learned structures in compositions. This course is conducted in Italian except in cases of linguistic difficulty as determined by the professor.

*The advisory for this course is comparable to three years of high school Italian

Satisfies Global Citizenship

• Advisory: ITAL 3*.

This course reviews and refines grammatical concepts covered in the previous levels and further explores other moods and tenses such as the compound tenses, the imperative mood and indirect discourse. Culture, literature, vocabulary enhancement, and conversation are core elements of the curriculum. The course increases awareness of the Italian culture, history, literature, geography, and customs, including socio-political practices and cultural artifacts through reading and writing assignments, as well as oral presentations. It is taught in Italian except in cases of extreme difficulty as determined by the professor. It prepares students for literature and civilization classes.

*The advisory for this course is comparable to four years of high school Italian.

• Prerequisite: ITAL 2.

This course provides an opportunity to acquire intermediate fluency in spoken Italian with emphasis on natural, colloquial usage. New vocabulary and idiomatic phrases will be emphasized, and the students will hold conversations in Italian during each class. This course is conducted in Italian except in cases of linguistic difficulty as determined by the professor.

Applied and service-learning field experience within a public agency, educational institution, and citizen volunteer groups is a requirement of this class.

• Corequisite: Any course in Italian.

This course — taken in tandem with another course in the discipline — enables a student to apply course content in a meaningful and relevant way to a particular activity. In this hands-on course, students engage in applied learning through unpaid experiential activities organized by the student (in conjunction with SMC’s applied/service learning center) and approved by the instructor. Students will develop a customized reading list relevant to their particular activity, complete a minimum of 15 hours of volunteer work with that activity, and submit academically-sound written reports regarding the activity. By applying course material to their experience, students develop a deeper understanding of the discipline.

• Prerequisite: Admission to the Bachelor of Science in Interaction Design.

The course serves as an introduction to the methods and principles of Interaction Design. It is structured around project-based learning, emphasizing diverse approaches to tackling design challenges. The primary focus is on leveraging the iterative design process to identify human behaviors and using technology interventions to influence those behaviors. In addition to ideation and problem-solving methods, this class will also use research and rapid prototyping techniques to ensure the proposed interventions resonate with users and project stakeholders.

This course is open only to students who have been admitted to SMC’s Bachelor of Science program in Interaction Design. See ixd.smc.edu for more information.

• Prerequisite: Admission to the Bachelor of Science in Interaction Design.

This course serves as an overview of historical methods, approaches and practices of interaction design, including mechanical, electrical, and analog and digital electronic systems. The students will follow the development of modern tendencies in interaction design and formulate opinions about their causes and possible paths for future developments. The students will also examine the current applications of interaction design across industries and disciplines.

This course is open only to students who have been admitted to SMC’s Bachelor of Science program in Interaction Design. See ixd.smc.edu for more information.

• Prerequisite: IXD 310.

This course focuses on principles, approaches, and methods for designing user interfaces. Building on the outcomes of Interaction Design Studio 1, the course prepares students to engage with a range of topics relevant to UI design, from information architecture to microinteraction. In the studio course, students will learn research, ideation, diagramming, and prototyping methods employed in interface design. Students learn to design for a wide range of devices, from wearable to screen-based to mixed reality. Students will analyze existing approaches to UI design and develop a critical understanding of how the interface affects user behavior and system performance.

This course is open only to students who have been admitted to SMC’s Bachelor of Science program in Interaction Design. See ixd.smc.edu for more information.

• Prerequisite: Admission to the Bachelor of Science in Interaction Design.

This design course focuses on the storytelling component of interaction design with a special focus on prototyping and motion graphics. Exploring different types of prototyping, from paper prototypes to digital, screen-based prototypes (e.g, web-based tools, video prototypes), students use storytelling to describe experiences in interaction design. Students use a hands-on approach to design a better experience for end users by sketching, storytelling, experimenting, making and testing. Students create prototypes at different levels of fidelity using appropriate tools and technologies.

This course is open only to students who have been admitted to SMC’s Bachelor of Science program in Interaction Design. See ixd.smc.edu for more information.

• Prerequisite: IXD 350.

This course introduces fundamental concerns, concepts, methods and approaches of product design disciplines for interaction designers. Students will learn how to use sketching, rapid prototyping, 3D modeling and other common product design techniques to create useful and engaging products. Students will be introduced to the use of electronics and microcontrollers in designing objects with interactive capabilities. The course employs “critical making” pedagogy and emphasizes the importance of craft and prototyping in the design process.

This course is open only to students who have been admitted to SMC’s Bachelor of Science program in Interaction Design. See ixd.smc.edu for more information.

• Prerequisite: IXD 330.

In this course, students work with a variety of organizations addressing a community need to design and develop a project with social impact. Students apply a variety of user experience and interaction design skill sets to work collaboratively with community stakeholders in identifying and helping to solve a need. Through this experience, students recognize and demonstrate many interaction design practices related to research, analysis, concept, design and prototyping to work on a project designed to serve a community need.

This course is open only to students who have been admitted to SMC’s Bachelor of Science program in Interaction Design. See ixd.smc.edu for more information.

• Prerequisite: Admission to the Bachelor of Science in Interaction Design.

This course contextualizes project management for interaction designers through three lenses: Time Management, Career Management, and applied Project Management. The first two lenses—Time and Career Management—take place in the first half of class. These sections make the connection between personal development and project management. During the first half of class, students will also develop a comprehensive overview of current design development processes and tools used to successfully deliver high-quality projects on time. In the second half of the class, students will then apply their evolving skills to a client-based project. Students will learn to clearly communicate with clients and manage the design process while integrating design objectives into the overall development timeline. In all three sections, students will develop leadership skills as well as learn to plan, organize, motivate, and control resources based on defined goals.

This course is open only to students who have been admitted to SMC’s Bachelor of Science program in Interaction Design. See ixd.smc.edu for more information.

• Prerequisite: Admission to the Bachelor of Science in Interaction Design.

In this course students explore a comprehensive toolkit for how to approach complex social issues with creative problem solving. Through this course students will recognize and demonstrate the principles, methods, and practices of designing impactful solutions that focus on positive social change. Using a blend of theoretical learning, practical application, and project work, students will apply the skills and mindset needed to address social challenges creatively and ethically.

This course is open only to students who have been admitted to SMC’s Bachelor of Science program in Interaction Design. See ixd.smc.edu for more information.