ARCH 1450 — Understanding Design
4 semester hoursUndergraduateLectureNUpath DDNUpath EIusually offered: fall, springtypical days: ThBostonTraditional
Introduces undergraduates at all levels to the importance of design thinking as a method of critical inquiry and creative expression. Class meetings include lectures and discussions on the power of design thinking to shape diverse facets of the natural and built environment—from cities and landscapes, to buildings and interiors, to the scale of the human body. In addition to class presentations, hands-on workshops introduce students to a range of tools and tactics for working creatively and iteratively through design and prototyping.
Offering history
| Term | Sections | Enrolled | Capacity | Full | Open seats/section |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2023 | 1 | 37 | 149 | 25% | 112.0 |
| Spring 2024 | 1 | 89 | 175 | 51% | 86.0 |
| Fall 2024 | 1 | 86 | 149 | 58% | 63.0 |
| Spring 2025 | 1 | 110 | 175 | 63% | 65.0 |
| Fall 2025 | 1 | 82 | 149 | 55% | 67.0 |
| Spring 2026 | 1 | 90 | 175 | 51% | 85.0 |
Snapshots from scheduled scrapes — not live seat availability. "Full" can exceed 100% when sections over-enroll.
Meeting times
Share of recent sections by weekday: M 42% · T 40% · W 0% · Th 60% · F 22%
Common patterns: MR (42% of sections), TF (22% of sections), R (18% of sections), T (17% of sections) — in patterns, R means Thursday
Professors
Fall
- Sonia Ralston (42% of students) · reviews
- Mary Hale (40% of students) · reviews
- Ang Li (18% of students) · reviews
Spring
- Mary Hale (69% of students) · reviews
- Cara Michell (31% of students) · reviews
Percentages are each professor's average share of the season's enrolled students in recent terms.
Links
Official catalog (ARCH course descriptions) · Student reviews on RateMyHusky · All ARCH courses · Plan it at numap.app