Now more than ever, T-shaped professionals are in high demand for their ability to collaborate across disciplines, build relationships, and advance innovation. These contemporary workers are characterized by the possession of deep skills in a specialty, as well as the knack for solving problems in other areas of expertise, allowing them to move beyond boundaries. The emerging field of design thinking responds to this paradigm shift as a human-centered approach to connecting the dots.

The IU Online Graduate Certificate in Design Thinking is designed for working professionals and non-design discipline graduate students who want to expand their skill sets and learn the fundamentals and interplay of innovation. The curriculum introduces a mindset, as well as core skills in creative problem solving, that can be applied to any discipline or field. Knowing how to investigate innovative solutions will enable you to actively apply, connect, and produce knowledge that meets complex human needs. You not only acquire advanced training that can be applied across multiple disciplines, but you also have opportunities to engage in collaborations across cultures and industries.

As a student in the program, you learn to engage with complex problems, ambiguity, and uncertainty in a creative problem-solving process through interdisciplinary teamwork. You develop keen sensitivity and empathy toward people and contexts in which problems are situated. You recognize and apply appropriate methods to frame problems, generate ideas, and evaluate solutions. After completing the program, you will be prepared to join a new 21st century workforce and drive innovation in your field. 

Your IU Online Graduate Certificate in Design Thinking prepares you to apply the design thinking methodology to almost any industry or sector in such careers as:

• Design thinking specialist 
• Innovation consultant 
• Human-centered design strategist
• Product developer 
• Product manager 
• Innovation manager 
• Brand manager 
• Design research manager 
• User experience designer 
• Customer experience specialist 
• Patient engagement specialist

Certificate Requirements

To earn the Graduate Certificate in Design Thinking, you must complete 18 credit hours.

Requirements are broken down as follows:

• Design thinking core courses (12 credit hours) 
• Design thinking practicum (6 credit hours)