Fall 2026 Graduate Electives
DES Graduate Electives
DES 520 Thesis Seminar - Jonathan Mekinda
DES 520 SUPER Lagos: Design, Culture, and the Future of Making - Teague
School of Art and Art History (Art, Art History, Museum + Exhibition Studies electives)
School of Architecture: TBD
Fall 2026 Undergraduate Electives
DES 450 Civic Design - Anne H. Berry
DES 450 Media Made into Moving Images - Stephen Flemister
DES 450 Contemporary Product Form - TBD
Please note that in order to register for undergraduate courses, graduate students will need pre-approval.
General Information
To be eligible for graduation, you must complete a total of 24 electiveselective credits, consisting of two DES 520 courses and four additional courses:
Required Selective Courses:
DES 520 – Graduate Seminar (4 credits)
DES 520 – Graduate Seminar (4 credits)
Electives:
Elective (4 credits) – 400–500 level course (CADA elective recommended)
Elective (4 credits) – 400–500 level course (CADA elective recommended)
Elective (4 credits) – 400–500 level course
Elective (4 credits) – 400–500 level course
Total: 24 credits
Additional Information:
- You may take more than two DES 520 courses, but a minimum of two is required. Additional DES 520 courses may be counted toward your elective requirements, meaning all six courses could be DES 520s if desired.
- All electives must be at the 400-level or higher. At least two of the four electives must be CADA courses, while the remaining two may be any 400-level or higher courses offered at UIC.
- You will need separate approval to register for 400-level design courses and for any course outside the School of Design. The School of Design can only grant approvals for Design (DES) courses; approvals for non-DES courses must come from the appropriate department or instructor. If you plan to take an elective outside the School of Design, you should contact the instructor directly for permission.
- Submitting an approval request through the School of Design does not automatically enroll you in the course. Once approval is granted, you are still responsible for registering for the class yourself. Please keep in mind that receiving approval does not guarantee or reserve a seat in the course.