University Wide Electives
• We designed our courses to help all Stanford students see themselves as designers. Learn how to think, act, and feel differently about how you do your work.
Curious about how design might work in your field?
We offer introductory classes for Stanford students in all seven schools—and we offer more advanced courses for those in our degree programs who already have some design skills.
People
People are at the center of human-centered design.
Elective courses not only help you learn how to design with and for people, but also help you meet new people at Stanford by engaging in interdisciplinary work. From cross-listing courses to cross-pollinating student teams, we intentionally seek ways to shift your perspective through people.
Projects
Project-based learning is our primary method of instruction.
We push you to do, then synthesize, reflect, and debrief. If you’re looking to learn outside of a lecture hall and experience how sometimes making a mess is what you need to do to make some sense, then learning through an elective at the d.school might be a good fit for you.
Problems
Problems are all around us, and there are a lot of ways to learn about them.
Our Elective courses center around design challenges that are based on real-world problems, teaching you how to drive through the complexities of making design work in the real world.
Join the Extreme community
Design for Extreme Affordability (often referred to as “Extreme”) is a two-quarter elective course jointly offered by the Graduate School of Business and the School of Engineering at Stanford University. Each year, up to 40 graduate students from across Stanford come together to use the latest innovation and design methods to address the real-world challenges of poverty in collaboration with partners and the communities they serve. The result is real implementable solutions that have touched the lives of 150 million people worldwide.
Electives Frequently Asked Questions
Should I take an elective related to my degree program?
We encourage students to take classes that will challenge their existing disciplinary mindset.
How do I stay up to date about d.school electives?
Sign up below for the latest info about our courses.
Who can take electives?
d.school electives are open to students enrolled at Stanford.
Where do I find the list of current electives?
You're in the right place! Keep reading below.