Curriculum

What this sequence builds

Design for people in the age of AI. Across three courses you’ll practice the full UX/HCD workflow—research, accessibility, prototyping, and code—so you can frame problems, test ideas, and ship evidence-based solutions alongside CIS/CS/Data/Design peers.

  • AI-readiness, not hype: usable privacy & security, accessibility (WCAG), data-informed decisions, and “model-in-the-loop” prototyping.

  • NACE aligned: Critical Thinking, Communication, Teamwork, Technology, Equity & Inclusion, Leadership, Professionalism, Career & Self-Development.

  • Transfer friendly: outcomes mirror common Information Systems/Web/Data requirements at CUNY 4-year schools (see Advising Crosswalk).

Art 25: Human Centered Design

Art 2500 Human Centered Design Syllabus

What you’ll do: Plan and run research; synthesize findings; test prototypes; communicate decisions.
Key topics: user interviews & usability testing, journey maps, problem statements, usable security & privacy, accessibility basics, ethics.
Deliverables:

  • Research plan + interview guide

  • Findings readout & prioritized problem statement

  • Usable Security & Privacy brief

  • Accessibility checklist (WCAG starter)

  • Tested low-/mid-fi prototype + reflection

NACE focus: Critical Thinking, Communication, Equity & Inclusion, Professionalism.
Tools: Miro, Figma (or equivalent), Forms/Sheets, Loom.

Art 26: UX Visual Design

Art 2600 UX Visual Design Syllabus

What you’ll do: Design information architecture and interfaces; build responsive prototypes; connect design to metrics.
Key topics: IA & navigation, patterns/design systems, typography & color, accessibility (WCAG 2.x), data storytelling for product.
Deliverables:

  • Content model & sitemap

  • Pattern-based component library

  • Responsive prototype (mobile + desktop)

  • Data story slide linking design choices to metrics

  • Hand-off spec (figures, tokens, states)

NACE focus: Technology, Teamwork, Communication, Leadership.
Tools: Figma, Contrast checkers, Lighthouse/axe DevTools, Google Analytics (lite) or equivalent.

Art 27: Coding for Designers

Art 2700 Coding for Designers Syllabus

What you’ll do: Build accessible, responsive, interactive UI; collaborate with engineers; ship a small, working demo.
Key topics: HTML/CSS/JS foundations, component architecture, state & events, forms, ARIA, performance, developer handoff.
Deliverables:

  • Accessible component library (buttons, forms, nav)

  • Responsive layout with tokens & variables

  • Interactive demo (JS) with documentation

  • Handoff notes (readme, issues, backlog)

NACE focus: Technology, Professionalism, Teamwork, Career & Self-Development.
Tools: VS Code, GitHub, modern browser DevTools. (If your legacy syllabus lists jQuery/PHP/WordPress: we emphasize modern JS and standards; CMS usage is optional for deployment.)