2026-2027 Edition

Academic Catalog

Integrated Design, Engineering, Arts & Society Minor

Department website: http://www.wesleyan.edu/ideas/

Minor Description

The Minor in Integrated Design, Engineering, Arts & Society (IDEAS) prepares students to succeed at the intersection of design, the arts, and engineering in a liberal arts context. Students develop foundational knowledge in these areas by working in collaborative groups and individually on project-based assignments that emphasize making and doing as critical forms of knowledge. 

Admission to the Minor

To be considered for admission onto the IDEAS Minor program, students should complete at least one (1) course from the required core courses of the Engineering Foundation Lab or Introductory Design Studio and declare the IDEAS minor through their WesPortal.

 

Minor Requirements

A minor in IDEAS includes 2 requirements:

  1. Courses: 7 credits (comprising of 3 Core and 4 Concentration credits)

    The core provides a foundation in the technical, aesthetic, and human dimensions of design and engineering and the elective courses are focused in one concentration area that span design and engineering disciplines.  

2. Student Website Portfolio

1. COURSES

Core (3 credits)
The IDEAS Core is designed to introduce students to hands-on, project-based studio, laboratory, and critical coursework in design and engineering. There are multiple possible introductory courses to fulfill Core requirements. Students will take one class from each of the three groups:

​​Elective credits from Concentrations (4 credits)
The concentration courses provide topical focus in the wide array of areas in Design, Engineering, Arts & Society. Students are required to select an area of concentration when they declare for the IDEAS minor, these include:

  • Applied Math
  • Archaeology
  • Arts and Design
  • Biological or Biochemical
  • Chemical
  • Computer
  • Electrical
  • Environmental
  • Geomechanics / Geological
  • Interactive Media & Game Design
  • Materials Science
  • Mechanical
  • Performance Design

Students also have the option to work with their advisor and propose a self-designed concentration. This is a different combination of elective courses chosen in consultation with the IDEAS advisor to help them achieve the appropriate depth of study.

 

2. STUDENT WEBSITE PORTFOLIO

All IDEAS minors will create a website portfolio encompassing work developed within IDEAS courses. The portfolio should document the student’s work from IDEAS project-based courses, and may include appropriate work from a student’s primary major. At a minimum, a portfolio should include the best work a student has produced from at least three (3) IDEAS courses. Presented using images and text, the projects included should encompass both completed and process work. 

The design and presentation of the portfolio comprise a personal statement about its author, their training, interests, and ambitions. Students are strongly advised to add to this portfolio each semester, based on their ongoing work. The portfolio will be reviewed by the student’s advisor as one of the major requirements. Students are encouraged to create a portfolio that can be used to present their work for future employment or graduate studies.