You are reading the 2024/25 Academic Calendar. The 2023/24 version remains in effect until August 31, 2024 and is available here.

Design, Faculty of Applied Science

DES: Design


  1. DES 101 (1) Introductory Workshop

    Week long orientation to the School community, the City and the study of design one week prior to the start of Winter Session Term 1. Credit will be granted for only one of ENDS 101 or DES 101. Pass/Fail. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

  2. DES 110 (3) Measured Architectural Drawing

    Techniques applicable to analytic and technical drawing used in architecture, landscape architecture, and urban design with focus primarily on analog drawing techniques. Open to all UBC students regardless of prior experience. Credit will be granted for only one of ENDS 110 or DES 110.

  3. DES 130 (3) Design, Culture and Ecology

    Survey of the visual, cultural, ecological and spatial literacies in architectural and urban design.

  4. DES 200 (3) Design Thinking

    Design thinking through the analysis of architecture, landscape architecture and urban design and through hands-on design projects. This course is open to all UBC students, regardless of prior experience. Credit will granted for only one of ENDS 231 or DES 200. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

  5. DES 201 (6) Design Studio I - Context and Site

    Design within the context of various analytical lenses including ecological, climatic, social, political, cultural and historical influences. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

    Prerequisite: One of DES 110, VISA 180.

  6. DES 202 (6) Design Studio II - Form

    Essential processes and methods for thinking in three-dimensional spatial terms. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

    Prerequisite: A score of 60% or higher in DES 201.

  7. DES 211 (3) Design Media I

    Techniques in architectural drawing, two-dimensional representation, three-dimensional representation and general visual literacy. Credit will be granted for only one of ENDS 320, ARCH 515 or DES 211. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

    Prerequisite: One of DES 110, VISA 180.

  8. DES 212 (3) Design Media II

    Advanced techniques in architectural representation and discourse in digital representation and digital making. Credit will be granted for only one of ARCH 437, ARCH 517 or DES 212. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

    Prerequisite: DES 211.

  9. DES 220 (3) Architecture and Urbanism in Context: Vancouver and its Region

    The unfolding architecture and urbanism of Metro Vancouver. Using Vancouver as a laboratory to examine the historical transformation of the built environment, and how this has affected particular activities, land uses, and social groups within the region. Open enrolment course. Credit will be granted for only one of ENDS 220 or DES 220.

  10. DES 230 (3) Sustainability by Design

    Interactions between human and natural urban systems using local and international examples of successful sustainable community designs. This course is open to all UBC students, regardless of prior experience. Credit will be granted for only one of ENDS 221 or DES 230. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

  11. DES 231 (3) Site Analysis and Planning

    Analysis and planning of relatively complex sites, emphasizing storm water management design. Credit will be given for only one of DES 231, LARC 440, or LARC 540. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

  12. DES 232 (3) Material Culture

    An investigation of building materials and associated design objectives, environmental conditions, historical context, regulatory controls, and economic constraints. Credit will be granted for only one of DES 232 or ARCH 411. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

  13. DES 301 (9) Design Studio III - Building Scale Synthesis

    Design at the architectural scale through the medium of program and site. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

    Prerequisite: A score of 60% or higher in DES 202.

  14. DES 302 (9) Design Studio IV - Vancouver

    Vancouver as a laboratory for design at the architectural and urban scale with a focused view into how design is implicated in the social, political, and environmental transformation of the city. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

    Prerequisite: A score of 60% or higher in DES 301.

  15. DES 320 (3) History of the Design of the Built Environment

    A broad historical introduction to architectural and landscape architectural design within the context of politics, economics and culture. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

  16. DES 321 (3-9) d Topics in Architectural History I (Pre-1900)

    History of architecture in the pre-1900 time period. Technological, political, social, and economic changes that have influenced architecture and related fields. Credit will be granted for only one of DES 321, ARCH 404 or ARCH 504. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

    Prerequisite: DES 320.

  17. DES 322 (3-9) d Topics in Architectural History II (1900-Present)

    History of architecture in the post-1900 time period. Technological, political, social, and economic changes which have influenced architecture and related fields. Credit will be granted for only one of DES 322, ARCH 405 or ARCH 505. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

    Prerequisite: DES 320.

  18. DES 323 (3) Histories in Landscape Architecture

    Landscapes from medieval times to the present studied synchronically across design elements as well as chronologically with the development of several key historical concepts. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

    Prerequisite: DES 320.

  19. DES 330 (3) Structural Systems and Supports

    Basic structural systems in the built world including wood, steel, concrete, composite systems and essential structural logics of soil retention systems and drainage. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

    Prerequisite: All of DES 231, DES 232.

  20. DES 341 (3) Co-operative Education Work Term I

    Supervised, technical work- integrated learning experience in a public or private organization for a minimum of three months. Formal co-op assignments required. Restricted to undergraduate students meeting the requirements of the Bachelor of Design and the Co-operative Education Program. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

    Prerequisite: APSC 107.

  21. DES 350 (3) Design Build

    Direct hands-on confrontation with the realities of design and construction, engaging in both conventional and unconventional building processes.

    Prerequisite: DES 302.

  22. DES 401 (9) Design Studio V - Urban Systems Scale Synthesis

    Relationships between communities and environment, urban infrastructure and ecological systems. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

    Prerequisite: A score of 60% or higher in DES 302.

  23. DES 402 (9) Design Studio VI - Away

    A design project engaged with an international context and site. Emphasis placed on mapping, interpretation of the international context as well as methods of construction, notions of program, and policies, regulations and codes that relate to the site. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

    Prerequisite: A score of 60% or higher in DES 401.

  24. DES 403 (9) Senior Design Project

    Final design project in the Honours Option with an independently conceived methodology allowing a student the opportunity to pursue his/her own set of interests and concerns. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

    Prerequisite: A sessional average of 80% or better in each of years 2 and 3 and a grade of 80% or better in each of DES 201, 202, 301, 302 and DES 401.

  25. DES 421 (3) Design Theory

    Introduction to a broad range of theories in architecture and design as they relate to the built environment. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

  26. DES 422 (3) Urbanism by Design

    A history of the planning, landscape architecture and urban design of cities, and of how ideas have influenced the design of the city. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

  27. DES 430 (3) Environment, Urban Form, and Infrastructure

    Relationships between, and integration of, the natural environment and the physical form, spatial structure, and infrastructure of livability of cities. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

  28. DES 442 (3) Co-operative Education Work Term II

    Supervised, technical work- integrated learning experience in a public or private organization for a minimum of three months. Formal co-op assignments required. Restricted to undergraduate students meeting the requirements of the Bachelor of Design and the Co-operative Education Program. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

    Prerequisite: DES 341.

  29. DES 443 (3) Co-operative Education Work Term III

    Supervised, technical work- integrated learning experience in a public or private organization for a minimum of three months. Formal co-op assignments required. Restricted to undergraduate students meeting the requirements of the Bachelor of Design and the Co-operative Education Program. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

    Prerequisite: DES 442.

  30. DES 444 (3) Co-operative Education Work Term IV

    Supervised, technical work- integrated learning experience in a public or private organization for a minimum of three months. Formal co-op assignments required. Restricted to undergraduate students meeting the requirements of the Bachelor of Design and the Co-operative Education Program. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

    Prerequisite: DES 443.

  31. DES 445 (3) Entrepreneurship and Ethics in Design

    Core business skills, building on students' design capabilities to pursue ethical and sustainable design-based business goals. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

  32. DES 450 (1-9) d Special Topics

    This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

  33. DES 562 (3) Research Seminar

    Processes, procedures, ethics and quality expectations of advanced research. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

  34. DES 565 (3-6) Research Colloquium

    Pass/fail. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

  35. DES 567 (3-6) Directed Reading in Design, Technology and Society

    This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

  36. DES 699 (0) Doctoral Dissertation

    Pass/fail. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.


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