Manhattanville College to Offer Certificate in Design Thinking

BCW Member Manhattanville College announced this week that they will offer a certificate in Design Thinking beginning in the fall semester, giving its undergraduate students the opportunity to gain the top skills employers today are seeking. The program, which is the first of its kind in Westchester County, is unique in that very few undergraduate liberal arts colleges offer such a certificate. Non-matriculated students can also enroll in the certificate program, allowing working professionals and high school students to develop these skills at Manhattanville.

Design thinking is a systematic approach to solving problems that has gained popularity in recent years among business leaders and others because of its emphasis on innovative solutions to complex issues. A design thinking approach fosters the development of skills that are useful in any environment, including adaptability and empathy. The Center for Design Thinking at Manhattanville College brings a sharp focus to the methods and mindsets of design thinking, integrating and amplifying many of the skill sets that are already developed through a strong liberal arts education.

The Center provides opportunities for the application of these skills through real-world problem solving. The certificate program can be completed alongside any of Manhattanville’s undergraduate majors, allowing students to apply design thinking methodology and mindsets to disciplinary challenges, developing real-world experience in the process. Those in the program will learn to use design thinking to identify and test innovative solutions to the most difficult problems in a real-world setting with an emphasis on team creation, project management, collaboration, and professionalism. Students will conduct research using design thinking and develop oral and visual communication skills.