Collective
Boston College’s strategic nexus for human-centered design. We unite and elevate design initiatives across campus—combining academics, research, hands-on experience, and makerspaces into a shared collective. Through these four paths, we empower students from every major to develop a reflective problem-solving mindset, navigate real-world complexity, and build impactful solutions for the common good.
Foundational courses and a minor that equip students from every major with a human-centered problem-solving methodology.
Opportunities for students and faculty to bring human-centered design into ongoing, funded interdisciplinary research.
Seminars, conferences, guest speakers, and hands-on collaborative workshops where students actively experience design in action.
Makerspaces and prototyping labs where students test ideas and turn creative concepts into tangible solutions.
to your Boston
College degree.
The Design Minor equips students from any major with a human-centered process to solve complex problems and collaborate across disciplines. The program is housed within Design Studies, one of the Collective’s four pillars.
Research, collaborative projects, and prototypes show how students investigate, communicate, test ideas, and adapt.
Students graduate prepared to navigate ambiguity, collaborate across disciplines, learn from evidence, and explain their contribution.
Design thinking at BC isn’t about traditional design school—it’s a process for thoughtful action. Built on our Jesuit, liberal arts foundation, the Design Studies Minor empowers students across all majors to listen with empathy, test ideas, and drive real-world impact.
Listen deeply to community experiences and ground your work in context before jumping to solutions.
Treat communities as true partners in the process, not passive audiences for a finished answer.
Build quick prototypes and gather real-world feedback early to refine ideas before making major investments.
Consider the long-term impact of your decisions, prioritizing safety, accessibility, equity, and the common good.
Discover the Design Commons Collective (DCC).
Bringing together people, professions, and disciplines through design—complementing diverse expertise, fostering collaboration, and advancing innovation for the common good.
The Hatchery Makerspaces are known for physical prototyping — laser cutters, tools, materials, and hands-on making. But innovation today happens just as much on a screen as it does at . . .
Design is often understood as a profession. Increasingly, however, it is recognized as a powerful process — a way of thinking that can be applied across disciplines to navigate complexity . . .
Since its launch in 2021, The Hatchery Makerspaces have grown into a vibrant center of creativity, experimentation, and cross-disciplinary collaboration at Boston College. From expanded tools and equipment to its . . .
