ARCH417 History of Design
Syllabus | International University of Sarajevo - Last Update on Oct 10, 2025
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Architecture
Nerma Omićević
Course Lecturer
Course Objectives
This course will introduce the students to the key concepts of design pratice from the industrial revolution through to the contemprary. Using a variety of media and teaching methodologies students will be introduced the the varety of socio-historic contexts in which design practice had been produced and understood.
Learning Outcomes
After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:
Course Materials
Required Textbook
Woodham, J. M. (1997). Twentieth century design. Oxford University Press.
Additional Literature
Heskett, J. (1980). Industrial design (Illustrated ed.). Oxford University Press. Pevsner, N. (1968). The sources of modern architecture and design. New York: Oxford University Press.Teaching Methods
Face-to-face lectures
Class discussion
Weekly Topics
| Week | Topic | Readings / References |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction. What is Design? | |
| 2 | The Industrial Revolution | John Heskett, Industrial Design, Chapter 2 |
| 3 | The Great Exhibition | Niklaus Pevsner, The Sources of Modern Architecture and Design, Chapter 1 |
| 4 | Presentations | |
| 5 | The Arts and Crafts | |
| 6 | Art Nouveau | Niklaus Pevsner, The Sources of Modern Architecture and Design, Chapter 2 |
| 7 | Mid-Term Exam | |
| 8 | Modernism in Design | Jonathan M Woodham, Twentieth Century Design, Chapter 2 |
| 9 | The Bauhaus | |
| 10 | In Class Exercise | |
| 11 | De Stijl | |
| 12 | Art Deco | |
| 13 | Streamlining | John Heskett, Industrial Design, Chapter 7 |
| 14 | Post-war Design | Jonathan M Woodham, Twentieth Century Design, Chapter 8 |
| 15 | Recap |
Course Schedule (All Sections)
Office Hours & Room
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Assessment Components
Final Exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 4 5
Midterm exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 4 5
Assignments
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 2 3 4 5
IUS Grading System
| Grading Scale | IUS Grading System | IUS Coeff. | Letter (B&H) | Numerical (B&H) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 - 44 | F | 0 | F | 5 |
| 45 - 54 | E | 1 | ||
| 55 - 64 | C | 2 | E | 6 |
| 65 - 69 | C+ | 2.3 | D | 7 |
| 70 -74 | B- | 2.7 | ||
| 75 - 79 | B | 3 | C | 8 |
| 80 - 84 | B+ | 3.3 | ||
| 85 - 94 | A- | 3.7 | B | 9 |
| 95 - 100 | A | 4 | A | 10 |
Late Work Policy
Information about late submission policies will be shared during class and posted in this section. Please check back for official guidelines.
ECTS Credit Calculation
📚 Student Workload
This 4 ECTS credit course corresponds to 100 hours of total student workload, distributed as follows:
Lecture Hours
28 hours ⏳ (14 week × 2 h)
Midterm exam
2 hours ⏳ (1 week × 2 h)
Final exam
2 hours ⏳ (1 week × 2 h)
Home study
60 hours ⏳ (10 week × 6 h)
Final exam study
8 hours ⏳ (2 week × 4 h)
100 Total Workload Hours
4 ECTS Credits
Course Policies
Academic Integrity
All work submitted must be your own. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in disciplinary action according to university policies. When in doubt about citation practices, consult the instructor.
Attendance Policy
Students are expected to adhere to the attendance requirements as outlined in the International University of Sarajevo Study Rules and Regulations. Excessive absences, whether excused or unexcused, may impact academic performance and eligibility for assessment. Mandatory sessions (e.g., labs, workshops) require attendance unless formally exempted. For detailed policies on absences, documentation, and penalties, please refer to the official university regulations.
Technology & AI Policy
Laptops/tablets may be used for note-taking only during lectures. Phones should be silenced and put away during all class sessions. Audio/video recording requires prior permission from the instructor.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Usage: The use of AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini) varies by assessment component. Please refer to the AI usage indicator next to each assessment item in the Assessment Methods and Criteria section above. Submitting AI-generated content as your own work, where AI is not explicitly allowed, constitutes an academic integrity violation.
Communication Policy
All course-related communication should occur through official university channels (institutional email or SIS). Emails should include [ARCH417] in the subject line.
Academic Quality Assurance Policy
Course Academic Quality Assurance is achieved through Semester Student Survey. At the end of each academic year, the institution of higher education is obliged to evaluate work of the academic staff, or the success of realization of the curricula.
Learning Tips
Be prepared to contribute thoughtfully during class discussions, labs, or collaborative work. Active participation deepens understanding and encourages critical thinking.
Complete assigned readings or prep materials before class. Take notes, highlight key ideas, and jot down questions. Aim to grasp core concepts and their applications—not just facts.
Use course frameworks or methodologies to analyze problems, case studies, or projects. Begin early to allow time for reflection and refinement. Seek feedback to improve your work.
Don’t hesitate to reach out when something is unclear. Use office hours, discussion boards, or peer networks to clarify concepts and stay on track.
Syllabus Last Updated on Oct 10, 2025 | International University of Sarajevo
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| Course Code | Course Title | Weekly Hours* | ECTS | Weekly Class Schedule | ||||||
| T | P | |||||||||
| ARCH417 | History of Design | 2 | 0 | 4 | TBA | |||||
| Prerequisite | Senior Standing | It is a prerequisite to | - | |||||||
| Lecturer | Nerma Omićević | Office Hours / Room / Phone | Wednesday: 9:30-12:00 Thursday: 9:30-12:00 |
|||||||
| nomicevic@ius.edu.ba | ||||||||||
| Assistant | TBA | Assistant E-mail | ||||||||
| Course Objectives | This course will introduce the students to the key concepts of design pratice from the industrial revolution through to the contemprary. Using a variety of media and teaching methodologies students will be introduced the the varety of socio-historic contexts in which design practice had been produced and understood. |
|||||||||
| Textbook | Woodham, J. M. (1997). Twentieth century design. Oxford University Press. | |||||||||
| Additional Literature |
|
|||||||||
| Learning Outcomes | After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to: | |||||||||
|
||||||||||
| Teaching Methods | Face-to-face lectures, class discussion | |||||||||
| Teaching Method Delivery | Face-to-face | Teaching Method Delivery Notes | ||||||||
| WEEK | TOPIC | REFERENCE | ||||||||
| Week 1 | Introduction. What is Design? | |||||||||
| Week 2 | The Industrial Revolution | John Heskett, Industrial Design, Chapter 2 | ||||||||
| Week 3 | The Great Exhibition | Niklaus Pevsner, The Sources of Modern Architecture and Design, Chapter 1 | ||||||||
| Week 4 | Presentations | |||||||||
| Week 5 | The Arts and Crafts | |||||||||
| Week 6 | Art Nouveau | Niklaus Pevsner, The Sources of Modern Architecture and Design, Chapter 2 | ||||||||
| Week 7 | Mid-Term Exam | |||||||||
| Week 8 | Modernism in Design | Jonathan M Woodham, Twentieth Century Design, Chapter 2 | ||||||||
| Week 9 | The Bauhaus | |||||||||
| Week 10 | In Class Exercise | |||||||||
| Week 11 | De Stijl | |||||||||
| Week 12 | Art Deco | |||||||||
| Week 13 | Streamlining | John Heskett, Industrial Design, Chapter 7 | ||||||||
| Week 14 | Post-war Design | Jonathan M Woodham, Twentieth Century Design, Chapter 8 | ||||||||
| Week 15 | Recap | |||||||||
| Assessment Methods and Criteria | Evaluation Tool | Quantity | Weight | Alignment with LOs | AI Usage |
| Final Exam | 1 | 40 | 1,2,3,4,5 | Not Allowed | |
| Semester Evaluation Components | |||||
| Midterm exam | 1 | 20 | 1,2,3,4,5 | Not Allowed | |
| Assignments | 2 | 40 | 2,3,4,5 | Not Allowed | |
| *** ECTS Credit Calculation *** | |||||
| Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | |||
| Lecture Hours | 2 | 14 | 28 | Midterm exam | 2 | 1 | 2 | |||
| Final exam | 2 | 1 | 2 | Home study | 6 | 10 | 60 | |||
| Final exam study | 4 | 2 | 8 | 0 | ||||||
| Total Workload Hours = | 100 | |||||||||
| *T= Teaching, P= Practice | ECTS Credit = | 4 | ||||||||
| Course Academic Quality Assurance: Semester Student Survey | Last Update Date: 23/10/2025 | |||||||||