VA415 Design Studio I
VA415 Design Studio I
Syllabus | International University of Sarajevo - Last Update on Sep 09, 2025
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Visual Arts and Visual Communications Design
Emir Hambo
Course Lecturer
Course Objectives
The goal of this course is to induce students to utilize design methodology at a more advanced level in a more structured approach. The projects in this course will have a highly defined design framework but with a few limitations in the ideation process and will be using international resources and design platforms (challenges, competitions, etc.). Such defined assignments will help students to understand the process of decision making and execution in the multifaceted design project. It is important to remember that the high expectations of this course are specifically structured to give students the best possible preparation for the exit into the professional world.
Learning Outcomes
After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:
Course Materials
Required Textbook
Design Thinking - The Handbook, Falk Uebernickel, Li Jiang, Walter Brenner, Britta Pukall, Therese Naef, Bernhard Schindlholzer, World Scientific, 2021
Additional Literature
Design Thinking by Gavin Ambrose, AVA Publishing (2009) Visual Thinking: for Design, Colin Ware, Morgan Kaufmann (2008) Fundamentals of Creative Design, by Gavin Ambrose, Ava Publishing (2003)Teaching Methods
Onsite lectures
Onsite class discussions
Practical exercises
Screenings
Industry contacts
And a potentially hybrid model that will be determined if circumstances demand it.
Weekly Topics
| Week | Topic | Readings / References |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction to the course, policies and course material. Plagiarism. | discussion |
| 2 | Portfolio review and self presentation. Introduction to Assignment 1. | discussion |
| 3 | Design Thinking - Warm Up Exercises | discussion / Sketches Review |
| 4 | Assignment 1 Submission/presentation. Assignment 2 Assigned | discussion / Assig. Review |
| 5 | Design Thinking Toolkit - Part 1 | discussion / Sketches Review |
| 6 | Assignment 2 Submission/presentation. Midterm Assigned | discussion / Assig. Review |
| 7 | Students Debate. Topic TBA | discussion / Sketches Review |
| 8 | MIDTERM | Submission |
| 9 | Design Thinking Toolkit - Part 2 - Assignment 3 Assigned. | discussion |
| 10 | Assignment 3 Submission/presentation. Assignment 4 Assigned | discussion / Assig. Review |
| 11 | Golden rules for design thinking spaces. Design Battle | discussion / Sketches Review |
| 12 | Assignment 4 Submission/presentation. | discussion / Assig. Review |
| 13 | Students Debate. Topic TBA | discussion / Sketches Review |
| 14 | Design thinking as part of the innovation process. Final exam introduction. | discussion / Assig. Review |
| 15 | Final Assignment Consultatıons |
Course Schedule (All Sections)
| Section | Type | Day 1 | Venue 1 | Day 2 | Venue 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VA415.1 | Course | Tuesday 09:00 - 11:50 | B F1.24 (MAC Studio) | - | - |
Office Hours & Room
| Day | Time | Office | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday | 15:00 - 17:00 | B F2.25 | |
| Wednesday | 10:00 - 12:00 | B F2.25 | |
| Thursday | 10:00 - 12:00 | B F2.25 | |
| Friday | 09:00 - 17:00 | B F2.25 | Research |
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Assessment Components
Final Exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : LO 2 3 4 5
Assignments
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : LO 1 2 3 4 5
Midterm exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : LO 3 4 5
Design Battle
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : LO 1-2-3-4 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 6 ECTS credit course corresponds to 150 hours of total student workload, distributed as follows:
Lecture Hours
22 hours ⏳ (11 week × 2 h)
Assignments
55 hours ⏳ (11 week × 5 h)
Practical Work
56 hours ⏳ (14 week × 4 h)
Mid-term Exam Study
8 hours ⏳ (2 week × 4 h)
Final Project Preparation
9 hours ⏳ (3 week × 3 h)
150 Total Workload Hours
6 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 [VA415] 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 Sep 09, 2025 | International University of Sarajevo
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Referencing Curricula Print this page
| Course Code | Course Title | Weekly Hours* | ECTS | Weekly Class Schedule | ||||||
| T | P | |||||||||
| VA415 | Design Studio I | 1 | 2 | 6 | ||||||
| Prerequisite | VA303, VA102, VA101, VA211 | It is a prerequisite to | - | |||||||
| Lecturer | Emir Hambo | Office Hours / Room / Phone | Tuesday: 15:00-17:00 Wednesday: 10:00-12:00 Thursday: 10:00-12:00 Friday: 9:00-17:00 Research |
|||||||
| ehambo@ius.edu.ba | ||||||||||
| Assistant | Assistant E-mail | |||||||||
| Course Objectives | The goal of this course is to induce students to utilize design methodology at a more advanced level in a more structured approach. The projects in this course will have a highly defined design framework but with a few limitations in the ideation process and will be using international resources and design platforms (challenges, competitions, etc.). Such defined assignments will help students to understand the process of decision making and execution in the multifaceted design project. It is important to remember that the high expectations of this course are specifically structured to give students the best possible preparation for the exit into the professional world. |
|||||||||
| Textbook | Design Thinking - The Handbook, Falk Uebernickel, Li Jiang, Walter Brenner, Britta Pukall, Therese Naef, Bernhard Schindlholzer, World Scientific, 2021 | |||||||||
| Additional Literature |
|
|||||||||
| Learning Outcomes | After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to: | |||||||||
|
||||||||||
| Teaching Methods | Onsite lectures, Onsite class discussions, practical exercises, screenings, industry contacts, and a potentially hybrid model that will be determined if circumstances demand it. | |||||||||
| Teaching Method Delivery | Face-to-face | Teaching Method Delivery Notes | ||||||||
| WEEK | TOPIC | REFERENCE | ||||||||
| Week 1 | Introduction to the course, policies and course material. Plagiarism. | discussion | ||||||||
| Week 2 | Portfolio review and self presentation. Introduction to Assignment 1. | discussion | ||||||||
| Week 3 | Design Thinking - Warm Up Exercises | discussion / Sketches Review | ||||||||
| Week 4 | Assignment 1 Submission/presentation. Assignment 2 Assigned | discussion / Assig. Review | ||||||||
| Week 5 | Design Thinking Toolkit - Part 1 | discussion / Sketches Review | ||||||||
| Week 6 | Assignment 2 Submission/presentation. Midterm Assigned | discussion / Assig. Review | ||||||||
| Week 7 | Students Debate. Topic TBA | discussion / Sketches Review | ||||||||
| Week 8 | MIDTERM | Submission | ||||||||
| Week 9 | Design Thinking Toolkit - Part 2 - Assignment 3 Assigned. | discussion | ||||||||
| Week 10 | Assignment 3 Submission/presentation. Assignment 4 Assigned | discussion / Assig. Review | ||||||||
| Week 11 | Golden rules for design thinking spaces. Design Battle | discussion / Sketches Review | ||||||||
| Week 12 | Assignment 4 Submission/presentation. | discussion / Assig. Review | ||||||||
| Week 13 | Students Debate. Topic TBA | discussion / Sketches Review | ||||||||
| Week 14 | Design thinking as part of the innovation process. Final exam introduction. | discussion / Assig. Review | ||||||||
| Week 15 | Final Assignment Consultatıons | |||||||||
| Assessment Methods and Criteria | Evaluation Tool | Quantity | Weight | Alignment with LOs | AI Usage |
| Final Exam | 1 | 30 | LO 2,3,4,5 | Not Allowed | |
| Semester Evaluation Components | |||||
| Assignments | 4 | 40 | LO 1,2,3,4,5 | Not Allowed | |
| Midterm exam | 1 | 20 | LO 3,4,5 | Not Allowed | |
| Design Battle | 1 | 10 | LO 1-2-3-4,5 | Not Allowed | |
| *** ECTS Credit Calculation *** | |||||
| Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | |||
| Lecture Hours | 2 | 11 | 22 | Assignments | 5 | 11 | 55 | |||
| Practical Work | 4 | 14 | 56 | Mid-term Exam Study | 4 | 2 | 8 | |||
| Final Project Preparation | 3 | 3 | 9 | |||||||
| Total Workload Hours = | 150 | |||||||||
| *T= Teaching, P= Practice | ECTS Credit = | 6 | ||||||||
| Course Academic Quality Assurance: Semester Student Survey | Last Update Date: 24/09/2025 | |||||||||