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Fall 2026 Classes

The Wond'ry offers a variety of curricular classes for undergraduate students at Vanderbilt University to help students further their innovation skillset. Dive deep into the world of human-centered design thinking, master the art of need-finding and user research, and bring your ideas to life with hands-on making and prototyping skills.

Wond'ry courses are open to undergraduate students of any major.

Courses taught by the Wond'ry (with the exception of first-year seminars) count for the Innovation and Design Strategy Minor, retroactively including courses taken prior to the minor's launch in 2026.

Fall 2026 Courses

  • ES-1115-03 : First-year Engineering Seminar - Need-Finding in Deep Tech

    Prerequisite: None

    A Human-Centered Approach to Uncovering the Needs in Deep Technology. Innovation begins with identifying the right problem. This seminar launches the "Uncover" phase of Vanderbilts Innovation Market-Driven Productization And Commercialization of [Deep] Technologies (IMPACT) program, empowering students to apply human-centered need-finding methods and stakeholder engagement to identify genuine user and societal challenges. Through interactive lectures, studio-style workshops, case studies, and insights from deep-tech industry leaders, students will master the core competencies required to frame real-world needs. The semester culminates in the production of a validated challenge statement and a need-finding portfolio.

    Class Time:  Wednesdays, 3:35PM - 4:25PM

    Location: Engineering & Science Building 044

  • IDS 2300 : Design Discovery

    Design Discovery logo depicting a cartoon eye looking through a magnifying lens

    Prerequisite: None

    This course offers a deep dive into best practices for engaging in the early stage innovation and design thinking processes. Students analyze problem contexts in ways that make design solutions more likely to be adopted by end-users, including learning how to observe users, ask the right questions, and develop and articulate insights that lead to better solutions. This class is a practical design process course for anyone considering future work in design, including User Experience (UX), Interaction Design (UI), Human-Centered Research and Design (HCR/HCD), technological innovation (R&D), or early-stage entrepreneurial activities.

    Counts for the Innovation & Design Strategy Minor

    Class Time:  Tuesdays & Thursdays, 2:45PM - 4:00PM

    Location: Engineering & Science Building 044

  • IDS 2273 / ME 2273 : How to Make Almost Anything

    Logo for How to Make Almost Anything

    Prerequisite: None

    Open to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd year students.  Being able to make things with hand tools and digital fabrication tools will help you quickly test ideas, clearly communicate concepts, and solve problems in your life.  Hosted in the Wond'ry, this course provides an introduction to design thinking, computer-aided design (CAD), rapid prototyping methods, and the strategies to actualize your ideas.  Also, you get to make stuff!

    Eligible for Immersion Vanderbilt's Immersive Experience component

    Counts for the Innovation & Design Strategy Minor

    • Class Time
      • Section 01: Mondays & Wednesdays, 3:10PM - 5:10PM
      • Section 02: Mondays & Wednesdays, 12:20PM - 2:20PM

    Location: ESB 201 (Wond'ry 2nd Floor Lounge)

  • ES 3890-02 : Wearable Product Design

    Prerequisite: None

    This course explores of the dynamic intersection of the human body, technology, and design through a human-centered design process. Students will develop skills in textile identification and pattern drafting and draping for fit, comfort, and movement applied to the research, design, and prototyping of innovative wearable products that integrate emerging technologies such as smart materials, sensors, and responsive systems. Students will critically examine how fashion, product design, and technology converge to redefine the relationship between humans and wearables, with particular emphasis on sustainability and adaptive, universal design solutions.

    Counts for the Innovation & Design Strategy Minor

    Class Time: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 4:15PM - 5:30PM

    Location: ESB 201 (Wond'ry 2nd Floor Lounge)  

  • IDS 4500 / ENGM 4500 : New Product Design & Development

    Prerequisite:  ENGM 2210; ENGM 3700 or CE 4400 or EECE 4950

    This project-based course focuses on the methods for managing the design, development, and commercialization of new products. Students will generate product concepts, develop a prototype strategy, model financial returns, explore intellectual property concerns, design retail packaging, and perform market testing to establish an optimal price.

    Counts for the Innovation & Design Strategy Minor

    Class Time: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 4:15PM - 5:30PM

    Location: Engineering & Science Building 044 

Additional Courses in Rotation

  • ME 3890 : Special Topics - Make It Real and Make It Matter

    Logo for Make It Real and Matter

    Prerequisite: ME-3273 or DF-2100

    This making course builds on skills learned in ME-3273: How to Make Almost Anything or DF-2100: Rapid Prototyping and is open to all majors.  Students will embark on a team-based, semester-long design/build/test project, crafting a design with an external sponsor/client and then putting their design through test phases with potential customers or end users to determine needed modifications.  Covered topics will include translation of client requirements and constraints, concept development, advanced prototyping methods, customer research and testing, and iterative client engagement.

  • IDS 3300 : Enterprise Design Thinking

    Prerequisite: None

    This hands-on, project-based course takes students through the full Design Thinking process using the IBM Enterprise Design Thinking framework. Working in interdisciplinary teams, students tackle a real-world industry challenge from empathy to implementation, developing skills in research, ideation, prototyping, and testing. By the end of the semester, students gain practical experience applying human-centered design methods to complex problems, preparing them for innovation-focused roles in any field.

  • ES 3890 : Prototyping Hardware Tech

    Prerequisite: None

    Rapid advances in electronics, automation, and connected devices are reshaping industries worldwide.  This course addresses the growing demand for professionals who can bridge the gap between concept and manufacturable product by empowering students with both the technical foundations and the collaborative, documentation, and outsourcing skills essential to real-world product development.  Students gain a competitive edge in fields ranging from consumer electronics and IoT to biomedical devices and sustainable technology-sectors driving innovation and shaping the future economy.

    Counts for the Innovation & Design Strategy Minor