Holistic Design for 5Ps NRT Training Program
The NRT program is an innovative graduate training initiative focused on holistic-centered design across five key domains: policies, products, processes, places, and pedagogy (5Ps). It offers a flexible, discipline-agnostic certificate program designed to equip students with the knowledge, tools, and experiences necessary to address societal challenges through holistic design thinking and practices.
The NRT program is an innovative graduate training initiative focused on holistic-centered design across five key domains: policies, products, processes, places, and pedagogy (5Ps). It offers a flexible, discipline-agnostic certificate program designed to equip students with the knowledge, tools, and experiences necessary to address societal challenges through holistic design thinking and practices.
Program Highlights:
- Graduate Certificate in Holistic Design: 15-credit-hour program open to all UTEP graduate students and non-degree-seeking professionals. Non NRT Trainees can enroll in the standalone certificate.
- Flexible Pathways: Trainees can complete the certificate alongside an MS or PhD in their chosen discipline or as part of the Master of Multidisciplinary Studies (MMDS) program, integrating holistic-focused training into their career trajectory without extending time-to-degree.
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Inclusive Participation: The program trains three groups:
- NRT-funded graduate trainees pursuing MS or PhD degrees.
- Non-funded graduate students taking core courses as electives or earning the certificate.
- Non-degree-seeking professionals, such as organizational leaders, interested in holistic-focused design training.
- Core Curriculum: Team-taught by interdisciplinary faculty, the coursework aligns with diverse career interests, providing trainees with holistic design and research literary applicable to real-world challenges.
Unique Training Elements:
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Immersive Field Training Experience (IFTE): Trainees engage directly with industry and community partners through:
- Course projects involving a minimum of 20 hours of community engagement.
- Capstone projects addressing community-specific holistic design challenges, culminating in research publications and presentations.
- MS or PhD research theses incorporating holistic design principles.
- Enrichment Workshops: Hosted by the Graduate School, workshops enhance cultural competency, research communication, ethics, and leadership skills.
Community and Impact:
The NRT leverages UTEP’s strengths as a leading Hispanic-serving R1 university and builds on existing initiatives in health, diversity in education, and community engagement. Collaborations with UTEP’s Center for Community Engagement ensure impactful student experiences that drive societal change.
The NRT leverages UTEP’s strengths as a leading Hispanic-serving R1 university and builds on existing initiatives in health, diversity in education, and community engagement. Collaborations with UTEP’s Center for Community Engagement ensure impactful student experiences that drive societal change.
Sustainability:
By the end of the grant period, the program will establish an Holistic Design Corp—a community of research and practice uniting trainees, faculty, and stakeholders to sustain and expand the impact of holistic design. The program also aims to develop scalable toolkits and curricula for use by organizations worldwide.
By the end of the grant period, the program will establish an Holistic Design Corp—a community of research and practice uniting trainees, faculty, and stakeholders to sustain and expand the impact of holistic design. The program also aims to develop scalable toolkits and curricula for use by organizations worldwide.
The DE5P-NRT program transforms how graduate students and professionals think about design, empowering them to become Holistic Design Influencers who create lasting change in traditional and emerging career paths.
Core Courses:
Holistic Design for Policies, Products, Processes, Places & Pedagogy: Focuses on holistic design theory and design theory, frameworks, tools, techniques and processes for holistic and inclusive design of policies, products, processes, places and pedagogy.
Holistic Design Influencer Elective: HDI electives focus on providing in-depth design training in one of the 5Ps across disciplines. Each elective will include a community engagement project experience that specifically addresses holistic design in their chosen P.
Research Methods in Holistic Design: Focuses on research methods, tools, models and techniques to frame research hypotheses, and collect and analyze research data when designing the 5Ps for holistic design and inclusivity; will include cross-cutting research methods from engineering, health sciences, education, public administration and sciences on holistic design.
Research Seminar (Co-Led by core faculty): Introduces work on holistic design by researchers, organizational leaders, administrators, grassroots organizations, governmental entities; discusses perspectives on holistic design from engineering, health sciences, education, public administration and sciences; student will present their research and community engagement experiences.
Capstone Engagement Project Course: Exposes students to community needs and enables them to participate in an immersive field experience to address holistic design needs in one of the 5Ps.
The Holistic Design NRT program transforms how graduate students and professionals think about design, empowering them to become Holistic Design Influencers who create lasting change in traditional and emerging career paths.
Core Courses:
Holistic Design for Policies, Products, Processes, Places & Pedagogy: Focuses on holistic design theory and design theory, frameworks, tools, techniques and processes for holistic and inclusive design of policies, products, processes, places and pedagogy.
Holistic Design Influencer Elective: HDI electives focus on providing in-depth design training in one of the 5Ps across disciplines. Each elective will include a community engagement project experience that specifically addresses holistic design in their chosen P.
Research Methods in Holistic Design: Focuses on research methods, tools, models and techniques to frame research hypotheses, and collect and analyze research data when designing the 5Ps for holistic design and inclusivity; will include cross-cutting research methods from engineering, health sciences, education, public administration and sciences on holistic design.
Research Seminar (Co-Led by core faculty): Introduces work on holistic design by researchers, organizational leaders, administrators, grassroots organizations, governmental entities; discusses perspectives on holistic design from engineering, health sciences, education, public administration and sciences; student will present their research and community engagement experiences.
Capstone Engagement Project Course: Exposes students to community needs and enables them to participate in an immersive field experience to address holistic design needs in one of the 5Ps.
The Holistic Design NRT program transforms how graduate students and professionals think about design, empowering them to become Holistic Design Influencers who create lasting change in traditional and emerging career paths.
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Different career pathways that our trainees can pursue
Career Pathways:
Graduates are prepared to become Design Influencers (DIs), capable of integrating holistic design principles into traditional and emerging career fields.
Path1: Product Design: Creating inclusive and accessible products.
Path2: Process Design: Redesigning processes to serve communities in need.
Path3: Policy Development: Designing policies considering benefits for all.
Path4: Infrastructure and Places: Ensuring holistic design in urban planning, transportation, and public spaces.
Path5: Pedagogy: Promoting holistic design in education through inclusive and sustainable teaching practices.
Trainees will engage with community partners, participate in immersive field experiences, and complete capstone projects, preparing them for impactful careers in industry, academia, government, non-profits, or entrepreneurship.
Contact
PIC-HD NRT Program
Holistic Design National Research Traineeship Program
University of Texas at El Paso
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Our Sponsor: National Science Foundation