“设计思维”证书为学生提供了一个机会，使他们能够理解产生创新成果的思维结构和方法，从而为应用设计以外的其他领域的主要学位增加价值。证书课程不是基于工作室的，在发展交流，发现和意向性的同时，不需要可视化技能。作为建筑与设计学院的非工作室类课程，该证书具有独特的地位，强调在物理工艺上的思考能力。通过降低对视觉传达能力的期望，证书计划向希望从智力技能中受益但由于缺乏图形设备或能力而受到限制的学生开放设计教育。
The certificate in Design Thinking offers students the opportunity to gain an understanding of thinking structures and methods that produce innovative outcomes and thus, add value to a major degree in an area other than applied design. The certificate curriculum is non-studio based, will not require visualization skills while still developing communication, discovery and intentionality. As a non-studio offering in the College of Architecture and Design, this certificate holds a unique position that stresses thinking skills over physical craft. By reducing the expectation of visual communication aptitude, the certificate program opens design education to students who would benefit from the intellectual skills but are restricted by a lack of graphic facility or aptitude.