Housed at the UNT at Frisco campus, the Project Design and Analysis Degree is a three-year program in which students are tasked with doing a semester-long project each academic term, said Kevin Sanders, director of co-curricular student services for project based learning. Students work directly with local industry partners by completing various projects for the organizations throughout the program. In addition to their coursework, students must complete high-level internships every year, he said.
“[Frisco is a] hub for student and industry intersection,” Sanders said.
About the program
The program is integrated in nature through project management, Sanders said.
Currently, students are working with AGWInsights, a Frisco-based company that provides companies with digital coaching platforms. In the partnership, students went through a discovery research process for the company and have since created a recommendation for a company product.
The partnership is beneficial for students as they take the learning out of the classroom and can work hands-on in a project, Sanders said. The program also creates a pathway for students when applying for jobs post-college, he said.
“They’re graduating with three high-level internships as well as a plethora of conceptual knowledge, project management, design thinking and data analytics,” Sanders said. “It puts them in a space to have a really robust resume and portfolio.”
The results
The degree program gives students a leg-up when it comes to the workplace, Sanders said. Students can become familiar with workplace dynamics and understand how to work within a collaborative team.
The first few years in the workplace may not rely on conceptual skills, Sanders said, but rather soft or marketable skills such as critical thinking, project management, professional communication and analytical skills.
