The Social System Design Lab offers many opportunities for all WUSTL students to learn about System Dynamics and Systems Thinking. The following courses are offered by the lab at the moment. Individuals who are not a part of the WUSTL student body can contact the lab in order to learn more about taking potential courses.
Designing Sustainable Social Policies & Programs: A Systems Dynamics Approach (S65-5660) – 3 credits
This course focuses on teaching students how to design sustainable policies and programs by using principles and practices of modeling dynamic systems in the sciences, social sciences, engineering, business, and social work.
Community Based System Dynamics (S65-5050) – 3 credits
This course introduces students to Group Model Building (GMB) as a method for facilitating organizational and team learning. The course will focus on the use of GMB as a practice method for working with organizations and communities using a set of structured small group exercises or “scripts”. For examples of student projects, follow this link and select “Student” from the “Project Type” drop-down menu.
Introduction to System Dynamics for Advancing Equity (S81-5504) – 1 credit
This course exposes students to a systems approach to understanding equity in health, education and general wellbeing in complex social systems spanning individuals and families to organizations, communities, and the global context.
Skills Lab I (S81-5501) – 1 credit
This course will help students learn how to engage organizations and communities using system dynamics with specific attention to stakeholder analysis, problem structuring, identifying and assessing data sources, conducting key informant interviews, and selecting the appropriate strategy for group model building, and wish to strengthen their skills using system dynamics for community development & practice.
Skills Lab II (S81-5502) – 1 credit
This course will help students learn how to formulate equations and build confidence in system dynamics simulation models for policy analysis, program design, and strategic planning.
Skills Lab III (S81-5503) – 1 credit
This course will help students learn and apply techniques for model analysis and policy design.The course is designed for those who have completed System Dynamics Skill Lab II, and wish to strengthen their skills in using system dynamics to identify and implement high leverage solutions.