The curriculum is designed with the following attributes:

• Comprehensive – covering the full range of theories and methods that futurists in the world today.
• Practical – focusing on developing the skills that futurists use; knowledge is essential, but the use of that knowledge is always the focus.
• Product-oriented – demonstrating those skills by producing portfolios of professional products (forecast, plans, etc.) in every course.
• Interactive – engaging in mutual learning among teachers and all students.
• Networked – linking topics and students with the institutions and the professionals that are practicing futures studies today.

It is also designed to achieve these Learning Objectives.

The curriculum has a six-level structure.

Level 1 – Overview

Introduction to Futures Studies – a survey of the futures field, including its theories, methods, history, and current structure.

Level 2 – Theory

Social Change – a critical review of classical and contemporary theories of social change, emphasizing the assumptions and applications of each.

Systems Thinking – a review of the classical cybernetic systems view and the emerging complex adaptive view in order to see trends and events in the world as the product of a pre-existing system structure.

Level 3 – Methods

Futures Research – introduction to and practice in the tools and techniques used in forecasting (including secondary research, interviews and questionnaire and trend extrapolation), for identifying the most likely and expected future as well as alternative futures (aka Scenarios).

Strategic Planning – introduction to and practice in the tools and techniques for organizing people and resources to create transformational change and the techniques for creating such change.

Statistics – a review of the essential mathematical tools used by long-term forecasters and planners in business and government.

Level 4 – Content

World Futures – a review of the major trends and issues in the world today that are shaping the future of tomorrow.

Domain – Each student selects a futures domain for in-depth work, such as a technology, an industry or a social issue. The student takes three courses in the future that domain in order to become more knowledgeable and experienced in that topic. Domain courses offered by the department have been the future of space exploration, the future of biotechnology, the future of the United States, the future of women, and technology forecasting.

Level 5 – Capstone

Proseminar in Futures Studies – a final review of the futures field, practice in professional skills (such as writing, presentation, consulting and training), and preparation for professional practice.

Level 6 – Master’s Option (one of the following)

Thesis – academic research based on empirical evidence that makes a contribution to futures theory or methodology, resulting in a thesis and a optional publishable article.

Project – professional futures research (forecast, plan, etc.) for a designated client demonstrating a range of professional skills and techniques.

Internship – work with a professional futurist on a broad range of projects over ten or more weeks (400 clock hours), resulting in a report of activities and learning.

Courses may be taken in any order, except that the Introduction to Futures Studies should be taken as early as possible and the Proseminar in Futures Studies should be taken toward the end of the program. In addition, students are expected to identify two electives outside the futures studies program, also taken late in the program and generally in a domain of the student’s interest and future practice, such as business, education, government, etc.