UMN College of Design

Celebrating 15 Years

In 2006 the University of Minnesota launched a strategic initiative that created the College of Design by uniting the Department of Design, Housing, and Apparel from the College of Human Ecology with the College of Architecture and Landscape Architecture.

The College of Design celebrated its 15th Anniversary in 2021. As part of the celebration, the college created the College of Design Anniversary Compendium, a collaborative book authored by college faculty and researchers, that celebrates our college roots, formation, and looks to the future of design.

Department Of Design, Housing, And Apparel

The Department of Design, Housing, and Apparel (DHA) can trace its roots back to 1871 in the University of Minnesota School of Agriculture. Courses were designed to appeal to the growing number of women seeking higher education, which led to the establishment of the Home Economics Department in 1900. Wylle B. McNeal, for whom the St. Paul Campus building is named, became the head of Home Economics in 1923 and would continue to champion the new programs until her retirement in 1950. Harriet and Vetta Goldstein joined the faculty in 1913 and 1915, respectively, and spearheaded the development of the design curriculum. In the 1970s, a strategic reorganization lead to the creation of the College of Home Economics, which was separated into four departments:

• Design
• Family Social Science
• Food Science and Nutrition
• Textiles and Clothing

It was during this time of change that a major addition and renovation occurred: three separate buildings were joined together into what is recognized today as McNeal Hall. When the renovation was completed in 1976, the Goldstein Gallery (now the Goldstein Museum of Design) opened and featured exhibits that brought together students, faculty, and the community in a unique extension of the classroom.

In 1983, the Department of Design merged with the Department of Textiles and Clothing, to form DHA. Programs of study included costume design (later apparel design), applied design (later graphic design), housing studies, interior design, retail merchandising, and textiles and clothing. Eventually, the textiles and clothing major was closed. The product design major was added in 2016.