INTEG 121Collaboration, Design Thinking, and Problem Solving
- Units
- 0.50
- Faculty
- Environment
- Subject
- Knowledge Integration
When it runs
- F24
- W25
- S25
- F25
- W26
- S26
- F26
- W27
- S27
Ran in 2 of the last 7 terms. Winter 2027: not on the schedule. Spring 2027: schedule not out yet.
A project course in design and problem-solving across various disciplines. Topics include problem-solving methods and issues in design, including ethics, sustainability, and communication in small groups. Applied design projects require group work and draw on the skills of creative and critical thinking.
Prerequisites
None listed.
Antirequisites
None listed.
Leads to
Reviewed on UW Flow
72% liked it56% easy69% useful
From 47 ratings and 14 comments on UW Flow. The most helpful comments, quoted as written, without names. Read them all on UW Flow.
The lectures are hard to sit through because of how they're delivered. While the content itself is interesting, the professor makes it so convoluted that it's hard to follow. So much information is thrown at you that when the assignments come around it's hard to know what information is relevant and what's not. Participation is worth 35% of your grade but the marking is weird. You can get a check plus, a check, or a check minus, which feels like you're back in elementary school. It's easy to do well in the course but you probably won't enjoy doing the work or going to class.
Apr 2023 · didn’t like it · 1 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this
This course is what you make of it the content is really easy but not very useful. Personally, I would consider who the prof is when deciding to take this course. In my experience the prof made the lectures more about the validity of their knowledge then teaching the knowledge to students
May 2025 · didn’t like itOn UW FlowRemove this
Vanessa is the most confusing professor I have ever had. This is required for KI but I wish the department would stage an intervention. Simply due to the fact that students were teaching and assisting each other more than she ever did the entire term. Not to mention she loves contradicting herself with prior instructions. Even when she tells you something is permissible for an assignment, you end up getting penalized for it.
Mar 2025 · didn’t like itOn UW FlowRemove this
Dude just run if you can; if its required (aka you're in KI), goodluck and stick with your classmates because you will not have anyone else to rely on
Jan 2025 · didn’t like itOn UW FlowRemove this
I wanted to like this course so badly and I still think it had the potential to be really interesting, however it sucked hard. SOOO much class time was spent trying to clarify instructions and concepts over and over again, which somehow made it LESS clear what we were actually supposed to be doing. Way too many things were going on at a time, which made it hard to spend enough time on anything to do well. I will say I liked that there was a lot of time given to complete group during class, but this also meant that not much class time was actually spent on content delivery which made it feel like we didn't really have a good foundation of knowledge for all these projects. Overall, super…
Jan 2025 · didn’t like itOn UW FlowRemove this
Discussed on r/uwaterloo
9 posts and comments in 7 threads mention INTEG 121, May 2017 to December 2024. Quoted word for word, newest first; each reply sits under the post and the comment that started its branch. Search r/uwaterloo for newer posts.
Winter 2022
Some “useful” arts or STEM faculty courses to take? 6 points, 12 comments
“Edit: you all have been incredibly helpful, thank you ╰(´︶)╯♡ I’m currently a 2nd yr Legal Studies and English (RMPC) student who’s about to take some courses for the first time irl this spring …”
u/zeph-yr: “… it is a bit "dismal" at times but really has some applicable stuff CS 116 - really enjoyed this one a lot haha INTEG 121 - good course if you don't know much about design thinking, otherwise I'd skip it PACS 302 (Math for Good and Evil) - very broad strokes about math and its …”
Spring 2019
Thoughts on knowledge integration program? 10 points, 17 comments
“Bachelor of knowledge integration sounds very sexy but what does it mean?”
u/TheFinnstagator: “… long museum exhibit design course, where you work with people in your class similarly to integ 121 but for a longer period of time and a bigger scale project. It teaches you about teamwork, communication and collaboration. …”
Spring 2018
Acceptances Megathread [Fall 2018 Incoming Students] 142 points, 1,897 comments
“Hi all, This thread is specifically for those who got accepted to UW to discuss different issues (residences, courses, student life, etc.) and celebrate the hard work and efforts of those who have …”
u/Lebrassasaurus: “How was INTEG 120/121, in terms of both usefulness and difficulty?”
u/mssgmx: “Check uwflow for ratings on courses Integ120 and Integ121. Most people don't touch it unless they're in KI though, curious why you're interested in it?”
u/eggform: “INTEG 121 was not very useful but very straightforward. It mostly consisted of group projects.”
Winter 2018
Knowledge Integration 3 points, 4 comments
“I have a few main ideas although still basically don't know what I want to do so I've been looking through course requirements for different programs, etc. …”
u/TheFinnstagator: “Hey! I’m in Knowledge Integration. If you want to message me about it feel free! Switching programs isn't too difficult, a number of my friends only switched into the program in second year and are …”
u/TheFinnstagator: “… long museum exhibit design course, where you work with people in your class similarly to integ 121 but for a longer period of time and a bigger scale project. It teaches you about teamwork, communication and collaboration. …”
Fall 2017
Any graphic-design based electives that do not have GBDA as antireq? 4 points, 3 comments
“I want to gain more design experience.. Apart from GBDA 101, there's no other graphic design-related course within the program. Suggestions? …”
u/TheFinnstagator: “… Integ 121: which focuses on a number of different design thinking processes. …”
Any way to disable UWCourseLinker from posting? 16 points, 26 comments
“posting a reply to my comment I find the bot annoying.”
u/Jackhofmann: “PSYCH 483 PSYCH 484 PSYCH 485 PSYCH 486 PSYCH 490R PSYCH 499A PSYCH 499B PSYCH 499C PSYCH 621 PSYCH 630 PSYCH 677A PSYCH 704A PSYCH 704B PSYCH 707 PSYCH 710 PSYCH 714 PSYCH 717 PSYCH 720A PSYCH 721A …”
u/Jackhofmann: “… INDEV 490A INDEV 601 INDEV 602 INDEV 604 INDEV 606 INDEV 609 INDEV 611 INTEG 10 INTEG 120 INTEG 121 INTEG 220 INTEG 231 INTEG 320 INTEG 375 INTEG 420A INTEG 420B INTEG 452A INTEG 475 INTST 101 IS 101 IS 102 IS 103 IS 104 IS 105 IS 106 IS 107 IS 108 IS 109 IS 110 IS 201 IS 202 IS …”
Spring 2017
Courses with group projects (to meet people?) 1 point, 5 comments
“What courses have a lot of class interaction between students so I can meet new people? This is the first time I get to choose an elective in a while, and I'm trying to meet people outside of my …”
u/TheFinnstagator: “Integ 121 has three group projects with different people that focus on design”
Check it elsewhere for Fall 2026
- Undergraduate Calendar, 2026–27The official entry
- Requirements for Fall 2026Waterloo’s requisite checker
- Schedule of Classes, Fall 2026Instructors, rooms, live seats
- Quest Class SearchWhere you enrol
- Course outlinesSyllabi from past terms (UW login)
- UW FlowStudent ratings and reviews
- WClassesPast sections back to 2004, and who taught them