John Bis originally taught in the Department of Design Studies when the School of Architecture & Planning was called the School of Architecture & Environmental Design. When the School was reorganized in the mid-1980's that department was eliminated and John moved with its courses into the Department of Environmental Design & Planning (now the Department of Urban & Regional Planning). At this time he also took on the role of Associate Dean and subsequently reduced his teaching because of this new administrative duty.

Over the years John Bis has taught a wide range of course. These include large enrollment undergraduate lecture courses, undergraduate design studios and undergraduate lectures. Before the merger of the School's Department of Design Studies into the Department of Planning & Environmental Design he taught the following three courses:

Design Studies 120 - "The Contemporary Environment"

This was a large audience (150 to 200 student) introductory course originally designed and taught by the School's then dean, Harold Cohen. The course focused on a wide range of contemporary issues with references ranging from the design methods and thinking of Buckminster Fuller to an exposure to principles of analysis of human behavior in the built environment.

Design Studies 220/221 - "Studio in the Physical Environment"

This was a two semester studio sequence which introduced students to design thinking. Assigned problems ranged from traditional design exploration of materials, through toy design and fabrication, to exercises in observations/analysis of human factors and behavior.

Since the restructuring during the 1980's of the School into two departments John's courses in the Department of Urban & Regional Planning have included both undergraduate and graduate offerings. These are:

Environmental Design 301 - "Environmental Perspectives"

This course provided skills needed to promote an awareness of the human environment and impacts of design upon that environment. It exposed the student to a variety of ways of looking at and exploring the concepts of "environment" and "design".

Environmental Design 303 - "Methods of Communication"

This course provided students with a series of structured opportunities to develop skills in the effective communication of design and planning proposals, proposed problem solutions and related topics.

Planning & Design 350 - "Urban and Environmental Information Systems"

This successor course to ED 303 was intended to provide each student with the opportunity to develop and improve skills in gathering and interpreting urban and environmental information.

Environmental Design 408 - "Complex Problem Solving"

This course exposed the student to both theoretical and practical problem solving methods and techniques. The course used a series of structured lectures, discussions and exercises involving theories and models of problem solving.

Environmental Design 460 - "Lab Practicum/Studio"

This undergraduate studio integrated the student's classroom learning with a real world client's problem. Typically the clients were not-for-profit agencies or organizations.

Planning & Design 494 - "Our Contemporary Environment - Examining the Invisible Web"

A senior level undergraduate course that examines the often overlooked urban infrastructure that is critical to contemporary society.

Urban Planning 530 - "Local Planning Policy"

This graduate course examines the relationships between planning processes and plan making (the ideal) and issues of policy-making, planning and management within the context of local government (the reality). Examples of local plan making issues are presented by local practicing planners who are strategically scheduled into five of the semester's course lectures.

Urban Planning 581/582 - "Lab Practicum/Studio"

These graduate studios integrate learning from lecture courses and readings with both real and theoretical planning problems. Real clients are sought out for each of the studios so as to provide the student with practical experience in planning issues analysis and plan development for constituents.