MSE:IPD applicants are engineers who want to work in entrepreneurial contexts, spending as much of their time defining the problem as they do resolving the solution. The MSE:IPD curriculum is designed to provide students with an engineering background with the tools to apply that background to product design problems.

The MSE:IPD teaches students design processes to generate creative ideas, rapid prototyping techniques and how to creatively resolve tensions between design, engineering and business criteria.

The courses provide students with the opportunity to build greater skills in engineering disciplines related to product design while helping them contextualize those skills as a part of the product design process. MSE:IPD students master methods for prototyping, fabrication, manufacturing, and computer-aided design. They complement their strength in engineering with a new skills in business and design arts.

MSE:IPD graduates are engineers with a passion for technology, innovation, and product design. They bridge the gap between form and function, translating customer needs and business needs into design criteria and technical specs. They implement new technologies to create impactful products and experiences that enhance people’s lives.

The curriculum is comprised of 6 core courses and 4 additional courses, one in design, one in business and two in engineering. Since the program is cross-disciplinary, students who do not have the requisite background in the design arts and marketing/finance, may be required to enroll in additional foundational courses in these areas.

The core curriculum is comprised of 6 foundational courses that are required of all students regardless of their undergraduate degree:

• IPD 551: Design Process (1st Semester) (1 CU)
• IPD 552: Problem Framing (2nd Semester) (1 CU)
• IPD 799: Final Project (3rd Semester) (1 CU)
• IPD 799: Final Project (4th Semester) (1 CU)
• MEAM 514: Design for Manufacturability (1 CU)
• MEAM 510: Design of Mechatronic Systems (1 CU)

For more information about design, engineering and business courses see the Course Directory. For guidance on the policies and procedures that govern the program see the  IPD Guidelines.