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We strive to create a cohort of people from diverse backgrounds with complementary skills who can learn from each other and contribute to the culture of the program.

Who Should Apply

Admission to the IPD program is competitive. We welcome applicants who aren’t satisfied with the status quo, enjoy working in a collaborative environment, naturally make connections, and are passionate about their work.

Prior to the matriculation in the M:IPD or MSE:IPD degree programs, candidates should have a background in one of the three areas: business, design arts, or engineering. Students applying to the MSE:IPD program must have a background in engineering.

*The M:IPD and the MSE:IPD degree programs are both STEM programs.

Application Deadline for 2024 entry is Feb 1, 2024

The application deadline for 2024 entry is February 1, 2024. Applications are NOT reviewed on a rolling basis. The Admission Committee will begin reviewing applications promptly after February 1st. First round admission decisions will be released after March 15th. IPD does utilize a wait-list process. Applicants on the wait-list will not receive a decision update until after April 15th.

Learn More About Applying

New applicants are welcome to visit the University to learn more about IPD during one of our Open Houses or register for an upcoming Webinar Session hosted by Graduate Admissions. If you are a current Penn undergraduate student and would like to apply for the M:IPD or the MSE:IPD, please reference the Internal Applicant information. If you are a current Penn graduate student who would like to apply to the IPD Certificate, please see the School of Design website.

Submit your application online.

Yichen Huang UPenn Product Design School Alumni

Have questions? Reach out to us today.

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Application Requirements

Below is a summary of the application requirements along with specific guidance for IPD applicants.  Please visit Graduate Admissions for more details.

  • Curriculum Vitae or Resume
  • Personal statement of research and professional interests (2 page limit).  IPD applicants are encouraged to write a personal statement that addresses all of the questions below, or submit a statement of their own design.
    • Why are you applying to IPD? Why is it the right choice for you right now?
    • What do you believe you can achieve with us personally or professionally that you can’t anywhere else in the world?
    • Tell us about a time when you identified a new, unusual or different approach for addressing a problem or task?
    • What’s the most important thing you’ve learned from a peer and how have you used that lesson in your day-to-day life?
  • Two (2) official letters of recommendation (one should be from a faculty member who is familiar with the candidate’s scholarly abilities)
  • Portfolio (more details below) is REQUIRED.
  • Transcripts
    • Unofficial Transcripts – submitted with application
    • Official Transcript – submitted when offer of admission is received
  • Submission of GRE scores is optional for the 2024 admission cycle.  If you are/were able to take the GRE exam and have valid scores to report, we encourage you to do so. If you are not able to take the GRE exam, your candidacy will not be negatively impacted as we review applications holistically. The institution code to use for the GRE exam is 2888. You must take the exam by the application deadline.
  • If you are an international applicant or a non-US citizen or permanent resident and English is not your native language, you must submit official scores for (1) the Test Of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL- recommended score of at least 100), (2) the International English Language Testing System (IELTS recommended score of at least 7.5), or (3) Duolingo English Test (DET recommended scores of at least 135). More information and the test waiver policy can be found here.
  • Non-refundable application fee

More information and How to Apply | Graduate Admissions FAQ

Portfolio

Applicants to the Integrated Product Design program must submit a visual portfolio of their work.

The admissions committee is aware that students from different backgrounds will have different kinds of portfolios. The goal of the portfolio is to demonstrate your ability to think conceptually and analytically, showcase your ability to tell a story visually, and tell us about your work. We’re also very interested in your work process — how you do the work and why you made the decisions that you made. The admissions committee looks for students who have experience in design, engineering or business and aptitude in the other two disciplines.

Portfolio submissions should adhere to the guidelines below and be submitted digitally as a PDF document. Applicants may chose to provide a web address for an online portfolio, that follows the guidelines below, on the first page of the PDF.  

  • A PDF document of no more than twenty 8.5 x 11″ pages should be submitted (portfolio or landscape). No fewer than four projects (two of which should be individual projects) and no more than eight.  The file size of the PDF should not exceed 10 MB.  Please assume that the admissions team is reviewing your portfolios on a laptop.
  • All work should be identified as academic, professional, or personal. If professional or team projects are included in the portfolio, the specific role and responsibility of the applicant in the production of the project must be clearly identified. Inclusion of independent work is encouraged.
  • Labels and writing should clearly explain the work. Number each image for reference in accompanying text within the PDF, noting the size of the object in the image, the date created, the medium used, and if the work was collaborative, the nature of the applicant’s contribution.
  • Applicants should provide a form of locating reference for all articles, patents, etc if referred to in your application, such as bibliographical data, patent number etc.
  • The applicant’s full contact information should appear on the first page, and their name on each subsequent page of the submission.

Submit your application online.

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