Master of Science in Product Development
The Master of Science in Product Development was developed in cooperation with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and five major U.S. corporations. The program is focused largely on the automobile industry although it prepares anyone involved in the development of complex engineered products and systems. The program targets experienced engineers who will lead product development/manufacturing activities into the future. The curriculum is designed to be challenging and rigorous. The program is beneficial for both product and manufacturing personnel — product development, manufacturing, research, quality, and supply management among others.
Target Outcomes for the Product Development Program
The Product Development Program is a comprehensive and highly integrated set of learning experiences which develop the engineering professional into a future leader of product development/manufacturing activities. It achieves this mission to advance the theory and practice of product development and manufacturing by combining the best ideas and experiences of academia and industry.
The program develops the engineer's ability to use new and innovative approaches to design and deliver products and services. Teamwork and cross-disciplinary work skills are cultivated in this program. The cross-disciplinary nature of the program involves not only various technical disciplines, but it also teaches students the latest business and economic theories and techniques as they apply to the product development process.
The student outcomes of the MPD Program are:
- Ability to apply systems thinking/engineering with customer focus and total enterprise perspective.
- Understanding of and ability to apply current and advanced tools and techniques for design, analysis and management in product development and manufacturing
- Ability to routinely develop innovative and robust solutions to system design problems
- Ability to develop and execute complex system architectures
- Ability to function in a high-performing, multidisciplinary team
- Ability to transform customer/market requirements into competitive product portfolios and product functions and features
Competitiveness in the global market depends on capabilities to bring to market innovative products in the most cost-effective and timely manner and ahead of the competition. The MPD Program was designed to develop such expertise in US engineers. Systemic impact on product development/manufacturing teams can be achieved by aggressive infusion of advanced product development/manufacturing methods and strategies that are taught to the MPD students. The two-year cohort-based program begins only once every year — during January — and classes typically meet two evenings per week. Students may participate either on campus or via distance technology, but an in-person, two-week full-time kickoff experience is required.