Student Spotlight: Unlocking New Skills Through The MIIPS Online Degree
Helen Liang (MIIPS Online) is using her degree to unlock new skills she didn’t think possible
By Hannah Brelsford
About a year ago, Helen Liang (MIIPS Online) graduated from Emily Carr University of Art and Design in Canada with her Bachelor’s Degree in Graphic Design. Here, she built foundational design skills, but she was curious to learn more and knew that it was not the end of her academic journey.
While preparing to return to school, she worked part-time as a design instructor. This experience shifted her perspective on what it means to be a student. As a teacher, she learned the value of these roles and recognized how important it is to help students fully grasp the concepts being taught.
Once she was ready to take the next step in her education, she found the perfect blend of disciplines at the Integrated Innovation Institute at Carnegie Mellon University where she found the Online Master's of Integrated Innovation for Products & Services.
“I chose the Online MIIPS program because of the unique blend between design, technology, and business. This was something I did not see in other programs. With the program, I wanted to go beyond visual design and into user experience.”
The Fast Facts: A Summary of Helen’s Time in the MIIPS Online Program
The Perfect Place to Build Perspective 📚
- Building off her previous design background
- Participating in an online classroom
- Working while taking multiple classes
Your Classmates as Your Teachers 📝
- Learning from classmates from different backgrounds
- Having real-world experience in the classroom
Learning New Skills from New Approaches 🧑🏫
- Learning skills she never thought were possible
- Professor Arthur’s approaches to teaching
What’s Next 🎓
- Curious to learn more about herself and the world around her
- Expected graduation with her MIIPS degree in 2026
- Entering the UX/UI Industry
The Perfect Place to Build Perspective
While searching for programs, Helen struggled to find any that resembled the Online MIIPS degree. For her, it was crucial that the degree encompassed not just visual design, but also product thinking.
Helen viewed MIIPS as the “perfect space to build a comprehensive understanding” of the entire product development process. She believed it would allow her to apply a full spectrum of knowledge to her work.
Furthermore, the online learning environment suited her personal learning style. In traditional classroom settings, Helen often found it challenging to participate as a student. In contrast, the online format of the MIIPS degree provides her with the time and space needed to think through her ideas and reflect on what she is learning.
Her preferred method of participation is through the weekly discussion posts assigned to students. This approach allows her to demonstrate her understanding of the course material while providing the opportunity for personal reflection at her own pace.
The MIIPS online program enables Helen to take three courses simultaneously while she works as a remote designer. Although this schedule is demanding, requiring her to balance multiple courses and work commitments, it allows her to make significant academic progress while continuing to advance her career.
Your Classmates as Your Teachers
Design is not created or practiced in isolation. Its interdisciplinary nature allows Helen to integrate design with engineering and business, drawing on the diverse perspectives of her classmates.
“Design is always interacting with engineering, business, and user needs. Being in a place where everyone comes from a different background pushes the problem for me to see it from multiple perspectives. It also challenges you to communicate your ideas more clearly because not everyone thinks like you.”
Working with her classmates from diverse backgrounds introduced Helen to new ways of thinking, resulting in better collaboration and stronger solutions. “The classroom feels less like school and more like a simulation of real-world teamwork, which I find extremely valuable,” Helen said when discussing the interdisciplinary experience provided by the MIIPS degree.
In the Designing for Production and Sustainability course, students had to choose an effective battery management system. This required her to collaborate with classmates from different industries.
Helen’s initial solution focused on user experience and aesthetics. However, a team member with a business background approached the issue from a marketing perspective. She challenged Helen’s solution, prompting her to broaden her view on the best way to tackle the problem.
Helen truly values learning from her classmates, stating "I consider my classmates to be my best teachers due to their professional experience. The teamwork differs from my undergraduate experiences because of their approach to questions."
Learning New Skills from New Approaches
Helen used to believe that she would never learn coding. In the past, it had always been challenging for her to incorporate it into her skill set. However, during the Cyber-Physical Product Design course, she began to explore coding. Initially, she worried that she would fail. The material was more technical than anything she had encountered before, and previous attempts to grasp these concepts in other classes had been overwhelming due to the teaching methods used. Fortunately, this course changed her perspective on coding.
Professor Arthur Sugden taught this class in an approachable way. He turned the class into a series of open discussions and every class into thoughtful and engaging sessions.
In class, students were asked to discuss an AI-powered smart doorbell and the types of data that such a technology might collect. It was emphasized that students did not need a technical background to respond to the question. Professor Sugden then encouraged them to consider what kinds of bias could be introduced through this data collection.
This approach helped Helen learn the technical aspects of the issue by providing a real-world context. Professor Sugden made coding accessible to her by encouraging her to build on her existing skills. By teaching within this practical framework, Helen was able to grasp how coding functions, which she had previously found challenging before joining the program.
What’s Next
Helen has always been deeply curious about her academic studies and the world around her. This curiosity has led her to develop a love for travel and meditation, which help her connect more deeply with herself.
Looking ahead, Helen hopes to fully transition into the UX/UI industry and make it the primary focus of her career. The holistic approach to design that the program offers has greatly influenced her aspirations. Although she considers herself a beginner in the industry, she remains open to any opportunities that come her way.
