16-Month Master of Integrated Innovation for Products & Services – Advanced Study (MIIAS)

The 16-month MIIPS Advanced Study degree format features three academic semesters along with a summer internship. By comparison, the 9-month MIIPS degree format covers two academic semesters and requires no summer internship—making it ideal for applicants with more years of work experience.

Both formats share the same core curriculum during the first fall and spring semesters on Carnegie Mellon’s Pittsburgh campus. Following their internship, Advanced Study students return in the final fall semester for the 12-unit Mindset Intensive and 24 to 36 units of electives.

The 16-month MIIPS Advanced Study degree format is designed for early-career professionals with three years of work experience or less, as well as applicants looking to change careers or industries. Applicants typically have academic backgrounds in engineering, design (including fine arts, architecture, UX/UI and human-computer interaction) or business (including economics).

Applicants should have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0. The average GPA of admitted students is 3.5. GRE and GMAT scores are optional.

16-month MIIPS Advanced Study degree format students receive one-on-one coaching from the Integrated Innovation Institute’s career advisor to guide their internship search. Support includes career exploration, review of professional materials, search strategy, networking, interview preparation, and help evaluating and negotiating offers. Internship pay depends on the employer and varies by company.

Tuition for Carnegie Mellon's 16-month MIIPS Advanced Study degree format covers three academic semesters and the summer internship term. Current tuition rates and estimates for upcoming academic years are listed on the tuition section of the MIIPS admissions page. MIIPS is a self-funded degree program, so students or sponsoring employers pay full tuition and expenses. Tuition does not cover university fees, health insurance, housing or general living expenses, which CMU Student Financial Services estimates separately.

The Integrated Innovation Institute offers limited scholarships for applicants who are U.S. citizens or eligible noncitizens. Applicants request funding assistance through a form on their application status page after submitting the MIIPS application. The form asks applicants to explain how funding would affect their ability to attend. Funding requests do not affect admissions decisions.

The Integrated Innovation Institute (iii) may hire students for on-campus work opportunities. These opportunities vary from semester to semester.

Admitted students who commit to the program can apply for the iii Belonging Fellowship. International applicants can find additional opportunities through CMU’s Fellowships and Scholarships Office (FSO).

In their final fall semester, MIIPS Advanced Study students complete the 12-unit Mindset Intensive and 24 to 36 units of graduate electives. The Mindset Intensive offers specialized tracks in Experience-Driven Innovation, Systems Thinking or Technology-Driven Innovation. Electives can be taken across Carnegie Mellon, including the Tepper School of Business, the College of Fine Arts, Heinz College, and the Human-Computer Interaction Institute (HCII).

Across the full program, students complete at least 141 units, including at least 42 elective units. At least 12 elective units must be taken within the Integrated Innovation Institute.

Graduates of Carnegie Mellon's MIIPS program pursue careers in product management, product design, product development, UX/UI design, user research, design strategy consulting, and design engineering. From 2021 to 2025, the average starting salary for MIIPS graduates was $108,458 across both the 9-month and 16-month formats. To explore graduate salary data and career paths, visit the Recent Salary & Career Outcomes section on the MIIPS program page.