MIIPS Program Details: 16 Month Format
Building on the core MIIPS curriculum, the Advanced Study degree takes your Integrated Innovation training a step further. You'll gain practical, industry experience in a summer internship and delve further into cutting-edge technology and applied research.
Program Features:
- 16 Months (August - December) with a summer internship & additional fall semester
- Ideal for candidates seeking more professional experience or to pivot careers completely
- Students will take core courses across engineering, business, and design, plus specialized courses in AI, product and brand management, product development and leadership
Curriculum
Curriculum Requirements
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Students must maintain full-time student status (36 units) during three semesters: fall #1, spring #1, and fall #2 terms.
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Students must complete at least 42 units of electives relevant to the product development process and be approved by an advisor. This includes 12 units of electives completed within the Integrated Innovation Institute (49-xxx).
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To work with industry sponsors during the degree-required Integrated Product Development capstone course, signing contractual terms regarding intellectual property and non-disclosure agreements may be required to complete the course project.
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All coursework must be completed with graduate-level courses.
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Students must have a minimum QPA of 3.0 to graduate.
"In the world of product management, it's quite common to find individuals with strong technical backgrounds, but not as many with a background in design. My design-oriented foundation helps me bring a fresh and creative perspective to the table. This blend of skills I've acquired from past experiences and the MIIPS program allows me to approach challenges from a different angle."
MYRIA MATHEW (MIIPS '23)
Read more about Myria's journey >
Featured Course
Innovation Mindset in Practice
Take your thinking to the next level as you explore a topic in the context of an integrated approach to innovation. From your first day of class as a MIIPS student, you will be challenged to embrace ambiguity, trust in a human-centered, evidence-based process, and think as creatively as possible on multidisciplinary teams.
In this intensive class, you'll be challenged to apply your new skills: critical thinking, an innovative mindset, disciplined research, and thoughtful use of tools and methods to a topic of your choosing.
Past topics have included:
- Gendering of Products in the Toy Industry
- The Future of Responsive Architecture
- Re-evaluating strategies for curbing self-inflicted gun suicides: How can designers save lives?
Practical Experience: Summer Internships
All MIIPS Advanced students complete a summer internship to put skills learned to use in a practical, hands-on setting. Students often land internships at leading organizations like Adobe, Google, Honda, Apple, Walmart and more.
Smrithi Kumar
MIIPS ‘23
Product Management Intern,
Walmart
This summer, I worked at Walmart as a Product Management intern.
My internship experience was quite dynamic, and there was no such thing as a “typical” day. The workdays evolved significantly from the beginning to the end of my internship. During the first week, my primary focus was on getting acclimated. I spent a lot of time meeting various team members, understanding the Walmart search system, and getting a grasp of the broader project scope. My role was also defined during this period. It was a bit like an orientation phase where I was absorbing a lot of information and figuring out where I fit into the team.
The lack of a “typical” day was both challenging and exciting. It meant that I had to be adaptable and ready to tackle new challenges as they arose. This variability kept things fresh and prevented monotony.
Mahir Bhatt
MIIPS ‘23
New Business Acceleration Team,
Canon USA
During my internship, a typical day at Canon involved receiving assigned tasks at the beginning of the day, which helped me structure my schedule effectively. This approach was beneficial as it allowed me to plan and prioritize my work efficiently. Additionally, our internship program included various events and activities, such as Topgolf, Bowling at Bowlero, coffee chats with the CEO, and volunteering activities, all aimed at fostering team-building and a positive work environment.
Furthermore, we participated in corporate training sessions covering topics like personality types and leadership development, which proved to be valuable for my professional growth. Overall, the combination of structured tasks and engaging events greatly enhanced my internship experience, offering a well-rounded opportunity for skill development and team bonding.
Myria Mathew
MIIPS '23
Product Management Intern,
Fintech & Payments, Walmart
This summer, I worked at Walmart as a Product Management Intern in the Fintech & Payments department. I was located in the Bay Area of California for the duration of my internship and also got to visit the Walmart headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas.
Each day was different and spontaneous! There was a balance of learning and execution. While there was some structure in terms of tasks to be done, most of the internship was built around achieving certain objectives, in this instance it was launching a product, zero to one, and the onus was on me to achieve what needed to be done. While it was challenging to navigate my way in a large company, the amazing employees and coworkers and the strong culture at the company helped me figure my way out. Although work was challenging, the intern program had fun events that made sure we had a good time while working hard.
Learning By Doing: Past Student Projects
Jamie Curran (MIIPS Adv '17) shares the "totally life-changing" design and user-research skills she learned in the IoT Advanced course.
Pengyuan Huang (MIIPS Adv '17) explains his product, MyGlobe, designed in the Designing for the IoT Advanced course.
Rhea Pandley (MIIPS Adv '20) showcases the cost-effective irrigation system she designed in the Designing for IoT Advanced course.