Harvard University will begin offering a Master in Design Engineering (MDE) beginning in fall 2016. The two-year program was developed and will be jointly taught by faculty from Harvard’s Graduate School of Design (GSD) and John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS).
The program is designed to give students the skills to take a collaborative approach to complex open-ended problems. The multi-disciplinary curriculum encompasses engineering and design as well as economics, business, government regulation and policy, and sociology.
“From new materials and fabrication techniques to increasingly sophisticated distribution systems and prototyping technologies, practitioners today have at their disposal a powerful design engineering toolkit,” said Francis J. Doyle III, the John A. Paulson Dean and John A. & Elizabeth S. Armstrong Professor of Engineering & Applied Sciences at SEAS. “The aim of this new program is to help graduates use those resources to address big systemic problems.”
Graduates of Harvard’s new MDE program will be qualified for careers that require broad problem-solving skills, including entrepreneurship, business consulting, technical consulting, innovative engineering, and business development.
Students will take the equivalent to four courses per semester over two years, including a series of seminars and guest lectures by innovators, designers, business leaders, and government officials. During the second year, students will complete a design project.
Students enrolled in the program will be asked to develop comprehensive plans to tackle real-world questions such as:
- What would it take to convert the U.S. transportation system from its almost total reliance on gasoline to more economical and environmentally friendly alternatives?
- How could the health care delivery system be transformed to yield better outcomes at lower cost?
- What steps can cities take to adapt to rising sea levels and other climate change-induced environmental impacts with minimal disruption to society?
- How can homes be designed to consume zero net energy by minimizing year-round heat transfer and incorporating on-site generation of energy?
- In developing products that integrate into the Internet of Things, how should companies design devices that balance individual privacy and security with the benefits of networked intelligence?
- In addressing these design challenges, students will take into account technological, consumer acceptance, economic, regulatory, legal and other considerations.
For guidance, students can utilize one-on-one tutorials, reviews, and critiques with faculty from both schools as well as experts in related engineering design fields.
Harvard’s MDE program is intended for architecture, urban planning, engineering, and science professionals – individuals with an undergraduate degree, demonstrated technical literacy, and at least two years of real-world experience in engineering, design, government, and/or business.
Prospective students interested in learning more about the MDE program can visit its website or contact designengineering@harvard.edu for application and admission information.
Related Stories
Senior Living Design | Jan 5, 2022
Top Senior Living Facility Design and Construction Firms
Perkins Eastman, Kimley-Horn, WSP USA, Whiting-Turner Contracting Co., and Ryan Companies US top BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest senior living sector architecture, engineering, and construction firms, as reported in the 2021 Giants 400 Report.
Giants 400 | Jan 3, 2022
2021 Government Sector Giants: Top architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S. government buildings sector
Stantec, Jacobs, Turner Construction, and Hensel Phelps top BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest government sector architecture, engineering, and construction firms, as reported in the 2021 Giants 400 Report.
Architects | Dec 20, 2021
Digital nomads are influencing design
As our spaces continue to adapt to our future needs, we’ll likely see more collaborative, communal zones where people can relax, shop, and work.
Urban Planning | Dec 15, 2021
EV is the bridge to transit’s AV revolution—and now is the time to start building it
Thinking holistically about a technology-enabled customer experience will make transit a mode of choice for more people.
Healthcare Facilities | Dec 15, 2021
COVID-19 has altered the speed and design of healthcare projects, perhaps irrevocably
Healthcare clients want their projects up and running quicker, a task made more complicated by the shortage of skilled labor in many markets.
Healthcare Facilities | Dec 15, 2021
MEP design considerations for rural hospitals
Rural hospitals present unique opportunities and challenges for healthcare facility operators. Oftentimes, the infrastructure and building systems have not been updated for years and require significant improvements in order to meet today’s modern medical demands. Additionally, as these smaller, more remote hospitals are acquired by larger regional and national healthcare systems, the first step by new ownership is often to update and rehabilitate the building. But how can this be done thoughtfully, economically, and efficiently in ways that allow the engineering and facility staff to adapt to the changes? And how can the updates accurately reflect the specific needs of rural communities and the afflictions with which these areas most commonly face?
Giants 400 | Dec 5, 2021
2021 Justice Facility Sector Giants: Top architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S. justice facility/public safety sector
Turner Construction, DLR Group, AECOM, and Stantec top BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest architecture, engineering, and construction firms for justice facility/public safety buildings work, including correctional facilities, fire stations, jails, police stations, and prisons, as reported in the 2021 Giants 400 Report.
Giants 400 | Dec 3, 2021
2021 Hotel Sector Giants: Top architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S. hospitality sector
Gensler, Jacobs, Suffolk Construction, and WATG top BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest hotel sector architecture, engineering, and construction firms, as reported in the 2021 Giants 400 Report.
Giants 400 | Nov 20, 2021
2021 Parking Structure Giants: Top architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S. parking structure sector
PGAL, PCL Construction, and Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates top BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest parking structure sector architecture, engineering, and construction firms, as reported in the 2021 Giants 400 Report.
Giants 400 | Nov 20, 2021
Top 100 Design-Build Construction Firms for 2021
Clayco, Hensel Phelps, ARCO Construction Companies, Swinerton, and Ryan Companies US top the rankings of the nation's largest design-build construction firms for buildings construction work, according to BD+C's 2021 Giants 400 Report.
