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
| Sep 15, 2014
Perkins+Will unveils design for Ghana's largest hospital
The new hospital will be home to numerous hospital services including public health, accident and emergency, imaging, obstetrics, gynecology, dental, surgical, intensive care and administration.
| Sep 15, 2014
Gen-Y-focused multifamily development under way in L.A.
The new urban residential community at 1001 S. Olive Street will offer open floor plans consisting of 64 studios, 109 one bedroom units, and 28 two-bedroom units, ranging in size from approximately 500 sq ft to 1,100 sq ft.
| Sep 14, 2014
Ranked: Top Veterans Administration sector AEC firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
CannonDesign, Clark Group, and URS top BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest Veterans Administration building sector design and construction firms, as reported in the 2014 Giants 300 Report.
Sponsored | | Sep 13, 2014
5 common questions leaders should never ask
Asking the right questions can help business leaders to anticipate changes, seize opportunities and move their firms in new directions. SPONSORED CONTENT
| Sep 13, 2014
Why CEOs shouldn’t be afraid to ask for outside help
An oven-overlooked factor in assessing the success of a leader, according to organizational development consultant Brook Manville, is his or her ability to go far outside the organization to get help in solving problems. SPONSORED CONTENT
Sponsored | | Sep 13, 2014
Right Way Plumbing finishes first at Max Planck Florida Institute
The Max Planck Florida Institute consists of a three-story, 100,000-sf scientific research facility with 30,000 feet of copper joined with Viega ProPress fittings.
| Sep 12, 2014
Total immersion: Has virtual reality's time finally come?
The emergence of low-cost VR technology means that anyone with a few hundred bucks and a decent workstation can get in the game. But, as our experts reveal, pulling off VR is not so simple.
| Sep 12, 2014
Will on-site parking remain king in the development world?
In spite of the trend away from multi-car residences, not much has changed with regard to parking spot allocations within apartment buildings and other multi-unit residential developments, writes GS&P's Doug Sharp.
| Sep 11, 2014
5 competing designs unveiled for Presidio Parklands in San Francisco
To turn the underdeveloped area by Chrissy Field into new public space, San Francisco's Presidio Trust unveiled the five designs by five teams they invited earlier this year.
| Sep 11, 2014
Cintas invites public to vote for 'America's best restroom'
For the 13th consecutive year, Cintas Corporation is back with its popular America’s Best Restroom Contest. A team of survey editors once again scanned the country for the most creative and clean public restrooms and produced a crop of nominees sure to please.
