Master of Science in Product Development Engineering

Application
Deadlines

Spring 2023:
September 15, 2022

Fall 2023:
December 15, 2022

USC GRADUATE APPLICATION

March 2023: This program is expected to undergo a revision regarding the required number of units for completion of the Masters degree.  The proposed revision would change the required units from 27 to 28 units.  Updates to the requirements will be posted here when available.

The MS in Product Development Engineering is an interdisciplinary degree program jointly offered by the Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering and the Daniel J. Epstein Industrial and Systems Engineering Departments. The Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering Department will manage this joint degree program.

Developing new products is the essence of human intelligence in general, and engineering professions in particular. The growth of our economy has been largely determined by the engineer's performance and effectiveness in new product developments. The ever-increasing demands for product functions, coupled with low cost, high quality, and short lead-time requirements have made product development a very complex and inter-disciplinary activity. The recent high-tech revolutions and stringent environmental concerns have further contributed to the complexity of modern product development. There exists a great human resource need in the areas of new product developments.

There are three interrelated disciplines in product development: art, management, and engineering. The MS in Product Development Engineering program focuses on the engineering discipline, ranging from technology to systems. From the engineering viewpoint, product development can be seen as a process from invention, design, planning, production, to service phases. Three types of knowledge are needed for an engineer to go through these phases:

  • knowledge to generate new product ideas
  • knowledge to evaluate these ideas
  • knowledge to structure and manage the development process

This innovative degree program provides students with an integrated education experience, including modern theories and practical experiences, to acquire this knowledge systematically so that they can accomplish these phases efficiently.
The MS in Product Development Engineering program is mainly a coursework-based program; students can choose to complete the program with or without a thesis requirement. This program has two areas of specialization (AOS):

  • Product Development Systems (PDS): prepares the student to become a product development manager
  • Product Development Technology (PDT): prepares the student for a professional career as a new product development engineer

Students entering this program must declare their choice of an AOS at admission, and follow the requirements of each AOS to graduate.

International students: This program is eligible for the OPT STEM extension.


Please Note: Requirements for graduation, course offerings, course availability, track offerings, and any other degree requirements are subject to change. Students should consult with an academic advisor prior to registering for any classes.

  • A minimum of 27 units is required to earn the MS in Product Development Engineering degree
  • A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 is required for graduation

    Detailed Program Curriculum and RequirementsSchedule of Classes

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    Published on July 6th, 2017

    Last updated on March 17th, 2023