Master of Arts in Design and Innovation

The M.A. in Design and Innovation is a fully online, stackable program designed for working and mid-career professionals. The program combines design strategy, user experience and design leadership to help professionals develop skills for the evolving creative economy.

A key feature of the program is its flexible structure. It is made up of three specialized certificates that can be completed independently or stacked together toward the master's degree.

The program consists of three specialized certificates. You can earn one or more certificates independently based on your professional and educational goals, or combine the certificates and complete the graduate project to earn the M.A. in Design and Innovation.

This allows you to build your education around the skills most relevant to your career while creating a pathway toward a master's degree.

The M.A. in Design and Innovation includes three stackable certificates:

• Design Strategy & Systems—focuses on creative strategy, design systems and analytical methods for evaluating design solutions.
• Design Experiences & Interactions—focuses on user-centered design, product design, human-computer interaction, user interface research and inclusive design.
• Design Leadership & Impact—focuses on design management and leadership, innovation, team management, talent development, stakeholder management and governance.

No. Each certificate can be earned independently. You can choose the certificate that best aligns with your professional goals without committing to the entire master's degree.

If you decide to continue, the certificates can be stacked toward the M.A. in Design and Innovation.

No. The certificates can be earned independently or in any order, giving you flexibility to focus first on the skills most relevant to your interests and career goals.

The program offers a flexible pathway ranging from approximately seven months to two years, depending on whether you pursue an individual certificate or the full master's degree.

Yes. The program is fully online and was designed with working professionals in mind. The online format allows you to continue working while developing new professional skills and credentials.

The program is designed particularly for fully employed and mid-career professionals who want to strengthen their skills in design strategy, user experience, innovation and design leadership.

The program can support professionals working in creative industries as well as those in creative-adjacent fields where design and innovation are increasingly important.

The curriculum connects learning across courses and applies design concepts to real-world challenges. Students develop skills in areas such as research, design frameworks, design systems, user-centered design, strategy, leadership and innovation.

Students pursuing the master's degree also complete a collaborative graduate project involving an industry-sponsored, client-based initiative.

At the end of the master's program, student cohorts come together for a collaborative graduate project. Each team works with industry professionals on an industry-sponsored, client-based initiative, with faculty advisors providing feedback throughout the process.

The project culminates in a showcase of the teams' innovative solutions.

The program addresses contemporary issues affecting design, including emerging technologies and artificial intelligence.

Students also explore the ethical use of AI tools in design and creative industries as part of the Design Strategy & Systems certificate.

The skills developed through the program can be applied across design, innovation, user experience, product development and creative leadership.

Potential roles include:

• Innovation Consultant
• Design Strategist
• Product Designer
• UX Designer
• UI Designer
• Service Designer
• Design Researcher
• Creative Director
• Innovation Manager
• Human-Centered Design Specialist
• Interaction Designer
• Experience Designer
• Brand Strategist
• Digital Product Manager
• Customer Experience Manager

The program can also support career advancement in creative industries such as marketing, branding, communication design, public relations, entertainment and interactive software, as well as creative-adjacent fields.

Students receive one-on-one support from a team dedicated to their academic and professional success. Support includes academic guidance, enrollment assistance, financial aid resources and ongoing program support to help students stay on track throughout the program and progress toward completion.