MIT

Overview of the Degree:

The Master of Engineering degree (MEng) in Advanced Manufacturing and Design within the MIT Department of Mechanical Engineering combines in-depth, group-based graduate subjects and a project-based thesis experience at leading companies to accelerate students’ engineering and leadership skills. The program provides a Launchpad for graduates to become innovative future leaders in established manufacturing firms and new entrepreneurial ventures. This approach leads to what our alumni have termed “compressed” or “formalized” experience, and gives our graduates a blend of theory and practice that uniquely prepares them for this most demanding field.

 The curriculum encompasses subjects such as manufacturing processes and process control, factory systems and supply chains, business fundamentals, and the product development process.  Several subjects include hands-on labs, and most of which have significant project components.  Outside of the formal classroom, there are numerous activities, including interactions with industry leaders, manufacturing entrepreneurs, and thought leaders.  Finally, there is an 8-month-long “Group Project in Industry”, where, as part of a team, each student works with a local manufacturing company on a problem of immediate value to the company, and that will also lead to the MEng thesis. 

This synergistic combination of MIT’s esteemed engineering curriculum with practical industry experience enables you to graduate in just 12 months, fully prepared to be both an effective and innovative leader in the field.

For students who prefer online learning, a blended online/onsite degree path allows for a Principles of Manufacturing MicroMasters credential to be redeemed for course credit. The MicroMasters PoM online credential may be redeemed for 48 academic units (equivalent to 1/3 of the typical degree program). The credential requires learners to successfully pass 8 verified online courses and 4 final exams. After earning the credential, you may apply to the MEng degree program, and if accepted, redeem the PoM courses for credit. This blend of online and on-site learning allows you to begin learning online at your own pace and spend only 8 months on campus to complete your degree. 

For more information about the MicroMasters Principles of Manufacturing Program, please visit https://micromasters.mit.edu/pom/

Graduates have already moved into a variety of careers in manufacturing, ranging from semiconductor process engineering and new product introduction to factory management and supply chain design and implementation. Several graduates have struck out on their own to provide consulting services, and some have gone on to earn PhDs and become faculty members in management and engineering.

Early on, our industrial partners identified our graduates as “different.” This difference is identified as outstanding team players, quick learners, and determined problem solvers. Here are specific examples of what recent graduates have achieved:

  • Developing disruptive manufacturing technologies for the emerging field of soft-lithography
  • Optimizing space utilization and supporting continuous improvement activities for an international logistics corporation
  • Applying operations management techniques to the production of offshore oil rig platforms to problems of inventory management, plant layout, and workload balancing
  • Designing consumer electronic products, from concept to production to market
  • Coordinating a multi-billion-dollar factory conversion in the semiconductor industry and introducing rigorous planning methods for this purpose
  • Serving as a sales manager for an aluminum company with customers in the auto and consumer electronics industries
  • Working in teams with managers and engineers to develop a new distribution structure for a major home furnishing manufacturer

The Master of Engineering in Advanced Manufacturing and Design (MEng) degree from MIT’s Department of Mechanical Engineering prepares you for leadership positions in the multidisciplinary profession of manufacturing and gives you the tools to grow in this dynamic field.