New England Institute of Technology professors Dawn Edmondson and David “DJ” Johnson have designed a new master’s degree program, Applied Design, which they say is relevant to any industry facing challenges concerning new technology, automation or shifting customer preferences.
PBN: How did the idea for this new program come about?
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EDMONDSON: New England Institute of Technology has always focused on the development of new academic programs based on the needs of today’s employers and the Master of Applied Design is no exception. … It offers students the opportunity to blend creativity and human-centered design-thinking with the technical, industry-focused education [of NEIT].
DJ and I met at a workshop I developed that explored interdisciplinarity for our university-wide faculty development. We later collaborated and designed two new interdisciplinary undergraduate courses, a plan for an interdisciplinary maker lab and the MAD program.
PBN: Are there industries that will need this kind of knowledge and skill set more than others?
EDMONDSON: We foresee change and disruption – social, economic and environmental – happening across all industries. The MAD program is not specific to any particular industry. It is interdisciplinary, designed for a diverse cohort with multiple perspectives and skill sets.
PBN: Who is the course geared toward?
EDMONDSON: The MAD degree is designed for mid-career professionals who want to effect positive change within their sphere of influence. Our goal is to develop change-makers that have the desire, capacity and strategy to envision solutions for complex problems. These individuals will have the power to communicate the story of the solution and can harness the power of technology to do so.
The program will cultivate personal agency, flexibility in thinking and a broadened perspective to consider the impact of decisions from social, environmental and financial points of view. Students will actively direct their experience and project-based work in the areas that they are most interested in.
PBN: The NEIT website states that the MAD program covers “innovation at the intersection of technology, creativity, design and leadership.” Is there a sense out there that these things are mutually exclusive: that if one is creative, they can’t be a good leader, for example?
EDMONDSON: Applying creativity and design methods to facilitate the problem-solving process will strengthen a leader’s ability. Creativity allows people to sit with ambiguity while they work through problems. This capacity to remain open allows them to navigate the best path forward. The complexity of our world requires us to remain open while we identify and sort through the numerous variables and perspectives. This allows for better leadership.
PBN: Is it possible that companies could offer this NEIT degree to key executives as a professional-development initiative to increase company success?
EDMONDSON: Absolutely! This program has been designed to allow professionals to continue to work. It is a low-residency program with 90 percent of the course load online. The remaining 10 percent is on campus and happens once every six months. The program can be completed in as little as 18 months. We welcome the opportunity to discuss this program with employers.
Susan Shalhoub is a PBN contributing writer.
